Special Summer CPD Offer for teaching professionals at all levels

Book now to secure your place and discount. We have released a special CPD summer offer on short courses starting 14 July. Suitable for qualified classroom teachers, teaching/learning assistants, study skills tutors, and those working overseas. These CPD courses are delivered entirely online and do not require access to a student or learner, so would be perfect to complete over the summer break. Our courses focus on nurturing the development of learners within the classroom/learning environment both with and without specific learning difficulties. Tutor support is given throughout the duration of the course.

Nurture the development of school learners with dyslexia and specific learning difficulties (SpLDs)

Our Level 4 and 5 CPD short courses include 

• Assistive technologies Dyslexia and co-occurring difficulties
• Memory weaknesses
• Structured, cumulative multisensory tuition
• Study skills 

Many of our level 4 and 5 units focus on how to nurture the development of school learners with dyslexia with regard to key skills, such as:

• Reading
• Writing
• Spelling
• Numeracy

Other modules focus on

• supporting adults with dyslexia 
•  working with learners in an international setting

Building relationships in the classroom –The Emotionally Connected Classroom course

The Emotionally Connected Classroom Level 5 online course introduces how relationships and connections can be developed in a classroom environment to help support pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.

By studying this short seven-week CPD course, you will be able to understand how emotions can be influenced by the thinking brain and the consequences learning can have in the classroom.

On completion of the course the participant will be able to:

• Understand the impact of stress and trauma on the brain
• Discuss pupils’ emotions and the impact this can have on their behaviour
• Identify ideas for developing relational based practice in your provision
• Apply strategies to build pupils resources and resilience to manage their emotions
• Promote a positive message around well-being and mental health, including how relationships and connections can be developed in a classroom environment to help support pupils with special education needs.
• Support teaching assistant roles, as well as teachers, SENCOs, and other SEND professionals implement effective intervention strategies for pupils with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs in classroom settings.

How are the CPD courses delivered?

• The courses are delivered online which offers you the flexibility to organise your time to fit around your professional and personal commitments.  It also saves you the time and expense of travel and classroom attendance.
• Each unit course requires between 20-30 hours of study over a seven-week period.
• There are set start and assignment submission dates.
• To study you should be currently (or recently within the last 2 years) employed to work with primary, secondary, or adult learners in the UK or overseas.

CPD Standards Office Accreditation

Dyslexia Action Training has been successfully assessed as an online CPD provider by The CPD Standards Office and has received formal independent CPD accreditation for its online units. All our units will be issued with a Dyslexia Action Certificate of Completion. This certificate can subsequently be used within a formal CPD record for a professional body or employer.

How to register for Dyslexia Action Training Summer CPD Offer

Whenever you are ready to take advantage of this offer, please follow these simple steps:

1. Choose your CPD unit(s). A description of all our available courses can be found here
2. Go to our booking page online to select your chosen course and the date you wish to start e.g 14 July.
3. On the next page, click ‘Register’ to complete a submit the form – the discount will be applied automatically on the booking form.
4. Please note bookings close on 1st July if you require an invoice upfront (a £30 inclusive VAT charge is added) if paying online with a debit or credit card, bookings close 12 July – no additional fee.

In the United Kingdom, Mental Health Awareness Week is held in May, in 2021 it will run from 10th to 16th. Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, this event aims to raise awareness around mental health, provide support and guidance, and encourage us to spread the message of good mental health for everyone. 

Never has it been more important to raise awareness and promote our conversations about well-being. The theme chosen to mark this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is ‘Nature and the Environment. A long-term study conducted by the Mental Health Foundation highlighted that walking has been one of the top coping strategies during the pandemic. Indeed, 45% of people surveyed reported that being in green spaces has been vital for their mental health. The benefits of being close to nature are also known to be an effective way of benefiting both your mental and physical well-being.

Spending time in green space or bringing nature into your daily routine can benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing. We have collated some articles and educational resources that can be used to help promote the positive effects of nature and can help support you, your colleagues, and your students’ well-being academically, socially, and physically. 

