Author Archives: patguyschoolandfamily

‘We were in the same class from the age of four to sixteen. Guess who was diagnosed at eight And who was diagnosed at nearly thirty? You’re right, the latter was me – the she.’ (‘She’s bright but she talks too much.’ – Natalie Jayne Clark) During childhood, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), isContinue reading “ADHD – a woman’s problem.“

When an individual has an Educational Psychologist’s assessment, the psychologist analyses their performance in a variety of areas. A generic assessment would cover verbal and visual-spatial ability, working memory and processing speed. Verbal ability relates to the individual’s skill when using and understanding language. Visual-spatial ability refers to the skills necessary to interpret charts, graphs,Continue reading “Neurodiversity – Spiky Profiles”

Learning to spell accurately is one of the many challenges faced by the individual with dyslexia. If a child’s ability to spell doesn’t develop in line with that of their peers, the danger exists of a mismatch between the standard of their written work and their underlying ability. This may result in teaching staff underestimatingContinue reading “Spelling and the child with dyslexia”

For pupils with dyslexia, homework can be a frustrating experience. It is not just the homework itself that may be challenging, or the child’s levels of literacy, but also their difficulties with organisation and concentration.  As all academic work requires their full concentration, the child with dyslexia has to work far harder than their peers.Continue reading “Homework and the child with dyslexia.“

Developmental Language Disorder, (previously known as Specific Language Impairment), is a communication difficulty. The disorder is thought to have a genetic link, and it is usual for several members of the same family to experience similar problems. Current research estimates that between 3% and 10% of school children experience a DLD.  A DLD will giveContinue reading “Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) in Childhood”

September – a new opportunity to identify barriers to pupils’ achievement. It is important that children who experience difficulties in school are identified and offered appropriate support before any problems become entrenched. It is understandable that teaching staff become accustomed to pupils’ different personalities and foibles over the school year and, as a result, mayContinue reading “September”

‘Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal.’ (Albert Camus) A diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, (ADHD), may be given when an individual experiences ongoing difficulties with self-regulation, concentration, attention, planning, impulse control and memory over an extended period of time.   Historically, research into ADHD focused exclusively on boysContinue reading “20 Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Women.”

‘Hi ho silver lining’ – Jeff Beck. Ten alternative lessons to take from sitting exams. The summer term can be a particularly trying period for secondary pupils because of school and public exams. Some students enjoy the challenge and competition of exams, others hate the whole experience, while some feel frustration when they’ve worked hard,Continue reading “Learning from exams”

The benefits of developing a sense of gratitude. ‘Aunt Lucy taught me to count my blessings. It’s the first thing she does when she wakes up in the morning ………… The benefits of developing a sense of gratitude include: – The development of optimism and a positive outlook. When an individual makes a conscious effort toContinue reading “‘Counting your blessings.’ “

APD is a disorder where an individual’s brain is unable to process sound in the usual way. Some adults will have had undiagnosed APD since childhood and established coping mechanisms for what they assume to be a personality trait. One of the most common problems experienced by adults with APD is understanding speech in environmentsContinue reading “Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) in adults”