Help

[chalky96]

Hi I am dyslexic found out at uni I'm 25 now, struggling bad with memory and reading books any tips?

[snakehips666]

Hi Get yourself a copy of Toe by Toe. You will need someone to help you go through Toe by Toe but there is no reason why someone close to you (literate partner, friend, family member...etc) cannot use Toe by Toe to teach you to read. It is a manual designed to provide anyone with the necessary skills for reading. The book is written to be used by unqualified people acting as tutors and we often find it works better when non-specialists use the scheme since they tend to follow the instructions to the letter. In fact, literacy is such a precious gift that your tutor's involvement with your learning will be especially worthwhile. Toe by Toe is used a great deal with adults as it is an excellent book for measuring the progress of an adult with special needs. The scheme is diagnostic in the sense that it not only clearly shows progress but also gives students confidence by being able to see for themselves just how well they are doing. We deal with a lot of adult literacy units and they keep re-ordering so I suppose that says a lot for the scheme's effectiveness.

Toe by Toe deliberately avoids graphics and other 'fun factors' and usually any reluctance on the part of the student evaporates when they realise that they are making real progress. As soon as the first few pages of TBT are finished and 'signed off' the student does get this feeling of satisfaction. It is important, of course, for confidence that they keep this sense of progress and momentum. Therefore, what I do when a particular word / skill is holding things up is; draw a circle around the problem word and then move it forward a few pages (i.e. write it at the top of a new page where it can be practiced further until the student gets it right on 3 consecutive occasions). The old page can then be signed off as finished. I then put the completed pages behind a rubber band so it is easy to find the starting point for the next session and also the student can easily see how much has been completed and (never has to be looked at again!)

In normal circumstances a struggling reader - with the recommended DAILY input of 20-30 mins / day - should be able to get through the scheme in 5 or 6 months. However, you may well find that 20 – 30 minutes is beyond your attention span. In such a case, 10-15 minutes a day will still produce excellent results. Frequency is the key. 10 minutes a day - every day – is much more effective than (say) an hourly session twice a week. Having said that I realise, of course, that daily sessions are simply not feasible in many cases. However, 3 times a week will still bring excellent results. In fact, weekly sessions will still work but – in such a case - it will take a year or more to get through the book. Our priority has to be to get students through the course as soon as possible so they can get on with the rest of their lives.

Please have a look at our website at: toe-by-toe.co.uk for further tips.

I hope this answers your question. If not, please don't hesitate to contact me again (preferably by e-mail) and I will do my best to be of assistance. Please keep in touch - we are here to help.

Kind regards,

Frank Cowling (Toe by Toe Admin)