How nature can benefit your mental health 

1 – For yourself and your colleagues

5 ways to well-being. Research carried out by the New Economics Foundation found that there are five ways to well-being. The ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’ are a set of pillars that are key to improving our mental health around themes of social connectedness, physical activity, awareness, learning, and giving. To learn more about it you can:

• Watch this YouTube video playlist here
• Download a 5 ways to wellbeing poster and each of the 5 ways to wellbeing cards here.

The ‘Nature and Mental Health’ guide produced by the charity MIND in 2018 explains the mental health benefits of nature and gives tips and ideas to try, and also provides information on formal ecotherapy programmes.

The Human-Nature Relationship and Health. The research paper on ‘Human-Nature Relationship and Its Impact On Health: A Critical Review’ published by Valentine Seymour explores how nature can impact people’s

Understand the positive effects of nature on well-being. A 30-day campaign was run by the Wildlife Trusts of the University of Derby around the crucial role of nature. The study revealed that subjective feelings of happiness and wellbeing were positively correlated with natural activities such as gardening, animal feeding, bird watching, and bushwalking (Richardson, Cormack, McRobert, & Underhill, 2016).

2 – For your students 

Promote the message of good mental health across school settings and communities. As outlined by education publisher Twinkl, we’ve seen just how important nature is during the last year especially. Being able to go for walks and enjoy the beauties of nature during a time of stress and anxiety has alleviated many people’s lives during the lockdown. To help raise awareness of mental health, Twinkl has compiled a list of useful resources. You can read more about it here.

Reading Well Mental Health Awareness Week Library 2021 Toolkit. Reading Well has been supporting young people reading skills and mental health by recommending books. The books are selected by health experts and accessible to readers of all ages. To mark this year Mental Health Awareness Week, they have pulled together a toolkit containing:

• Key facts around Mental Health Awareness Week, mental health, and wellbeing in general.
• Ideas to support libraries to deliver activities and campaigns around mental health, wellbeing, nature, and the environment.
• Information on The Reading Agency’s Read, Talk, Share campaign

Explores the relationship between nature, wellbeing, and mental health. Thriving With Nature’ is a free guide produced by both the Mental Health Foundation and WWF created to show that spending time outdoors can help support good mental health and wellbeing. You can learn more about it here.

Nature Photography Celebration. Taking photographs in nature can have numerous health benefits. To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week, the mental health charity MIND is inviting nature lovers to share their best shot by emailing communications@BLGmind.org.uk or post them on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, tagging @BLGMind and including the hashtag #BLGMindMHAW.

Continuing Professional Development 

Join our 12 May or 14 July cohorts – CPD Programme 

• 12 May Start – Registration close 5 May (credit/debit card)  
• 14 July Start – Bookings open 6 May – Registration close by 30 June (pay later) and  7 July (credit/debit card ).

The following courses may be of interest to SENCo’s, teachers, teaching assistants, and support tutors in order to ensure progress and support pupils in a classroom setting. The CPD courses are delivered entirely online and do not require access to a student or a learner. Our units focus on nurturing the development of learners within the classroom/learning environment both with and without specific learning difficulties. You will be given tutor support through forums on Moodle, our virtual learning environment.

A selection of related courses

The Emotionally Connected Classroom (RT00001)

The Emotionally Connected Classroom (RT00001) – This short level 5 unit aims to provide an understanding of the impact of emotions on the thinking brain and its implications for learning. It aims to give an introduction to key elements of current research and practice in mentalisation theory (understanding the mental state of oneself and others) and emotional coaching. The importance of connectedness and relationships. Please note this unit is taking place in July only.

Dyslexia and Co-occurring Difficulties (DACPD51) 

DACPD51 – This short co-occurring level 4 unit course provides an introduction to key elements of current research and practice in dyslexia, and conditions that commonly co-occur with it.  It aims to provide an understanding of current theories of dyslexia and the impact that dyslexia and co-occurring difficulties have on performance in a range of settings.

Structured, Cumulative Multisensory Tuition for Learners with Dyslexia (DACPD53)

DACPD53– This level 4 unit introduces the practitioner to the concepts of structured, cumulative, multisensory learning.  The links between attention, memory, and multisensory input are explained, and the need for structured, explicit intervention is examined.  Completion of the Unit will enable the practitioner to design lessons that maximize learning potential.

