At DYNSEO, we have always been driven by a deep conviction: technology should be a lever for equal opportunities, a bridge that connects the potential of every child to enriching learning opportunities. It is in this spirit that we developed our COCO PENSE and COCO BOUGE programs. Today, we want to open the doors of our design workshop to show you how we specifically designed COCO PENSE to become a valuable ally for students with DYS disorders.
School is a complex ecosystem where each student arrives with their own baggage, their own way of seeing and interacting with the world. For children with DYS disorders (dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, dysphasia, etc.), this journey can sometimes resemble an obstacle course. Traditional teaching methods, often uniform, do not always meet their specific needs. Our mission is to provide tools that are not rigid molds into which children must fit, but rather malleable clay that teachers and students can shape to build the path to success. This article aims to detail, in a factual and transparent manner, the adaptation mechanisms we have integrated into COCO PENSE to support these students.
Before diving into the features of our application, we believe it is essential to lay the groundwork for our reflection. Understanding the nature of DYS disorders is the first step in designing truly effective solutions. These disorders are neither an illness nor a sign of a lack of intelligence, but rather a different way for the brain to process information.
What is a DYS disorder?
Imagine that most people read a standard sheet of music. A dyslexic student, however, receives a score where some notes are reversed or in a different order. The melody is the same, but deciphering it requires immense cognitive effort, constant concentration to "translate" the information into an understandable format. Similarly, a dyspraxic student struggles to coordinate the movements to write, not due to a lack of will, but because the planning and automation of movement are impaired.
These neurodevelopmental disorders affect specific cognitive functions:
- Dyslexia impacts reading, spelling, and word recognition.
- Dyscalculia disrupts the relationship with numbers, calculation, and logical and mathematical reasoning.
- Dyspraxia affects planning, coordination, and the automation of gestures.
- Dysphasia affects the development of oral language.
- Dysorthographia specifically concerns the learning of spelling.
It is crucial to understand that these difficulties are not overcome by the simple "will" of the child. They require adapted pedagogical approaches.
The impact in class: beyond academic difficulties
The school experience of a DYS student is not limited to mistakes in a dictation or slowness in solving a problem. The main difficulty often leads to a cascade of psychological consequences: frustration, performance anxiety, loss of self-confidence, and sometimes even a feeling of injustice compared to peers who seem to learn effortlessly.
A timed exercise, a complex instruction, or a screen overloaded with information can become sources of blockage. The student may then develop avoidance strategies, become restless, or conversely, withdraw into themselves. This is the vicious circle we seek to break.
Our philosophy: the tool must adapt to the child, not the other way around
Based on this observation, we built our approach on a fundamental principle: flexibility. A rigid digital tool that imposes a unique pace and a single way to succeed only reproduces the pitfalls of the traditional system. We designed COCO PENSE as an adaptive platform, capable of modulating its requirements to match the user's needs. The goal is not to "simplify" to the extreme, but to remove unnecessary obstacles so that the child can focus on the cognitive skill targeted by the exercise.
Coco Pense: a cognitive toolbox designed for inclusion
Our suite of applications, available on our site DYNSEO - Version COCO, has been designed to stimulate cognitive functions in a playful way. It consists of two complementary components, COCO PENSE for brain training and COCO BOUGE to combine physical and cognitive activity.
The principle of playful cognitive training
Why go through play? Because play de-dramatizes mistakes and values effort. For a DYS child, who is often in a situation of academic failure, the playful format allows them to bypass the anxiety related to evaluation. In COCO PENSE, there are no "bad grades," but challenges to overcome, levels to unlock, and encouragements.
Each game is designed to target one or more essential cognitive functions, often compromised by DYS disorders:
- Working memory (retaining information in the short term for use).
- Attention and concentration.
- Mental flexibility (switching from one task or rule to another).
- Planning and organization.
- Spatial and temporal awareness.
By training regularly through games, the student strengthens these basic skills, which can positively impact their more formal academic learning.
Universal design with specific adaptations
Our approach is that of "universal design." This means that COCO PENSE is designed to be usable and beneficial for all students, whether they have difficulties or not. However, within this universal structure, we have integrated a series of parameters and features that act as "access ramps" for students with specific needs, particularly DYS students. Exploring these adaptations is at the heart of our approach.
Concrete adaptations of Coco Pense for DYS students
This is where our philosophy takes shape. We analyzed the main friction points encountered by DYS students and sought to provide concrete technological responses within our exercises.
Time and pressure management
One of the biggest stress factors for a DYS student is the time constraint. The process of decoding information (reading an instruction, understanding a problem) is slower and more energy-consuming. A ticking timer can be paralyzing.
- Adjustable or disableable timers: In most of our games, we allow the teacher or therapist to set the difficulty level, which often includes the possibility of slowing down or even completely removing the countdown. The focus then shifts from "speed" to "accuracy" and "reflection." The student has time to implement their own strategies without panicking.
Clear and multimodal instructions
A long and complex written instruction is an almost insurmountable barrier for a dyslexic or dysphasic student. They may spend all their energy deciphering it and have none left to complete the exercise itself.
- Oral instructions: We have systematically integrated an audio version of all instructions. A simple speaker icon allows the child to listen to and re-listen to the instructions as many times as necessary. This frees their working memory from the burden of written decoding.
