44 Comments Add your own

• 1. Dawn Matthews  |  September 10th, 2008 at 2:16 pm

  hi, yes i’m having trouble finding people in the rest of australia also. find the Speld organization which will be on line or in the phone book. they deal with dyslexics and should be the best people to tell you about schools.
  its very hard in australia as there is so little. but yes the earlier you start teaching your kid correctly the quicker the kid catches up and also the younger you teach him the better reader and speller he will become.
  its very unlikely that he’s got both dyslexia and true ADHD. i’ve only ever found 1 in my whole carrier. they mix up ADHD and dyslexia today. if he’s a normal happy well unjusted kid with good friends then he will be only dyslexic. i’m in the process of writing a book about this.

• 2. grace  |  September 17th, 2008 at 2:17 pm

  Hello. I’m a recent immigrant to Melbourne from Canada, where I was trained in and used the Orton-Gillingham SMT program successfully with students. As I have continued in the teaching profression here, I have found that Australia has not yet caught up with this method, although there are similar programs out there (although I have not often seen or heard of them being used). I have tried to implement this with students, but unfortunately in secondary school there just isn’t enough time and opportunity to do the program regularly and consistently during the school day. I will soon be starting some private after-school tutoring using this program with appropriate student candidates.

• 3. Raelene  |  October 21st, 2008 at 6:53 pm

  Hello, I have a 9 yr old daughter with dyslexia. I find the education systen in Victoria extremely frustration. As she is now in grade 3 (after repeating grade 2) she does not qualify for any assistance because she has a normal IQ. In the recent NAPLAN results her reading level was way below benchmark. She has a current reading level of about a grade 1. I have been told she will probably qualify for a aid in secondary school. The education department should be addressing these problems now not once these children reach secondary school level. I would love to hear from any other parents of children with dyslexia. Raelene

• 4. Dawn Matthews  |  October 22nd, 2008 at 3:26 pm

  hi,
  yes i do understand. this is why i wrote the book dyslexia how to win because i wanted to be able to give the world a book that actually explained how to help your child – in plain english. i also produced the games and dictionary freebee because these are the things i use most in my teaching. if you use these and follow the simple instructions properly your child will improve i promise. its actually very easy to teach these dyslexic kids because they are all so bright.
  get back to me if have any problems with any of them. i’m happy to post more details about using these resources.
  cheers
  dawn

• 5. lisa steensma  |  November 3rd, 2008 at 2:10 pm

  Hi, my son has quite severe learning diffulculties in reading,writing and maths. He has been tested for dyslexia and the report shows he is dyslexic.
  He is going to high school next year on the Gold Coast. Does anyone know of a school that would be good for him. We have found some schools so far don’t want to take on children with dyslexia and can’t offer any support.

  thanks
  Lisa

• 6. High Schools Gold Coast  |  November 14th, 2008 at 4:09 pm

  Hi Lisa,

  There are schools on the Gold Coast which have teachers enrolled to be trained in an Orton Gillingham approach.
  For more information you can contact the Institute for Multisensory Language Education:
  imsl.education@gmail.com

• 7. Carole  |  December 30th, 2008 at 4:07 pm

  I have recently arrived from the UK and have found that provision for bright dyslexic children in Adlaide is very poor. We have resorted to the private system but even this school cannot match the support available in the UK. As we only get to do this once any information on a school that provides any programs for dyslexic children in South Australis would be appreciated, please forward the information.

• 8. Cindy  |  January 16th, 2009 at 2:25 pm

  This can also be said for Sydney, New South Wales. To be honest I think that not a lot of teachers are aware of dyslexia at all. The word dyslexia is taboo in the school system BUT this is all about to change.

  There is new legislation that now recognises dyslexia as a disability.

• 9. Carol Puddicombe  |  January 25th, 2009 at 10:16 am

  Hi
  I am at a loss here in WA as to what school will help my sons. My 8 year old still cannot read and my 10 year old has a reading age of a 7 year old. We have tried so many methods and nothing seems to work. Are there any schools in Perth that specialise in Dyslexia?

• 10. sara holton  |  February 10th, 2009 at 12:26 pm

  Dyslexia ‘does not exist’ in Australia. Many teachers have no idea about it. There is not one school that provides for it. The ‘Inclusive learning’ policy means our wonderful bright dyslexic kids have to endure endless hours of doing work they can make no sense of with teachers that do not have the time or knowledge to help them. This is in both the private and public sectors. As our kids enter their teen years it is seriously concerning how they can main any form of self esteem. When you see what is available in the rest of the world it makes you angry and frustrated. For anyone thinking of coming to Australia with Dyslexic kids – i have one word of advice DON”T!!!

