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Talk; Adults

Thursday stream 5 Session 09.00 - 11.10 Length 25 minutes

Spelling Success at Last! A system for teaching adults to spell priority words, so that they remain in long term memory

Jenny Lee

Adult Dyslexia Specialist and Adult Basic Education Co-ordinator, Co Durham, UK RLee264639@aol.com

Abstract

Learning how to spell is almost always a priority with dyslexic adults. Structured multisensory programmes are often necessary, but other means must be found to deal with the miscellaneous words they need to spell most urgently. This workshop will offer teachers a system of teaching students to spell these priority words that really works. It has been designed to take into account the need to develop and integrate auditory, visual and motor strategies. By using this method students learn to develop automaticity in spelling. MUSP (The Multisensory Spelling Programme for Priority Words) does not replace but complements a structured language programme. It uses a systematic multisensory approach and develops a high degree of metacognition and independence.

Background

As an adult dyslexia specialist, I realised quite early on that many of our students, even the severely dyslexic people who required highly structured multisensory and phonic teaching programmes ,also needed something more.

There always seemed to be a certain group of words which most dyslexic learners would need to use over and over again but which they had great difficulty in spelling. This would result in life often becoming stressful and embarrassing for the individual concerned.

These words would usually be special to that individual; they may include his or her name and address, words for forms, notes to school, greetings cards, work reports, essays and so on. They would follow no particular spelling rule or pattern and would almost certainly not fit in with the particular structured programme, or at least not until a much later stage.

Rationale

A way had to be found to teach the spellings of these priority words in a systematic and multisensory way but which would not interfere with any structured language programme the student was following.

I wanted it to reflect Paulesu and Frith's work (1996) and activate both the part of the language area that deals with sounds, at the same time as the part of the language area that deals with how words look.

This is done on MUSP by ensuring learners work on each word, and its strategy, in their "mind's eye" and "mind's ear". They are then shown how to transfer this strong visual and auditory image into motor memory.

Nicolson & Fawcett's research (1999) into the difficulties dyslexic learners have in developing automaticity was also taken into account in the development of MUSP. The programme ensures that the learners have numerous opportunities to see, hear and feel the words in each MUSP list through a series of carefully managed activities.

By the time they have mastered each list, the words are committed to auditory, visual and motor memory. If one of the three memories does let them down, then it is almost certain that one of the other two will be available and the strategy for spelling the word can be retrieved.

Process

Informal research in our Adult Dyslexia Unit suggests that if dyslexic learners use MUSP exactly as it is described below for learning to spell their priority words, then success rates of between 85% and 97% can be obtained.

I have set out the MUSP programme so that it can be copied and used with a dyslexic adult. It is written to the learner rather than to the teacher. The last page is a summary of the important stage of committing the words to "mind's eye and mind's ear".(week 1 stage 4)

There are certain points that it is important to note when using MUSP.

1. Only use MUSP for words that are a real priority for the learner. Do not be tempted to create a list just for the sake of it. It is far better to overlearn an earlier MUSP list than create a new one containing words that are rarely going to be used by the individual.
2. The more bizarre or zany the strategy chosen to remember each word the more effective learning will be.
3. It is extremely important to carry out every step in the "look, say - cover, picture and say - write, say - check" routine. The step that tends to be left out is step 2, "cover, picture and say" (the mind's eye & ear part), because once the word is covered, the learner is anxious to write it down, "before I forget it". This stage is the most important one because during this process the learner is committing the word into both auditory and visual memory. The learner and teacher should work on the word to secure it in auditory and visual memory. The student will be encouraged to 'see ' each chunk in his mind's eye, as he Say each chunk. He may be asked to pick out certain 'chunks' or identify which letter comes before or after a given letter, then 'read it off' from his mind's eye image, spelling forwards and even backwards. By this stage both should be easy to do.
4. The learner should always say the aloud the whole word and immediately afterwards say the strategy. This is because when the person is writing an essay or report that contains that word, the whole word will come into his or her head first, and, if this process is used, the strategy will automatically "click in".
5. Remember at the testing stage (Week 2 & 3), if the learner has forgotten the strategy, he must "look and say ".It is important that he relearns immediately both auditorily and visually, and that he should not try to guess.
6. Make sure the learner proof reads his spellings after he has been tested but before checking with the original. He should do this by saying the strategy and seeing if what he has written reflects the strategy. There are two reasons for this: a. he will not have his MUSP list at work, so he needs to have an independent way of checking; b. all proofreading adds to the auditory and visual overlearning.
7. The MUSP programme is designed so that a great deal of systematic overlearning is built in.It will all be needed. With dyslexia you can afford to leave nothing to chance!
8. Once both teacher and learner are confident that the correct processes are being used, MUSP can be carried out independently. Almost all students who have used MUSP have found it to be the most effective way they have ever used to learn these special interest or priority words.

Further information on our methods of teaching dyslexic adults can be found in Chapter 12 in Dyslexia in Practise, ed Townend and Turner.

Networking

Teachers who are working with dyslexic adults may like to try this programme and let it run alongside the normal structured parts of the lesson.

