Parents
Dyslexia wasn’t something that was widely recognised 30+ years ago. Our understanding of it has since developed and there are now steps you can take to help your child overcome the difficulties he/she may face at school. Below you will find answers to some of the questions you may have and information about the services I provide to help you unlock their potential.
If you need any more help or support please contact me
If you need any more help or support please contact me
My child seems to be struggling at school – how can I find out if he/she is dyslexic?
There is lots of free information on the Net so do some research – the British Dyslexia Association’s website would be a good place to start. If you still think your child may be dyslexic you could have a screening test.
This test will briefly assess the main indicators of dyslexia; think of it as scratching the surface. The results will give an impression of your child’s strengths and weaknesses, and indicate if dyslexia may be a possibility. It is not a conclusive answer.
• The test lasts for around 1 hour, plus the time to write up the report.
• I aim to get the results to you usually within 4 weeks.
• The report will show how your child performed in each area plus my initial conclusions. This is done so you can make informed decision as soon as possible.
This test will briefly assess the main indicators of dyslexia; think of it as scratching the surface. The results will give an impression of your child’s strengths and weaknesses, and indicate if dyslexia may be a possibility. It is not a conclusive answer.
• The test lasts for around 1 hour, plus the time to write up the report.
• I aim to get the results to you usually within 4 weeks.
• The report will show how your child performed in each area plus my initial conclusions. This is done so you can make informed decision as soon as possible.
My child’s school have said he/she may be dyslexic – what is this going to mean for their education?
As long as you understand your child’s dyslexic profile and take steps to help them improve, the impact can be minimal. Students with dyslexia are still able to perform well and succeed in their exams – it will just take them more determination and effort.
What are the options to help my child improve?
You have several options available depending on the individual needs of your child.
A full diagnostic dyslexic report tests the areas of dyslexia in greater detail than the screening test and provides a detailed dyslexic profile. This can then be used by tutors to develop personalised intervention (see below) and is recognised by any school or college, who are required to provide appropriate support to all students wherever they can.
• The assessment itself takes around 4 hours (in come cases this can be split into two sessions).
• I aim to get the report to you usually within 4 weeks of completing the final tests.
Catch-up intervention. These are offered on a one-to-one basis, usually every week, and follow a recognised programme. After an initial discussion with you and your child about where they are up to in their learning, your child’s skills and self-esteem are built up gradually. The intervention is designed for 8 – 14 year olds and reading material is suitably appropriate so that your child doesn’t feel patronised.
I also offer help with areas such as handwriting, memory and processing skills, which can either be incorporated into the programme, or delivered alone depending on your child’s needs. Please get in touch to discuss further.
A full diagnostic dyslexic report tests the areas of dyslexia in greater detail than the screening test and provides a detailed dyslexic profile. This can then be used by tutors to develop personalised intervention (see below) and is recognised by any school or college, who are required to provide appropriate support to all students wherever they can.
• The assessment itself takes around 4 hours (in come cases this can be split into two sessions).
• I aim to get the report to you usually within 4 weeks of completing the final tests.
Catch-up intervention. These are offered on a one-to-one basis, usually every week, and follow a recognised programme. After an initial discussion with you and your child about where they are up to in their learning, your child’s skills and self-esteem are built up gradually. The intervention is designed for 8 – 14 year olds and reading material is suitably appropriate so that your child doesn’t feel patronised.
I also offer help with areas such as handwriting, memory and processing skills, which can either be incorporated into the programme, or delivered alone depending on your child’s needs. Please get in touch to discuss further.
My child is studying for his/her GCSE’s – what can be done to help them in the exam?
For some students it is possible to qualify for extra time in their exams. This is something you will need to discuss with your child’s school.
Is there anything else I can do at home to help my child?
Targeted and personalised intervention is likely to have the most impact on your child but there are other generic strategies that might help;
• The more your child reads the better his/her vocab will be. Find a topic that interests them and use that as a starting point for reading and discussion (e.g. a footballer’s biography, or Science Fiction magazine).
• Encourage your child to break spellings down and find patterns that make them easier to remember (e.g. separate: there’s “a rat” in separate. Or accommodate: double C and double M, there’s room for everyone here).
• If your child likes playing mobile games download some free ‘brain-trainer’/ puzzle apps that challenge their memory.
The key is to start from their interests and strengths and build from there.
• The more your child reads the better his/her vocab will be. Find a topic that interests them and use that as a starting point for reading and discussion (e.g. a footballer’s biography, or Science Fiction magazine).
• Encourage your child to break spellings down and find patterns that make them easier to remember (e.g. separate: there’s “a rat” in separate. Or accommodate: double C and double M, there’s room for everyone here).
• If your child likes playing mobile games download some free ‘brain-trainer’/ puzzle apps that challenge their memory.
The key is to start from their interests and strengths and build from there.
Looking for more support?
There are plenty of support networks/ communities where you can share any concerns and/or ideas you have about dyslexia. I can personally recommend the groups run by John Hicks (I write some articles for his “Studying with Dyslexia” blog throughout the year). John’s daughter has been diagnosed with dyslexia and he does a fantastic job creating a platform allowing other parents to access support and ideas. Please follow the links below to find out more:
www.studyingwithdyslexiablog.co.uk |