Dyslexia in-service sessions

We are passionate about getting our message out there!

We travel far and wide to visit schools, colleges, workplaces and speak at conferences and meet groups of parents.

We love going into schools and colleges and meeting  teachers and TAs and spreading the word. Specific programmes can be tailor-made to suit differing audiences and the time available. Often schools come together for these in-service days to help spread the cost and to allow networking. We tailor each and every in-service session to the needs of the client.

Contact us and we can have a chat about how we can help. 

Delivered into your school/business, this is training with a difference. At Helen Arkell we have many years of experience in delivering bespoke training, both in-house and to a range of institutions and organisations. Consultations or meetings can be arranged to discuss your organisation’s specific needs and/or gaps in knowledge and provision. We are interested in, and open to, different ideas and ways of delivering in-service sessions, maybe involving several schools or businesses in a locality, for example.  

Our in-service sessions can take the form of half day, whole day or twilight meetings to suit your requirements.  Likewise we can cater for differing numbers of staff or delegates, ranging from a small SEN department to broader staff gatherings.   

We can offer one off sessions and short courses.  Areas covered include:

• Definition of dyslexia and the characteristic areas of difficulty (weak phonological awareness, weak memory, slow speed of processing) plus some additional areas of difficulty (visual difficulties, organisation and concentration difficulties, lack of automaticity with tasks) 

• How these areas of difficulty impact reading, writing, spelling (and numeracy

• Benefits of multi-sensory teaching

• Using the most appropriate language and resources in the classroom

We think our feedback says it all...

“It was wonderful to have you today and the feedback from the training has been incredibly positive with teachers appreciating the balance between theory and all the practical ideas. I know I took away a lot of new information, which will be really useful in my day to day work and home life!”  Emily Fitch, SENCo, Lowther Primary School

“ 10/10 We could have listened to Bernadette all day” East & West Sussex Patoss Study Day

“.. everyone remained engaged throughout the morning and were keen to ask questions at the end all of which were answered well”  Gilbert Scott Primary School

“All our TAs and SNAs were buzzing with the interesting & informative content of the course”

“Excellent.  It was exactly the support/training we needed from Helen Arkell.” South Farnborough Infant School

“ .. brilliant.  It was good to hear difficulties to look for but then to see possible strategies to use. Fantastic – very comprehensive … we feel this met our needs perfectly.” Leechpool

“It was lovely having Bernadette to speak to our parents..  She was as always amazing, so interesting and informative.  I have had so much positive feedback from parents.” Surbiton High School

“A brilliant inset and we have implemented some of the ideas into school.  Thank you.”  Weald

“ I can’t think of anywhere more finely tuned to the needs of dyslexic learners and sharing this information with a diverse audience.  The knowledge and expertise at the centre is inspiring and second to none.” Woodlane High School

“Brilliant!  Very inspiring and reminding us of what we knew (some of us) but need reminding.  Very good for those teachers just starting out!  Thank you.”  Devon Patoss Committee

“The practical nature of the advice meant people could easily go away and implement strategies” Carwarden House School

Study Skills in Schools

Tailor made courses for a whole year group at school (both mainstream and independent) for maximising learning styles revision, reading strategies, creative writing, mind maps, exam techniques and other study skills.

Our most popular and most requested topics include:

• Effective Classroom support for SpLD students primary/secondary
• Other SpLDs such as Dyspraxia, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Asperger’s Syndrome, AD(H)D (Attention Deficit (Hyperactive) Disorder), Dyscalculia
• Mathematics and SpLD – assessment and teaching strategies
• Teaching Study Skills: different teaching and learning styles, organisation, listening, reading strategies, planning written work, spelling strategies, memory and revision, mind maps, note taking, exam techniques.

Support at FE and HE

Many students obtain a diagnosis of a SpLD on reaching Further or Higher Education, often having struggled through school with little or no knowledge or understanding of the particular difficulties they experience.  It is very important that they understand their own profile as  students, including their strengths and weaknesses.  It is also vital they receive appropriate support to study at this level.  This session provides practical strategies and ideas for teaching staff to make the delivery of their subject matter suitable for students with a SpLD.  

Consultancy for Schools

We can provide specialist professionals to act as consultants to schools, for example we can mentor Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCos), give advice about the provision and practices for learners with dyslexia, advise teachers on creating inclusive classrooms and set up screening procedures. We can also support schools in understanding current code of practice and SEN reforms and advise in preparation for OFSTED inspection.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

We offer CPD for specialist teachers and specialist assessors enabling them to maintain their Practising Certificates.

Demystifying Dyslexia/SpLDs for Parents

Ensuring parents have a clear understanding of their child’s SpLD is vital in supporting them. Many parents welcome the chance to receive information and support with this. They also usually relish the opportunity to meet with other parents who are ‘in the same boat’; it can be very comforting and supportive to do so.  A short session from an independent provider such as Helen Arkell can be a worthwhile offering by a school or a group of schools.

Resources

For all your teaching and learning resources please see our online shop or visit our well stocked resource and book shop at the Helen Arkell Centre in Frensham.

Fees

Please get in touch with us to find out about costs for in-service. 

For further information on any of the topics listed above or if there are other subject areas you would like to explore, please contact us at Helen Arkell.

Download our In-service Brochure