News & events

Practical strategies for schools, colleges, universities and employers

Speaker: Neil Mackay, Action Dyslexia
Date: 26 February 2015
Time: 18:00-19:30
Location: 1st floor, Milton Hall, Milton Block, Blue School, Wells
Event Description:
The Code of Practice offers opportunities for a range of organisations and institutions to harness the power of the dyslexic mind. But to do so may require a change in perception and practice. This presentation examines the implications of the Code and presents practical strategies which will level the playing field for dyslexic people and also ensure that they are empowered to be the best they can be. The importance of executive function and working memory in supporting dyslexic pupils, students and those in the workplace will be emphasised in ways that give insights into the learning preference that is Dyslexia. This will touch on “memory lite” approaches to spelling jargon words, reading for meaning and organising ideas for writing and assessments.

Open to students, staff and community.
Any access requirements please contact SChinn@educ.somerset.gov.uk to arrange.

We this talk will raise awareness of dyslexia and strategies for success. This talk has been organised and supported by:
• Blue School
• Action Dyslexia
• Equality and Diversity Service, Bournemouth University

Refreshments will be provided at the event and will be available from 17:00

AchieveAbility supports the Festival of Dyslexic Culture

http://www.festival-of-dyslexic-culture.org.uk

The not for profit Festival of Dyslexic Culture will showcase all the things that dyslexic (and dyspraxic, dyscalculic, AD(H)D and Aspergers) people are good at, and how we excel at them

Still in the planning stages, we expect the Festival to be held on Saturday 8 November 2014, and will include actors, animators, architects, artists, comedians, chefs, dancers, dreamers, engineers, entrepreneurs, games designers, improvisers, information technology geeks, inventors, film makers, lateral thinkers, leaders, musicians, photographers, poets, politicians, problem solvers, song writers, athletes, story tellers, writers, visionaries and all other manner of creative hybrids and activities.

Dr Ross Cooper (AchieveAbility) was interviewed by LBC Radio to debate Professor Julian Ellott’s (Durham University) comments that dyslexia is a too generalised term and therefore does not exist.

Ross makes the case that Elliott’s statements could make it even harder for dyslexic people to get assessed when this is already difficult to do.
Julian Elliott is not dyslexic and therefore does not understand the key issues that face dyslexic people. Dyslexia is about trying to make sense of experiences that often do not fit into the mainstream. Dyslexia is a product of a reading difficulty, it is neurological condition. Many Dyslexics can read well! To be assessed is the door opening for many dyslexic people to ways of understanding their learning.

Interestingly at the end of the discussion LBC stated Julian Elliott is ‘Barking Mad’

Dyslexia Action state:

The views of the Durham University professor and those of professors at Yale in the US have been challenged by the charity Dyslexia Action, which says the term clearly defined in 2009 following a review by Sir Jim Rose still has meaning and should not be dropped.

The charity’s Dr John Rack insisted the term retained a scientific and educational value.

He said: “If the argument is to treat all struggling readers as if they were dyslexic then that is fine with us.

“But we don’t buy the argument that it is wasteful to try to understand the different reasons why different people struggle.

“And for very many, those reasons fall into a consistent and recognisable pattern that it is helpful to call dyslexia.

“Helpful for individuals because it makes sense out of past struggles and helpful for teachers who can plan the way they teach to overcome or find ways around the particular blocks that are there.”

On 5th March FRED with be launched to promote equality and diversity. The Diversity Launch event will be free and will run from 1.30pm until 5pm and is accredited for 3 CPD points via the Bar Council and SRA. The afternoon should provide a really good opportunity to get an update on recent developments in discrimination law and also a useful networking occasion.

The Forum is inter-disciplinary in terms of equality and diversity, the speakers appeal to a broad range of stakeholders. The speakers are: Dr Annie Hedge (founder of EqualityWorks and national trustee of Citizens Advice), Dr Gurnam Singh (a leading academic on higher education and race), Professor Muriel Robison (previous head of ECHR Scotland and employment tribunal judge), David O’Hara (Senior Associate, Eversheds Solicitors), Deputy Chief Constable Helen King (Cheshire Constabulary), Joe O’Grady (Manager for Equality and Diversity for the local NHS Trust).

