Bay school hosts workshop for teachers to assist dyslexia sufferers

Red Apple Dyslexia Association (RADA) and Abdol Optometrist held a Dyslexia workshop aimed at providing support for all people suffering from the condition and those closest to them, who are also affected.

The workshop aimed to provide them with the necessary information to deal with the challenges that come with living with this condition.

RADA is among the first associations in SA to host workshops dedicated to dyslexia.

The workshop was held at Collegiate Junior School on Saturday.

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty in reading due to problems identifying speech sounds, and learning how they relate to letters and words.

Wanda Geldenhys, a RADA representative, said dyslexia was something that individuals were born with and could affect adults and children alike.

“It is a neurological disability that an individual is born with and cannot be treated with any medicine.

“It cannot be cured, only managed.

“There are seven types of dyslexia. That’s why it is so important that the individual gets the correct diagnosis, so that they can get the right type of therapy,” she said.

Geldenhys is also a practice manager at Stark-Griffin Dyslexia Academy, a registered company that provides professional development and capacity building to individuals who work with the dyslexic population.

Dr Abdurazaak Abdol of Abdol Optometrists said the event was a bigger success than they had expected. “We had a target of 100 people, but we had 150 people in attendance.

“People were educated on the different factors that affect the behaviour in children and their learning abilities.

“They were also given the tools on how to handle children with dyslexia.”

According to Abdol, the success of the workshop was so high that they are planning another workshop with different professionals speaking on the condition, later in the year.

The recent workshop focused mainly on teachers and parents as Abdol pointed out that teachers were usually the first to pick up on any problems with the children.

Another representative from Abdol Optometrists, who referred to herself simply as Shaan, said: “Teachers spend a lot of time with children and will often be the first to pick up on any problems, but then they don’t know how to handle the situation.

“The workshop is aimed at helping them identify symptoms of dyslexia and how to handle the situation,” she said.

The workshop hosted two RADA representatives who gave talks on dyslexia and offered solutions that would equip teachers and parents.

According to Geldenhys, the workshop is a first for Nelson Mandela Bay.

“The reason we hosted this workshop is because we want those present to understand it.

“We had two RADA representatives give talks on dyslexia and how to handle it, and each person attending was given a booklet containing all the important information and a certificate of attendance.”