• 11. Dawn Matthews  |  February 11th, 2009 at 8:02 am

  Hi,
  Yes i entirely agree. I am determined to change this. So if you can help please do so. In the end it will have to be parent power that put pressure on to force change. I cannot do this alone.
  But i am doing my best here. If anyone actually knows of a school sorting this and doing the right things please tell me about it.
  Cheers
  Dawn

• 12. Glena Pleance  |  March 8th, 2009 at 7:26 pm

  Hi ive been reading your comments on dyslexia help in Perth wa made me shudder .. I myself went through the same nighmare .. with my son from the age of 4 he was at a catholic school at six he forgot his lunch I went in early to have found him left in the back of the room on the floor playing with lego i was astounded i took him out of that school on that very day … the next school was so sweet but had no idea of dyslexia lovely teavhers when i aid dyslexia they said what is that ????? the third school > roll eyes

• 13. Glena Pleance  |  March 8th, 2009 at 7:32 pm

  in the end i sent my child to a american school .. in perth which was amazing .. but still ahd no idea truly of his lerning difficulties but alot more than any teacher in perth .. ive met .. i decided to sell my house and move to the uk leaving all my family friends behind lots of help in the uk he nows reads after years of nothing he is confident so much iwant to write if you want to contact me on kazzieirving@aol.com please do

• 14. Glena Pleance  |  March 8th, 2009 at 8:28 pm

  no point in writting books if there is no schools to support your child no schools no teachers that specialied in learning difficulties ..my heart goes out to you all but there aare private teacher which is ok but if you know anything of children with learning delay need lteaching everyday scale not just once a week … im also dyslexic cont

• 15. Advocate for Multisensory Language Education  |  March 24th, 2009 at 2:16 pm

  Dear Parents,

  Please advocate for teacher training in your child’s school.
  The Institute for Multisensory Language Education offers teacher training.
  This approach is based on the Orton Gillingham approach to teaching dyslexia.
  All courses are recognised by the Australian Dyslexia Association as meeting professional membership for teaching MSL to those with dyslexia or a related difficulty.
  Some schools in Sydney and Queensland have had funding for this training through being informed.
  The schools do not know if YOU do not advocate.
  School package available: Please email imsl.education@gmail.com

• 16. glena  |  April 7th, 2009 at 11:53 am

  yes im back in perth looking for schools i left here six years ago and nothing has changed .. concerning delayed learning dyslexia ect .. feeling veeeeeeery down hearted my son is looking at me with those eyes why did we come back .. if there are any dyslexic teachers in perth please contact me as im just about to get back on the next available flight back to the uk … maybe il ry the teachers section on line … are our children lesser then the rest? able learners why are they getting unreconised what is the law on childrens educations rights ? do they not deserve an education if they was blind or deaf yet dyslexia is a kind of deafness for my son he doesnt always understand information or instructions i myslef being dyslexic understands this … i thought gone are te days when iwas made to stand in a waste paper bin and say im stupid ove 50 times … hit on the head for forgrtting my times table or is it ? Glena

• 17. Glena Pleance  |  May 1st, 2009 at 10:17 pm

  Hi gave up returned to the uk .. as for self help with your chiildren i’m sure pple who write these books have no of what a true dyslexic person comprehension .. intails I truly think you need to be dyslexic to truly understand . the fact is untill the australian govermen reconise dyslexia as a learning difficulty these children will fall behind .. i’ts ok reading a book on dyslexia but these do not help you unless you are a qualified teacher who as been trained in the complexed field … most pple think dyslexia is just a reading delay thats not true it affects all areas ..includeing maths memory auditory organisation speech but the good side is they are or can be amazing at art visuals shapes angles sports my son is good at sports as long it does not involve both sides o the body such as swimming he as what you call a crossing over problem from left to right .. he loves photography computers art .. with him i looked for the things he enjoyed doing tryed him at everything golf ice hockey he excells in all .. sports ,, he as anatural ability to see the angles highly visual compensates he didnt understand language till he was 8 years old .. so lots of visuals is very stimulating for most dyslexics people/children ..

• 18. Glena Pleance  |  May 3rd, 2009 at 3:04 am

  Helloo everyone i have this lovely article on dylexia which i wish to share with you all >>. Give me a reason why dyslexia is so great
  Image via Wikipedia Speaking what is missing

  One reason dyslexia works for me is it gives me a different prospective on people. During elementary school, I learned quickly that I couldn’t do most of the things other kids did, so I had to find a way to cheat the system. I had to discover a way to think out of the box. I first learned to not just listen to what people were saying, but also to what they weren’t saying.
  I began to picture what was not being said, what was being left out. Initially that was a problem – I became the child who said the emperor had no clothes. Eventually I learned to keep my mouth shut. As an adult, I unlearned keeping my mouth shut. Now I speak directly to the “missings.” One thing about being an adult, you get to say what you think. Not that others will listen, but at least you get to speak.

