Nikita het vroeër oor ‘n sindroom gepraat wat die leer- en leesproses beïnvloed. Ek help tans ‘n paar outjies met lees- en leerprobleme om eksamen te skryf. Dis alles deel van alternatiewe assessering – wat beteken dat hulle volgens die voorskrifte van ‘n sielkundige gehelp word om vraestelle te voltooi. Die vraestelle word weer en weer gelees en dan word die antwoorde gelees om te sien of dit verstaanbaar is (in terme van spelling). So baie keer wonder ‘n mens of die probleem nie dalk elders lê nie…Hier is nog ‘n paar dinge om te probeer om outjies te help wat sukkel met lees. Dalk het een van hulle Irlen-sindroom…

Symptoms of Irlen’s Syndrome

* Trouble reading words
* Headache while reading
* Weaker academic performance
* Weak concentration
* Complains of eye strain while reading
* Tires while reading
* Depth perception is much weaker
* Will also affect math performance
* Often exhibits sensitivity to lights especially fluorescent types
* Trouble focusing
* Weak/poor comprehension
* Difficulty tracking words on a line and will often skip words
* Reads in a strained word by word fashion and with great hesitancy
* Avoids reading
* Weaker written work
* Trouble copying
* Random spacing
* Ramdomletter sizes
* Writing up or downhill
* Inconsistent spelling

The reason for all of these symptoms is largely due to the fact that print looks different to individuals with Irlen’s Syndrome.

How can you help?

* Dimmer lights
* Natural lighting appears to help – sit naby ‘n venster
* Irlen lenses (coloured lenses, coloured overlays)
* Coloured paper for reading materials and worksheets – veral geel help blykbaar goed
* Additional time for reading assignments
* If lights can’t be dimmed, individuals should be allowed to wear a visor.
* Shorten time spent on reading – korter leesstukke, groter skrif en duideliker letterformasies
* Provide more frequent breaks
* Allow the child to use a ruler to ease the tracking of words while reading. – Gebruik ook ‘n kaartjie of een met ‘n venstertjie daarin om bo-oor die teks te gly.