Can you help with research into the links between people’s reading skills and anxiety?
The University of Surrey is conducting research into this and, whether you have reading difficulties or not, would like you to take part. It’s for those aged 18 and over who speak fluent English.
The survey takes 20 to 30 minutes and is found here.
We’ve partnered with Discover Adventure who are award-winning specialists in UK and worldwide trekking and cycling challenges. They offer challenges and adventures all over the world specifically for individuals and groups who are fundraising. Are you ready for an adventure? Want to challenge yourself? There are loads to choose from, with a small selection below. Or head to their website to choose your big adventure!
It is with heavy heart that I pass on the sad news of the passing of Sir Jim Rose CBE. This comes as a great blow to the whole dyslexia world, which loses one of its most pioneering, respected and popular figureheads.
Jim’s renowned ‘Rose Report’ of 2006 led to important changes to the way reading was taught in schools, and his definition of dyslexia has been instrumental in enabling countless thousands of children and adults with dyslexia to access the help they need.
Some people leave a lasting mark in their lives, which continues for generations and generations to come, and Jim is one of those people. His dedication in the field of specific learning difficulties was second to none, and so trusted was he by the authorities, that the government of 2009 committed £10 million to the training of 4,000 specialist dyslexia teachers, on the back of one of Jim’s many independent reviews.
Above all, Jim was a lovely, helpful man. A real gentleman. He was a great friend to Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity, as he lived just down the road.
He had already worked closely with several of my predecessors before I joined the charity in 2017. At that time, Jim was chair of the Dyslexia/SpLD Trust, so I had the honour to meet him on several occasions, as I attended on behalf of Helen Arkell. He had a great sense of humour and bottomless patience when explaining the issues surrounding the subject of dyslexia to me as a new boy in the field. He sent me countless links to research papers and articles, to help me settle in, and I was so grateful for that.
The last time I saw Jim was just before Christmas, at the All Party Parliamentary Group on Dyslexia and Other Specific Learning Difficulties. Sadly, this was again on Zoom, which did not give the opportunity for a cup of tea and a catch-up, but he was clearly still deeply committed to the cause of education in general, and dyslexia in particular, right up to the end.
Jim, you will be sorely missed by the whole dyslexia world and by the whole Helen Arkell community. We will do our best to carry on where you left off, and to show the same passion and commitment as you did. You left the world in a much better place for people with dyslexia than when you joined it, and you should be extremely proud of everything you achieved.
Our thoughts, best wishes, and most sincere condolences are with all your family.
Andy
PS A note from Bernadette McLean, former Principal at Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity:
Jim Rose’s passing is a sad loss, not just for his family and friends, but for all who knew him in the world of dyslexia.
His professional accomplishments were many and his influence on policy was instrumental in achieving extra support for pupils and their families.
First and foremost, Jim was an educator embodying all the aspects of good teaching, particularly patience and observation of what works and what doesn’t. These qualities were not confined to the classroom but to the whole of his professional life and these attributes ensured that he and HADC founder, Helen Arkell were kindred spirits.
Retirement did not slow him down. He was busier than ever and involved in a multitude of educational projects. After he suffered a serious car accident some years ago, we shared car journeys to many venues. On these I came to learn of the many interests Jim had well beyond the teaching of literacy; his passions included poetry, music and gardening.
Jim and his late wife, Pauline had moved to Surrey to be closer to their grandchildren who remained an important part of his life. He encouraged his family to call his grandson Ben, a phonic regular word, easy to learn. Always the teacher!
His words and wisdom will endure but he will be missed.
Bernadette McLean
PPS, from Dr Geraldine Price, Trustee of Helen Arkell
Sir Jim Rose: friend and inspiration
Sir Jim Rose was a champion for dyslexia and reading. He was a former head teacher so knew the education system from all levels, warts and all. He was passionate about providing the best and most appropriate education for ALL children. His depth of knowledge and understanding of SEN insured that his voice was heard. He was influential and people in power listened to his words of wisdom. I was privileged to work with Jim when asked to join the government-commissioned committee which looked into the identification and teaching of young people with dyslexia and literacy difficulties. The outcome of this is known as the Rose Report. The committee consisted of different professionals involved in this educational field: all with differing views and different research bases. It is to Jim’s credit and expertise that some consensus was achieved. Indeed, the definition of dyslexia is used widely in schools today as a benchmark in the identification process.
Jim was always down-to-earth and asked incisive questions when the debates within the committee were intense. He made us all sit up and reconsider our ideas. Thus, he helped professionals to look at things differently. He guided us to take practical solutions which were all adopted by the government. He achieved this with his sense of humour and kindness.
