Dyslexia
Dyslexia
8. Who can diagnose a child with Dyslexia?
The school cannot diagnose your child with
Dyslexia, although will put support and intervenons in place if they feel a child may be
somewhere on the Dyslexia connuum.
An Educaonal Psychologist, or specialist
teacher from the Special Needs Teaching Service can diagnose.
9. What can I do to help?
Explain to your child that dyslexia is a real
physical condion, like deafness or having to
wear glasses, and they can be helped. Tell
them that it is a learning difference not a difficulty.
Praise them for their effort as well as achievement. Encourage areas in which they can feel
successful, such as creave work (e.g. verbal
storytelling), modelling, hobbies or sports. Encourage them by telling them about all the
highly successful dyslexics, ranging from Einstein to Richard Branson. Come and look at
our display board together.
If your child complains that the print in books
seems to blur, move around or go double, or
they complain of headaches or aching eyes
when a,empng to read, you should contact
an opcian for a full eye test.
Get your child’s hearing tested, just to rule out
any difficulty they may have hearing sounds.
Keep the school informed about your concerns, what is working and what difficules
he/she is having at home.
Informaon for Parents
If you would like any further informaon about
Dyslexia, or wish to discuss any concerns about your
child, please make an appointment to see our
Special Educaonal Needs Co-ordinator,
Mrs Collins.
Roborough Green
Thurnby Lodge
Leicester
LE5 2NA
Telephone: 01162 413756 (Between the hours of
8.00am and 4.00pm)
Fax: 01162 419669
Email: office@willowbrook.leicester.sch.uk
Frequently Asked
Quesons
Dyslexia
Dyslexia
1.What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that affects the
skills involved in accurate and fluent word
reading and spelling.
Dyslexia occurs across the full range of intellectual abilies.
It is best thought of as a connuum, not a disnct category, and there are no clear cut-off
points.
Mild
Severe
Somemes people with Dyslexia have other
difficules such as; understanding of language,
co-ordinaon, mental calculaon, concentraon and personal organisaon, but these are
not, by themselves, markers of dyslexia.
A good way to assess dyslexic difficules is to
see a child response to intervenons and well
planned support given at school.
2. How common is Dyslexia?
About 10% of the populaon are affected by
dyslexia to some degree. Remember though it
is a connuum, so some people may be
affected mildly but others more severe. So in
a class of 30 children there may be 3 or 4 children with some level of Dyslexia.
3. What are ‘Specific Learning Difficules?
Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty. It is a term
used to describe difficules when other areas of
learning are not a problem. For example, a child
might have a specific difficulty with reading and
wring but may be very good at speaking and listening and Maths.
4. Is Dyslexia hereditary?
Dyslexia does tend to run in families;
it is known that there are several
genes that contribute to a genec risk
of dyslexia. Brain scanning studies
suggest that, in dyslexic people, the
connecons between different
language areas of the brain do not
work as efficiently as they should.
However, these differences are not
linked to intelligence, and there is
evidence that many dyslexic people
have strengths and abilies in tasks
that involve creave and visuallybased thinking.
5. Can my child sll do well even though they have
Dyslexia?
Dyslexia need not be a barrier to achievement and
success! Come and see our display in the recepon
area. It is full of people who have Dyslexia and are
highly successful!
Dyslexia
6. What should I do if I think my child has Dyslexia?
h,p://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
Leicestershire Dyslexia Associaon.
General Enquiries: 01509 213 262
E-mail: roshenshaw@hotmail.com
Web: h,p://www.lda-dyslexia.org.uk
Area: Leicester City & Leicestershire. All LE postcodes.
There is lots of informaon available for parents.
Check out the websites and local support group
above. Also look at the other Dyslexia resources on
our school website.
Speak to your child’s class teacher and/or the
school’s SENCO. Mrs Collins is available at the beginning and end of most days, or make an appointment
at the office.
7. What will happen then?
As part of the assessment process informaon will
be gathered on the areas of concern. The teacher
will complete a form that gives a full picture of the
difficules and areas of strength of the child.
Appropriate intervenons will be put in place if your
child needs it.
Further assessment work may be carried out by the
SENCO.
Progress will be tracked very closely and, if
difficules persist, the school may refer to the
Special Needs Teaching Service for further advice
and support.