Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental difference and can have a significant impact during education, in the workplace and in everyday life. As each person is unique, so is everyone’s experience of dyslexia. It can range from mild to severe, and it can co-occur with other specific and developmental learning difficulties. It usually runs in families and is a lifelong condition.

There have been many definitions of dyslexia over the past century and debate continues as to how dyslexia should be defined. Most people however are in agreement with the following definition taken from the Rose report (2009):

- Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling.
- Characteristic features of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed.
- Dyslexia occurs across the range of intellectual abilities.
- Co-occurring difficulties may be seen in aspects of language, motor co-ordination, mental calculation, concentration and personal organisation but these in themselves are not markers of dyslexia.

Before booking an assessment

Before deciding whether you want to go ahead with an assessment, it is recommended you talk to your school SENCO and / or child’s teacher. It is important to note that children do not need a diagnosis of dyslexia to access support in school.

Your child’s school will have their own assessment tools and be able to observe closely how your child responds to intervention over time - particularly during the early stages of learning to read. It is important that all children struggling with literacy require (and are entitled to) appropriate intervention, monitoring and resources. Detailed diagnostic assessment should not be a precondition for putting
intervention in place.

Our services

Assessments for dyslexia are held at Litfield House and carried out by an HCPC registered Educational Psychologist. 

Before the assessment, we gather information on your child via a pre-assessment form from yourself. Once the assessment is confirmed, with your agreement, a pre-assessment form is sent to your child’s school or educational placement to find out about their learning in school.

 

On the day of the assessment, the educational psychologist will carry out individual work with your child to find out more about their strengths and needs. This will include a cognitive assessment (hyperlink to another page).

 

Additional diagnostic

assessments are used to find out about phonological processing and rapid naming
and the assessment also includes an assessment of reading, spelling and writing
skills. Findings can be used to identify specific learning difficulties (e.g. dyslexia,
processing difficulties or dyscalculia (hyperlink to another page) when carried out
alongside a mathematics assessment).
The assessment will take around 2 ½ -3 hours and your child will be given breaks as
needed. Throughout the assessment it is a priority your child feels comfortable and
at ease.
You are welcome to stay at Litfield house during the assessment or if you prefer you
can leave to spend time in the local area while your child is working with the EP.
On the same day as the assessment, you will be invited to a meeting to feedback
initial assessment results, gain any further views and discuss possible strategies to

support your child. This will take around 30-45mins. If you prefer to receive feedback
via telephone at a later date that can be arranged.
After the assessment a full report is written and sent to you, providing a summary of
key findings including recommendations for support. You are of course welcome to
share the report with your child’s school and other professionals. *Please note,
advice can be provided in relation to possible access arrangements for exams if
appropriate, however schools will have their own processes and assessors and in
line with current JCQ guidelines, do not have to accept the report recommendations.
We can also offer a review appointment in the future (when you child has had a
cognitive assessment in the past two years). This is to monitor progress in
attainments, highlight further needs and provide additional or updated
recommendations if required.