Form Filling Help for Dyslexics

A close friend who is dyslexic phoned up yesterday very frustrated because of ongoing problems he was having filling in a passport application form. It made me realize that the advice I gave him should be posted.

Continue Reading Add comment September 28th, 2009

Press Release: Dyslexic Centre Australia is to launch

In response to thousands of requests from frustrated parents of dyslexic children who struggle at school, we are proud to announce the opening of Dyslexic Centre Australia.

Continue Reading 21 comments September 28th, 2009

Support Groups

Hi Dawn

Thank you so much for the information. It is all a bit daunting now, I am really concerned about how my son will overcome his Dyspraxia. Do you know if there are any support groups in the Sutherland Shire area in NSW?

Kind regards
Lisa

Hi Lisa,
From what i can find out most of the kids being home schooled in urban areas in Australia have kids who are either dyslexic or dyspraxic. If you want to get to meet other people with dyspraxic kids then get in touch with the home schooling network.

If people could set up self help groups I would fully back and support you all.

CHeers
Dawn

4 comments September 28th, 2009

Dyspraxia Book

Hi Dawn I am having a little trouble logging in, so thought I would go this way. I can not say how greatful I am for your help. Although my 11 year old daughter was diagnosed with dyspraxia several years ago, I really didn’t understand how she saw the world or some of the funny little routines she has like being terrified of the dark. After reading your book, I now have a much better understanding. I read over some of the points in the book with my daughter and she said “That’s me, I’m not weird”. We are now using some of your strategies and things are running much smoother, particularly like giving her a little more time to do things ans say things. Hey the whole family is better organised, as we have just started a new daily routine.

Hi Raewyn.
I am so pleased that I have been able to help. She’s a great kid. keep believing in her.
Cheers
Dawn

2 comments September 28th, 2009

Dyslexia

My daughter and son have severe receptive & expressive sppech delays. My daughter has mild Global Learning probs, Auditory Processing Probs. Ihave been concerned that she may have Dyslexia and her speechy thinks there is a good possiblity she does but doesn’t think its worth diagnosing. I would like to know so wondering who or where do we go?? Thanks Toni

Hi Toni,
Thanks for your email. Unfortunately I live in WA but there is a SPELD organization that do testing. www.splednsw.org.au.

If your daughter has Severe auditory problems then this would account for her delay in speech. Also this used, back when i was training in the Uk 35 years ago, be known as Auditory dyslexia. Things have gotton lost in sea of labels nowadays. If she also has big problems in remembering what words look like, an tries to always sound them out or spell them how they sound rather than how they look, then it is very likely that she does.

There is a DVD that helps a kid overcome Auditory processing problems. its called earobics – www.earobics.com . this should help both of them I think. Its important that she does about 15 minutes a day until the course is complete. It teaches kids to listen and discern between similar sounds and hear against a background noise etc. I have found it to help a lot. I find it works best if the kid wears headphones.

Hope this has helped

Cheers
Dawn

1 comment September 28th, 2009

Visualising words …

I was just looking at one of your documents and wondered why you believe that “Dyslexics, in particular are not able to visualise words”…

Continue Reading 3 comments September 28th, 2009

Report of any Learning Difficulties

Just wondering if you offer any assessing of children whereby you issue a report outlining any learning difficulties?

Continue Reading 2 comments September 28th, 2009

More help …

Just wanted to say thank you for helping me understand my daughters. Our girls are 15 (twins) and have struggled all their lives with learning. I never explored dyslexia, because I thought it only meant seeing letters backwards…

Continue Reading 2 comments September 28th, 2009

What tests are used to diagnose?

Thank you very much for your response. I heard you on Richard Glover’s Drive programme on 2BL yesterday. If we were to come to you in WA at some stage, what tests would you use to diagnose dyslexia? My son had a diagnosis of dyscalculia but I believe he is actually dyslexic even though his reading is satisfactory. His handwriting and spelling is extremely problematic and always has been (he is 10). If he is to undergo more testing, I would prefer it be with someone who knows what they are doing.
Thanks & regards

Hi,

I developed my test for SPELD here when I wrote the course for TAFE. You have to be dyslexic to do the course since it is targeted for dyslexics. I use that but much more comprehensive. Its not just about diagnosis, its about learning how your kid learns and perceives the world. Once we know how he thinks then we know how to teach him. Unfortunately most testing focuses on the problem and merely identifies that. My testing is solution based. I am looking for the solution not the problem.

Dyslexia is a learning difference so once we can establish his strengths and weaknesses we can develop a teaching program around this.

Dyscalculia merely means that the kid has problems with numbers, its actually Greek for “difficulty with numbers” and as such is not a true diagnosis, in my terms. what you need to know is why he has difficulty with numbers. It could be due to a number of things, including, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Asperger’s Syndrome and other things. All these learning differences need to be taught in a different way from each other.

I am posting details of my assessment on the site soon.

hope this helps
Dawn

7 comments September 28th, 2009

Assessments by Dawn

I am getting a lot of requests for assessments. I myself charge $200 for a complete assessment and report. I also develop an individual learning program for the pupil and produce a disc with any materials that will be needed for the kid, or adults teaching. My materials are very user friendly and anyone can use them whether a qualified teacher or not.

Continue Reading 5 comments September 28th, 2009