- Visual support: Instructions are also accompanied by simple pictograms or short animations that show the goal to be achieved. The visual reinforces the text and oral instructions, thus offering three different entry points to understand the task.
- Simple vocabulary and short sentences: We pay particular attention to the drafting of written instructions: short sentences, a subject-verb-complement structure, and accessible vocabulary for the targeted age.
Visual simplification and reduction of distractions
A student with attention disorder (ADHD), often associated with DYS disorders, or a dyspraxic student with visual tracking difficulties, can quickly become overwhelmed by a too-busy graphic environment.
- Clean interface: Our game screens are designed to be clear and free of unnecessary embellishments. Interactive elements are well-defined and large enough to be easily manipulated, which is important for dyspraxic students.
- High contrasts and suitable fonts: We use contrasting colors to improve readability. The font has been chosen for its clarity, with well-distinguished letters to avoid frequent confusions among dyslexics (such as 'b' and 'd').
- Limiting distracting animations: While the game is lively and engaging, we avoid distracting animations that are not directly related to the task at hand. The focus must remain on the cognitive objective.
Progressivity and positive reinforcement
Nothing is more discouraging than being constantly faced with a level of difficulty that is too high. Conversely, an exercise that is too simple is not stimulating.
- Adaptive difficulty: The COCO PENSE algorithm automatically adjusts the difficulty of the games based on the student's successes and errors. If they succeed several times in a row, the level increases slightly. In case of difficulty, the application can propose an easier level or contextual aids. This ensures that the child is always in their "zone of proximal development," where learning is most effective: neither too easy nor too difficult.
- Valuing effort: We have integrated numerous positive reinforcement mechanisms. Auditory and visual encouragements appear after a correct answer or at the end of a level. Mistakes are never punitive; they are presented as a normal part of learning, inviting the student to try again.
Beyond the tool: training teachers for effective support
We are convinced that no tool, no matter how sophisticated, can replace the insight and empathy of a teacher. Technology is not an end in itself, but a means. It becomes truly powerful when placed in the hands of a professional who knows when, how, and why to use it.
The importance of the teacher, the conductor of the class
The teacher is the one who knows their students best. They can observe their reactions, identify their blockages, and celebrate their progress. COCO PENSE is an instrument in their pedagogical orchestra. They can use it for a specific student during a time of autonomy, integrate it into a small group workshop, or use it as a formative assessment tool to see where a child's difficulties lie on a specific skill. It is the teacher who gives meaning to the use of the application.
Our training: "Identifying and supporting DYS disorders in primary school"
Aware of this central role, we have developed a specific training program for education professionals. Our course, accessible on the page Identifying and supporting DYS disorders in primary school, aims to give teachers the keys to better understand and support these students.
This training covers essential points:
- Knowing how to spot: How to identify the first signs of a possible DYS disorder? What are the warning signals in a student's behavior or work?
- Understanding the mechanisms: We go beyond the symptoms to explain the underlying cognitive processes of each disorder.
- Implementing concrete strategies: The training offers directly applicable pedagogical adaptation ideas in the classroom, with or without digital tools.
- Integrating digital tools: We show how applications like COCO PENSE can fit into a personalized support project (PAP, PPRE) and how to analyze results to adjust pedagogy.
A partnership between technology and humanity
Our vision is one of synergy. The COCO PENSE application manages the fine adaptation and the repetition necessary for cognitive training, thus freeing up precious time for the teacher. The latter can then focus on human support: encouraging, explaining differently, making connections with concepts seen in class, and providing the emotional support essential for building self-esteem.
The measurable impact of Coco Pense on confidence and skills
The ultimate goal of all these adaptations is to produce a positive and tangible effect on the student's journey. This impact can be measured both in terms of cognitive skills and, equally importantly, on the psycho-affective level.
Targeted cognitive progress
Thanks to the dashboard for professionals, the teacher or speech therapist can track the student's progress game by game. They can observe an improvement in processing speed on attention tasks, an increase in the number of items memorized in working memory, or greater ease in switching from one rule to another in flexibility games. These micro-progresses, when accumulated, can help the student be more available and effective in their general academic learning.
The virtuous circle of success
The most significant impact we observe is often the restoration of self-confidence. A student who perceives themselves as "useless" or "slow" discovers in COCO PENSE a space where they can succeed. This success, even in a game, is a powerful motivator.
- The student succeeds at a level, they feel pride.
- They gain confidence and dare to tackle a slightly more difficult challenge.
- Their motivation increases, they are more perseverant.
- This new attitude can gradually transfer to other school situations.
In this way, we break the vicious circle of failure to initiate a virtuous circle where confidence nourishes effort, and effort leads to success.
In conclusion, our work on COCO PENSE is a continuous effort to make learning more accessible. The adaptations for DYS students are not gadgets, but the result of a profound pedagogical and ergonomic reflection, aimed at smoothing out non-essential difficulties to allow every child to face the true challenge: that of learning and developing their full potential. By combining a flexible technological tool and informed human support through training, we hope to contribute our stone to the edifice of a truly inclusive school.
The article "COCO PENSE for DYS students: adaptation of cognitive exercises" highlights the importance of adapting cognitive exercises for students with DYS disorders. A related article that may also interest you is Invisible disability at school: between kindness and support. This article explores how invisible disabilities, such as DYS disorders, can be better understood and supported within the school framework, emphasizing the importance of kindness and personalized support to promote the inclusion and success of all students.
