Dyslexia support to grow as charity expands its operations

CENTRA Education & Training, an educational charity based in Lancashire, has acquired, and plans to expand, IDL System Ltd, a dyslexia software and support company based in the North East.

IDL (which stands for Indirect Dyslexia Learning) is a simple, enjoyable and highly successful method of alleviating the symptoms associated with dyslexia. Now in its 15th year, it has helped thousands of adults and children to improve not just their reading skills but also their self-confidence, self-esteem and co-ordination. IDL incorporates a multi-sensory approach involving sight, hearing, touch and speech and gives improvements which are measureable, recorded and permanent.

Currently IDL is used in over thirty centres across the UK, Ireland, Spain and Australia. It is CENTRA’s intention to make IDL more widely available, especially in schools, colleges and prisons.

CENTRA established a Dyslexia Centre in Preston in 2007, using the IDL software system to help children and adults whose lives have been damaged by dyslexia. CENTRA was so impressed with the results achieved by the children and adults using IDL that it decided to buy and expand the company.

Ten year old Jack from Lancashire started attending the CENTRA Dyslexia Centre after his mother Dorothy heard about it from a relative.

“Jack’s confidence was low because of the difficulties associated with his dyslexia” says Dorothy. “But after only a few sessions at CENTRA Dyslexia, he’s really come out of his shell and is progressing in leaps and bounds.”

Research has shown that up to three in ten of the population experience some form of reading difficulty associated with dyslexia, often hereditary, affecting boys more than girls. Problems experienced by those who have reading and spelling difficulties are very real and often distressing. Parents become concerned by their child’s seeming lack of ability, while children frequently have to endure painful teasing or bullying at school. A child’s disruptive behaviour at school can often be misdiagnosed as ADHD or simply that the child is ‘naughty’ when the reality is that the child is frustrated simply because they’re having reading and writing difficulties possibly associated with dyslexia.

Adults too can be embarrassed by their lack of reading and spelling ability, often leading to a failure in achieving their full employment potential. For both children and adults, confidence and self-esteem can be low.