WITH record numbers of Australian children now being diagnosed with dyslexia, the first online non-phonics program designed specifically for dyslexics has been launched.
Marianne Mullally, who created www.dyslexia.com.au and co-founded The Dyslexia Association, will be in Armidale next week to help parents of children with dyslexia.
Titled “What do I do when my child struggles to read?”, the free seminars will be at the Ex-Services club on Wednesday 7 May. There are three sessions, at 11am, 2pm and 7pm.
“The inability to read, write and understand the meaning of words is a serious issue causing children and adults anxiety, low self-esteem, depression and seriously limits employment,” Ms Mullally said.
“A significant number of those with such difficulties are dyslexic.”
Government statistics show 46 per cent of Australians aged 15 to 74 years were assessed as not having the literacy skills needed to meet the complex demands of everyday life and work.
“Despite our technological advances, literacy remains crucial to living a life of quality,” Ms Mullally said.
“The phonics approaches used by private remedial programs not only fail to improve dyslexic children’s reading ability but may further damage their self-esteem.
“So parents get more frustrated when trying to help their child who suffers from the dyslexia because the method they are using doesn’t work.”
