If you keep failing your AKT, or other exams, it is worth checking whether or not you have Dyslexia. If Dyslexia is confirmed through a professional assessment, the RCGP may award you extra time (like 40-45 minutes) in the AKT. Don’t think for a second that doctors cannot possibly have Dyslexia – people with Dyslexia can be high achievers.
IS THERE A WEBSITE DEVOTED TO DYSLEXIA?
Go to this webpage: www.bdadyslexia.org.uk
DYSLEXIA ASSESSMENT TOOLS
There are a number of websites offering online Dyslexia assessment tools. What you have to remember is that these are ‘rough and ready’ screening tools. They may help you determine your probability, but they should not be used as a replacement for making contact with a professional who is qualified at doing Dyslexia assessments. To keep things simple – if you feel that you have some of the signs and symptoms as listed by www.bdadyslexia.org.uk, then seek the advice of a professional assessor.
This ‘rough and ready’ dyslexia screening tool costs around £30: www.spot-your-potential.com
PROFESSIONAL DYSLEXIA ASSESSMENT CENTRES
Throughout the country are registered and approved Dyslexia assessment centres. You can find a local one through www.bdadyslexia.org.uk (click ‘About Dyslexia’ and then ‘Local Dyslexia Associations’). Here’s a quick link for you here. The assessment is done on a 1-1 with a qualified specialist. It will last around 3 hours and a report will be generated. The whole things costs around £500 but have a word with your Deanery or GP Training Scheme. If there is a high index of suspicion that you may have Dyslexia, it is likely they will help fund the assessment. However, this can vary from Deanery to Deanery.
I HAVE DYSLEXIA – WHAT SORTS OF THINGS CAN HELP ME WITH MY LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT?
Here are a number of things worth exploring online for more information.
First, there’s a couple of good websites: (in fact, all trainees could do with looking at these two websites)
Second, do a Google search on:
- “text to speech software”
- “speech to text software”
Thirdly, consider buyng:
- A copy of : ACE Spelling Dictionary by David Moseley – It’s a brilliant book which has helped loads of people with learning difficulties. You can buy it here and is quite a short book.
- A reading pen: www.readingpen.co.uk
And finally, try and get a small notebook (like the ones Police Officers use) and produce a list of commonly used words that you have difficulty with (either spelling or pronunciation). And keep that little notebook in your pocket all the time.
WHAT SORTS OF THINGS DOES THE DYSLEXIA ASSESSMENT REPORT COVER?
- General Intellectual Abilities
- Pattern of Cognitive Strengths & Weaknesses:
- cognitive profile (usually irregular in Dyslexia)
- verbal and non-verbal reasoning skills (usually normal in Dyslexia)
- auditory working memory (derranged in Dyslexia)
- processing visual information at speed (derranged in Dyslexia)
- Attainments in Basic Skills:
- core literacy skills word reading, reading comprehension and spelling
- speed of reading
- free writing and copying skills
- spelling, sentence structure and handwriting
- phonemic decoding and phonological processing at speed
- most of these are derranged in Dyslexia.