  Today I train people to develop the skill of seeing and hearing what is missing, than speaking what is not said. As you know, many don’t like what is being avoided acknowledged. Yet, once out in the open the relationship, work and life can move on. After the stress of speaking the hidden, the stress of the relationship becomes less. People begin to relax. Life becomes more fun and productive when we don’t waste energy hiding our thoughts
  dyslexia is not a sentence its a gift great lateral thinkers great speakers ..dyslexic 2
  dyslexic too Home about RSS
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  dyslexic 2 for me is dyslexic squared . Having both dyslexia and Asperger’s Syndrome I feel exponentially bless.

  In 1976, I started my journey of digging myself out of the hole I was in because of my dyslexia and Asperger’s Syndrome. I started this not out of any great spiritual insight, I started because I had no choice. At best I saw myself living a life of suffering . Over the course of the past decades, I healed much of the limiting aspects of my disabilities. This journey taught me in every disability lie hidden gifts. Claiming these gifts is part of the healing.

  This blog is my offering and support to others. So you are a dyslexic too? if I can do it, so can you.

  Owen Marcus

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  We created this blog to share the greatness of having “mental disabilities.” So often in this culture we focus on what doesn’t work – let’s focus on what works with being dyslexic and having Asperger’s Syndrome.

  Let’s help each other
  My goal, a man blessed with both dyslexia and Asperger’s, is to have this blog we are creating to be a reframe for dyslexia and Asperger’s and a resource. Hidden in our limitations are unique gifts – let’s share them.

  Tell us your stories
  We learn from stories. Our parents told us fairy tales and myths not only to entrain us, but also to show us what was possible and how to achieve it. It is difficult to imagine what is possible if you have never seen it or heard about it. Share with us where you’ve been and how your journey transformed you. Tell us where you are and where you want to go.

  For over 30 years, I have worked with people as clients and students. Many have dyslexia or Asperger’s, all of them were unique. All of them were doing it their own way. All of them were succeeding. All of them were contributing to the planet.

  What are you doing? How are you doing it?

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• 19. Glena Pleance  |  May 3rd, 2009 at 3:34 am

  Hi Dawn thank you for the e/mail we have to all pull the same way .. ive created a child who’s a gift .. he is my parcel and this parcel is going to go a long way .. with or with out the schools help .. mothers have to stand up to schools goverments and be counted .. speak to pple who have dyslexia understand your child
  find his neich in life .. the problem with schools is there denial to identify learning difficulties so early intervention whats that ?? my son was diagonsed at 14 after years of speech theraphy and hospital oppoinments .. its a utter joke i have spent $$$$$ oh his private tuitions … still made no affect .. at 8 didnt even know his colours till one day i was shopping with him in the vegatables section and i said to him smell this apple this is green smell thsi strawberry this is red and orange and banana i couldnt believe it he actually learnt colours by smells thats how complexed dyslexia
  I’m so tired of the education sytem always buffing you off .. ie he/she/she will grow out of it .. or .. did you have a difficult birth ? is his father a slow learner .. did he bumb shuffle instead of crawl
  ooooo pleaseeeeeee … o yes and another one his ears are a funn shape or his lips are too cupid looking .. ?? ( rolls eyes) i use to say to my son when leaving see how silly they are .. as look at me with eyes of confusion whilst playing with his ears .. we are far more smarter then them .. im a dyslexic too so they couldnt fool me .. with there usless questions .. mothers get pro-active dont lt them get you down … our children are different not stupid … be proud … your child will achieve in his/her own way . Glena xx

• 20. Dawn  |  May 6th, 2009 at 12:00 pm

  Sorry to hear that. You are totally right in what you say. I always stress very heavily that the most important thing in the education of a dyslexic is in finding out what s/he is best at and making sure s/he gets practice and time to develop a passion for that. That is what s/he will do for the rest of his life. It must be remembered that many of our most famous people did not do well in reading and spelling but developed a passion for business or cooking or whatever and wen on to become very successful in that.

  Thank you so much for sending this. My sentiments entirely. Very interesting about the connection between color and smell. I had never thought of that.

  Good luck for his future.
  Dawn

• 21. Emma in London  |  May 10th, 2009 at 7:15 am

  Hi there everyone, we are Australians who have been in the UK for 6 years. Our oldest son has SLD and dyslexia…he is at a wonderful prep school here. I had hoped to go home for my son’s secondary education. However, as I have not been able to find ONE school in Aust. that caters for dyslexic children this is looking unlikely. I can’t do it to his self esteem and spirit! Here we stay! Good luck!

• 22. Debbie  |  May 11th, 2009 at 12:40 pm

  Hi there. Been here in Adelaide now for 5 years. Since 2006, have found myself constantly worrying about my son, now nearly 9 and dyslexic. The cronic frustration of the education system and it’s inability to effectively address the dyslexia problem has caused me far too much stress, anxiety and loss of sleep. Considering going back to UK as Australia seems too far behind on this. Even when you look at teaching degrees, they don’t touch on it????? Teachers are being churned out with no idea how to identify or help dyslexics! Last resort might be to find home schooling group of people in similar situation. PS: Feeling sick about NAPLAN!!!

