Dyslexia and Literacy (SpLD) diagnostic assessment and support
for learners, parents, teachers and schools.
Is your child struggling with reading, spelling, writing and/ or attention? Is this impacting their learning progress?
Claire Simpson, qualified international SENCO, and certified dyslexia and Literacy diagnostic assessor and therapist - with 30 + years teaching in British international schools - works online and face-to-face with learners age 6-17.
As well as diagnosing specific learning difficulties, Claire creates and delivers personalised one-to-one interactive online support programmes. These include Orton-Gillingham-based structured literacy programmes, partially delivered in immersive worlds to increase learner engagement towards confident and measurable progress with independent reading, spelling, writing and access to learning.
Claire also supports schools and teachers online in developing inclusive learning support systems, processes, workshops and materials for delivering and measuring effective progress for neurodiverse learners.
What SLS clients say…
Learners “Claire listened to me. I felt understood and recognised. She gave me confidence to tackle the stuff I thought was impossible. And she did it with a smile and a laugh. Thanks Claire. Will give you a cheers as I graduate in July with a degree in biochemistry from UEA x” - Learner, T.
Mum J “Claire, you have quite truly changed her whole outlook on learning. The confidence you have given her has been transformative".”
Mum D “So grateful to you and the effort you are pouring into J. It really shows. His reading is improving. And he has lots of confidence still. He has bounced back into school as a happy little chap.”
Mum Ann “Knowing that Claire was there to support T gave me a real sense of security. Parents, carers and guardians need someone not only to recognise their child's struggles but to reach out to others that have the young person’s best interests at heart. Claire does this with an open heart! She is an encyclopaedia of strategies and methods that create a bridge for everyone. Can't thank you enough x”
Mum Yana “I would like to express my deepest gratitude for leading V. for all these years. Thank you very much for your invaluable support!”
Mum Gemma “Thank you again Claire for your outstanding help all the way.”
Schools “Claire has a fantastic understanding of cognitive child development. I would have no hesitation in recommending Claire either to a concerned parent or to a school who wants to improve their current provision. She is an impressive individual who will go above and beyond to support learners to benefit from extra support during their learning journey. - Head Teacher, David.
Teachers “Claire was inspirational; her guidance and support allowed me to reach my full potential as an inclusive learning specialist teacher. She always welcomed new ideas and paid attention to details. She motivated all her learners to bring out the best in them. Claire always worked in collaboration with all stakeholders to close the gaps in their learning journey. She is a professional, caring, and a highly-knowledgeable SEND coordinator.” - Postgraduate Specialist Teacher, Esraa.
Let’s get personal.
SLS tuition is highly personalised.
Each learner’s literacy support programme is personally planned to target the specific literacy skills gaps that are identified for that learner. Depending on the learner’s age and diagnosis, the gaps may encompass anything from beginner reading, spelling and writing skills, through to closing skills gaps towards passing English Language at ISEB Common Entrance and at GCSE levels. At each level, SLS applies up-to-date Science of Reading and Structured Literacy cumulative learning research evidence so that SLS learners may achieve their literacy skills potential - to the benefit of ALL their academic work across their curriculum.
SLS Structured Literacy programmes
The SLS Orton-Gillingham based Structured Literacy programmes are for learners who struggle with phonological awareness, phonological processing, reading and spelling, whether or not they have a diagnosis of dyslexia. Globally this is the most sought-after English literacy intervention because it is the most thorough, measurable, and successful. At SLS the structured literacy programme is personalised for each learner, honing in on an individual’s strengths to support their highly specific strengths and needs. .
SpLD Literacy diagnostic assessment
The earlier a child with dyslexia is diagnosed, the more effective their learning journey is likely to be. A diagnostic assessment can help to improve everyone’s understanding of a child's learning strengths and needs and can give recommendations that are tailor-made for the individual learner.
English Language GCSE support
Claire has many years’ experience teaching English Language and English Literature at UK I/GCSE and GCE Advanced Levels.
Her past students have gained IGCSE Best in World exam results.
Claire supports dyslexia and literacy struggling learners, and their parents, towards the achievement of pass grades in the UK’s Edexcel and CIE English Language I/GCSE syllabuses.
Reading Comprehension & Extended Writing
Reading and writing are multi-faceted and reciprocal skills that involve language comprehension as well as word recognition - progress in one will strengthen progress in the other. Personalised reading and writing programmes are therefore often taken by advanced Structured Literacy programme learners.
What to expect
Initial assessment activities establish a learner’s reading and writing strengths, interests, and needs. Materials are then integrated with the targeted strategies to play to a learner’s strengths, and to engage their specific interests while developing their reading and writing skills.
