Dyslexia Portugal

If you are interested in understanding how wellbeing can be incorporated into today’s education model this event will be of interest to you. The event is officially being supported by the UNESCO Chair of Education for Global Peace and Sustainability as well as the Portuguese Positive Psychology Association.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bilhetes-wellbeing-education-summit-thursday-14th-march-838633404087

In my journey as a dyslexia specialist, there’s a guiding principle I hold dear: ‘Dyslexia is like an island of weakness surrounded by a sea of strengths.’ 🌊 This perspective is not just a statement—it’s a commitment to recognizing and nurturing the incredible array of abilities that those with dyslexia possess.

Dyslexia doesn’t define a person; rather, it’s a part of a rich tapestry that includes exceptional creativity, remarkable problem-solving skills, and a unique way of seeing the world. 🎨 People with dyslexia often excel in areas like art, engineering, strategic thinking, and empathetic communication. They’re innovators, visionaries, and out-of-the-box thinkers. 🚀

My role? It’s to empower these strengths. To turn ‘I can’t’ into ‘I excel at.’ We’re not just working on reading and writing; we’re unlocking potential in 3D thinking, storytelling, and so much more. 💡

Words of wisdom from 🎯🎯

Did you know, can often be spotted in the classroom by their "Spiky Profile"?

We score very highly in some things - often in the top percentiles - and very low in other things - often in the bottom percentiles.

This means we're great storytellers, but find spelling tricky. We're incredible lateral thinkers, but we struggle to remember times tables. We ask questions no one else has thought of, but have trouble getting our thoughts down on paper.

Understand more about by taking our new, FREE, training: Dyslexic Thinking in Schools - available NOW: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/modules/empower-dyslexic-thinking-schools/ in partnership with Microsoft Education

Embracing the unique strengths that come from thinking differently: The founder of IKEA turned his dyslexia into a strength, revolutionizing the furniture world with innovative simplicity.

📚 Explicit Phonics Instruction & the Wonders of "ough"📚

Dyslexia specialists often emphasize the power of explicit phonics instruction. Let's deep dive into one of the trickiest patterns: "ough." Believe it or not, it can represent 6 different sounds! 🤯

1. “o" as in "dough"
2. “ow" as in "plough"
3. “oo" as in "through"
4. “off" as in "cough"
5. “uf" as in "rough"
6. “aw" as in "thought"

Teaching these sounds explicitly can make a world of difference for our learners, especially those with dyslexia. Remember, understanding leads to confidence, and confidence leads to success! 📖✨

Unlocking the world of words with explicit phonics instruction 🗝️! Did you know that a systematic and direct approach to phonics can significantly benefit all readers, especially those with dyslexia? Through explicit phonics instruction, we bridge the gap between letters and their sounds, paving the way for successful reading and spelling. 📚 When doing dictation with this method, learners are encouraged to carefully listen to sounds, segment them, and associate them with corresponding letter(s) - turning sounds into symbols with ease and confidence. This not only enhances decoding skills but also strengthens spelling, fluency, and ultimately, comprehension. Let’s celebrate the power of structured literacy and empower every learner to navigate through the beautiful journey of words! ✨📘

I'm thrilled to share that I'll be speaking at the upcoming international conference organized by Casa do Professor next Friday! Join me as we delve into vital insights, dispel common misconceptions, and gain valuable strategies to offer impactful support for children with dyslexia. I can't wait to connect with all of you. See you there!

My son just showed me this “about the author” in the back of the book he was reading. ❤️

Couldn’t agree more!!!

Hi! Dyslexia Portugal has been up and running for several years now, and I felt it was about time to make a proper video introduction or, rather reintroduction:)

My name is Susie Joyce and I am the face behind Dyslexia Portugal. My passion is helping children with language learning disabilities to make connections with written words.

I’m a registered member of the International Dyslexia Association, British Dyslexia Association, certified Orton-Gillingham Structured Literacy Specialist, practitioner of the Wilson Reading System (levels 1 and 2), NoticeAbility instructor and, a licensed Montessori teacher (American Montessori Society) with two decades of experience working in both private and public schools within the United States and Portugal.

Video production and editing by John Searles at Showandtellstory.com

Welcome to Dyslexia Portugal Dyslexia Portugal offers one-to-one intervention services for international children who have language-based learning disabilities. Support is provided by Su...