• 23. admin  |  May 12th, 2009 at 8:20 am

  I am sorry that i am unable to help at this point, but i am working on it.

  dawn

• 24. admin  |  June 9th, 2009 at 9:15 am

  Hi Debbie,
  Unfortunately I am getting emails like this all the time. I am trying here but its like talking to a brick wall!

  I am now posting them in the hope that someone important sees them!

  However with regard to NAPLN you have to remember that the test are testing the school and not the child. If your kid cannot read the test then tell him that the school have therefore let him down, and he should put this on the test paper. These test results do not follow the kids about.

  It is the school that is being tested. But it is acceptable that nearly 20% of kids fail these tests and 20% of kids are dyslexic. I have just picked up 31 kids on the Evenstart scheme, kids that have fallen below the bench mark in the last national testing, and 30 of them have turned out to be dyslexic.
  good luck
  Dawn

• 25. Simone  |  August 1st, 2009 at 5:09 pm

  We have a 12 year old dyslexic boy, we are moving from Adelaide to Brisbane, are there any schools with dyslexia
  special needs programmes?

  Adelaide The Ass. of independent schools Unley were very helpful, if this helps

• 26. Alexis  |  August 5th, 2009 at 10:53 am

  Raelene, this response is specific for you but also to all the other parents of children with dyslexia. My parents were told when my borther and I were both in primary school that we had dyslexia. We came to Australia when I was 15 and attended Balwyn High School. Balwyn High worked well for me but not so much for my brother, even though my dyslexia is more severe than his.
  I just wanted to let you know that its hard growing up with dyslexia but for me its was about find out what works for me. My Mum helped me alot trying to find how I could help myself when studying, like rereading things then actually talking it through with her to make sure I understood it and then eventually writing it in my own words. I completed a Bachelor of Business when I finished high school and now at the age of 31 I am back at uni doing a Diploma in Primary Education. I came across this site because I am writing a paper on Learning Difficulties, learning difficulties and multiple intelligences are some of the primary focuses within my course at uni.
  The teachers of today are becoming more knowledgable about students with learning difficulties. Given my dylexia I am very passionate about teaching to each student in a way which is suitable to themselves and once within the school system will do my very best to ensure that the school I work for is aware of the needs of EACH student.
  Raelene, its hard being a child with dyslexia but sometimes I think its harder for the parents.
  I hope reading this will give you some hope.

• 27. Dawn  |  August 5th, 2009 at 11:21 am

  Hi
  Thank you for sending this email to my site. I am also dyslexic and must say everything you say is totally correct. This is what I teach all the time.
  it is not my experience that teachers ate getting better at this. At least not in WA.
  When you get your teaching qualification do remember us at Dyslexic Centre Australia – http://www.dyslexiccentreaustralia.org.au as we are intending to set up a school for dyslexics . So do apply for a job if you are interested.
  Cheers
  Dawn

• 28. Kym Moxon  |  August 7th, 2009 at 10:23 pm

  Hi tere to everyone, i have just spent the last 3 hrs looking at web sits . 2 of them here as it has been informative reading! I have cryed ,i have laughed out loud! We have a seven Year old boy in grade 2 in Melb, today i was told after two lots of testing from the school that he has learning difficulties that need further investigation though outside feilds . He has an average IQ , reads a benchmark for his year level, above average in Maths, but has no idea how to spell!!!! He is easily distracted. Has never had any organisational skills and can not seem to follow the similist of instructions. could he have Dyslexia??? I wonder?? looking for answers? I can see a bright young boy who loved to go to school yurn into one that dreads school, because he just dosent yet it and seems to be getting himself in trouble more offen. Cheers Kym.

• 29. Antonia Canaris  |  August 28th, 2009 at 3:09 pm

  I have just found your great site.
  I am a special education teacher that has got so frustrated in dealing with the various systems that do not support kids outside of the square. I have learnt that “differentiating the curriculum” means giving the bright kids awards and the struggling ones detention.I have started a private service in Sydney and I enjoy teaching this way incredibly. It is so hard getting phone calls from parents who can not afford help. Many can’t understand that there is no “funding”. The government seems to think that a better school hall is all a kid needs Teachers do not know what learning is and have not analysed what they are doing. They often think they have taught a subject but kids only pass due to private coaching. The system is so dysfunctional as it pretends to teach while parents have to go and pay someone else who actually doing the teaching. I keep feeling I have to give big discounts to hard up families who care for their suffering children. Many get through school without a diagnosis, and if they are “lucky” enough to get one only receive 1/2 hr individual attention /week. What is the gain from 2 extra years of torture “compulsory education”? If things were taught properly they could be out of jail quicker and be able to earn a decent living.

