Dyslexia and Schools in Berwick - Please Help a worried parent

[Guest ezzybee]

Ahhhh, please can soemone help me as I am so worried and confused!

 

Our Visa paper work has just been sumbitted and we are nearly there, job offer the lot!

 

We have just found out my son is Dyslexic! I am soo worried as so many people have told be Oz schools dont help children with special learing needs. Does anyone know if this is correct?? Im hoping to move around Berwick and want a school that would offer my son some support liek what he gets in the UK! Im that worried about it Im even considering not leaving the UK as my priority is my child. He is 10 years old and would be going into year 5.

 

Please can anyone help me as Im worried Im going to be make the wrong decission for his future.

 

Thank you :confused::confused::confused: a very confused and worried parent!!!

[FamilyGuys]

I'm sorry to read about your dilemma and I can't help very much because I'm in the UK. However, I'm training to be a dyslexia tutor so have been researching the options for teaching this in Melbourne myself if/ when we get a visa.

 

Firstly, I'm not sure if you are thinking of paying for private education or going through the state system. Private schools are not always as expensive as they are here, from what I hear and they may provide more support for students with learning difficulties. You could try looking at some of the websites for schools in Berwick and see if they have any SEN provision (perhaps even email them with a query). Then, I'd suggest googling dyslexia/ melbourne to see what services you might be able to access at a fee if necessary. Even here is the UK, many parents of dyslexics end up paying for private tuition as the classroom teacher can't always provide the specialist support that is needed.

 

Also, I just wanted to reassure you that - with support - your child could do well and enjoy school so please don't worry too much. You just need to read/ understand as much as you can about dyslexia and the kind of support he'll need. Wishing you all the best. Hope this is of some help.

[Quoll]

Dyslexia does not IIRC feature on any state's eligibility for disability support. However if there is an associated intellectual disability (has the psych done an IQ test?) or speech language disability (do you have a speech pathology report?) then a child may be supported through the disability programs.

 

For kids with learning difficulties, schools usually have a small budget to provide some remedial work. Primary schools often choose to put intensive resources into Reading Recovery which focusses on the literacy skills of kids in year 1. In older years, the level and type of support is highly variable ranging from none at all to small group or occasionally individual support. I wouldnt be banking on much though.

 

Private schools have a tendency to try and avoid taking kids with disclosed difficulties because their resources are even further stretched - the Catholic system has the lowest fees and they are generally amenable but dont always take kids with additional needs, especially if the child is not Catholic.

 

The Irlen lenses were big here a few years back and there are private practitioners who will still prescribe but it really depends on the cause of your child's difficulty with reading as to whether they will be of any use or not.

[paddygunner]

We have 2 kids that we found out have dyslexia in the last few years.

 

I think first of all you need to educate yourself as to what exactly dyslexia is. Once you are familar with what it is you will see that it is not all bad and not the hugh obstacle that some people perceive it to be.

 

Then I would join a dyslexia association in your area and attain all the available support from such groups. Alot of excercises which can be used to improve your childs reading can be done at home ( toe by toe book is usually recommended)

One more point I think it is very important that you sit your child down and explain that dyslexia may mean they will have to work a bit harder at their reading and writing but that also they probably have talents that other children do not have. Impress upon them the positive.

 

I hope this helped.

[lizzy27]

My friends daughter here in oz is dyslexic and even with the patents fighting no end with the school, she gets little or no support at all. Schools here aren't to good with offering support.