Student Services

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Disability & Dyslexia

Dyspraxia

Dyspraxia is present when a motor coordination weakness (clumsiness) and significant weaknesses in cognitive functions affects everyday life. Dyspraxia is an umbrella term. It does not affect everyone in quite the same way, and it varies in form and severity. In addition to co-ordination challenges, individuals frequently display weaknesses in visual processing, short-term visual memory and short-term auditory memory (working memory).

Generally, students with dyspraxia tend to have at least one of the following difficulties:

Co-ordination - the organised working together of muscles and groups of muscles aimed at bringing about a purposeful movement such as walking or standing. This area of weakness can affect gross motor skills: poor performance in sports, general clumsiness, poor balance, tripping and bumping into things. Fine motor skills may also be affected; difficulties using a keyboard or a mouse, difficulty measuring accurately, slow poor or illegible handwriting and poor presentation of work.

Working/Short Term Memory- the information processing stage where sounds or symbols are temporarily stored (short term) or manipulated (working) before being discarded or transferred into long-term memory. This will lead to problems remembering sequences of instructions, forgetfulness, slow retrieval of information, recalling what they have just been told, following group discussions, going off on a tangent, mental calculations, being organised, managing time and, multi-tasking.

Visual Processing Speed - how quickly visual information is assimilated. Weaknesses in this area mean that it takes individuals longer to make sense of visual information. Students may take longer to read exam questions or instructions. Learning the spatial layout of a new environment or building may be slow. Individuals may become easily disorientated. In combination with working memory, this weakness can affect automaticity; extra energy is required to concentrate on areas that are automatic for non-dyspraxic students.

Teaching and Learning Support

Every student's needs are different. Upon discussion with a Dyslexia Educational Advisor, a Learning Support Agreement (LSA) will be drawn up and disseminated to all relevant UEL staff. The LSA will inform you of the disabled student's particular teaching, learning and assessment requirements.

Below are some other points to consider when supporting students with dyspraxia:

Support with writing and reading tasks

Students with dyspraxia may show these difficulties...

Staff can help by...

Erratic spelling and punctuation
Awkward and confused sentence structure
Poor proof-reading
Inclusion of irrelevant material in essays
Slow to complete work
untidy or messy hand writing
poor presentation
difficulty drawing shapes and using equipment such as protractors
errors in writing numbers
difficulties with mouse and keyboard control

ensuring forms are clearly laid out and unambiguous
explaining forms verbally when necessary
accepting untidy writing, inaccurate spelling, as long as meaning is clear
offering to assist in checking writing/numbers
allowing students to take forms away to complete
remaining patient and non-judgemental
offer existing essays and reports as examples to the student
provide written directions for assignments

Support with speaking

Students with dyspaxia may show these difficulties...	Staff can help by...
being concise sticking to a train of thought articulating long words pronouncing words correctly	providing encouragement and support assisting the student to articulate their request establishing an atmosphere of trust and safety removing time pressures to relieve stress

Support in practical situations

Students with dyspraxia may show these difficulties...	Staff can help by...
clumsiness /confusion over left and right disorganisation difficulties in following instructions difficulties in calculating fragile self-esteem signs of stress e.g. frustration, anger, distress difficulties participating in discussions and interacting with peers difficulties delivering presentations	being accepting and non-judgemental giving clear logical instructions, repeated in different words, broken down into steps, reinforced by written signs assisting with numeracy and repeating instructions if necessary ensure the student can handle any equipments safely check the individual is placed within a supportive group