• Do you worry about your child because they struggle with reading and writing, and would you love to help them get over that struggle?
• Maybe you dream about hearing them read confidently.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they enjoyed reading books with you?
•  Imagine how great it would be to see them being proud of their writing or spelling and how it would feel to celebrate together as they progress through reading schemes or phonics levels, write more and spell previously ‘impossible’ words?
• Perhaps the vision of your child being more confident and enthusiastic about reading, writing and spelling is something you are longing to come true.

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It’s heart breaking seeing your child struggle.  Longing to help them but not knowing how.  Trying every which way to help them learn and study but finding that nothing seems to help.  Watching them withdraw or misbehave and feeling powerless to help.

During my 20 years as a primary school teacher I’d always been drawn to the boys and girls in my class who were labelled ‘naughty’ or ‘lazy’.  I worried about the quiet, anxious children and the ones who didn’t want to be at school. 

Hearing children refer to themselves as ‘stupid’ or ‘useless’ broke my heart.  I knew that deep down, they wanted to learn, they longed to be able to read and write like their peers.  However, because they struggled so much, it became easier to be disruptive or act out rather than sit and struggle day in and day out. 

I was determined to find a way to help them and started researching. 

I came across Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and got every excited as I realised that it might hold the answer. I studied with a top practitioner, paying particular attention as to how this applied to children with learning difficulties and especially dyslexia.  I blended my teaching skills and experience with this new-found knowledge.  I was stunned at the results.

I watched as these youngsters transformed from children who believed they would never read or write properly, into children who were happy, confident readers, many of whom also enjoyed writing.  Most importantly of all they re-gained their self-esteem – something they had lost in their belief that they were stupid.

  It was so simple and so effective that I trained teachers and teaching assistants as well.

I’ve spent over a decade researching, practising and refining this process, a blend of 26 years teaching experience and Neuro Linguistic Programming techniques, into a form that can be shared with parents, so they have the tools and understanding to be part of their child’s transformational journey.

The result is the Breakthrough Dyslexia Programme.

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• This programme will positively transform your child’s experience of reading, writing and spelling.
• It will help them to have a more positive attitude towards literacy and learning.
• The programme unlocks potential, rapidly accelerates reading ability, improves spelling and boosts confidence in writing.
• Breakthrough Dyslexia raises self-esteem and self-belief whilst removing anxiety and frustration.
• Your child will start to enjoy literacy and you’ll be relieved that they are able to read and write more easily.

Module 1:  Find and remove the Issues that are holding your child back.

Dyslexic children don’t experience text the way others do. When they look at a page the letters might blur or disappear or move around. Usually there are one or two specific things like this which make reading or writing extremely difficult for them. Each child is different so we must find out exactly what they are dealing with before we can help them.

You will learn how to find out what it’s like for your child when they look at text and the precise reason they‘re struggling to read and spell. Once you know what the problem is you’ll be able to help them to stop it happening and your child will be able to begin reading and spelling much more easily.

Module 2:  Use the visual part of the brain to read and spell more effectively.

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In school we usually ask children to read with the book on a table, so they have to look down at it. This can be difficult for a child with dyslexia because when eyes look down it shuts off the part of their brain that’s most useful for reading and remembering. You will learn why this is and how your child can use looking up in the right way as a powerful tool for improving their reading and memory. I’ll also teach you how to help your child speed up their reading, become more fluent and read longer words. They will soon be more confident readers.

Dyslexic children can struggle to memorise spellings using traditional methods; You will learn how to use the visual spelling strategy with your child. This method of learning spellings is much more effective for most children and especially for children with dyslexia.

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Module 3: Understand how letters and sounds work together:

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Many children who find reading and spelling difficult find it hard to hear separate sounds within a word, which makes it tricky to work out how to write the word down.

In this session I will teach you a fun way to make sure your child can hear sounds within words and then spell words more confidently and accurately.

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One of the reasons that dyslexia is common in English speaking countries is that English is an extremely complicated language to teach using phonics. Once a child has understood a rule, they can quickly come across a word that breaks it, which can lead to frustration and poor self-belief. Because of this, it’s important that we use language very carefully. You will learn how to talk about phonics without confusing your child.