Can reading problems affect mental health? How hard can it be? At first sight, there may seem to be little relationship between mental health and acquiring the skills to read well. In fact, the problems engendered by poor reading permeate all areas of one’s life.

This podcast is a MUST for all educators and parents of struggling readers.

‎Sold a Story: 1: The Problem em Apple Podcasts ‎Programa Sold a Story, episódio 1: The Problem – 19/10/2022

“Today, what’s called “structured literacy” is instead being promoted by experts in fields like linguistics and neuroscience as an effective way to teach all students, beginning in kindergarten, and as a must for struggling readers.”

I’m a kindergarten teacher and the way I've been teaching reading is wrong Schools haven't kept up with what research says about how kids learn to read—and it's time for a change.

The c/k rule. K takes i and e and c takes the other three. This “rule” works for most English (Anglo-Saxon based) words.

For over a century, it was believed that reading is a natural process. If teachers and parents surround children with good books, this theory goes, kids will pick up reading on their own. Another idea suggests that reading is a series of strategic guesses based on context, and that kids should be taught these guessing strategies. But research shows that reading is NOT a natural process nor is it a guessing game. Written language is a code. Certain combinations of letters predictably represent certain sounds. And for the last few decades, the research has been clear: Teaching young kids how to crack the code—teaching systematic phonics—is the most reliable way to make sure that they learn how to read words.

Fun + learning = the best educational experience. In my practice, it is quite common for children to arrive jaded from their past learning experiences. What I find works best with these children, is to combine the developmental aims with a game. I've seen time and again, the most reluctant of learners begin to have a twinkle in their eye as they realized that learning can be fun. Very few things are more rewarding than seeing an unconfident reader blossom into a capable reader!
COPS is an effective way to encourage self-correction. C- capitals, O - overall neatness, P - punctuation, S - spelling.

📢 I am thrilled to announce Dyslexia Portugal’s newest partner! NoticeAbility is focused on developing and unlocking the strengths of those with dyslexia.

Fun fact! English is a language comprised of many other languages. This leads to many alternative phonemes for the same graphemes. For those etymology nerds like myself, English words are made up of the following root languages: 29% Latin, 29% French, 27% German, 6% Greek, 6% other languages (often classified as unknown) and 4% from proper names. Knowing this helps explain why English sometimes seems so complicated. We can help struggling readers and spellers by explaining the origins and roots of words.

The sweaty sounding-out stage builds reading muscle We want young children’s lives to be fun, and free of struggle and hard work. We want them to enjoy reading, like we do. So listening to young children reading simple books containing the spe…

Say it, pop it, spell it!

“What we learn with pleasure we never forget.”

Reading speed is an indicator or consequence of the fluency component of automaticity, BUT it is not fluency. Our reading speed increases as our fluency improves, not the other way around.

Making Kids Read Fast is NOT the Goal of Fluency Instruction We want students to be so proficient and efficient at word recognition that minimal attention is given to word decoding and maximum attention

Yes ma’am! This is one of those quotes that I have drilled into my consciousness. Quote unquote, misbehavior, is a form of communication. It’s up to us to understand what is being communicated BEHIND the behavior.

The word dyslexia is derived from the Greek word, dys, meaning difficulty, and the word lexis, meaning words or language.

We’ve all been there. You’re trying to deliver a valuable and enriching learning experience and then BOOM💥… the realization that it’s just not transmitting. These are the moments I ask myself the following:
- Are there pre-requisite skills that are not yet consolidated? Is it time to go back?
- What element is missing that would make this more engaging?
- Which pathway is not being engaged? Kinesthetic, auditory, visual etc.
- Am I doing too much or too little of something?
- Is the timing not right?
- Is my delivery structured enough?
- Is there an emotional element I am not considering?
At the end of the day, I’m a firm believer that:
A. Every child WANTS to learn
and
B. Every child CAN learn.

If the learning isn’t happening it’s up to us to find a way to reach them where they are.

Welcome to Dyslexia Portugal. I provide 1:1 intervention services for international students who struggle with reading, writing and spelling. I am a certified Orton-Gillingham Structured Literacy Specialist, practitioner of the Wilson Reading System, a registered member of the British Dyslexia Association and a licensed Montessorian (AMS). My services include supporting students with complex learning challenges, like Dyslexia, Dysorthographia, cognitive challenges, and attentional deficits. Please see my professional website by clicking on the contact us button for more information about my private practice.