He worked tirelessly with many dyslexia charities and educational associations. He was generous with his time with Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity. He will be sorely missed.
Geraldine Price
Many people don’t find out that they have dyslexia until they are adults. Perhaps your schooling is over – quite recently or a long time ago – and you feel it’s too late to worry about whether you are dyslexic.
Here are three reasons why a dyslexia assessment as an adult – at any age at all – can be a good move.
1 You will understand yourself better
Many people with dyslexia are very bright but found school a struggle. This may have had a huge impact on confidence and made them feel they are stupid and affected the choices they made and continue to make.
Having a dyslexia assessment may explain why you found it so difficult to achieve academically. You will discover what your weaknesses are and why you have them, but also where your strengths lie – and how you can use these to overcome those weaknesses. This can be a huge boost to confidence and a relief to understand what has been going on over the years. It can help you forgive yourself if you didn’t achieve what you might have and help you imagine what you could do with the right support.
2 It can have a positive effect on your career
Once you have your dyslexia report, you can approach your employer and ask for reasonable adjustments to your work environment or work processes to help you do your job more easily and effectively. This may be having presentation slides given to you in advance of a meeting, being given verbal rather than written instructions, having notes printed on pale-coloured paper or it might be that some tasks are given to someone else while you take on those that are better suited to your skills. Under the Equality Act 2010, dyslexia is classed as a disability and you have a right to reasonable adjustments being made by your employer.
Employers are now beginning to see that there is huge value in employing workers with dyslexia. People with dyslexia can be incredibly creative in all sorts of ways, including problem solving. They often approach problems and tasks in a different way to those who do not have dyslexia and can be innovative in their solutions. This kind of ‘out of the box’ thinking is hugely valuable to employers.
An assessment can also open the door to support for further training or academic opportunities. What could you achieve?
3 It can help your child with their dyslexia
Dyslexia is often inherited. If you have a child who has been diagnosed with dyslexia, it can be hugely helpful to have any concerns about whether you have dyslexia addressed. You can both be ‘in it together’. It can help you both to help each other, give you both confidence and help you both to find ways to overcome struggles. It can help you discuss your child’s dyslexia at school if you have a better idea why and how they are struggling. You speaking openly, positively and without embarrassment about your dyslexia can help your child do the same, changing how they feel about being dyslexic and ultimately celebrating their strengths.
How can you get an adult dyslexia assessment?
If now is the moment to have a dyslexia assessment, Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity offers a range of services for adults, including adult dyslexia assessments.
‘Having spent all my life not knowing why I was experiencing difficulties, and believing I was not intelligent at all, finally having official recognition of my condition is extremely helpful: a lot of things now ‘make sense’… It might sound dramatic, and would definitely have been something I would have been very skeptical about if you had asked me before my diagnosis, but my diagnosis has allowed me to feel validated for being myself.’
‘It helped me understand where my difficulty with memory retention came from and feel more confident because of it.’
‘… my diagnosis has helped me get the support I need from my university to accomplish my full potential in my studies. I have recommended Helen Arkell to anyone I know struggling with symptoms of dyslexia who may wish to have an assessment.’
We are growing our team of specialist teachers, as we help increasing numbers of people who have dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties. We are keen to continue extending both our face to face and online provision. Providing expert, personal and life-changing support to people with dyslexia is crucial to the way we fulfil our charitable mission.
Do you need the low-down on EHCPs? What are these Education, Health and Care Plans? Who should have one and how do you get one?
We’re delighted that Rachael Allison of law firm Boyes Turner LLP will be joining us on 28 February for a webinar on all things EHCP. Come and join us or, if you can’t make the date, book now and we’ll send you the recording. All for just £5!
Vote for the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity this February in the My Favourite Voucher Codes Charity Poll
We are delighted to be taking part in My Favourite Voucher Codes monthly charity poll, where we are up for a chance to win 20% of their profits. As one of three charities taking part, we need your support!
My Favourite Voucher Codes isn’t your average voucher code website – not only do they help their users to save money whenever they shop online, they’re also passionate about helping good causes, donating 20% of their profits to charity every month.
With thousands of voucher codes and offers from the UK’s favourite merchants, their site gives users the opportunity to save money on groceries, fashion, tech, beauty, travel, insurance and loads more.
Every month, three charities take part in their poll to compete for votes by visitors to the site. At the end of the month, the charity with the most votes wins the donation.
How is the money raised?
