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Written by Ann Tipper - and taken from her useful booklet 'Plees Help' (a booklet for children to give to their teachers)

To My Teacher - I am worried about asking for your help because these are some of the things teachers do to people like me:

HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE FIND DIFFICULT:-

SPELLING

We may have difficulty recognising and remembering all types of symbols and so when letters are joined together to make words, we have little idea of the correct sequence.

A spelling checker may help some people.  A Phonic approach to spelling usually works, e.g. One Way with Words Scheme. 

REMEMBERING

It is very difficult for us to remember symbols e.g. letters and numbers.

To give you an idea of our difficulty, try to write the British Rail symbol from memory.  You have seen this hundreds of times but it is not easy is it?

We may forget teachers' names, the layout of school, the next lesson, the room number, instructions, where we have put something.  Mnemonics may help with teachers' names.  A map of the school would probably add to our confusion so it is important to have a friend to follow.  A timetable on the wall is useful.  Instructions need to be repeated and then recorded for us either in writing or on cassette.  We need to be encouraged to be tidy and it helps if you keep everything we need to find in the same place.

READING

Causes us all sorts of problems:-

You will need to be very patient to help us with reading.  It is better if you wait for us to ask for help with a word rather that butting in as soon as we hesitate.  It helps if you give us some idea of the story before we try to read and if we can choose a book which interests us.  Well spaced large print may help, as well as guides which separate the lines and words as they are read.  Colour can affect our ability to read, so it is worth trying different coloured sheets of plastic over the page.  The room needs to be quiet.

WRITING NEATLY

If you would like to experience how hard this can be for us try sitting facing a mirror with this page printed out on the table in front of you.  Now look at the mirror and at the same time, try to draw between the two lines of this shape.

The cursive style is best for us.  You can help us to plan our work and tell us when you want us to concentrate particularly on neat writing.  Tram-lined paper can help and so can the special paper with raised lines.  Grips are useful and pencils or fountain pens are easier to control than biros.

TIME

People like us often have little concept of time sow e need help to establish good time management.

A watch with an alarm, allowing plenty of time and establishing good routine can help.

COPYING FROM THE BOARD

We may have to look at EACH LETTER and then write it so, by the time we have looked back up to the board, we have lost our place.  If you would like to experience how difficult and frustrating this is try holding up the text below and then copying the following:-

It may help if we sit in the centre and close to the board, but it is easier for us to copy from a piece of paper next to us.  It also helps if you have clear hand writing and teach us just to write the essential parts.  Too much copying can be very tiring so other methods of recording information are useful.  e.g. cassette recorder, lap-top computer, diagrams.

MOTIVATION

It is important to realise that the severity and form of our difficulties can change FROM DAY TO DAY depending on our emotional state.  Because everything needs so much effort we cfan sometimes become fatigued and discouraged.

You can help by giving us enjoyable and stimulating work, listening to our worries, ensuring a quiet class, praising our effort and achievements rather than pointing out every mistake, and never criticising our work by comparing us to others.

CONCENTRATING

For some people so much information is flooding in it is difficult to know which part is important.  If we are put under too much pressure our minds may wander or go blank.  We sometimes need to vent our frustration before we can concentrate again.  

These are some ways you can help:-

MATHS

Sometimes the numbers appear jumble.

We may get the sum right, but transpose the numbers in the answers so be marked wrong.  It is very difficult for us to learn tables as sequences are hard to remember.

Spacing out the sums may help to stop the numbers appearing jumbled.  Calculators help most people.  Using blocks, rods or anything tactile instead of abstract makes numbers make more sense.  A ruler can be useful for addition and subtraction and if you show us how to make a quick number square, we can do this at anytime instead of using tables.  We need individual or small group tuition.

HOMEWORK

Please remember that any work that you give us is likely to take us far longer than other people and we will need to put in a great deal of extra effort.

The work may need to be adapted for us.  For example, giving multiple choice questions or worksheets with most of the information but blanks for us to complete.  Letting us type or record our answers on cassette may help.

CO-ORDINATION AND DIRECTION

Most people like me get confused between left and right, have a poor sense of direction and lack co-ordination.  This means we are likely to be accident prone.

Please don't fuss about breakages as this makes us more nervous and more likely to break something else.  It helps if you warn us of possible dangers and encourage us to be tidy.

You can order the Booklet version of this at Amazon

The ISBN No is  1 872406 432

Written by Ann Tipper - Price is only £2

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