Dyslexia Teacher - Wales

- A listing of organizations offering assistance and advice about dyslexia in Wales is available, with links to these websites:

• UNIVERSITY OF WALES, BANGOR DYSLEXIA UNIT AND ARCHIVE - The Bangor Dyslexia Unit is a self-financing, nationally and internationally renowned, specialised Unit within the School of Psychology. The Unit was the first unit of its kind to be established combining research into dyslexia with clinical work, based on groundwork by the acclaimed Professor Tim Miles OBE who began work on Dyslexia in the 1960s. The Dyslexia Unit today is active in all fields of dyslexia work: teaching primary and secondary school children; screening and assessment for dyslexia; supporting students with dyslexia within the University; training of teachers for work with dyslexic children; providing information on dyslexia to the general public; and research. Members of the Unit can provide information and advice, both to the general public and in the form of talks and posters to dyslexia associations and other bodies. The Unit was set up by Professor Emeritus T R Miles OBE when he was Head of the School of Psychology, and it has grown steadily ever since with the number of children, adults and students that it helps increasing every year.
  
  The aim of the document store is to allow members of the site to browse and download English and Welsh reading and spelling tests (and instructions) devised and developed by the Dyslexia Unit in cooperation with the Welsh Dyslexia Project. There is a full technical report (English). Teachers can download a complete copy of the tests and instructions for administering the tests or download each test separately from the files. This document archive is part of the main Dyslexia Unit website.
  
  A Dyslexia Screening Test for Wales: The Wales Dyslexia Screening Test project - undertaken on behalf of the Welsh Dyslexia Project by Dr Victor Van Daal and Dr Llinos Spencer and their team from the Dyslexia Unit/School of Psychology, University of Wales, Bangor and funded by the National Assembly - is the outcome of a comprehensive study carried out across schools in North and South Wales, assessing the literacy skills of over 1000 children of varied ages, abilities and backgrounds. The aim of the Wales Dyslexia Screening test is to help teachers to identify children who may be at risk of dyslexia in Wales.
  
  Norms have been developed that take into account the language background of the children and the language of instruction in their school. As an example, the level of English reading and spelling you would expect from a Year 2 child with a Welsh language background attending a Welsh medium school would differ from the level of English reading and spelling that you would expect from a Year 2 child from an English language background attending a bilingual school. The kind of tests developed by the project are used in the area of reading research – especially when doing cross-linguistic research, however the tests also have a more practical application for school teachers to identify children who are at risk of dyslexia, based on something more than teacher intuition.
  
  
• DYSLEXIA INSTITUTE WALES - DI Wales was opened in November 1998 and moved to its present premises in January 2001. It currently has over 140 students.
  
  In addition to the Cardiff premises the centre has outposts in Lllandaff and St Mellons (for children's tuition), and in Carmarthen. The Centre offers the following services: Psychological assessments (by a chartered educational psychologist) for children and adults Specialist multisensory tuition in literacy and numeracy for children Specialist multisensory tuition in literacy for adults.
  
  
• DYSLEXIA WALES DISCUSSION FORUM - provided by BECTA.
  

• WEST WALES DYSLEXIA ASOCIATION - A Swansea based registered charity, we hold meetings with guest speakers who can tell you about different aspects of dyslexia and practical remedies you can adopt to make life easier. We also discuss dyslexia and the education system and find out what local schools are doing to help. Coming together as a group also enables us to share other people's experiences, hear of success stories and provide support.
  
  We also have a regular newsletter which keeps you up-to-date with our work. Members receive 'Contact', the magazine of the British Dyslexia Association. We arrange social events for adults and children with dyslexia and for carers and supporters of family and friends who are dyslexic.
  
  Our Helpline - 07702 665 799 (mobile donated by Uplands Car Radios) is manned by volunteers and is open weekdays between 6pm and 9pm.
  
  We aim to help people who are dyslexic especially children and their families, to learn how to overcome their problems and make the most of their potential. To collect and provide information about dyslexia. To keep the public informed about dyslexia. To encourage better understanding in schools and to call for better educational facilities.
  
  WWda has two types of membership:
  1. Family Membership - Open to families or individuals such as a parent of a dyslexic, an adult dyslexic, teachers or anyone interested in dyslexia. Membership costs £12.00 per annum and is payable by cheque to West Wales Dyslexia Association.
  2. Associate Membership - Open to institutions such as schools, colleges or businesses. Membership costs £20.00 per annum and is payable by cheque also.
  
  If you would like to receive information about becoming a member, please fill in the membership form.
  
  The WWda offers a Networking System to its members. Members who choose to opt to join the Networking System are given the telephone numbers of other members living in their vicinity. They can then phone each other up to give each other support, exchange ideas on how to cope with problems or simply have a chat. Members are still welcome to phone our Helpline on 07702 665 799 for advice and information.
  
  
• UNIVERSITY OF WALES, SWANSEA DISABILITY/DYSLEXIA UNIT - The University of Wales Swansea made a commitment to support students with dyslexia in 1994 with the creation of the Dyslexia Support Centre in the Centre for Applied Language Studies (CALS). The creation of the Disability Office in 1998 further reinforced this commitment, and now the Disability Office coordinates all support.
  
  
• DYSLEXIA WALES METHOD - The Dyslexia Wales course helps solve learning problems encountered by dyslexics. The course empowers both adults and children with dyslexia to take personal responsibility for their learning process. The Dyslexia Wales method does not rely on costly drugs, machinery or appliances. The course addresses the core difficulties and releases the latent talents of dyslexic people.
  
  The Dyslexia Wales course is an interactive process which relies on the commitment, participation and involvement of both parties to develop a successful working partnership to overcome the learning diffiulties associated with dyslexia and similar conditions, such as dyspraxia, dysphasia, dyscalculia, bedwetting, hyperactivity, and attention deficit disorder.

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Famous Dyslexic People - Many dyslexic people have become famous, especially through their strengths in artistic awareness, physical co-ordination and empathy. Here is a list of Famous People with Dyslexia.