DYSPRAXIA
Lighting fires
“Aim for success, not
perfection. Never give up
your right to be wrong,
The missing connections
because then you will lose
the ability to learn new
things and move forward
with your life. Remember
had was genuine or not. He was doing something as a
that fear always lurks
part of a desire to lead a healthy lifestyle.
behind perfectionism.”
Dyspraxics have, through no fault of their own, an
unusual set of connections in their brain. Who knows
David M Burns
what sorts of insight these different connections might
one day bring? Their brains are wired up differently,
which means they can be very creative. The fact that “It is books that are the key
they see connections that others do not, means that they
have unusual and original processes.
to the wide world; if you
What we need to do is to convince children with the
condition that they can achieve worthwhile goals. Yes,
can’t do anything else, read
they have a problem – but it is not insurmountable.
all that you can.”
With informed understanding and proper consistent
support, families and schools can make a real impact
Jane Hamilton
upon children with this disability.
They need structure and order; they need support
in planning and in organising; they need reassurance “Keep away from people
and security. If we are to provide the help they need
and deserve, then we have to show sympathy and
who try to belittle your
understanding. If their brains are not the same as
ours then what does that matter? Who can say what
ambitions. Small people
is normal? The dyspraxic child is different; those
always do that, but the
differences, and the potential they represent, need to be
celebrated. SecEd
really great make you feel
• Geoff Brookes is deputy headteacher of Cefn Hengoed
that you, too, can become
Community School in Swansea and a SecEd editorial
panellist. He has written two books about dyspraxia.
great.”
His son, David Brookes, has succeeded in spite of Mark Twain
his dyspraxia. He is now a post-graduate student at
Reading University, currently studying for a Master’s
degree in law.
“The objective of
Further information
education is to prepare
Dyspraxia (Second Edition, 2007, Continuum Press,
ISBN 0-8264-9235-5) and The Teaching Assistant’s Guide the young to educate
to Dyspraxia (Continuum Press, ISBN 9-780-8264-
9760-4), both by Geoff Brookes, are available to buy.
themselves throughout
Mr Brookes also recommends the work of Madeleine
Portwood and Amanda Kirby on dyspraxia. You can
their lives.”
contact Mr Brookes, and find out more about these and
Robert Maynard Hutchins
his other books, at www.storiesinwelshstone.co.uk
IS YOUR SCHOOL WEBSITE
WORKING FOR YOU?
will support the body while the relevant movements are disorder that you must learn to cope with. And there are
arranged and organised. thousands of adults with dyspraxia who have learned to
Bright Schools provide a wealth of interactive
Adolescence can be a difficult time for anyone, but compensate and to deal with their problems. Children
a dyspraxic may encounter additional problems. They diagnosed with the condition need to know this, and
website tools to improve communication and
might still experience difficulties with physical tasks, what the dyspraxic child needs most of all is a sense of
sequencing, organisation and perception. An inability self-esteem. They are not alone, and the condition can
create a vibrant online school community
to ride a bike, for example, could mean that they would be managed.
stay close to home. Dyspraxia is not new and a teacher will undoubtedly
However, the use of a computer can minimise have seen many children like this in their career. The
the problems caused by handwriting that may still be difficult part for anyone is doing something about it.
laborious and untidy. Dyspraxic adolescents are always As parents we are vulnerable to promises of “miracle
delighted to learn that computer gaming can make cures”, but there is no quick fix. The best that parents
a genuine contribution to improvement in hand-eye and teachers can do is to reassure a child and show them
co-ordination. that the condition can be managed.
Developmental dyspraxia is not an illness or disease Progress can be made but it will always be gradual.
from which you can recover. It is a neurological Teachers can play a hugely important part by remaining
well informed and by offering practical advice.
Together, home and school need to learn to manage
‘
The dyspraxic child
the condition.
Something that can have real beneficial effects
is a sensible and well judged diet. Dyspraxics need
cannot make their body
to make conscious decisions about what they eat
and be aware of the implications of the choices they
do what they want it
make. There are undoubtedly lots of opportunities for
genuine improvement in the area of diet and dietary CONTaCT BRIGHT SCHOOLS FOR FLExIBLE WEBSITE
to do quickly enough.
supplements. For example, research indicates that some
supplements can have a beneficial effect. It seems that
SOLUTIONS TO SUIT YOUR ONLINE REqUIREmENTS
learning and behaviour can be improved by the addition
Actions can be carried of highly unsaturated fatty acids to the diet, especially
the essential fatty acid omega-3. Evening Primrose
out but not instinctively
Oil tablets and cod liver oil are both said to reduce
dyspraxic difficulties.
and with little conviction.
As always, it is important that we keep things
in perspective. But sometimes, a dietary supplement
Connections within the
can be symbolic of a commitment to change and to
improvement. My son took Evening Primrose Oil
t 0800 680 0327
religiously for years. I don’t know whether it made
e info@brightschools.co.uk
brain appear to be either
a difference, but the important thing was that he
always felt that it was making a difference. It was
w brightschools.co.uk
missing or disrupted
his acknowledgement of his condition and came to
’
represent his investment in his own future. As a result, it
never really mattered whether the influence these tablets
SecEd • November 5 2009 9
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