Developing Literacy Skills with Assistive Technology (DACPD96)

DACPD96 – Level 5 unit in 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. It will introduce approaches utilizing assistive technology that can enable individuals with dyslexia and diverse needs to overcome barriers that add pressure to literacy, planning, and organizational tasks. It will show 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.

Developing Numeracy Skills in Learners with Dyslexia and Dyscalculia (DACPD99)

DACPD99– This level 4 short course unit examines the processes involved in mathematical thinking and how they link to aspects of memory and attention.  The difficulties that learners with dyslexia and co-occurring difficulties, particularly dyscalculia, can have with numeracy are explained.  The association of ‘number sense’ (numerosity) with dyscalculia is also examined.  The unit explores the theory, offers some practical ideas, and provides the practitioner with the fresh perspective necessary to effectively use structured, cumulative, multi-sensory teaching to promote numeracy development in learners where it is stalled or significantly delayed.

Learn more about our courses during Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

If you would like to know more about our online training or would like some training advice in general please email us or call us on +44 (0) 1784-222304 to discuss suitable training opportunities.

Help support reading skills during World Book Day

The recent and ongoing pandemic has changed the way we currently teach our children. It has often been challenging for parents and teachers to consistently provide suitable educational resources to help pupils continue to develop their skills. Recent articles and resources shared by education professionals highlight the importance of supporting pupils’ wellbeing during this unprecedented time. Focusing on educational resources that can help support developing pupils’ reading habits and implementing strategies that encourage children to read for pleasure at home has been crucial. 

A recent survey by the National Literacy Trust found that 59.3% of children and young people told us during the first lockdown that reading makes them feel better. This survey shows that today, on World Book Day, it has never been more important to celebrate the love of books and reading with children and young people.  

What is World Book Day? 

Launched by UNESCO in 1995, World Book Day was created as a worldwide celebration of books and reading. It is marked in over 100 countries around the globe. The first World Book Day in the UK and Ireland took place in 1997 to encourage young people to discover the pleasure of reading. This event aims to promote books and reading skills in educational establishments by letting children wear a fancy dress of a character that inspires them. This year, over 15 million £1 World Book Day book tokens will be distributed to children and young people around the country via their schools. Other activities include the possibility of attending live virtual events and online masterclasses.

Find out more about Dyslexia Action Training courses

Dyslexia Action is a leading provider of specialist SpLD teacher/practitioner training and specialist SpLD teacher/practitioner assessor training. We offer a range of pathways to achieve specialist teacher/practitioner assessor accredited status. Our courses are designed to strengthen the expertise and confidence of teachers, SENCOs, practitioners, teaching assistants, learning support staff, language therapists, tutors, and lecturers who support students with literacy difficulties, dyslexia, and other specific learning difficulties (SpLD).

me useful links to our main areas of training where you will find details for our courses and useful syllabus brochures for each course:

• CPD Programme – 3-star winner of the Teach Secondary Awards 2020
• Routes to train as a Specialist SpLD Teacher/Practitioner at Level 5 or Level 7
• A Route to train as a Specialist SpLD Assessor
• MEd Professional Practice in Dyslexia and Literacy
• Courses for Qualified SpLD Specialist Teacher/Assessors

The Dyslexia Guild

You may also be interested in membership in The Dyslexia Guild. This membership organisation is open to those with a general interest in dyslexia and specific learning difficulties and is a SASC APC awarding body. 

Access professional resources, support forums, and advice, membership also includes free access to our specialist library/National Dyslexia Resource Centre.  

Membership also offers many other benefits including designatory letters and listing in our professional directory.

The Dyslexia Action Shop 

You may have noticed that The Dyslexia Action Shop has many new and popular psychological assessments and resources available.  

As a result of continuing surveys and discussions with customers, the shop team is pleased to announce that the ART3ED-Product Range, Access Reading Tests, Third Edition can now be purchased via the Shop website.

