I began my journey with Dyslexia Matters when I started my level 5 training.  I had been teaching for 30 years in a variety of environments and working with all ages from the Military, teaching adults, to Early Years, in a Montessori School.

It was while working in a Montessori Primary School I decided that I needed yet more training.  My son, who had been in a Montessori environment since birth just wasn’t making the progress in spelling I expected, considering his brilliant start.  We now know he is dyslexic and I am dyspraxic!  I needed to know what more I could do, when the Montessori approach; which is hands on, Multisensory, cumulative and individual to every learner, just doesn’t seem to work!  Having completed my level 5, I added SENCo and Specialist Teacher to my list of responsibilities within the school. With this new vision I found that so many of the pupils had learning difficulties and not all brains worked like mine! So I decided to brave it and embark on the level 7 course. My final step was to join the Dyslexia Matters team as a tutor/assessor. I now also work freelance teaching and assessing.  I love all aspects of my working life and being so varied, I consider myself a lifelong learner as I gain something new every day.

I began my journey with Dyslexia Matters many years ago when I enrolled on the Level 5 course. Working as a SENCo in a primary school meant that I encountered children with specific learning difficulties on a regular basis and I wanted to understand how I could support them more effectively. My enthusiasm was fired and I went on to complete Level 7. Afterwards I worked as a specialist teacher and assessor for Dyslexia Action, which I view very much as my apprenticeship in the field of specific learning difficulties.  I am a tutor for the Level 5 and Level 7 courses for Dyslexia Matters, as well as a presenter for the Level 7, which I really enjoy. I still love the assessing side of my job as I am always curious to get to the bottom of what is causing a learner’s difficulties. I don’t think you ever stop learning, and I believe that is why I am happy in my job because every day I seem to encounter another learning opportunity and become all the wiser for it.

I am Maureen and I have supported children with SpLDs and general literacy difficulties for over 20 years in small intervention groups, one-to-one and in the classroom. My interest in this area started when I began working in schools; a career change prompted by having my daughter later in life. I encountered many children who were very able, yet unable to read, write or spell easily. I was surprised to find that there were no explicit support strategies and encountered a lack of knowledge about dyslexia at every level of the school.

As a result of gaining Level 5 and Level 7 qualifications with the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), I felt able to support children in a much more targeted way and advise teaching staff in techniques for maximising their learning. After leaving schools, I worked as an independent tutor /assessor for dyslexia. I am now semi-retired and the main thrust of my work is to support other people to become specialist teachers.

Gaining support for learners with dyslexia and literacy difficulties is also a personal mission for me. I feel an especial affinity to learners who lack self-esteem and confidence in their abilities, an issue which I find in many dyslexics and which I suffered from myself at school. I am delighted to be part of the Dyslexia Matters tutoring team, supporting professionals on their own Level 5 training.

I developed an interest in dyslexia whilst at university and this inspired me to develop a career as a specialist teacher.  After graduating and then completing my initial teacher training, I worked as a primary classroom teacher in London. At the start of my career, I worked with an enthusiastic SENDCo who also had an interest in dyslexia and with her encouragement I went on to gain my Level 5 qualification, my Level 7 qualification and to become an Associate Member of the British Dyslexia Association.

Since gaining my specialist qualification I have worked in various school settings as both a Learning Support Teacher and a SENDCo. This has allowed me to gain experience of supporting pupils of all ages who have dyslexia and associated difficulties. As my career has progressed, I have become especially interested in the link between dyslexia, self-esteem and mental health, having observed that the effects of dyslexia/SpLDs extend far beyond the obvious academic difficulties they cause.

My knowledge of dyslexia/SpLDs has been invaluable on a personal level as I have a daughter who has both dyslexia and dyspraxia.

I am proud to work for Dyslexia Matters as a Level 5 Assessor as the role allows me to use my knowledge and experience to help support the next generation of specialist teachers.

My interest in Dyslexia started many years ago which led me to studying psychology at university.  Having had years of bespoke teaching experience along with a background in Primary mainstream classroom teaching, I am passionate about meeting the needs of dyslexic learners through cumulative, multisensory lessons.

A few years ago, I embarked on the level 5 specialist teacher course with Dyslexia Matters closely followed by the level 7 course.  I now enjoy delivering one-to-one specialist tuition and more recently diagnostic assessments to dyslexic learners.  I am delighted to be a part of the Dyslexia Matters team to support candidates on their journey to becoming specialist teachers and assessors.

I have always been fascinated by how people behave and learn, which led me to study psychology at university with a focus on education, reading, and statistics. I then completed my PGCE and taught in mainstream primary and specialist provision schools. I loved the variety and challenges that came with supporting such a wide range of learners.

As my interest in specific learning difficulties grew, I went on to complete my Level 5 Specialist Teacher and Level 7, AMBDA qualifications with the British Dyslexia Association (BDA). These days, I have a wonderfully varied work life. I work part-time as an SpLD teacher in a primary school, supporting children on a one-to-one and small group basis. I am also a private tutor and dyslexia assessor.

I am delighted to work part-time for Dyslexia Matters, as part of the Level 5 Assessor team, guiding and encouraging professionals as they train to teach and empower learners with dyslexia.
When I am not working, you will probably find me outdoors. I love jogging along my local canal, camping and generally soaking up fresh air whenever I can!

I have a background in primary, secondary and further education and for as long as I can remember, I have had an interest in dyslexia and specific learning difficulties (SpLD).

Since qualifying as a specialist teacher and assessor, I have worked in a variety of settings, conducting assessments and supporting young people with literacy and other SpLD. I am delighted to be part of the Dyslexia Matters team supporting the training of others. I also work freelance, and I assess and provide tuition online and face to face. My particular interest involves the use of assistive technology as an aide to learning in the classroom.