Dyslexia specialist teacher and assessor

[Worried1987]

I am interested in training to do this. I already work in adult education. Has anyone done the course? I am particularly interested in the assessment part. I did psychology for my degree.

I started the Level 5 training with with Accredited Level 5 - Certificate in Dyslexia; Literacy, Support and Intervention - British Dyslexia Association (bdadyslexia.org.uk)

I wasn't able to complete as i didn't have access to the students i needed. The course was good, quite intense though, I thought what better people to get accredited by! There is option to move onto the level 7 after that.
However if your looking to assess, i would look into the CAVA and other assessing qualifications where you can assess what you know/are qualified in.

Hope that helps

Thank you so much. I am hoping to do a level 7 course with the assessment element. I have done a short course with dyslexia action and loved it. It is quite hard to find out what the teaching requirements are for the course.

you need regular access to students- i think 3 if i remember rightly, and you have to teach phonics at some stage so need a younger person or a person working at a younger level. - or a really good child that can pretend!
the sessions you deliver are videoed but only you not the student and assessed for you to get your qualification.
Fell free to pm me if i can help you.

Do you mean to diagnose dyslexia or to assess for exam arrangements? For exam arrangements Communicate-Ed or Real Training have good online courses. You need people to practice assessing. You need certain qualifications to get on the course.

I was hoping to diagnose dyslexia. I wasn’t sure if you needed to to that before you did an access arrangements course.

I have had a look at the real training course and they look really good.

Diagnosing dyslexia will be a further, or separate, course. I do access arrangements for all SpLDs and any other reason but am not qualified to diagnose dyslexia. There is a lot of work in access arrangements at the moment but I imagine it will probably be done with computer-based assessments in a few years.

@Worried1987 sorry I didn't read your OP properly. With a psychology degree you'll probably be good to get on a course to diagnose. I think London Metropolitan do a post-grad for assessment and diagnosis.

The courses I am looking at are AMBDA so it would qualify you as a teacher and assessor. I have looked at the psychometric test user course from Real Training as I think you need this to used the diagnostic tests.

I am doing the level 7 Ambda course with uni of bham now. It's very hard and the work load is huge. I've just finished my 2nd 30k word portfolio on my second learner.
You have to teach 3 learners for ten hours each (record the lessons and write portfolios), seminars, university work and write 3 academic essays for the teaching modules 1,2,3. Then moduje 4 is assessment so same again but 3 learners to assess rather than teach and seminars, academic learning and essays.
Some of my cohort have had to hand their notice in at work early (so have left now instead of when the course ends) as it's a full time job in itself.
I've just finished a portfolio and I'm straight into writing an essay due in next week, so no holiday from it either!!!

Patoss are also offering courses, not sure how much online or face to face.

you’ll also need to factor in the cost of test materials if you have to buy these for your course although there’s a buoyant 2nd hand market via some Facebook groups. Not sure if the following group on fb is for qualified assessors only but worth a look to see if they can offer advice for those wishing to train: dyslexia and dyscalculia assessors and tutors professional support.

I have looked at the Birmingham course so that is good information. It does sound like a lot of work but the Birmingham course is 1 year and some of the courses are over 2 years. 30 000 words for one portfolio that is longer than my masters dissertation! Are you enjoying the course?

Can the learners be any age ? I teach adults ( many of whom are dyslexic).

When about in the year do you do your recorded teaching?

It's 18 months but apparently many don't finish in time which takes it to 20 months. It should be 2 years imo but it would be more expensive then and it's already nearly 5k.
I am enjoying it but I don't work (I do a bit of supply). . It would be impossible to do with a full time/ .8 time job.
There's a primary group and secondary/adult group within the course so you would be catered for. I chose primary because I have access to younger children and I wanted to do more 'phonics' teaching.
I asked schools if they would have me for the tp and was welcomed with open arms!

Starts in September then in spring term you do learner a - ten lessons and portfolio. Then in summer term you do learner b ten lessons and portfolio. Then autumn you do learner c and also learner 1, 2 and 3 who are your practice assessment students.

I already have cpt 3a and do aa assessments so I'm hoping I know most of the psychometric stuff for autumn term.

The tutor Penny has said that finishing the MA after this course, would be a 'walk in the park' but if I'm spending another £5k it will be on a dyscalculia level 7 tbh.

I did L7 over the last 2 years. First year enabled me to do EAA and call myself aspecialist teacher, second year to qualify for accreditation as an assessor through AMBDA.

There are several very informative and supportive FB groups on this.

Pros - super interesting
Cons - v expensive to set up as an assessor (training a few grand + test kit of 2.5k + insurance and BDA or PATOSS membership z ongoing CPD etc)

I agree with this. MA just a vanity project - won't earn you any more ££. Dyscalculia is a growing issue however. As is any further CPD you can get for ADHD.

That's what I like about just doing access arrangements, shorter less expensive initial training and I just do an annual refresher which is free or very cheap. A few colleagues who did diagnostic assessments got fed up of the costly re-accreditation.

@Worried1987 - if you work in adult education already, the ALS department might be able to help with finding students to complete your hours.

Should also add that the L7 is a steep learning curve. I found it hard (and already have a masters, so already understood the level of work involves). I left my teaching job and did supply here and there over the year. It has cost my family a lot for me to do this.

Thank you. This is really useful. I might look into doing the Cpt in advance.

Do you think it is worth it for you?

I did the level 7 with dyslexia action around ten years ago. I love the profession and much prefer it to my previous career in primary teaching. There are a lot of ongoing costs involved (assessment papers, insurance, professional body membership, CPD, test kits etc.) so I would just say go into it with your eyes open. The 'Dyslexia Assessors' Facebook is great and you can search threads which discuss lots of common questions

Posting to follow. Also work in adult Ed (for peanuts) with a psych degree and looking for new direction...

Hi, I know this is a few years old. I’m a trained secondary teacher, currently working in an academic support role (in a school) and looking at doing the L5 SPLD training (probably with the BDA). My plan would be to do the L7 further down the line, once I’ve gained more experience (and funds)! My concern at the moment is whether this is a very saturated market? I’m in London. I saw quite a few LS Teacher (not LSA) roles advertised last year, usually in independent schools, but this year I’ve hardly seen any. That would have been the route I was hoping to go down, with tutoring on the side. Any advice from those in the sector would be much appreciated! Thanks

I wouldn’t do the BDA- I haven’t heard a good word said about it in all the fb groups.

Thanks for your reply - is there a provider you would recommend? I had heard mixed things.

Do you currently work in the field?