Specialist teaching

There is widespread agreement that teaching for dyslexic children should be:

Multisensory
We use multisensory methods for teaching and our students use multisensory ways for practising and learning. This means using as many senses as possible at a time to make learning easier - looking, listening, saying and doing. In this way strong channels of learning are used, helping to build up weaker but essential ones.

Structured
Our teaching is highly structured, with progress made in small steps, building on what has gone on before. Our literacy programme introduces letters and groups of letters, strategies for tackling long words, 'tricky' words and spelling rules, in specific order. At each stage the student is working only with the part that has been covered during lessons. This builds confidence to tackle longer words and passages.

Cumulative
Skills are built up gradually. Each part of the programme leads on to the next and the student can be confident that s/he is only expected to do work for which s/he has been well prepared.

Thorough
Varied and interesting activities are used for essential practice. Students must have regular revision and 'overlearn' until they automatically use sounds, letters and rules in reading and writing.

Active
Lessons are purposeful and given in friendly surroundings. Short, varied activities throughout the lesson help effective learning.

Useful
Every effort is made to help the child see the relevance of the lessons to her/his success in school-work and the classroom.

Dyslexia Action teaching uses a phonic approach that helps the student to understand the logical structure of written language.

Our lessons are a mix of books, specially designed exercises, computer materials, and interactive multimedia CD-ROM.

Students may follow the Dyslexia Institute Literacy Programme and/or work on the Units of Sound Multimedia programme. Both of these programmes have been used with great success for many years.

A large number of dyslexic students have difficulties with number although some may ultimately be good mathematicians. Our Mathematics Programme has been developed to meet the specific needs of pupils who have difficulties with numbers. Further information is given in the Centres section of the website. There is also a training course especially for those helping dyslexic learners with maths difficulties.

Dyslexia Action trains teachers its own specialist teachers and also many others working in schools and other settings, for example parents, classroom assistants and other professionals who help adults and children with dyslexia It's courses range from a specialised postgraduate Diploma, validated by the University of York to level 3 and 4 certificate course programmes and short courses and tailored INSET days. All Dyslexia Action specialized teachers are required to keep up to date by participating in national training programmes on a regular basis. All our staff are subject to checking by the Criminal Records Bureau.