FAQ’s


If you have a question feel free to ask using the contact page.

Q.1 Why do I struggle with reading and writing, when other people seem to find it so easy? I must be stupid.

A.

Nothing could be further from the truth. For someone who may be struggling with dyslexia, then this very quickly eats away at their self-esteem and they start believing it.

It is not true!

The real truth is that there is a GIFT within each dyslexic individual. This gift is found in the dyslexic mind. It is a mind of boundless imagination, creativity and invention. In fact, many of our culture’s most talented individuals are dyslexic, as is true for many of the pioneers in technology, physics, and art.

Although many recognize this gift, they don’t realize that their own multi-dimensional thinking style is CAUSING difficulty with the written word. To understand this is the key to overcoming Dyslexia.
 

Q.2 My son has been getting extra help at school for the past year, but it doesn’t seem to be working. If anything, he seems to be going backwards, he is getting more frustrated and is losing confidence in his abilities.

He loves science, natural history and sport. He can make amazing models with is Lego, but he is still behind when it comes to reading, writing and spelling. I know he is bright and can learn, but don’t know why the extra tuition is not helping him.

A.

Of course any help is welcome, but it does have to be the right kind of help in order to succeed. To truly help someone with the dyslexic thinking/learning style you have to understand how this learning style differs. Here at A New Way we understand that Dyslexia is not a learning disability, it is just a different way of thinking and learning.  Dyslexics just think and see the world that bit differently.
Imagine if you were made to write with the hand that you do not normally use. You would find it very difficult or even impossible. Most of us have two hands, so why can’t we write using the other hand? We can’t do this easily because we are all individuals and are unique. Our whole thinking/learning style is set up to write with our chosen hand. If we are made to go against this, then we will struggle. This is the same for the dyslexicwho is forced to learn to read, write and spell in a way that is not suited to their learning style.
 

Q.3 I am and have always been a very good reader, but can’t do maths to save my life. I just don’t get it. This makes life very difficult, as I often don’t know how much change I should get back when I am shopping. Could I be dyslexic?

A.

Dyslexia is vastly misunderstood. It is not all about struggling with reading, writing or spelling. One of the facets of Dyslexia is Dyscalculia, which basically is being dyslexic in maths. Dyscalculia is similar to Dyslexia, in that the person experiences confusions, not with words, but with numbers.
A lot of people, (children and adults) fail to grasp the basics of mathematics, mostly because of the way it is taught. Maths teaching in the UK is very abstract, e.g. 4 x 4 = 16.  Here at A New Way we use very hands-on, multi-sensory techniques to give concrete examples of why 4 x 4 makes 16.  We don’t even go anywhere near doing maths with pencil and paper, until we are totally sure that the client is happy to move on to that stage.
(See the section on the website about Dyscalculia to find out more).
 

Q.4 I am so worried about my daughter. She continues to fall behind at school but every time I mention it to her teacher, she just tells me not to worry and to leave it another six months and she will catch up. I know something is wrong, but why can’t the school see it? I am desperate to help her, but I am being made to feel like I am just being a pushy parent. What can I do?

A.

The first thing is to stop worrying. Your child will pick up on this and it will make matters worse. The second thing to do is to make an appointment to go and see the SENCO at your child’s school. If the school still doesn’t take your concerns seriously, then you need to consider getting help privately. If you feel you need to talk to someone about your concerns, then please either ring or e-mail to make an appointment for a chat – it doesn’t cost anything and there is no obligation to take matters further.
Please also be aware that you are not alone, although I am sure at times it feels like it. I receive many telephone calls from parents, some who shed tears of frustration because no one is listening to them. Who is better placed to know that their child is struggling – of course it is their parents.
We can and do understand. We can help turn those tears of frustration into tears of relief, as you discover someone who really does understand and who can offer advice and practical help for your child.
 

Q.5 Do you only work with children?

A.

No, we work with anyone, (whatever their age), who needs our help. Our youngest client was 6 ½ and our most mature client was 72. A colleague has worked with a gentleman aged 88 who decided it was about time he did something about his dyslexia. So it’s never too late!
 

