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Tailor Made Educational Services

WHAT CAN I HELP YOU WITH?

Dyslexia, Maths, AD/HD, Young Learner, Dyspraxia and Autism

DYSPRAXIA

Dyspraxia can be experienced by both children and adults and affects organisation and planning as well as co-ordination. Many people who are dyspraxic develop good compensating strategies and it can be difficult to diagnose.

Key indicators are:

• co-ordination difficulties or clumsiness

• difficulty with time management

• poor handwriting

• poor sense of direction

• taking longer to finish a task than other people

A person with poor co-ordination, may have perceptual or speech difficulties, will have difficulty telling left from right and with crossing the midline of the body with hand or foot. They may also be unable to scan across the midline with their eyes.

Not only is visual perception affected, they may mishear sounds, struggle to speak coherently and to understand speech and conversation.

Whilst the defining characteristic of dyspraxia is considered to be a difficulty with motor co-ordination, there is usually an overlap with other characteristics in the dyslexia spectrum, which can be addressed directly and effectively during a Davis Dyslexia Programme.

Davis Orientation, as described in The Gift of Dyslexia, is of great benefit to the dyspraxic person. The ‘Koosh ball’ exercises are particularly helpful to the individual with problems with gross motor skills, balance, or hand/eye co-ordination. Orientation resolves the perceptual problems which underlie many symptoms of dyspraxia. After doing Orientation, many individuals report  that it is the first time in their lives they have felt ‘in balance’. 

How Davis is Different

Traditionally dyspraxia has been viewed as a disability and many remedial approaches focus on coping strategies involving drill and repetition. Davis facilitators understand the root cause of dyspraxia, dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADD, Autism and other ‘Specific Learning Difficulties' (SpLD) and recognise that the physical difficulties involved in dyspraxia arise from difficulties with inaccurate perception. The chronic clumsiness caused by inaccurate perception is solved when the Davis Fine Tuning procedures are done. The sporadic clumsiness caused by disorientation will gradually be resolved as the dyslexia itself is solved by gaining mastery of the symbols of language.

Our approach addresses perceptual difficulties such as clumsiness, hand/eye co-ordination and organisational skills. This programme corrects the learning difficulties using the strengths and talents of the individual’s thinking and learning style in a creative and fun way.

DAVIS AUTISM APPROACH

DOES THE DAVIS METHOD WORK?

The Evidence Base of Davis methods

Facilitators in Calgary, embarked on a program of pre- and post-program testing of all of their clients, using the Ekwall-Shankar Reading Inventory.

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Their data from more than 360 consecutive clients showed average improvement of almost 4 full grade levels in reading over the course of a basic 5-day dyslexia program. More than one-third of their clients showed improvement of 5 or more grade levels; more than three-quarters improved their reading skills by at least 3 grade levels. Level of improvement correlated positively to student age. Children age 8 - 12 had average gains of slightly above 3 grade levels. Teenagers, age 13-18, averaged almost 5 grade levels and adults, ranging in age from 19 - 57, experienced an average improvement in ability of 6 grade levels.

Pilot School Program

In the late 1990’s, Ron Davis also assisted educators in developing and piloting a primary level, school-based foundational program called Davis Learning Strategies. This program was created by a team of three Davis Facilitators who were also experienced teachers, led by Sharon Pfeiffer, and conducting research under the guidance of Dr. T.F. McLaughlin of Gonzaga University.  The Davis tools were modified for use with younger children in classroom group settings. Students in multiple classrooms at California public schools were provided with supplemental Davis-based instruction as they progressed from grades K-2. Their progress was later compared with students in demographically matched classrooms at the same schools, taught with the same curriculum but without the Davis component.

The Davis groups scored significantly higher on tests of sight word recognition, and no children from the Davis groups needed further intervention or special education support. Results for first graders were later compiled and published in a peer-reviewed journal.

In 2003, a team of prominent Italian researchers compared outcomes of students receiving 8 different forms of dyslexia intervention, at various learning centers in their region. This included a group of 16 children in grades 3-8 who had received a Davis-based intervention relying on Davis Orientation Counseling as described in The Gift of Dyslexia. The researchers reported that the Davis group showed the greatest increase in reading speed, with passage reading at a rate that was double or triple the speed of students in other groups. Because the Davis group had also received fewer hours overall of intervention than any of the other groups, the researchers reported that the attention-focus training the group received was the most efficient intervention for increasing reading speed.

ACCESS TO WORK SCHEME

An Access to Work grant can pay for practical support if you have a disability which affects the way you perform at work, this includes dyslexia and dyspraxia.

To be eligible for the grant, you must be over 16 and either about to start work, in a paid job or self-employed.

Access to Work will pay 100% of all approved costs if:

• you have started a new job and make a claim during the first six weeks

• you are self-employed or run a small business

• you work in a company with less than 10 staff members

• you require a support worker/training.

However, if you have been in your job for 6 weeks or more, your employer will have to contribute towards the cost of support. The amount that they are required to contribute depends on the size of the organisation.

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When cost sharing applies, Access to Work will refund up to 80% of the approved costs between a threshold and £10,000. The employer will have to contribute 100% of costs up to the threshold level and 20% of the costs between the threshold and £10,000. The amount of the threshold is determined by the number of employees in the company.

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If you think you need help, contact your local Access to Work centre. You, not your employer, must contact with Access to Work initially.

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Call 03452 688 489
or apply online at www.gov.uk/access-to-work

You’ll need to provide:

• your workplace address and postcode

• the name of a workplace contact who can authorise your Access to Work payments

• your workplace contact’s email address or work phone number

• your unique tax reference number (if you’re self-employed)

You’ll also need to explain:

• how your condition affects you at work or getting to work

• what help you’re already getting

• what else could help you

To determine the most appropriate support (reasonable adjustments), a workplace assessment will be arranged with a workplace consultant. The assessor will visit your workplace and this gives you the opportunity to discuss the help and support you need. There is no cost for the workplace assessment. If you do not have a diagnostic assessment report, this may need to be arranged first. Access to Work may accept a good quality screening test for self-employed and some lower skilled jobs.

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The assessor will write a report which will include three quotes for each support option. In most cases, as the employer has to pay towards the support so it is important to involve your manager from the start. It can also be useful to ask the assessor to meet with your IT department to ensure software recommendations are compatible with the corporate systems.

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You do not have to use the companies that the report recommends. It is possible to choose your own and Access to Work will usually allow the switch if it is a reputable provider.

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Contact Tania Blackmore-Squires for further information.

BURSARY FUNDS FOR DAVIS PROGRAMMES

Gifts for Dyslexia

Gifts for Dyslexia (G4D) is a Bursary Fund which provides assistance to people in financial need who would benefit from a Davis® Programme. G4D considers applications from people with dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, attention deficit and other learning difficulties.

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Davis®Programmes provide practical skills that remove obstacles to learning and everyday functioning by focusing on the distinctive dyslexic learning style. A style shared by all dyslexic individuals. Thus, the Davis® student can achieve the fullest expression of their innate gifts; moving to success in every aspect of their lives.

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This programme is particularly helpful for ‘non-responders’ to phonics!

More information can be found in Ronald Davis’ book 'The Gift of Dyslexia.'

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum amount of grant I can expect to receive?

Assuming funds are available, G4D will consider providing a bursary for up to 90% of the total cost of a Davis ® programme.

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For more information contact Tania Blackmore-Squires or click the link below.

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