• 30. admin  |  August 31st, 2009 at 9:35 am

  Thank God there is at least one other teacher out there that understands.
  The real problem is that most dyslexic kids do not actually pass at all.
  They move on from year to tear and fail everything. I have recently
  tested about 20 students who failed NAPLAN in year 7, but who are all
  then given year 8 reading in every subject the next year, and then
  detention when they do not compete the work. How is this a system that
  will ever work?

  Then statistics from abroad seem to prove that they leave school and
  either become really successful or end up in prison.
  if you can give me more details about how you teach I might be able to
  recommend you as I do not know of any person to recommend in Sydney!
  keep up the good work.
  Cheers
  Dawn

• 31. Antonia  |  August 31st, 2009 at 9:39 am

  Hi Dawn
  Thanks for your faith in me ! I am sorry my first contact was an argument. I
  hope this answer is not too long. I will keep any further emails shorter.

  My website is http://www.sydneylearning.com
  I have opened a centre called Sydney Learning Difficu;ties Education Centre
  at Bexley. I am starting to get more children now!

  I offer a range of individually mixed programmes. The approach varies from
  Spalding ,Visualising and Verbalising, Maths using cuisenaire blocks, speech
  and oral expression assistance, written expression and handwriting
  assistance. I find that children enjoy learning out of the ordinary facts
  including word origins etc. They help them to remember. One 7 yr old boy who
  had no understanding of base 10 at all came to me today and told me (one
  week later) that twenty comes from the same root as two so twenty means
  2×10, He loves to go around saying the “w” in two and understands that
  English people just got too lazy to say all the letters. He is a cute
  ,scatty and earnest lad with poor hand writing and letter reversals but he
  is keenly interested in all sorts of things and thrives when I address his
  quirky mind. I use many different physically active ways to help kids form
  the letters properly. “Writing in the air”, “Shaving cream” “Writing on the
  child’s back-guess the letter” etc.

  I have a paricular interest in helping people with epilepsy and learning
  difficulties. This is due to my oldest son who suffered from hard to control
  epilepsy for many years. He is 28 now but had a hard time at school and uni.
  I found that he had some difficulties which were due to his epilepsy. No-one
  talked about his learning needs They only discussed seizure control. I have
  done some study on this for my M Ed

  I have also been testing children who did the Naplan and found that the
  literacy “grade level” pass was as some friends had suggested a whole 2
  years behind that of the syllabus/ text book requirements. So it was good
  enough for the children to be 2 years behind and they were not considered
  worthy of intervention. There is so much political correctness in teaching.
  I don’t want to write another job application pretending that everyone suits
  a mainstream school . Throwing kids in to sink or swim is not integration.

  Some items of interest I would like to share

  1.check out the “Learning Choices ” web site. It has lots of links to
  various educational pathways around Autralia. Many might help young people
  with dyslexia. A great resourse if someone asks you “What can we do for
  Mary?”

  .Learning Choices is part of the Dusseldorp Skills Forum- see below. I just
  stumbled on this site. (just like I stumbled on yours) It looks very
  interesting for young people with Learning Difficulties.

  2.The John Berne School at Lewisham is a Catholic school for students in
  years 7-10 who are facing great problems fitting in the ordinary school. It
  is small and includes intensive literacy programme using the SRA Spelling
  Through Morphograph method. It is an unusual programme because it is
  specifically designed for older kids with reading difficulties. There are
  only about 40 young students at the school and plenty of acess to
  counsellors etc. Many parents have said that teachers don’t treat them as
  guilty for the first time. Parents also report that the school actually
  likes their children rather than thinking they are lazy troublemakers. It is
  sad to say that my friend who is the Special Education teacher at this
  school says none of the schools refering students there to “fix them up”
  ever have said the students can not read..
  Dusseldorp Skills Forum (DSF)
  1 Glebe Street, Glebe NSW 2037, Australia.
  phone: 02 9571 8347 fax: 02 9571 9703
  “Enabling All Australians to Reach their Potential” http://www.dsf.org.au
  info@dsf.org.au

  3. Do you know about the site http://www.childrenofthecode.? it has amazing amount
  of accessible interviews and information on learning , reading, writing and
  language. Much of the information is on audio format so would be great for
  anyone with dyslexia. It is the latest scientific information. The interview
  “What happens When Children Become Ashamed of their Minds by a Psychiatrist
  called Nathanson is good.

  I love one quote from it especially. You can’t use it because I tell it to
  everyone everyday and I want them to think I am original!

  ” From the moment a kid wakes up till he goes to bed at nightthe central
  mission of the day is to avoid humiliation at all costs. And that
  humiliation is harm and it does not cost any money to make sure a kid is
  getting through the day without being humiliated ”

  There are also hundreds of video recordings of interviews. All material can
  be freely used for non-profit purposes. (if acknowledged)

• 32. Tracy  |  September 21st, 2009 at 9:16 pm

  My daughter is dyslexic and I am a my wits end – She wants to learn but every day her spirts are slowly being diminished… I speak to the teachers at her school and they say shes fine, BUT she not fine. She is in year 5 and can only read at a about grade 3 level if that. She cant write or spell basic words. We have asked (begged) since grade 1 to keep her back a grade but again we have been told it will be detrimental to her social and pychologcial wellbeing. As if it’s not affecting her now. Being teased and feeling as if she is”Stupid, Dump or Worth Nothing”. She is scared about going to year 6 and wants to go back to year 3. Because she knows she not going to be able to cope at all.