Module 4: Elements of spelling:

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Dyslexic children in particular find it very difficult to remember how to write the same sound in different ways. It is tricky for them to know which words use one way of writing the sound and which words use alternative spellings for the same sound. The most confusing sounds are often the vowel sounds. You and your child will learn an enjoyable, fun and highly effective way to easily know and remember which way to spell commonly used words containing vowel sounds. You will be able to use this method to help your child with other vowel sounds in the future when they are reading and spelling

“Louise has helped build my son's confidence in his ability to learn, particularly with his spelling. I think that it is a combination of her positive attitude and energy and skill using a variety of creative teaching methods to unlock potential. The school that my son attends has reported an improvement in his literacy which is great news.”

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Module 5:  Reading Focus:

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Children often resist reading with a parent, so we need ways to make reading into a positive experience for both of you. You will learn how to use non-verbal language cues so that reading sessions with your child become an enjoyable time for you to spend together.

Challenges are a great way to motivate children (and adults!). You will learn how to set appropriate, effective, and fun reading challenges for your child which make reading together fun and something you both look forward to. Children often miss-out, miss-read or change short words when reading. You will find out why and what can be done about this. You will also find out why some children read but can’t remember what they have read and ways to put this right. Overall, this element will increase your child’s confidence in reading and allow them to start enjoying reading to and with you. 

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"Luke got to year 3 without being able to read or write very well at all.  Then we met Louise Barnes. We had our first session with her. She started by using imagining questions, like games which Luke really enjoyed.

After only a few weeks Luke started to read and write basic text. His confidence went sky high. After a month he had the 'I can do it' mindset. After a few months Luke enjoyed reading. He now reads books every night and enjoys talking about the books. Some of the books he has read are: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, The Wizard of Oz and Black Beauty.”

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Bonus Content:

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If your child resists doing homework with you, you’re not alone. It’s quite natural for a child not to want their parent to take on a ‘teacher’ role. When you do sit down to work together the activity might become frustrating, tiring or provoke a negative response for either one of you. That’s understandable for a dyslexic child because they’re more likely to feel negative about tasks involving literacy before they even start, not to mention the fact that they find some activities extremely difficult. I’ll teach you effective strategies to make working with your child more enjoyable for both of you and as the programme progresses, you’ll see that your child gets more confident and less resistant to written tasks and reading activities.

When and where you work with your child can affect how well they do as well, so I’ll give you tips for recognising when and where it’s a good idea to work and when and where things might be better left for another time or place.

 Beginning on Wednesday 8th November 2023, I will be leading a group of parents/guardians and children through the Breakthrough Dyslexia Programme.

SPACES WILL BE LIMITED!

To book a free discovery call with me to discuss your child and find out if this programme is absolutely right for them and you, please follow this link.  Fill out the very short form and I will be in touch to book your call soon:  

BOOK YOUR DISCOVERY CALL TODAY

It doesn’t matter where you are in the world - all sessions are delivered via Zoom.

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You’re not doing this alone – you’ll be working with others and be fuelled by their energy and enthusiasm. You’ll be guided through each important section of your child’s transformation and have an expert on hand every step of the way. We also have a private Breakthrough Dyslexia Facebook Group. Here you can share your successes, ideas, resources, questions, or anything else, and connect with other parents who are on the same journey as you and your child.

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”

 ... Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu

This programme is especially effective because I will teach you all the NLP techniques and additional skills that you need to transform your child’s ability to read and write. Rather than simply doing the work with your child myself, I will share my years of knowledge and experience with you so that you always have the tools to support your child yourself.

The programme is carefully structured to take you, and your child through this transformational journey in a carefully paced, supportive manner. It is divided up into five two-week modules and a final celebration week. Each module flows in the same way:

• We begin with an evening Zoom call for parents where I teach you all the skills you will use in the following child and parent workshop. I’ll give you any resources that you might need, and you’ll have the chance to practice techniques with other parents if that’s appropriate. The calls are fun and interactive, and you will leave feeling confident about your role in the following workshop.
• Part two of the module is a Zoom workshop for parents and children. These are relaxed and informal sessions where you are guided through every step so that you can confidently apply your new knowledge and watch as your child starts to amaze you with their newfound abilities. All the techniques that we use are fun and game-like.
• ​After the workshop you will practise at home, for just a few minutes each day, to build up your child’s ability and confidence. Be prepared for your child to want to do more!
• Part 3 of each module is an evening Q&A call for parents. This is a chance for you to share successes, ask questions, get clarification, give us your own creative ideas and generally be supported.
• Each module lasts for 2 weeks giving you and your child plenty of time to practise the techniques, hone new skills and build a firm foundation for the next step. I’m available to support you throughout the entire programme and I’ll answer messages and emails quickly. If necessary, I’ll find a time to speak to you. You also have support from the other parents on the programme via a private Facebook group.