The donation to the winning charity is formed by the amount of voucher codes used throughout the month. Every time someone makes a purchase through My Favourite Voucher Codes, the site makes a small commission, which is at no extra cost to the customer. In short, every time a customer shops through the site, they will be contributing to the donation prize, and of course, the more codes used, the bigger the donation.
How to support Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity
To be in with a chance of winning this donation, we need your votes. You can cast your vote for free from 1 February, and the poll will run up until midnight on 28 February.
You don’t need to register or sign up for anything to take part, and you don’t have to use any codes for your vote to count, so everyone can get involved!
If however you do need to do any online shopping, make sure you have a browse at the site’s offers, as chances are you’ll come across a voucher code to help you save money on your purchase. Not only that, but by making a purchase through the site you’ll also be contributing towards the donation we’re up for winning!
Please share the poll on your social media channels too if you can to help us get even more votes! Show your support for the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity this February and help us offer dyslexia support to everyone who needs it.
Thank you!
Before the summer, we put a call out for research participants in dyslexia and sleep on behalf of University College London’s Katrin Jeffcock. Katrin has now completed her work and is presenting her ground-breaking findings on the evening of Wednesday 25 January.
We would love you to join us to listen to this exciting talk. Suitable for parents and for education professionals as CPD.
Book your place here.
An unforgettable evening with the Royal Family
January’s started off a bit grey and miserable, so I thought I’d cheer you up by handing the blog over to a special guest this time. Vicky is a long-standing supporter of this charity, having been a dear friend of our late founder Helen herself, for many years. Vicky’s going to fill you in on a very exciting adventure she had before Christmas, along with four other lucky members of the Helen Arkell team. Over to you Vicky …!
The first big excitement was receiving a beautiful card invitation to the Royal Carol Concert in an envelope marked “Buckingham Palace”. I had been lucky enough to win one of the five tickets that Princess Beatrice had donated to Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity, for supporters of the charity to attend this amazing event at Westminster Abbey. My name had been put in the hat because I’m a ‘Friend of Helen Arkell’. By the time the important day arrived, Thursday 15th December 2022, I was like a child on Christmas Eve.
As that Thursday was a day between two days of rail strikes, we decided to go up to London mid morning, in order not to be heId up by transport. I had arranged to meet another lucky winner on the train – Samantha, one of the admin team at the charity – and we decided to find the correct entrance to Westminster Abbey before we had a look round. There was already snow on the grass and everything was sparkling in the sunshine. We found somewhere nearby to eat until it was the time we were supposed to take our seats, and we spent a very pleasant time eating and people-watching in the Methodist Centre. We managed to meet up with the other lucky winners – one of the charity’s dyslexia assessors, one of their teachers, and a trustee.
We had to wait quite a while in the queue, but we were offered mince pies and all the guides were very cheerful and chatted to us. We had been told that the Prince and Princess of Wales would be holding the
concert, but were very excited to learn that, at the last moment, all the Royal Family had decided to attend. We had to wait whilst a car dropped off a member of royalty, and then, after passing through
security, we made our way into the Abbey.
It was very crowded, and I sat at the back of a large block of people but right at the end of a row. As I am very tiny, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to see much, but as soon as the King and Queen Consort arrived, everyone stood up and I crept into the gap between the blocks and saw King Charles, Queen Camilla, the Princes and Princesses and Dukes and Duchesses, walk past right in front of me.
I had no idea that the programme would include so many famous people, including Mel C, Hugh Bonneville, Alfie Boe and Craig David. Those that were too far away for us to see were filmed on large screens all around the Abbey, so we did not miss anything. The service was a beautiful mixture of readings and songs, including Away in a Manger, sung by a choir of Ukrainian children.
It was all over far too quickly and, instead of making our way out of the doors, we were rather naughty and made our way to the front of the Abbey, where we saw the Royal Thrones, The Christmas Tree decorated with Paddington Bears and the Nativity Scene, and we took the opportunity to take lots of photos.
This was one of the most exciting days of my life. I felt l like a child in a sweet shop, and so fortunate to have been present.
When all the excitement was over, we made our way back to Waterloo and were lucky enough to catch a train almost immediately and travelled home very tired and aware of the fact that we had shared an important moment in history.
Vickie
The Royal Parks Half Marathon is one of the most beautiful city runs in the world. The stunning 13.1 mile route takes in the capital’s world-famous landmarks on closed roads, and four of London’s Royal Parks – Hyde Park, The Green Park, St James’s Park and Kensington Gardens.
Taking part will raise funds to help us support children, young people and adults who have dyslexia.
We have places on #TeamArkell and would love you to join us! Register here.
Registered charity in England and Wales (1064646). A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, company number 3432423.