Q.6 Why don’t you use phonics in your programmes, as it seems to be the proven method of teaching children and adults to read?

A.

I would agree that using phonics is probably the best way to teach the majority of children and adults to read, but it should never be viewed as a ‘one size fits all’ solution. At A New Way we do not advocate the use of phonics in our programmes, because we know that for dyslexics it doesn’t work. The use of phonics has been around for a long time and if it worked for everyone, then we would not have children and adults who leave school still being unable to read, write or spell.
The majority of learners use verbal conceptualisation – they think with the sound of words. Those with the dyslexic thinking/learning style use non-verbal conceptualisation, they turn their words into pictures or images.
This is fine for words like ‘Elephant’, but try making a picture for the word, ‘the’, ‘a’ or ‘but’. Try it for yourself and see what you get. These little words are called ‘trigger’ words – the words that will cause a dyslexic the most problems. Eighty percent of any text is likely to be made up of these ‘trigger’ words, which is why dyslexics can find reading such a struggle.
A dyslexic can undoubtedly learn to read using phonics, but they will never become competent readers and they will certainly never read for meaning.
 

Q.7 I am a manager in a large organisation and feel I am very good at my job. I do struggle when I have to write e-mails or reports, but find the spell checker on the computer helps a lot. My colleagues seem to be able to get their thoughts down on paper, but it takes me much longer to do this, as I often have no idea where to start.

My worst nightmare is when I have to speak at meetings or give a presentation, especially when this is to senior management. I plan very carefully what I want to say, but it just comes out all wrong. Everyday just seems to be a struggle and I am getting so tired of this. Can you help? I don’t want to be labelled as being dyslexic, but do you think I am?

A.

I can understand your worries about being labelled as being Dyslexic. Dyslexia is very misunderstood, not only by teachers, parents, the medical profession, but by dyslexics themselves.

Dyslexia is not a disease, which is why it cannot be cured. It can though be corrected. Here at A New Way we see Dyslexia for what it really is – a unique thinking and learning style – for us it is not and never will be a learning disability. The dyslexic thinking/learning style is something to be proud of, not something to be ashamed about. Yes, we can and do help many people in situations such as yours. Just get in touch and find out how.

 

Q.8 Your programmes only last for 36 hours, how can you possibly teach someone to read, write, spell and/or learn maths in that short a time? Surely it’s not possible. Conventional methods take months or even years for someone to become proficient at these skills.

A.

You have fallen into the same trap that everyone falls into who does not understand about dyslexia and the dyslexic thinking/learning style. Dyslexics are not stupid, unintelligent, neither are they learning disabled. They are no different from anyone else in that they can learn to read, write, spell, do maths, or anything else they want to do.
We do not teach, we show. By showing people how to use their very unique thinking/learning style, but in a different way, they very quickly realise that all the things they currently struggle with can be overcome.
If someone cannot learn, then it is because something is getting in the way – a block. We find these blocks and get rid of them, so they no longer cause a problem, which is why we don’t need to spend months or even years working with our clients. They don’t need it. Of course there is only so much you can do in 36 hours, but this is where our support person training kicks in, so parents or partners can continue to help the individual to move forward.
Where there is a variety of issues, then sometimes a bit more time is needed, but we will always be there for our clients and they will continue to receive help for as long as they need it, at no extra cost.

 

Q.9 What success rate does your programme have?

A.

The success rate for our programme is about 98%. There are some individuals for whom it won’t work. This is mostly down to the individual not being motivated to want to change or to do something about their dyslexia.
This is why we always insist on doing an Initial Assessment first. That way we can be sure the client is motivated to want to go on and they can be sure in their own mind that it is the best course of action.
 
We NEVER take anybody on who we do not think will benefit from a programme. We are not only wasting our time, but their time and money as well. It does not lead to a happy outcome for both parties and usually just sets someone up to fail.
We only ask three things from our clients.
  1. They are open-minded.
  2. They are motivated.
  3. They have a genuine desire to change and overcome the issues they have.