We hope you can attend.
Chantal Davies MA (Oxon) MA (Chester) LPC (solicitor) PGCE FHEA
Senior Lecturer
School of Law
University of Chester
Parkgate Road, Chester, CH1 4BJ

Monsters, Mavericks, Mothers
DYSPLA Festival runs from 11-17 November 2013
A Camden People’s Theatre Co – Production

MONSTERS, MAVERICKS, MOTHERS – THE DYSPLA FESTIVAL OPENS ON 12th NOVEMBER!

The DYSPLA Festival has been running since 2007 with the sole purpose of promoting and producing the work of dyslexic story-makers. This years’ featured play, Y&P is an acclaimed production based on the British journalist Yvonne Ridley, who was captured and held by the Taliban for ten days in Afghanistan back in 2001.

The London premiere is a co – production with The Camden People’s Theatre and opens on November 12 2013. The production is named Y&P after the protagonists and is returning to the UK after a successful run at the Toronto Fringe Festival under a previous title The Taliban Don’t Like My Knickers.

I COULD BE ANYONE
Drama and Self-Esteem

Funny, highly original… part confession, part autobiography.
A volatile playful view from a dyslexic bridge.

Given the curricular flagship of academic excellence, held up as the only way to survive the adult market place, dyslexia, or learning difference, is riddled with negative connotations. The experience of those whose needs stand out as being different at school, so often has clear and demonstrable damaging effects on their self-esteem and quality of life, particularly in adult years. These research findings are very eloquently brought to life through this autobiographical performance.

‘We stood outside the mirror, like actors before a show, looking into the nature of our universal selves seeking truth and a revaluation of our lives’.

Performers: clare agius matthew scurfield
Presented by AchieveAbility and the University of Malta, Department of Counselling, Faculty for Social Wellbeing
Adapted by Clare Aguis, Lena Scurfield and Matthew Scurfield from the book by Matthew Scurfield
Directed by Lena Scurfield

Tues 26th Nov SOAS, University of London – Khalili Lecture Theatre 7.30pm
Wed 27th Nov Cambridge @ Downing College – Howard Theatre 5.30pm
Thur 28th Nov London @ LSE
Fri 29th Nov – Graduate School of Education, University of Bristol
Sat 30th Nov – Oxford @ Magdalen College – Grove Auditorium 7.30pm
Tues 3rd Dec – London @ Working Men’s College 7.00pm

Please book through Eventbrite. For example the Working Men’s College event can be booked via:

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/event/7925769189?utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=new_eventv2&utm_term=eventurl_text

The STEM Disability Transition Group are holding a conference on 12 JUly 2013 at the Instutute of Physics, London from 9.30am to 3.30pm

Please contact Aimhigher London South Network for details

Aisha Khan AchieveAbility lead intern attended the Redbridge adult learners event on 22 May .

Adult Learners Week is important to Redbridge Libraries and to other providers of Adult Education and to adults learning through achieving their potential via all forms of learning.

Adult learners attending classes who also have Dyslexia are surmounting many hurdles to achieve and often in the face of a history of problems with reading or numeracy.

As part of Adult Learners week and included in Redbridge Book and Media Festival there was an afternoon of stalls inside Fullwell Cross Library celebrating the achievements of Adult Learners.

AchieveAbility celebrated our Schools work in East London with an event at Loxford School.

Loxford School is an outstanding school for Science and Technology and have kindly hosted the event which is to take place on Thursday 25 April 4.30-6pm

The Major of Redbridge attended the event and kindly gave out the certificates to the pupils.

http://www.achieveability.org.uk/main/practice/olympics-endorsed-inspiring-posters-project

This year’s AimHigher London South Conference has been developed and delivered in collaboration with the South London Dyslexia Support Network, University of Greenwich, University of Roehampton,Royal Holloway and Kingston University and will be an opportunity for:

• Learners to ask undergraduates with a range of specific learning differences what it is like to study at University
• Parents and staff to find out what learners need to do in preparation for starting University, like applying for the DTrialling free high quality text-to-speech, software tools and training resources from JISC TechDis and Dyslexia Action
• Staff and parents to ask questions of representatives from 3 University disability teams

In addition to presentations on the support available at University we have Dr David Grant as our Guest Speaker on ‘Beyond Stereotypes’. This is a FREE event and as a result, places are available on a first come first served basis. NOTE: Learners are expected to bring their own laptops and headphones.
If you know of students/staff or parents who are interested in attending, please distribute/fill out and return the registration form to Suzanne Marchment, s.marchment@kingston.ac.uk, tel, 0208-417 6316.