summer newsletter 2018 · the dyslexia teaching centre, 23 kensington square, london w8 5hn tel:...

The Dyslexia Teaching Centre

SUMMER NEWSLETTER 2018

The Dyslexia Teaching Centre, 23 Kensington Square, London W8 5HNTel: 020 7361 4790 • Email: [email protected]

www.dyslexiateachingcentre.co.uk Reg Charity No 290244

Registered with

William Hodgson, 10YKensington GardensAcrylic on paperSize A3

This painting is based on a drawing William created on-site in front of the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens, during one of the first days of spring, April 2018.

William was fascinated by the reflections in the water. He painted a wonderful display of colours full of shimmer. Looking at his painting, one can feel the sunshine and imagine the passing of occasional clouds, moving slowly above the landscape. Well done, William!

Sabine Ben-Haim, private art classes



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Our outreach programme continues to run successfully in five primary schools: Ark Brunel, Brackenbury, Addison, Avondale Park and Colville, working with 39 children. Four of the pupils have also attended the Saturday Reading Club this year and two children are currently having one-to-one tuition at the Centre.

Sharon Plummeridge, Deputy Head Teacher/Addison Primary comments:

“The Dyslexia Teaching Centre has been helping children at Addison Primary School for the last five years. They have developed excellent relationships with our children, parents and staff. As a result of these sound partnerships, stakeholders have been able to work together so that children make accelerated progress. The staff at The Dyslexia Teaching Centre go above and beyond what is expected of teachers because they really care about our children and want them to do well.Amazing!”

Parent/Colville Primary School:

“The progress my son has made with his reading since having extra lessons with the DTC has been amazing. Just one hour a week has helped him so much. The methods they use have been of huge benefit to him.”

We rely on donations to continue our work. If you are able to make a donation, please do so either by cheque payable to The Dyslexia Teaching Centre or simply by going to our website: www.dyslexiateachingcentre.co.uk and clicking the ‘Donate’ button in the top right hand corner.

Any donation, however large or small, will help us to continue this vital work helping disadvantaged children.

Thank you.

Reading not only fuels a child’s imagination and curiosity but also unlocks a treasure trove of vocabulary, which they can use in the real world. Encouraging children to read for pleasure and talking to them about words helps to improve a child’s grasp of vocabulary, which is particularly important for their comprehension. Introducing children to a wide range of genres that challenges them will build their vocabulary and open doors to a richer learning experience.

Reading comprehension and vocabulary are inextricably linked. The ability to decode words is important. However, knowing what a word means is essential to the understanding of a text. If a child does not know the meaning of five words

out of 100 in a text, he will not be able to understand what he reads.

Ideas to extend vocabulary:

• Read to your child• Pick out words from the passage which

your child may not know. Give the definition; there may be more than one, eg: tear – a rip in your shorts; tear – a tear in her eye

• Find antonyms and synonyms

Useful programmes to use:

• Wordsmith• Wordly Wise 3000 partnered with

Quizlet (free on internet).

The London Dyslexia Initiative

Reading and Vocabulary



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Top tips for handwriting:

“If you’re not confused, you’re probably not learning anything”

The Illustrated Guide to Dyslexia and its Amazing People by Kate Power & Kathy Iwanczak Forsyth (Jessica Kingsley)ISBN 978-1-78592-350-2

‘Welcome’, says a speech bubble above a showman, ‘to the wonderful world of dyslexia!’

This quirky picture book was designed by its creators to explain dyslexia to their own children. They felt ‘conventional books have too many words.’ It concludes, as architect/dyslexic Richard Rogers says in the Foreword, ‘with a good dollop of how wonderful the end result can be [for dyslexics]’. Rogers adds, ‘Dyslexics have a great way of looking at a problem and turning it on its head.’

The guide is recommended for parents to help them explain dyslexia to their dyslexic children and for older dyslexics to explore their own different ways of thinking and learning. It does not shirk the difficulties, and it offers suggestions for dealing with the challenges. It is also designed to inspire dyslexic children to believe in themselves – all done with a light touch and offbeat illustrations.

We recommend:

The Parents’ Guide to Specific Learning Difficulties: information, advice and practical tips by Veronica Bidwell, Educational Psychologist. £13.99Jessica Kingsley PublishersISBN: 978-1-78592-040-0

Book Review

Posture • Feet on the floor• Sit on your sitting bones• Support writing posture with forearm

across body on table• Tilt paper (bottom left corner of paper

nearest to body for right handers and bottom right corner nearest body for left handers)

Supporting good writing posture means your child is using their postural muscles as they write which helps maintain posture and facilitates good writing technique.

Support good writing posture at home by setting up ergonomic work space as picture.

Look after your child’s spine as you would their feet.


www.dyslexiateachingcentre.co.uk

This newsletter was printed in Verdana, a dyslexia-friendly font recommended by the British Dyslexia Association

Reg Charity No 290244

Registered with

Courses held at the DTC:Touch TypingTyping is a lifeline for those children who struggle to express themselves with pen and paper. We run classes during term-time and during the holidays. Individual lessons can also be arranged. For more information, please contact Charlotte Hull on 020 7361 4790.

Holiday Handwriting CoursesIdeal for children aged between six and 10 years old. For more information, please contact Sally Wright Associates 020 8208 1361 or email [email protected]

Saturday Reading ClubThe Saturday Reading Club (10.30–12.30pm) will continue in the autumn. Call the Centre to book a place for your child.

Services provided:• Assessments• Maths assessments and tutoring• One-to-one and group tuition at the

Centre or in schools• Intensive individual courses• Touch typing • Handwriting• Neuro-developmental physiotherapy

for children with dyspraxia/dyslexia and related conditions

• Training in study skills, examination techniques and written work at all levels up to advanced adult

• Work in conjunction with programmes of speech, motor or other therapy

• Educational counselling and advice• Bursary fund

summer newsletter 2018 · the dyslexia teaching centre, 23 kensington square, london w8 5hn tel:...

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