Real Group and The National Tutoring Programme (NTP)

One way that we are currently able to support literacy skills is by being part of the National Tutoring Programme, as lead partners in the Professional Tutoring Partnership. We are the only provider with all tutors being specialist teachers. Visit the website to learn more about our SpLD-specialist tutoring provision, available nationwide and subsidised by the NTP.

Many schools have been thinking about how they manage transitions sensitively and kindly for their pupils and staff and the importance of providing teachers and senior leaders opportunities to continue their professional development (CPD) to help support pupils with social, emotional, and mental health needs.

With the ongoing worldwide pandemic, we know that there has been an increased focus on mental health and wellbeing in schools and we recognise the need for teaching professionals to be able to effectively support those children who are struggling in this area.

The Emotionally Connected Classroom Level 5 online course will help to strengthen the expertise and confidence of SENCo’s, teachers, teaching assistants, and support tutors in order to ensure the progress and support pupils in a classroom environment. 

Understanding how relationships and connections can have an impact on pupils with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH)

The Emotionally Connected Classroom course may be useful if SEMH is an area of interest for you or if you are looking to complement your knowledge in SEND. Additionally, this level 5 course is suitable for your colleagues if those are working in teaching support roles, as well as teachers, SENCOs, and other SEND professionals. 

This Level 5 online course introduces how relationships and connections can be developed in a classroom environment to help support pupils with SEMH needs. By studying this short 7-week CPD course, you will be able to understand how emotions can be influenced by the thinking brain and the consequences learning can have in the classroom. 

How is The Emotionally Connected Classroom delivered?

This new SEMH CPD course will be delivered on Campus Online to offer delegates the flexibility to organise their time around professional and personal commitments. Like you have experienced when studying with Real Training, you will be supported every step of the way by an experienced tutor and have opportunities to read and contribute to the discussion forum on the course site. A wide range of e-learning resources will be available to help you complete the course tasks. These include presentations, articles, exercises, videos, and follow-up activities and tasks for participants to carry out.

Accreditation 

Our Level 5 SEMH CPD Unit Programme is approved by The CPD Standards Office.

Progression 

The Emotionally Connected Classroom is part of Dyslexia Action’s Level 5 SEMH CPD Programme. Eight further units focused on SEMH are currently under development.

What delegates have said about The Emotionally Connected Classroom 

“I found a lot of the course material extremely interesting. I especially like the video context, and the presentation. Dyslexia Action have excelled!”- Ross Thomas

“I have absolutely loved this course – it was exactly what I felt was missing from my ‘toolkit’ and now I can make sure that the impact is shared more widely in my new setting for the benefit of the children we serve. Thank you.” – Steph O’Neill

“The course was perfect, the timing, the material, tasks were very well planned.” – Sarah Hejazi

[The course] allowed me to understand the brain and behaviour in a way which will ensure I’m more empathetic and more purposeful in my use of language and strategies.- Celia North

How to apply for The Emotionally Connected Classroom

This online Level 5 course runs six times a year in September, November, January, March, May, and July.  

If this is of interest to you or a colleague, there is still time to register by completing an online booking form. Alternatively, please feel free to get in touch with Dyslexia Action enquiries team or call on +44(0) 1784 222304 if you have any questions.

For November 2020 we have some Black Friday 2020 Special Offers available for a selection of our Dyslexia Action Training courses. The offers run between 27 November and 11 December 2020.

Black Friday 2020 Special Offers

Offer 1 £10 (£12 including VAT) off for a Level 4 or 5 CPD Unit  – Use code BFCPD2020

Apply the discount code on the registration form.  The price will then show as £342 including VAT.  The discount code cannot be given in retrospect.

Applies to the following units only:

• Level 4 Dyslexia and Co-occurring Difficulties
• Level 4 Supporting Individuals with Memory Weaknesses
• Level 4 Structured, Cumulative Multisensory Tuition for Learners with Dyslexia
• Level 4 Developing Reading Skills in Learners with Dyslexia
• Level 4 Developing Writing Skills in Learners with Dyslexia 
• Level 4 Developing Spelling Skills in Learners with Dyslexia
• Level 4 Supporting Adults with Dyslexia and Co-occurring Difficulties
• Level 4 Developing Numeracy Skills in Learners with Dyslexia and Dyscalculia
• Level 5 Supporting Study Skills in Adults with Dyslexia
• Level 5 Developing Writing Skills in Adults with Dyslexia
• Level 5 Dyslexia in Multilingual Settings
• Level 5 Developing Literacy Skills with Assistive Technology
• Level 5 The Emotionally Connected Classroom

Offer 2 – £20 (£24 including VAT) off for a Level 4 or 5 CPD Award – Use code BFAWD2020

Apply the discount code on the registration form.  The price will then show as £1,002 including VAT.  The discount code cannot be given in retrospect.

