Dyslexia Trainers: The Learning People, will be visiting Quay Arts, Isle of Wight on 22nd November, as part of a nationwide tour on the lack of understanding about Dyslexia in the UK.

Dyslexia expert and founder of The Learning People, Richard Whitehead, will be leading the talk at the Quay Arts to explain why dyslexic learning problems stem from talents and not disabilities, and how creative and explorative approaches to learning can unlock a dyslexic person’s true abilities. 

He will be offering practical advice to parents, tutors and teachers on how to help and get the most out of children and adults with dyslexia.  There will be an opportunity to have questions answered by experienced practitioners and to find out ways to overcome the problems.

Dyslexia Experts ‘The Learning People’ are trying to educate the nation about why this learning style should be viewed as a gift and not a disability.

The Learning People recently commissioned research through NOP which showed that:

*A fifth of people still believe that dyslexics would do better if they just worked harder

*Three quarters of people know little or nothing about dyslexia

*Over half of the UK population think dyslexia is just about getting letters back to front

*A quarter of people think that dyslexics are a liability in the workplace

*9 out of 10 people have never heard of the mathematical version of dyslexia (known as dyscalculia)

Even today, dyslexic children can still find themselves dismissed as ‘lazy’ or ‘stupid’, and offered little or no support.  As a result of their treatment, many become victims of bullying with low self esteem and are thus given few opportunities to succeed in life.

The Learning People is a new nationwide provider of the Davis Dyslexia Programme, which has so far only been available via the local practices of individual trainers.   A typical programme is a 30-hour, one-to-one experience with a trained and licensed trainer, lasting approximately one week in total.   

In direct contrast to what it seems many Britons think, The Learning People see dyslexia as a gift.  Dyslexics’ ability to think multi-dimensionally, and often visually, explains why so many are creative, offer unusual solutions to problems, are very intuitive, or have vivid imaginations.

Former Eastenders star Louise Jameson’s son Tom is dyslexic and struggled throughout his schools years. Richard Whitehead took Tom through The Davis Dyslexia Programme and Louise says:
 
”Within a twenty-minute session I watched Tom’s handwriting improve beyond recognition – and it has stayed that way. Also, never before had Tom picked up a book to read for pleasure.  He reads regularly now,”

Sean, now 17, was bullied in school, his stepfather read about The Learning People’s approach in a book called “The Gift of Dyslexia” by Ronald Davis. Inspired, he tried out some of the techniques in the book with Sean. He was so impressed by the initial results that he decided to train in the method himself and is now a Learning People trainer on the Isle of Wight.

Richard Whitehead says:

“Seeing dyslexia as a gift explains and unlocks so much,”

“A person’s dyslexia is a resource to be harnessed, not a disability to be overcome.

“Our approach is explorative: rather than employing repetitive, drill-based remedial techniques, we find the way in to engaging a person’s natural intelligence to the task in hand.

Time and time again we see our students acquire new skills in a matter of days that have eluded them for years. This is not because we have a magic wand; it’s what happens when blocks to learning are removed and a person’s natural, dyslexic intelligence is working for, not against, their learning agenda.”

Just to remind you the talk is being held on Thursday 22nd November at 7.30pm at Quay Arts, Sea Street, Newport.  Entrance is £3.00, call 08000 27 26 57 or visit www.thelearningpeople.co.uk for more information.

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