  The worst thing about all of this is that the school also say’s that “Not all kids are academic” – I know that, however I she cant read and write what chance has she got in life. Every thing in life these day require qualifications if they want to get some where in life.

  WE NEED Schools which can HELP our kids…. I need a school to help ME and MY DAUGHTER get an good education.

• 33. Dawn  |  September 28th, 2009 at 4:16 pm

  Hi Tracy,
  Unfortunately your email is like so many here in Australia. I am doing my best to change things, but so few people are both able and willing to help me bring about the change we need in basic thinking about education. Dyslexic kids all over Australia seem to be dumped in the “too hard” bucket.

  I have written all my books and games on a needs be basis, and you will be able to teach your daughter with these. I am finishing a total phonics literacy course that should be dead easy to use, but I have so little free time.

  If you were able to get your daughter to me, and people are traveling across Australia to get to me, I would be able to fully assess her to establish her learning difference and how she thinks, learns and perceives the world and develop an individual teaching program, using my materials that would work for her. But then getting the school to teach it is another matter and here in Perth we are not having a very great success rate at getting any change in the classroom, even in the private sector.

  What most schools are doing with dyslexics is actually breaking the law. Look at the booklet Disability Standards for Education 2005 published by Australia Government Attorney-General Department. and they are getting away with it.

  I have been asked by many parents what I would do it my 3 dyslexic kids were still school age, and quite honestly I would do what so many others are doing. I would either leave the country or home school. I could not sit back and let them be abused by teachers and schools. I intend, however to give my seminars to schools. This turns a teachers into a class of dyslexics and shows them exactly what is going on. Its not the fault of the teachers; its how they are taught and the educational resources they are using. The curriculum moves too fast in the early years and kids who learn differently and cannot keep up are then no longer catered for as all the materials they are given from then on, are unreadable by them.

  I also intend to get premises for Dyslexic Centre Australia and then a huge boarding school here near Perth and finish both my literacy and numeracy programs that will work with all these kids.

  If there is any one out there prepared to help please come forward.

  And to think that when i returned to my native Australia I intended to move my art career forward and produce large canvases for corporate art!

  good luck
  Dawn

• 34. Cindy  |  October 13th, 2009 at 5:55 pm

  http://www.gordonmoyes.com/2008/12/04/government-finally-recognises-dyslexia-as-a-disability/

  My 10 year old son has been diagnosed with dyslexia. The educational pychologist listed his learning difficulty as in fact “dyslexia”. This was no surprise as my husband has dyslexia as well and we knew our son was going to be the same. Our school has provided assistance in the form of an STLA teacher twice a week only after I made waves with the Director of Special Education within the NSW Department of Education and got our local MP involved. The STLA teacher does not know anything about dyslexia. I still believe teachers have no real idea about dyslexia at all in Australia and how to teach dyslexic students as we all know they learn differently.

  I have been paying for a private tutor who is SPELD trained and has a masters in special education for learning difficulties but this costs me over $ 2000.00 per year. It has been doing wonders and she has been using a spalding method and his decoding and reading is getting much better but his comprehension is still 2 years behind but the school says he no longer requires any further support?

  If in fact the Government has finally recognised dyslexia as a disability – what is being done about it in our schools to raise awareness????

  I in fact gave my principal a copy of Dr Gordon Moyes article about the Government recognising dyslexia but it seems to be ignored entirely in the Department of Education as it all seems too difficult.

• 35. Carmen  |  October 15th, 2009 at 8:04 pm

  Hi everyone,

  Pretty disappointing to read about the supports for children with dyslexia. We came 4 years ago from Holland and my son did the first year of Prim School and he had difficulties with reading and spelling, but because we went to Aus…. we didn’t do anything about it. When we came here he learned to speak fairly quickly but his reading and spelling is very poor. He’s a smart boy, so it is so sad when they think they’re not!
  I was very surprised to find out that there was hardly any knowledge within his school, because in Holland all the schools have a Dislexia Protocol and it is common knowledge! But know I more and more understand that it will be hard to find good supports… we are thinking about getting him tested, he wants it but you wonder what the point is when there is no support after the assessment.

