Dyslexia Support

Children who have even mild dyslexic tendencies can be disadvantaged at school because of their poor literacy skills. The school curriculum tends to be text based, i.e. based around reading and writing and so children who have difficulties in this area can be left behind in all subjects. The specialist staff at the Durham Centre can help by  assessing students for dyslexic tendencies, recommending access arrangements for public examinations where appropriate and providing 1 to 1 lessons to address individual students difficulties.

Frequently asked questions

My child is not progressing with school work easily. How can I help my child? 

Your first resource should be your school. Your child's class teacher will be very helpful. In addition every school has a designated SENCO who helps children and students who have special educational needs. They will be able to tell you what special help the school can give.

My child needs more help than the school can give. What should I do?

There are a number of options. You could try to help your child at home, you could attend a dyslexia support group, or you could get independent specialist support for your child. At the Durham Dyslexia Centre we can assess individual children and devise and implement teaching programmes to help students overcome difficulties with literacy.

Assessments

It is sometimes helpful to have your child thoroughly assessed for dyslexic tendencies to see which learning needs they may or may not have.

The Durham Dyslexia Centre can provide assessments for primary school children or secondary school children/adults.

The assessment procedure looks at 4 areas:

1. The underlying ability of the child or student, both verbal and non verbal.

2. The educational attainment of the child or student in reading, writing, spelling and, if appropriate, number.

3. The child or student will be given diagnostic tests – which investigate short term memory, phonological perception, visual perception and speed of processing.

4. A history of the child or student's development including progress at home, in school, and any significant medical conditions will be taken.

Assessment sounds a very daunting process but most children from the age of about 6 and a half do not find upsetting. It consists of playing a dozen or so "games" which they find stimulating and enjoyable. When the assessment has been carried out a learning plan can be developed to meet the individual's learning needs.

Access Arrangements

Students facing public examination (KS2 to A' level)  may need a specialist assessment in support of applications for access arrangements in public examinations. Access arrangements are there to help students with specific learning difficulties show their knowledge of curriculum subjects without being hampered by their difficulties with literacy. Some students may just get extra time because they read and write very slowly. Other students may need someone to read the paper to them. However, access arrangements could give an unfair advantage to children who do not have specific learning difficulties and so the examination boards lay down very strict criteria to assess the eligibility of a particular student for access arrangements.

Weekly lessons

To overcome the difficulties associated with dyslexia it may be necessary to have weekly lessons until literacy is mastered.

Lessons can be arranged during in the early evening, after school ends or during school hours. (Schools are permitted  to allow students out of school to attend lessons which address their special educational needs.) Each lesson lasts for 80 minutes, but includes so many different activities that even young students never get the opportunity to get bored.

Specialist dyslexia teaching uses teaching techniques and programmes specifically designed to improve a student's literacy and study skills as rapidly as possible. These techniques include helping students understand their own learning styles and organisational techniques so that they can take responsibility for their own learning and maximise its effectiveness. 

Areas of need that may be addressed: 

• Reading (phonics)
• Reading for comprehension
• Spelling
• Writing
• Note taking
• Writing essays from notes
• Memory development strategies
• Study skills for KS3, GCSEs, AS level work.