Julie S

My expertise using The Dyslexia Action Literacy Programme (DALP)

I provide structured, specialist dyslexia tuition using the DALP (Dyslexia Action Literacy Programme) as my guide. As I was a classroom teacher for many years in this country and in New Zealand prior to gaining my ATS, I can combine my teaching and learning strategies with my specialist knowledge so that I can provide highly personalized learning experiences for my students who have dyslexia.

As well as tutoring, I also assess and diagnose dyslexia. I find this highly rewarding as, not only does this process enable me to target and therefore, address each student’s specific areas of learning difficulty, it also reveals learning strengths that should be celebrated and acknowledged.

My consultant expertise celebrating children’s strengths

In fact, celebrating a student’s strengths is an area of focus for me during specialist tutoring sessions. My teaching philosophy has always been one that embraces diversity, and now, more so neurodiversity that schools aren’t always able to cater for. I establish my student’s learning strengths early on and use them as a platform onto which I plan learning experiences to enable an enjoyable journey towards becoming a confident reader and writer.

My expertise assessing for dyslexia

Whilst assessing, I concentrate on alleviating any stress a student may feel and try to make the process as enjoyable as possible, yet ensuring all standardisation necessities are followed so that the diagnosis is valid and reliable.

The common thread running through my teaching and assessing practice is to protect self-esteem and encourage self-efficacy. Time and time again, I have witnessed how empowering students with faith in their own learning and strengths is the magic spell required to promote progression. Basically, a student who is anxious or unhappy finds it extremely difficult to learn anything.

My intentions

My hope is to be of service to as many students with dyslexia as possible. I love my vocation and am excited to meet the next child who may tell me about their ideas about the universe or design a robot that can clean windows… and yet find spelling or reading challenges. Someone with dyslexia may cure cancer one day – I am not prepared to allow literacy learning differences to stand in their way.