Presenter:

Lesley BurnettDyslexia Action Postgraduate Academic Director

Dyslexia and self-esteemHow to help dyslexic learners develop a positive self image

Dyslexia Guild Summer Conference June 2011

What are we going to cover?

1.What to we mean by self esteem and positive self image?

2. How can we recognise low self esteem in learners who have dyslexia?

3. What helps learners to develop a positive self image?

Dyslexic students and self esteem:How do we research this?

Case studies Autobiographies

Research

Evidence from practitioners

‘There is an urgent need for further research into the connection between developmental learning difficulties of a dyslexic nature and the ways in which these can and do affect a person’s sense of identity, possibly throughout their lives’Burden (2008) p.194

What do we mean by self-esteem?

How do you see yourself?

Self-concept The way a person describes

his or herself

Ideal self How a person would like

to be

Self-esteem A person’s evaluation of how

their ideal self relates to their self concept.

A model of self-concept (Marsh, 1992)

Global self-concept

Academic self-concept

Maths Literacy

Non-academic self-concept

Social Emotional Physical

Source: Riddick (2010, p. 37)

The same study found that their non-academic self-concept was similar to those without dyslexia.

89% of dyslexic learners in a study by Zeleka (2004) had a poor academic self-concept

The effects of a poor Academic Self-Concept

Literacy failure

Resulting in a lack of:

Learner recogniseshis limitations

Confidence to succeed

Self-esteem Motivation

How can we recognise low self-esteem in learners who have

dyslexia?

I can do this!

I can’t do this!

Self efficacy(Bandura, 1997)

Confidence in approaching andcompleting tasks

pjstar.mycapture.com

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Learned helplessness Seligman (2006)

I can’t be bothered.

I don’t want to try.I will fail.

The learner is placed in a negative situation.She feels she has no control and

that there is no escape.

When placed in a more positive situation,

the apathy remains.

This is‘learned helplessness’

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Attribution theory/styleWeiner (1974)

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The teachermade me rush

I can’tdo it becauseI’m no goodat reading

No oneunderstandshow I feel

It’s allmy fault

The reasons a learner givesfor success or failure

Motivation: ‘What’s in it for me?

When deciding whether to commit to a task, internal factors come into play:

(Burden 2008)

Attitude: What’s in it for me? Is this task valuable?

Self-concept: Am I good enough to do this?

Agency: Do I have the skillsto do this?

Self-concept has a direct effect on attainment(and vice versa) and motivation is central to this.

Responses to stress

Possible sources of stress in school:-

Literacy failureToo much pressure

Being asked to read aloudBeing seen as different low self-esteem

further failure

anxietywithdrawal, behavioural difficulties

Poor motivation

stress

Tiredness

How to help: Key factors

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‘While feelings of frustration and anxiety are not the causes of dyslexia, they can exacerbate its effects and result in low self-esteem and disaffection. Overcoming these adverse emotional consequences depends on building strong individual resilience and coping strategies, and school and family support for learners experiencing dyslexic difficulties’

Rose Review (2009) P. 122

Protective factors (1)

• Parental support• Supportive non-

dyslexic friends• Friends or role

models with similar difficulties

• Teacher or adult who believes in the child

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Significant others

Parents

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Teachers

Peer group

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The support of significant others is crucial in giving dyslexic learners a positive self-concept.(Lawrence, 2006)

Friends withsimilar difficulties

Parents/carers

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Parents/carers knowand understand child best

Can act as advocates forthe child in partnership with school

Help childrendevelop strengthsthrough activitiesout of school

Supportive rolein helping child cope with learning failure

Research by Riddick 2010

Most significantothers in early years

The role of peers

Peers become the most significant others in a child’s life as they get older.Burnett + McCrindle (1999)

At the age of about 8children start to compare themselves with others.Gurney (1988)

Peer emotionalsupport is verypowerful.Cowie and Wallace (2000)

Peer tutoring:helps to stop dyslexic child appearing‘different’.Humphrey (2003)

The role of the teacher

Genuineness

Empathy

Acceptance

(Lawrence 1996)based on the work of Carl Rogers (1951)

flickr.comThink about:

How the languageyou use affects

those youteach.

Think about:

“You tried hard but your handwriting could

have been neater.”

“Great ideas here, even though

your spelling let you down.”

Giving learners a ‘voice’

• This means that learners should be given the opportunity to express their views.

• These views should be listened to and respected.

• Talking about their learning can help to raise awareness of strengths and effective learning strategies.

• Research suggests this is of benefit to pupils in raising self-esteem (Lawrence, 2006)

Resources are available to help teachers to elicit the views of pupils:

MALS by R. Burden(Myself-As-A-Learner-Scale)

Pupil Voice: Listen to Me materials (Widgit)

Target: Self esteem by Jenny Foster (Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre)

Protective factors (2)

• Early identification• Effective early

reading intervention• Positive primary

school experiences• Positive secondary

school experiences• Good academic

achievement

Early identification

How?

• Observation and monitoring at Wave 1, especially in the Early Years

• Teachers trained in recognising signs that might put child at risk of dyslexia

• Teachers able to access and use effective reading interventions

‘It is generally agreed that the earlier dyslexic difficulties are identified, the better are the chances of putting children on the road to success.’

Rose review (2009) P. 42

Positive school experiences

Grouping according to interest ratherthan ability

Praising work for effort and content

rather than accuracy

Promoting peersupport

School ethos thatcelebrates all strengths, notjust those that are academic

Supportive andunderstanding

teachers

‘No failure, only feedback’(Neil Mackay)

Good academic achievement

‘… it is in the knowledge of the short and long-term outcomesof self-esteem that we, as educationalists, are presented with our greatest challenge: to teach our children not only to succeed, but also to value themselves.’

Humphrey (2003) p.135

ReferencesBurden, R. (2008) ‘Is dyslexia necessarily associated with feelings of self-

worth? A review and implications for further research’. Dyslexia, 14, 188 -96Burden, R. (2005) Dyslexia and Self-Concept. London: WhurrHumphrey, N. (2003) ‘Facilitating a positive sense of self in pupils with dyslexia:

the role of teachers and peers’. Support for Learning, 18 (3), 129 -36Lawrence, D. (2006) Enhancing Self Esteem in the Classroom (3rd edn).

London: Paul Chapman Mackay, N. (2006) Removing Dyslexia as a Barrier to Achievement. Leeds:

SEN MarketingMiles, T.R. (2004) Dyslexia and Stress. London: WhurrRiddick, B. (2010) Living with Dyslexia. (2nd edn.)Abingdon: Routledge.Rose, J. (2009) Identifying and Teaching Children and Young People with

Dyslexia and Literacy Difficulties. Nottingham: DCSFZeleka, S. (2004) ‘Self-concepts of students with learning disabilities and their

normally achieving peers: A review. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 19, 145 -170