Parents
“As Linda is a specialist it means her methods of teaching are very different to what they have had before and shows great results.” Kate (Click here to read full text)
“Since my child has been attending Linda she is a different child. Linda is providing her with essential skills and confidence to face life with dyslexia.” Julie (Click here to read full text)
Parents can become very distressed about ;
- the lack of information about dyslexia
- the lack of support structures for parents within education and health services
- the distress of their child when their difficulties and strengths are not recognized particularly in schools
 Dynamic Dyslexia offers:
Information about Dyslexia
What is dyslexia ?
Unfortunately a long history of conflicting viewpoints surrounds the definition of dyslexia and can cause confusion to parents who are trying to get answers however there is also a wealth of evidence about the existence and characteristics of dyslexia.
Understanding Dyslexia Through Evidence (Click here for more information)
Dyslexia can be thought of as:
- A different learning ability
- More than a literacy difficulty
- A recognized disability
- An acceptable part of the rich tapestry of human existence
1. A different learning ability
People with dyslexia are sometimes called ‘quick thinkers, slow processors’ so they have a wealth of ideas but can take longer than usual to deal the visual and auditory information they receive in order to make responses.
Skills which are mainly associated with the right hemisphere of the brain tend to be very well developed in people with dyslexia when compared to their skill associated to the left hemisphere of the brain.
Amazing creative abilities and dynamic lateral thinking can manifest in people with dyslexia. This is why dyslexia is sometimes known as ‘a gift’.
2. More than a literacy difficulty
The British Psychological Society offers a brief and non-causal definition of dyslexia; a working definition intending to lead into a stage process of support: ‘Dyslexia is evident when accurate and fluent word reading develops very incompletely, or with great difficulty’ (BPS,1999, p18).
Many parents, dyslexic individuals and practitioners may feel that it does not go far enough and falls short of defining the daily difficulties of dyslexia involving organisation and memory.
The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) provide a perhaps more inclusive definition which has evolved from biological, cognitive and behavioural research which used various methodologies: 
Dyslexia is ‘a combination of abilities and difficulties that affect the learning process in one or more of reading, spelling and writing.
Accompanying weaknesses may be identified in areas of speed of processing, short-term memory, sequencing, auditory, and/or visual perception, spoken language and motor skills.
It is particularly related to mastering and using written language, which may include alphabetic, numeric and musical notation’ (Peer, 2001).
3. A recognized disability
Sometimes when someone is recognized as dyslexic they are told they are experiencing dyslexia at different levels i.e. mild/moderate/severe. The difficulties associated with dyslexia can however be experienced more severely than is usual when the environment does not match the persons difficulties. In a working or educational environment were there is a mismatch reasonable adjustments are expected to be made so that the person with dyslexia is not put at a disadvantage. Day to day life with dyslexia can be very difficult if the people around the person with dyslexia do not understand the dyslexia experience.
 The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) defines a disabled person as someone with "a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities." The impairments associated with dyslexia are differences at a biological level which affect behaviour on a day to day basis and many coping strategies can develop alongside difficulties but impairments can become severely disabling when the person with dyslexia is prevented from using their strategies or put in situation where they are expected to do what is unreasonable. Severe dyslexia is covered under the Disability Discrimination Act and the government has recognized the effects certain circumstances to affect coping strategies.
- "In some cases, people have 'coping strategies' which cease to work in certain circumstances (for example, where someone who stutters or has dyslexia is placed under stress). If it is possible that a person's ability to manage the effects of the impairment will break down so that these effects will sometimes occur, this possibility must be taken into account when assessing the effects of the impairment. "
[Paragraph A8, Guidance to the Definitions of Disability]
4. An acceptable part of the rich tapestry of human existence
 Whether or not a person feels included and valued is largely due to the attitudes and behaviours of other people. History and culture affects ‘other peoples’ attitudes.
Historically people with disabilities have been seen in a negative way by society and pushed out into ‘special’ places. This exclusion was influenced by the medical model of disability ( a way of understanding disability which sees disabled people as passive receivers of service, and the impairment as being the problem) and people with disabilities were really viewed as being sub-standard and in need of fixing.
There is nothing ‘wrong’ with people with dyslexia – they don’t need fixed! They may need a level of adjustment to be included if the environment is not dyslexia friendly.
A more helpful attitude and viewpoint is seen in the social model of disability (a way of understanding disability which recognises equality and value in human beings and a responsibility for society to create equal opportunities for people).
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A Range of Services to Parents
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It is useful for parents to say focused on the idea of the social model and so:
- Avoid communicating to their child that there is anything unacceptable ‘wrong’ with them
- Act to ensure that their child’s human right to equal opportunity and inclusion in society is maintained
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Specialist In-Depth Screening Assessment (measures underlying ability, academic achievement, learning channels but also provides clear recommended actions for home and schools)
- Specialist Structured Cumulative Multisensory Tuition (a step by step approach which involves teaching in a way that is more to create deeper learning)
- Homework Support Sessions (assisting children to understand and complete homework with specialist feedback to teachers)
- Home Education Support Sessions (guidance on approaches)
- Supportive Attendance at Meetings (Advocacy)
- Support in Drafting Correspondence (to Local Authorities, etc)
- Short Courses (related to supporting your child with dyslexia)
Free Information Sheets
Have hope for the future (click here for a success story)
What are the signs of dyslexia in children? (click here for a useful list)
What can parents do to support children with dyslexia? (click here for free information sheet).
Children’s Leaflet about Services - click here for page 1 and click here for page 2.
Parent’s Leaflet about Services - click here for page 1 and click here for page 2
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A wide range of resources are employed to deliver a structured, cumulative literacy course in a multisensory way.
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