Adult and FE/HE SpLD Teacher/Practitioner Qualifications

The Certificate in Supporting Adults with Dyslexia and
Co-occurring Difficulties (DACRT56)

This Level 5 Certificate is for those working in further or higher education or those who support adults. It is ideal for a wide range of education professionals including support tutors and learning support staff. This is also the baseline qualification for those seeking DSA NMH membership (find out more).

Delivered entirely online, Supporting Adults with Dyslexia and Co-occurring Difficulties is created by experts with real-world educational experience and will provide you with practical and actionable skills, allowing you not only to engage with students with increased confidence but also join a pathway for professional progression onto the Level 5 Diploma in Specialist Teaching for Literacy-Related Difficulties (DIST) – available to those who do not hold a degree.

Why study the Certificate in Supporting Adults?

This Certificate consists of six units which can be booked as individual units or as two awards (Supporting Adults with Dyslexia and Learning Support for Adults):

1. Supporting Adults with Dyslexia and Co-occurring Difficulties provides you with a framework for the support of adults with dyslexia and co-occurring difficulties in a variety of post-compulsory education environments. You’ll consider the holistic requirements of the individual, as well as the barriers that adults can face once they leave school. You’ll examine a range of barriers to competent performance, including the operating environment, as a foundation for identifying appropriate provision. The materials in the unit will be pertinent to those supporting adults in further or higher education in work-based training and apprenticeships or other environments in which learning takes place with adults
2. Supporting Study Skills in Adults with Dyslexia begins with a consideration of what is meant by study skills. In this Unit you’ll explore the barriers to learning that can impede the development of study skills in learners with dyslexia and the teaching methods that can improve their access to learning
3. Developing Literacy Skills with Assistive Technology provides resources that support the development of literacy skills through the use of assistive technology in learning environments and in the workplace. You’ll explore approaches utilising assistive technology that can enable individuals with dyslexia and diverse needs to overcome barriers that add pressure to literacy, planning and organisational tasks. You will learn how assistive technology enables individuals to complete literacy tasks successfully with a focus on cultivating learner autonomy. The emphasis of this unit is on critical evaluation of relevant teaching strategies and creating individual assistive technology ‘toolkits’ to support a range of needs.
4. Supporting Individuals with Memory Weaknesses explores some of the different aspects of memory and aims to promote an understanding of the barriers that working memory weaknesses can create within learning environments. You’ll take an analytical approach to teaching, and will have the opportunity to reflect upon your own practice and to consider how it can be tailored to strategically support learners with dyslexia and working memory weakness
5. Developing Writing Skills in Adults with Dyslexia will increase your understanding of the processes involved in developing adults’ writing skills and you’ll learn strategies for use in the classroom. Although the focus is on how to nurture the development of writing skills in learners with dyslexia, the approach will benefit a wide range of learners struggling to acquire effective writing skills
6. Dyslexia in Multilingual Settings explores the challenges presented when supporting multilingual learners with dyslexia. You’ll consider the learner’s cultural context, together with the impact this has on learning and progress. The key components for supporting multilingual learners will be examined with a view to identify appropriate support strategies for multilingual learners with dyslexia.

At a glance

Dyslexia CPD delivered through our practice-led approach

Each of the three Units within this Award is comprised of three study cycles, each of which includes a Study, Practice, Reflect, and Collaborate section. There are also associated practical tasks, with reference to current research and case studies.