It is so disappointing that so many teachers have no real understanding of how Irlen can affect their students. It is like they just dont want to know! (This is not ALL teachers mind you. Many of them are wonderful). Sadly, these seem to be the minority. I have a sheet of information for teachers that tries to explain what it is like for a person with Irlen. INFORMATION SHEET FOR TEACHERS If any of your students have been diagnosed with Irlen Syndrome/Scotopic Sensitivity they will either use a coloured overlay or Irlen tinted lenses for reading activities. It is important to understand that the tinted lenses will not teach the children the things that they do not know. They will however, allow them to learn the things that they have missed out on before getting their lenses. Even if students have Irlen tinted lenses, you should be aware of the following: • some individuals who are sensitive to light may need to use a coloured overlay or coloured paper in addition to tinted lenses • the distortions experienced when reading are also present when writing on white paper • students should be provided with appropriately coloured paper exercise books for writing their work • some students may suffer fatigue or concentration problems with extensive reading or writing tasks, so may require rest breaks • some students may still require extra time when completing tasks such as copying from the board or in test situations • students should sit front-on to the board so they are facing it at all times. • fluorescent lights may increase eyestrain especially when using white paper • white boards and Smart boards may cause problems for many students because of the reflected glare from their surfaces • peer pressure may result in a reluctance to wear the tinted lenses at school so they may require teacher encouragement to overcome this • they may suffer from headaches, eyestrain and fatigue with extended reading and writing activities and symptoms may reappear during that time • their self-esteem and self-confidence may be low, so it is important that any small improvement observed by you is positively reinforced • when tired, the student may need to rest their eyes by looking away from the book or may experience difficulties when copying from the board • students may need to use a marker when reading, especially if they are tired or have been reading for some time • reading accuracy and fluency may gradually decline with extended periods of reading and writing • in severe cases, enlarged print can provide greater ease of reading • students whose reading age is below their chronological age will require support during reading practice and remediation to help them to “catch up” • spelling can still be an issue with some students as they learn to recognize the word without the distortion previously experienced without Irlen lenses • in exam situations, special provisions may be required to provide the student equity with the other students in the class. Dr Joan Brien B.Sc., Dip.Ed., Ph.D Clinic Director
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 11:33:00 +0000
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