  Take Care

• 36. Glena  |  December 15th, 2009 at 1:23 pm

  hi everyone been on line again reading looking for schools zzzzz waste of time .. if we all get pro-active why not get your children all to send a letter in there own hand writing no help from mother .. let them explain in there own words how they feel about school …how they feel about what they do in schools and how it makes them feel …. send it to the minister of education of perth let the children explain … every child as a right to equal opportunities in education think its time to do something othere than hitting our heads on the wall .. maybe dawn will get the school with our childrens help ..
  in the uk a family sued there school for a lack support for there dyslexic child and won their case … have a gday glena

• 37. Joanne  |  February 14th, 2010 at 4:51 pm

  We are looking to move to Perth due to work commitments . I am also looking for a school for my youngest daughter, she has been ‘diagnosed’ with auditory processing difficulties, and shows ‘mild dyslexic tendencies. The best we could get from visiting practitioners. She is now in year 7, at 12 has a reading / spelling age of a 9 yr old. I am a teacher, and have done endless back up work with her, but as English is such a complex language and she questions everything, it is difficult to find a language rule that is complete, and one where she will not give me the exception to the rule on her first answer – the upshot is she has no faith in it! She can smoothly read the jumbled sentences – where the first and last letters remain true to a word, but the middle is jumbled. She says that is what all text looks like to her. We have been very much on our own with this – being in a ‘remote’ area.
  I would like to contact you Dawn, on our arrival, to get her into a program with you. Where are you based?

• 38. Samantha Mason  |  March 2nd, 2010 at 11:46 am

  After reading everyones posts my heart feels heavy. I have been fighting and fighting with my son’s school to get him extra help and they acknowledge he needs extra help but openly say there is no budget for it.
  I seem to swap between bouts of anger and despair and as a parent I feel so powerless.
  One thing that helps (hence the reason for writing this) is I take my son (here in Adelaide) to an excellent Dyslexia teacher once a week for an hour session. We are in our second year now and I pay for this privately. The improvement is noticeable and my son is getting a very solid literacy grounding (better than in the classroom).
  The teacher is teaching him lots of “tricks” to aid him in his learning and whilst his reading has improved dramatically, she says there is no quick fix to dyslexia and most of her students are with her for 3-5 years. She calls it “drip feeding”.

  In an ideal world, we shouldn’t have to pay for this help, but the reality is that if you want your child to get support, you have to pay for it yourself.

  If anyone in Adelaide wants to contact me I am happy to pass on this teachers details.
  Good luck everyone and stay strong for our precious ones!!

• 39. Leanne Stapleton  |  March 13th, 2010 at 3:27 pm

  Hi Samantha, I would love the name of the Teacher in Adelaide if you don’t mind. Finding more and more that teachers feel Dyslexia is a big excuse for not engaging or completing work successfully. I would like to seek addittional supports for my 13yr old son. Have done the standard spend of thousands of dollars on assessment etc when he was much younger, but like many folks above find time and time again that he doesn’t quite fit the mould to recieve the help required.
  Thanks so much for your time
  Cheers Leanne

• 40. Annie Coghlan  |  March 19th, 2010 at 1:30 pm

  Hi Samantha,
  Like Leanne, I too would be interested in knowing of any teachers in Adelaide skilled in tutoring kids with reading and writing difficulties.
  I do lots of remedial stuff at home but I’m thinking I’d pay to share it with a professional…
  How do we contact you to find name of said teacher?
  Cheers,
  Annie Coghlan

• 41. Lisa  |  March 24th, 2010 at 6:10 am

  I am also in the same boat as most of you. I tried to tell my childs school when my son was in prep that I thought my son had dyslexia. Oh, no all children learn at different levels we need to have give him a year of formal schooling before we can make any judgement about this is, he will get it, this is what the school told me. I know my child and I had that gut feeling. He now is in grade 1 and I have been seeing a special ed teacher who is very confident he has dyslexia. The progress for us this year has been great in the time he has been seeing his tutor. I fought to get a carers payment (through centrelink) for my child to pay for his tutoring. So I would tell all parents to do the same. If our education department is not going to recognise dyslexia and fund our children as having a learning disability I think another government body needs to step up to plate. Why are we lagging behind with dyslexia being recognised in Australia in our education sector? I have a feeling that as soon as it is recognised it will be a national disgrace that there are so many dyslexic children in our system that are not up to the expected levels and the I don’t think they would know how to handle it. My suggestion would be that we need a highly profiled person who has dyslexia to represent dyslexic children in Australia, we need as avenue for parents to come together in a national forum. I am going to write to the Victorian Childrens Council through the Department of Education Victoria I would ask all parents to do the same. I have written to Bill Shorten the Minister of Children Services and Diasablities, my next avenue is Julia Gillard and then 3AW to speak to Kevin Rudd when he is on the program. I think but I am not sure that this needs to be a state and a federal issue. Again I ask for all parents to do the same put pen to paper.

