Blog Category: Supporting Dyslexic Learners

Jamie Oliver’s Dyslexia Revolution: Why Schools Must Do More Than Just Listen

Jamie Oliver is back in the headlines — not for taking on junk food this time, but for championing children with dyslexia in his new Channel 4 documentary Jamie’s Dyslexia Revolution. It’s a subject that hits close to home: Oliver himself didn’t read his first book until he was 33 and recalls feeling ‘stupid’ at school, isolated during special lessons, and left behind by a system not designed for learners like him. In the documentary, Oliver puts a spotlight on the difficult realities many dyslexic students face every day. Ten to fifteen per cent of pupils in every UK classroom are thought to have dyslexia — but their needs are often overlooked. P...

Spelling Tips for Dyslexic Learners

Dyslexia presents unique challenges when it comes to spelling, but with the right strategies and support, dyslexic learners can overcome obstacles and improve their spelling skills. Here are our top spelling tips for dyslexic learners: Use Multi-sensory Techniques: Engage multiple senses in spelling practice to reinforce learning. Try reading aloud or tracing letters with your finger while saying them aloud. Multi-sensory approaches will help encode and retain spelling patterns more effectively. Written by a dyslexia expert, Spellzone follows the principles of multi-sensory teaching: using sound, sight and movement to teach spellings and to fix them in the mind. A variety ...

8 Dyslexia-Friendly Accessibility Features on Spellzone

Spellzone is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible learning environment so that as many users as possible can engage with our resources. The Spelling Ability Test identifies specific spelling weaknesses and provides bespoke learning pathways for students to work through. Students can then access Spellzone on any device, at school and at home, and work at their own pace and level. Students can also adapt Spellzone using 8 additional accessibility features. To find these: Log into Spellzone Click on the ‘Accessibility’ button in the top-right corner of the screen. Let’s explore 8 ways to adapt Spellzone to mee...

Dyslexia Awareness Week 2022

Dyslexia Awareness Week runs between 03-09 October. The theme for 2022 is ‘Breaking Through Barriers’ and ‘looks at how those living with dyslexia have overcome obstacles in their lives, this could be during education, work or general day-to-day living’. According to the British Dyslexia Association (BDA): ‘Dyslexia influences at least 1 in 10 people and is a genetic difference in an individual’s ability to learn and process information. Over 6 million individuals in the UK have dyslexia and may not have received a diagnosis. Despite its commonality it is often hidden and those living with dyslexia make countless compromises to ‘fit in’ t...

Four Famous People with Dyslexia

This week we’re looking at four famous people with dyslexia who flourished in their respective fields. Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath, celebrated for his technological skill and creativity. He is also famous for many of his many paintings including Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. Although there is no way of truly knowing if Leonardo was dyslexic, many researchers have suggested that he may have been. One indication is his use of mirror writing, which is a skill shared by many left-handed dyslexic people. Furthermore, his spelling was often quite irregular, but his illustrations were extremely precise. Read more here. Steven Spielbe...

Dyslexia Awareness Week

The 5th – 8th October marks Dyslexia Awareness Week in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, while, in Scotland, 2015’s events will be from 2nd – 8th November. The theme this year is ‘Making Sense of Dyslexia’ and will explore how support and interventions can really impact the futures of both children and adults with dyslexia. To find out more about various Dyslexia Awareness events across the country click here. Make sure you scroll down for information on dyslexia-friendly books, ways to get involved, and this year’s incredible awareness posters. Here is a description of dyslexia from the British Dyslexia Association website: “Dyslexia is a ...

Prince Charles

With the royal baby due to be born next month, we thought it would be fitting to end our series with a royal family theme. So far in this series we’ve featured dyslexics who have excelled in a variety of fields, but today’s article is about a man with a rather one-of-a-kind job. Who is Prince Charles? Charles, Prince of Wales, is the eldest son of Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth Realms. He is the heir apparent (next in line to the throne) and is likely to be the next King. What has Prince Charles done to help other dyslexics? Prince Charles broke tradition by becoming the first heir apparent to attend school instead of being educated by a pr...

Tommy Hilfiger

Almost all of the dyslexics we’ve looked at so far in the series have been very creative – whether their creativity involves writing stories, making films, or designing helicopters! This week we’ll be looking at a creative dyslexic who fuses together the worlds of business and design. Who is Tommy Hilfiger? When someone says ‘Tommy Hilfiger’, you will probably think of the brand name rather than of an actual person. Thomas Jacob Hilfiger himself is 62, is descended from the Scottish poet Robert Burns (perhaps ‘Tommy Hilfiger Edinburgh’ didn’t have the same ring as ‘New York’) - and is dyslexic. Although his parents wanted ...

Steven Spielberg

Over the last few weeks we have been looking at dyslexics who have excelled in various fields. So far we’ve looked at dyslexic writers, entrepreneurs, and even the famous polymath Leonardo da Vinci. This week we will be flying out to the land of botox and Brangelina – Hollywood! Who is Steven Spielberg? Steven Spielberg is an American filmmaker known for his work as a director, screenwriter and producer. He also co-founded the DreamWorks film studio. Although Spielberg was born in 1946, his dyslexia was not diagnosed until 2007. He is one of the most successful and influential filmmakers in the world. What is Steven Spielberg most famous for? Spielberg’s mo...

Dame Anita Roddick

This is the third post in our dyslexia series. So far we have written about polymath Leonardo da Vinci and writer Sally Gardner. In this series we are aiming to cover dyslexics in as many different fields as possible; this week we will look at businesswomen Dame Anita Roddick. Are there any famous dyslexics you would like to read more about? Who was Anita Roddick? Dame Anita Roddick (23 October 1942 – 10 September 2007) was a businesswoman who was also hugely involved in human rights activism and social and environmental campaigning. She also founded Children on the Edge, which is a charity that supports disadvantaged children. In 2003 she was appointed Dame Commander of the O...

Sally Gardner and Standish Treadwell

This is the second post in our dyslexia series. The first post was on Leonardo da Vinci and you can read it here. On the 19th of June, the winner of the CILIP Carnegie Medal, perhaps the most prestigious prize for children’s fiction in the UK, will be announced. With this in mind, we have decided to share a post about one of our favourite authors. Who is Sally Gardner? Sally Gardner is an award-winning novelist who writes for children and young adults. Her books have sold over two million copies in the United Kingdom. Her career is especially inspiring because Gardner did not learn to read until she was fourteen years old. Throughout school she was badly bullied for being diff...

Was Leonardo da Vinci dyslexic?

Over the next few weeks we will feature biographies of dyslexics who have excelled in a variety of fields. Some will be people you’ve heard of, whilst others you may not know. One or two may even have made careers in writing and words. As well as this, we will look at historical figures who had dyslexia and people with dyslexia who are still living and working today. Are there any famous dyslexics that you would like us to write about? Our first post is about a man who, rather than being an expert in just one discipline, was an expert, and indeed innovator, in many. We are, of course, talking about Leonardo da Vinci! Who was Leonardo Da Vinci? Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian Ren...

Keep it simple...

Richard Branson recently spoke of his extraordinary success and his ways of coping with dyslexia. Interviewed by pupils from Lincoln Castle Academy as part of the BBC News School Report, he said he liked "everything to be simplified". He put some of his success down to being "quite good at delegating and getting really good people around". He continued: "I just don't think people who are dyslexic need worry because they are often really good at other things" he added "They'll realise they've got a problem in some areas but they'll be really good at other things." Incredibly, Branson, one of the world’s wealthiest men, adm...