For Parents
Signs of Dyslexia
Do any of the following sound like your child? If so, you may want to consider a diagnostic assessment to see whether they are dyslexic.
- They are bright and articulate but when it comes to putting pen to paper they really struggle
• They enjoy hearing stories but do not enjoy reading for themselves
• They find it difficult to rhyme
• They have good and bad days for no apparent reason
• They sometimes have difficulty thinking of the correct word for something
• They put letters and numbers the wrong way round
• They confuse b and d, no and on etc
• They have a poor sense of direction
• They confuse left and right
• They are generally disorganised
• They confuse places, dates and times
• They have great difficulty with spelling
• They find maths really difficult, particularly learning times tables
• You have spoken to the school but are told your child is fine or will grow out of it
• You are still very concerned and your gut feeling is that something is not right
The Benefits of a Diagnostic Assessment
'The earlier a child with dyslexia is diagnosed, the more effective educational interventions are likely to be.' (NHS guidelines, 2017) Teaching a child to read and write is the key to success in school. Dyslexic children can achieve these goals; they just need to be taught in a way that suits them.
I offer full diagnostic assessments which explore a child or adult's abilities in reading, spelling, writing, phonological awareness, working memory, speed of processing and their underlying general ability. This allows me to identify their strengths and difficulties, making a diagnosis of dyslexia if appropriate. The assessment will be followed up by a detailed report, going through my findings, and ending with recommendations of how to help the pupil in school and at home.
A pupil with a diagnosis of dyslexia will normally require Access Arrangements in order to support them through tests and exams. These may include extra time, a reader, use of a laptop, supervised rest breaks and a separate room. .
Specialist Teaching
Once a child has been diagnosed as dyslexic, the best way to support them is through 1:1 teaching with a specialist teacher. For these sessions you should look for a teacher who will create a structured, individualised programme of work using fun, multi-sensory methods. This usually includes learning sounds (phonemes) and applying these to reading and spelling, as well as focusing on learning to read and spell tricky, irregular words. Specialist dyslexia tutors can be found on the PATOSS and SASC websites.