  Lisa

• 42. Betty Kapiniaris  |  March 26th, 2010 at 9:57 pm

  Thankyou to each and everyone of you for sharing your thoughts, hopes and fears for not only your children, but all our children that so much deserve a good education, in a way that they learn best. My 8 year old daughter has dyslexia, is currently in grade 3 and is at a grade 1 level reading ability! If I hear NAPLAN one more time I will scream! Schools only care about their own results. What about my child I say? If there is anyone out there that knows of any good public or private schools in Adelaide that have some sort of program for dyslexic children, please let me know. I won’t hold my breath though after reading all your comments though. We need to stick together and fight to make the Government change. I have heard that New Zealand now has some sort of program. However if we dont do anything…our children will also suffer and then when they have children. Australia is supposedly called the lucky country??? Not for my daughters education it isnt! I wish you all, the very best in your daily struggles and pray that our children will be heard.

• 43. Fiona Powell  |  June 5th, 2010 at 8:19 am

  Like Lisa, from the very start of school I could see my son just wasn’t “getting” reading. My concerns were also dismissed by the teacher and I was told that all children rely heavily on the pictures yadayada…. But it was not only when we were sharing books at home – I was helping out in the classroom and I could see him switching off, not bothering to put up his hand to answer even questions I knew that he had the answers for. I could see his self esteem beginning to go down the toilet. I could also see that I wasn’t going to get anywhere with his teacher or at that school, so we decided to move on (and tellingly, when we did, my offer to the principal to outline the reasons for the move, was ignored). At that time, we don’t know that dyslexia was part of the problem – we just knew that his current school wasn’t meeting either his educational needs nor looking at him as a person – he was in the system and being processed according to predetermined benchmarks and quotas. So what we looked for was a small school that would recognise the person and develop his potential whatever that may be. And we have been so lucky to have found one. My son is now in year five and although he still struggles with his reading and spelling (recently assessed at about one year behind for reading and two for spelling) his self esteem is in tact. He knows he is good at other things. The other students and all the teachers help him when he can’t work out text. In turn, our son helps them with their math (which he is wizz at). In fact, the school works hard to acknowledge individual differences and my son is comfortable remaining in his class because every child at the school has an individual program and the classes are not “graded” anyway. My heart goes out to those of you whose children’s view of themselves is being so damaged by our industrialised system of education! So often the children are just sausages on the production line! But don’t give up – there are good school and good teachers out there. Unfortunately though, it often does come down to the ability to pay. The school my son goes to is an independent primary school of about 80 children and only four classrooms and it costs about $6000 a year (which compared so some independent schools is actually quite modest!). I’ve not named the school because this isn’t meant ot be an ad and also because it can be a bit hard to get into. But if anybody wants the name (it is in the outer suburbs of Melbourne), reply and I’ll let you know. Also for Betty and anyone else perhaps not aware of the options, your child does not have to sit the NAPLAN test – you can choose to exempt your child. We have chosen to do this because we know we would be just setting our son up for failure. But schools often won’t tell you this, they make it sound compulsory because it can affect their funding outcomes. And finally, be aware that you cannot obtain carer’s allowance for a child that is dyslexic – don’t even bother trying. However, should your child receive an alternate diagnosis of a “persuasive development disorder”, then you most likely will. You might even also get aide time in the classroom. Sadly, so much depends on what you know and who you see about it! But as parents it is our job to do our best for children, and for me, the key is getting the right information to place my child in the best possible position to succeed. So just by participating in this blog, I think we are working towards sharing the information that will assist all our children.

• 44. Robyn  |  July 8th, 2010 at 12:07 pm

  NAPLAN – hu shouldn’t australian testing be compaired to Finland – one of the best in the world, not one that has has fallen further and further behind.

  There is a tutor on line who is level three dyslexia speld trained see http://worldwidelearningacademy.com/

  These conclusions are based on data from a national survey of literacy standards carried out by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in 2006. The ABS report of that survey specifically noted that 52% of Australians aged 15-19 had literacy level that “was insufficient to meet the complex demands of everyday life and work”. Comparisons of the results of the 2006 ABS survey with the results of the immediately preceding survey (1996) revealed that literacy levels were lower in 2006 than in 1996…………………”Between 2000and 2006 Australia dropped 4 places in the international ranking of literacy levels, being overtaken by New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong and South Korea………”

  After fighting long and hard for my children I have given up fighting the system as I could see that they where not going to have their needs meet. I wanted to send our child to Canada to a dyselic boarding school, but he does not want to go to the other side of the world. We are now home schooling and making progress. We would not be able to make the progress with out the help of homelearn, which is set up to support home schoolers who have children with learning difficulties. See http://www.homelearn.com.au/ I really hope this helps others who have precious children who can learn if they are taught differently! As recognised under the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act).

  To those you feel they have no option but to pursue their children in school, it is worth knowing that in 2000 that dyslexia was recognised in court see http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/decisions/comdec/2000/DD000210.htm
  Also it is no excuse of a school teacher to not recognise
  see

  I hope the above helps people,
  God bless you all
  Robyn
  http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/shunned-pupil-wins-damages/2006/06/20/1150701554993.html

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