• Level 4 Perspectives on Dyslexia
• Level 4 Developing Literacy Skills in Learners with Dyslexia
• Level 5 Supporting Adults with Dyslexia and Co-occurring Difficulties
• Level 5 Learning Support for Adults with Dyslexia
• Level 5 Supporting International Learners with Dyslexia

How to apply for one of our Black Friday 2020 Special Offers

*Black Friday discount only applies to January and March 2021 cohorts and the units and awards listed above.

Guild Members

Learn more about our courses

The Teach Company Awards

The Teach Company Awards are designed to help teachers seek the best educational resources. The finalists and winners are decided by a panel of education experts, based on how the entries score in key areas such as originality and educational impact.

Here is what one of the judges had to say:

“This specialist online training is comprehensive, flexible, and suited to educators across all settings. Although focused on dyslexia support and building literacy, the theory and practical skills encourage good pedagogical practice which should benefit all learners. The use of one-to-one guidance from tutors, and the inclusion of collective contributions so that participants are able to learn from peers, provide opportunities to meet individual needs targeted to specific educational contexts.” Jill Berry Teach Secondary Awards judge for the CPD category.

Learn more about The Teach Company Awards here.

Accredited dyslexia training provider for over 40 years

For 40 years, Dyslexia Action Training has been supporting online Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training for international schools as well as UK-based educators.

1. We are the largest dyslexia-focused training provider in the UK and have successfully delivered more than 15,000 online courses to education professionals since 2010. Dyslexia Action Training is an accredited training provider of courses designed and delivered to support professionals working with individuals with dyslexia and specific learning difficulties.
2. Study wherever you are, whenever you want*. Learn at your own pace with our flexible online courses, delivered via Moodle – the market-leading virtual learning environment. *Please note our online courses have set start and assignment dates that you must adhere to.
3. Tutor-supported online training. We continue to support all our delegates throughout the learning experience with an online tutor and course forums. Our courses are created and delivered by experts who share your passion to transform lives.

What delegates think about our CPD Programme

“The support offered here is excellent, the tutors are always available to help and I would highly recommend you study with Dyslexia Action”

“This is an excellent short CPD course for me and I have enjoyed every single minute of it. I am very pleased that the course runs during the summer period, as this is the only time I can do any course to improve my skills. The tutors are very supportive.”

“Excellent well structured and supported courses! Thank you!”

“The course provided a practical solution to CPD when other courses were impossible due to cost, time and location”

Learn more about our Dyslexia and Literacy Programme 

Our CPD short courses run six times a year with start dates in September, November, January, March, May, and July.

If you would like to learn more about this programme, do not hesitate to email us or call us on +44(0) 1784 222304.

Many schools have been thinking about how they manage transitions sensitively and kindly for their pupils and staff. Recent evidence provided by Optimus Education and the Education Endowment Foundation has revealed the importance of providing teachers and senior leaders opportunities to continue their professional development (CPD) to help support pupils with social, emotional, and mental health needs. 

New CPD Short Course. Over the past months, Dyslexia Action Training’s education support team has been working on new CPD courses to allow professionals to develop and enhance their current skills and understanding of Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH).  Today, we are delighted to announce the launch of our NEW CPD Short Course The Emotionally Connected Classroom for our 18 November cohort. 

The Emotionally Connected Classroom 

This Level 5 unit aims to provide an understanding of the impact of emotions on the thinking brain and its implications for learning. It aims to provide an introduction to key elements of current research and practice in mentalisation theory (understanding the mental state of oneself and others) and emotional coaching. The importance of connectedness and relationships is emphasised throughout. For more information on this course, please click here.