I would be interested in comments, suggestions and results from both teachers and learners. MUSP is a dynamic programme. It has and will continue to be altered and refined.

I can be reached by email on

leapinteesdale@ukonline.co.uk or
Rlee264639@aol.com

References

Fawcett A.J., & Nicolson R.I. (1999), Dyslexia, The Role of the Cerrebellum
Dyslexia and International Research and Practice Vol 5 155-177.

Paulesu E., Frith U., Snowling M., Gallagher A., Morton J., Frackowiak R., Frith C., (1996) Is Developmental Dyslexia a Disconnection Syndrome? Evidence from PET Scanning.
Brain (1996) 199. 143-157.

Townend J., & Turner M.,(2000) Dyslexia in Practice - A Guide for Teachers
Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.

MUSP The Multisensory Spelling Programme For Priority Words

Jenny Lee

How to learn the words you need in a systematic way, so that they are retained in your long -term memory.
In other words, you can always remember how to spell them.

What to do

WEEK 1

1 Choose a list of between 5 and 15 words that you need to spell, for instance words for work, forms, letters, study etc.

2 Label it list 'A' and date it.

3 Write the words on the left hand side of the page, as whole words in joined up writing.
On the right hand side of the page, print the word showing the strategy you've chosen.

(i) Strategies must be multisensory - seeing, hearing and feeling.
(ii) They must address the bits of the word you are having difficulties with, for instance,

permanent	perma frost at Nent Head
necessary	1 collar & 2 socks (1c & 2s's)
architect	arch i tect (visual clue & you say it as it's spelt)
solicitor	sol ICI tor (note the symmetrical pattern)
opportunity	op port unity (split up double consonants auditorily & visually. Find hidden words)
queue	q ue ue (say it in rhythm)
specific	spec if ic
always	al ways one flag

.....Get the idea?

On a piece of spare paper, fiddle about with a few strategies until you find one that clicks for you.

Important - once you've decided on a strategy, you must stick to it. Your teacher will probably have to suggest strategies to start with, but gradually you'll take over because you know which ones work best for you.

4 Now use the 'LOOK, SAY, ....COVER, PICTURE and SAY,.... WRITE, SAY,... CHECK' method to practise each word.

a) LOOK at the word and study the strategy carefully; SAY the word then say the strategy. You must say them out loud.

b) COVER the word and the strategy; SAY the word, then SAY the strategy; PICTURE each bit of the strategy in your mind's eye as you SAY it. At this stage your teacher might ask you to work on the word whilst it's in your mind's eye. For instance you might be asked to identify and spell a middle or end chunk or to spell the word forwards or even backwards by "reading it off" from your mind's eye image.

c) WRITE the word as a whole word, in joined up writing.....but.... SAY the strategy as you write it - tell your hand what to write.

d) CHECK - letter by letter to see if it's right.

Don't leave out any stage. Stage 4b is particularly important. Always practice using joined up writing - it develops your motor (muscle) memory.

During the following week - Practice at least a couple of times using the 'Look, Say,... Cover, Picture and Say,..... Write, Say,.... Check' method.

WEEK 2

1 Go over each word and relearn each word and its strategy with your teacher. Always use the above method exactly. Don't be tempted to use short cuts

2 Let your teacher test you using the following method:

a) She/he says the word, you repeat the word, then say the strategy picturing each bit in your mind's eye as you say it.

b) Write the word, saying the strategy as you write it.
Don't write it until you can think of the strategy. If you've forgotten, look and say - that's "not cheating but learning".

c) Now you must look at your test (without the original) and proofread it for errors like this;

say the strategy and look at what you have written . Have you written what the strategy indicates?

d) Only then should you look at the original and mark it.

During the week - Yes, you've guessed it - practise using the above Look, Say,… Cover, Picture and Say,.. Write, Say,.. Check method .

The steps in Week 2 can be repeated in subsequent weeks for as often as necessary if you haven't had time to practise at home.

WEEK 3

Ask your teacher to test you 'cold' without looking first at the list. Use the method described in week 2, stage 2. Remember- You must proofread first, then check with original.

During the week - practise using the same Look, Say,… Cover, Picture and Say,.. Write, Say,.. Check. method.

WEEK 4

1. Your teacher dictates the words you've learnt by putting them into sentences - she says a sentence, you repeat it, write it and proofread it.

2. Start List B - choose new words that have cropped up at work or college and add any words that you're not quite sure of from list 'A'. Use exactly the same system for learning this new list.

Note

Both you and your teacher should keep a copy of each list and the strategies used. Also keep a record of which list you're working on and what week of the list, eg:

Each list should be learned over a minimum of 4 weeks, longer if necessary, even if you think you are confident with the words.

After about 2-3 months, whilst learning a new list, you should relearn an earlier list and be tested on both. (Keep records of which lists have been relearned and when.)

All old lists need to be systematically relearned, about 2-3 months after they were first learnt.

This method really works. You'll find you can spell the words you need surprisingly quickly - and you won't forget them!