Students with Dyslexia
Last Updated: September 30th 2024
If you have been assessed as having dyslexia or if you are wondering if you may have dyslexia, individual support, information and advice is available from Student Support. Around 10% of our students have dyslexia, with many finding out about this for this first time at university.
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that is neurological in origin. It is characterised by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition, poor spelling and decoding abilities. Other difficulties may include problems with reading comprehension and reduced reading experience, that can affect growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
Dyslexia can affect:
- Working memory
- Processing speed
- Phonological awareness
And has relative strengths in:
- Spoken vocabulary
- Problem solving ability and
- Associative reasoning
I think I have dyslexia – how can I find out?
It might feel like a big step to find out if you have dyslexia, but we can support you at every stage and do this for many students each year.
Our Dyslexia Adviser offers ‘screening’ appointments with enrolled, current students, which helps identify indicators of dyslexia. Screening takes place in private and usually consists of a short, computer-based series of exercises lasting about 20 – 30 minutes. Results are instant and you will then be advised on your next steps or options. If you have indicators of dyslexia, you may decide to pursue a full diagnostic assessment. We can help arrange this for you on campus with a fully qualified and experienced Educational Psychologist. Currently, we can usually cover the cost of this assessment from the Newman University Support Fund.
During your assessment, the Educational Psychologist will tell you whether or not you have a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia and they will send you a written report. Our Dyslexia Adviser will then discuss this with you and will put some initial support in place, plus advise you about applying for funding.
I have been assessed as having dyslexia – what support is available?
Support from the University can include:
- Extensions to Library Loans
- Extra time in Examinations
- Provide you with electronic ‘stickers’ to put on the cover to your assignments and examination papers – the Red Dot scheme – to alert markers to the reason for particular spelling and grammar difficulties (where academic requirements allow)
- Recording arrangements for teaching sessions, to help reduce note taking
Our Dyslexia Adviser will also advise you to apply for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA), which can pay for computer equipment (after the first £200 that you contribute), assistive software and one to one support from dyslexia support tutors. You can find out more about DSA at the Government’s website.
After you apply to Student Finance for DSA, you will be asked to attend a Needs Assessment appointment. This is to help determine what funded support will be made available to you.
How does dyslexia support tuition work?
Weekly one to one support from dyslexia support tutors is either provided by Newman University on campus / remotely or from an external company / individual and is funded by your DSA.
Tutors will arrange a timetabled session with you, as outlined in your Needs Assessment report, to develop learning strategies designed to help you to understand and manage dyslexia.
Distinct from general study skills support, you will work with your tutor to develop an individualised action plan and work toward targets.
Feedback from students about their dyslexia support at Newman University is overwhelmingly positive, so do get in touch and find out more.