It is estimated that at least one in ten people in the UK have dyslexia.  Dyslexia is a learning difference that affects reading, writing and spelling.  Many people find that dyslexia brings all sorts of positive gifts, such as exceptional creativity, imagination, communication skills, problem-solving and the ability to think outside the box.  

Dyslexia has nothing to do with intelligence; it affects people from all cultures and all different walks of life.  Many of the great break throughs in the way we lead our lives today have resulted from the ability of people with dyslexia to think differently, and come up with new solutions to old problems. Einstein was dyslexic. And so was Steve Jobs. And Leonardo da Vinci.

We know that dyslexia can overlap with other specific learning difficulties such as dyspraxia and attention problems.

The key is to get the right support at the right time.

Some children can't see the letters and words on the page clearly, and they can't hear the individual sounds in words.  This is why phonics by itself doesn't work for some children.

Pupils who skip words or lines, reverse letters, or can't remember what they've read, may have a vision problem caused by weak eye muscles. Their eyes don't focus on the same letter, so their brain receives two different images when they read.

They may also have poor phonological awareness, which means they can't hear individual sounds in words. They can't hear that goat contains 3 sounds: g-oa-t.

We use a dyslexia screening check to assess if children are likely to be at risk of dyslexia so that we make sure they receive the support needed for them to reach their potential.  If assessed as being at risk, children are given an account with Dyslexia Gold.

Dyslexia Gold's Reading Bundle addresses both these issues using fun games. Engaging Eyes, exercises the eye muscles, helping them work together and reduces eye movements. Fluency Builder develops auditory skills so they can hear the sounds in words. Once children can both see the letters and sound out the words, reading improves dramatically.

For further information about dyslexia, please visit https://helenarkell.org.uk/