How is The Emotionally Connected Classroom NEW CPD Short course delivered?

This online course will be delivered using Campus Online, an online learning platform that offers you the flexibility to organise your time to fit around your professional and personal commitments.  It also saves you the time and expense of travel and classroom attendance.

Although the course is fully online, you will be supported every step of the way by an experienced tutor and have opportunities to read and contribute to the discussion forum on the course site. The forums help participants to learn, test out, develop, and refine ideas.

Participants joining Campus Online will be given access to a wide range of e-learning resources. These include presentations, articles, exercises, videos, and follow-up activities and tasks for participants to carry out. An overview of the platform can be found here.

Accreditation 

The Emotionally Connected Classroom has been submitted for accreditation which is due to be awarded by The CPD Standards Office in November 2020.

Progression 

The Emotionally Connected Classroom New Short CPD Course is part of our Level 5 SEMH CPD Programme. Eight further units are currently under development.

How do I register for your November cohort?

The course is available to book for our 18 November cohort. To register, please access our online booking form here. Alternatively, please feel free to email us or call us on +44(0) 1784 222304 if you have any questions.

We are pleased to announce our online Dyslexia and Literacy CPD Programme has been shortlisted in the CPD category of the 2020 Teach Secondary Awards.

• dyslexia and co-occurring difficulties
• supporting individuals with memory weaknesses
• structured, cumulative multisensory tuition
• developing reading skills
• developing writing skills 
• developing spelling skills

Other modules focus on supporting adults with dyslexia and working with learners in an international setting.

We also offer a range of level 7 units for qualified specialist SpLD professionals to refresh and update their specialist literacy programme knowledge through online masterclasses.

Qualifications you can trust 

The online CPD Programme units offered at levels 4, 5, and 7 with the option to combine units to achieve Awards, Certificates, and Diplomas which are approved and quality-assured by The CPD Standards Office.

What delegates think about our CPD Programme:

 
We released a special CPD summer offer on short courses starting 15 July. Suitable for qualified classroom teachers, teaching/learning assistants, study skills tutors and those overseas, these CPD courses are delivered entirely online and do not require access to a student or a learner. Our units focus on nurturing the development of learners within the classroom/learning environment both with and without specific learning difficulties. You will be given tutor support through forums on Moodle, our virtual learning environment.

Our Level 4 and 5 CPD short courses include dyslexia and co-occurring difficulties, memory weaknesses, structured, cumulative multisensory tuition, study skills and assistive technologies to name a few.  Many of our level 4 and 5 units focus on how to nurture the development of school learners with dyslexia with regard to key skills, such as reading, writing, spelling, and numeracy. Other modules focus on supporting adults with dyslexia and working with learners in an international setting.

Each unit course requires between 20-30 hours of study over a seven-week period. There are set start and assignment submission dates. To study you should be currently (or recently within the last 2 years) employed to work with primary, secondary, or adult learners.

CPD Standards Office Accreditation 

Dyslexia Action has been successfully assessed as an online CPD provider by The CPD Standards Office and has received formal independent CPD accreditation for its online units.

All our units will be issued with a Dyslexia Action Certificate of Completion. This certificate can subsequently be used within a formal CPD record for a professional body or employer.

How to register for the Dyslexia Action Special CPD Offer

Whenever you are ready to take advantage of this offer, please follow these simple steps:

1. Choose your CPD unit(s). A description of all our available courses can be found here.
2. Go to our book now online page.
3. Select the name of the CPD units you will study. Select the date you wish to study e.g 15 July – the discount will be applied automatically on the registration form.
4. Please note bookings close on 1st July if you require an invoice upfront  (a £30 inclusive VAT charge is added) if paying online with a debit or credit card, bookings close 12 July – no additional fee.

Don’t forget if you have studied with us before and successfully completed at least one unit with no deferment or re-submission then you can study two units at any one time. Why not take advantage of this offer over the summer period?

Find out more about our courses

If you are looking at training to be a full SpLD specialist teacher/practitioner

please see our Level 5 and Level 7 programmes.  

Alternatively, please email us or give us a call on +44 (0) 1784 222304.