SPOTLIGHT ON SEND Untangling Irlen’s


Syndrome In her regular column for Education Today this month, independent Specialist Teacher and Assessor JOANNE GLADDERS looks at the usefulness or otherwise of visual screening as a tool for identifying ‘visual stress’ or Irlen’s syndrome.


One of the many conversations I have with schools is whether or not to test young people for coloured overlays. These are viewed to be useful if a young person potentially has ‘Visual Stress’; this is also known as Irlen’s Syndrome.


So, what is ‘Visual Stress’?


A leaflet produced by the Orthoptic Department at the Royal United Hospital Bath answers the question with the following statement:


Lines of text are rather like a striped pattern. When some people look at black and white stripes of specific width and spacing it causes visual distortions and illusions. These distortions are due to hyper-excitability in the part of the brain known as the visual cortex. It is thought that when some people try to read the ‘stripy’ effect of the lines of print, it causes similar symptoms affecting their ability to read the text. This is known as Visual Stress or Meares-Irlen Syndrome. Visual Stress is NOT Dyslexia but is more common amongst dyslexic individuals.


Interestingly, the British Dyslexia Association on its website has a section on ‘Visual Difficulties’, which states:


Common symptoms that may significantly impair reading ability, or make reading very tiring, include:


• headaches and eyestrain associated with reading and/or other near work


• text appearing blurred or going in and out of focus • text appearing double or alternating between single and double • difficulty keeping place in text • difficulty tracking across lines of text


• discomfort with brightness of the page or contrast between text and background


• text that appears to shimmer or flicker


It is evident that a Google search brings up a multitude of different definitions and suggestions for the many ways you can improve the reading experience for young people. However, what is not always evident is the need for these symptoms to be explored by a qualified practitioner. Testing in school for a coloured overlay is merely a sticking plaster to try and aid the reading process, it does not explore any underlying causes. The British Dyslexia Association website makes this very clear, and it is well worth a read*. Prior to any assessment for a Specific Learning Difficulty the assessor should ask for a Visual Screening questionnaire as per SASC guidance. If any concerns are raised through this, then further investigation should take place before the diagnostic assessment is carried out.


If a young person highlights any concerns with symptoms that potentially affect their reading ability it is worth investigating specific opticians that offer colorimetry services, or a local NHS Orthoptic department that you can refer the student on to.


*https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/dyslexia/neurodiversity-and-co-occurring- differences/visual-difficulties


12 steps to a truly inclusive classroom


In her column this month regular contributor HANNAH RIX, SEND English teacher and co-founder of Readingmate Ltd, looks at inclusive education and explains how the learning environment can make such a difference to all our children’s educations.


Inclusive education should be considered a consistent process rather


than a destination. As educators and teachers, we are consistently striving to ensure positive outcomes for all children – both with and without disabilities or other disadvantages (Dr Matthew J. Schuelka, Implementing inclusive education, 2018).


Your learners can’t be what they can’t see


Inclusion isn’t just about tokenism or celebrating a one-off national day. It’s about how we structure our schools, classrooms, lessons, and resources so that every learner can learn and participate together.


Top tips to build your inclusive classroom • Switch up your seating plan. Giving your learners a change of scenery and someone new to work with can be motivating and stimulating. It’s also a great chance for learners to develop relationships beyond their social circle. • Include small group and partner work in your lesson plans. • Provide structured activities for break and lunchtimes. Unstructured breaks can be very difficult for some learners to navigate. It can feel lonely, chaotic, and stressful. • Find ways to highlight and celebrate learner strengths and interests. Whether it’s discussing a certain hometown or a favourite character from a book, a little goes a long way to make learners feel valued. • Ensure every child has the equipment they need to communicate and access the curriculum. It can be something as simple as traffic light cards or even a communication aid, make sure your learners feel supported and included amongst their peers. • Develop and maintain a supportive, respectful classroom environment that’s conducive to all learning types, cultures, personalities etc. • Model the behaviours you wish to see. When you respond to a topical issue in the news, interact with a colleague or support other learners, make sure you’re considerate, calm, and supportive. • Have high expectations of your learners. Research suggests that learners respond better when they feel their teacher focuses on their abilities rather than inabilities. • Inspire a supportive peer culture in and out of the classroom. Empower your learners to respect one another in the playground, and on the bus as well as trust each other too. Make empathy and care part of the status quo to reinforce positive attitudes that lead to learners helping one another. • Ensure all activities and lessons deliberately consider and encourage participation from everyone. Personalise to fit what your learners can do, like to do, and want to do which can be tailored through their Individual Learning Plans or goal setting with your learners. • Bring your learner’s community into the classroom. Inclusive values and environments are developed through incorporative every learner’s lived experience. • Resource your library and bookshelves with a diverse range of books that feature life experiences that reflect and enrich your learner’s lived experiences.


September 2022 www.education-today.co.uk 19


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