Testimonials: Dyslexia Therapist
After being in the teaching profession for over 20 years, I realized that I am not able to help children who were intelligent and yet struggling with studies. This forced me to learn about how I could help these children. I did a course in learning disabilities that gave me a good awareness of the problems faced by the children, but this still did not teach me how to work with a dyslexic child.
I then enrolled for the two-year Dyslexia Therapy programme with MDA. It seemed long, but believe me, this time was needed. It prepared me fully to be a good and effective therapist.
Unlike other courses which are more theory-based, this course was more practical. It was amazing how Miss Masarrat and Mrs Manek held our hands and guided us through the whole process of teaching. We did feel they looked too much into perfection, but now as I teach, I realize how important it was.
After completing my course, I moved my base to Lagos and worked with a school there. This course helped me to bring about a change in so many lives. I worked with over 100 children during my 5 year stay in Lagos. Today I have moved back to India, but my students still wish to continue with online sessions.This course fully equips you to teach a dyslexic child to read and spell. It works just wonderful!
“I came to this course to learn mastery learning techniques for students with diverse learning needs. The Dyslexia training course is very effective and highly interactive. It provides ‘hands-on experience’ in individualized lesson plans, effective study skills, and specialized learning techniques & strategies. The Multisensory Instruction program effectively carried out by the dynamic facilitators highly inspired me and helped me broaden my horizons. I have started implementing the training into practice and genuinely witness the consistent & outstanding transition. Thanks a lot!”
Sounds In Syllables Dyslexia Therapy has been a ‘transformational’ course for me. Having already done AMI Montessori and several other dyslexia courses, I sensed a significant lack in my techniques when working with children who had a severe level of learning challenges. None of the ‘tricks and tips’ seemed to help. There was something amiss in my skills which I couldn’t pinpoint.
My frustration grew as I started feeling inadequate. A chance meeting with Ms Masarrat Khan and Ms Kate Currawalla in Hyderabad, introduced me to the SIS Dyslexia Therapy and I joined the course in 2009. It gave me what I was always looking for and much more.
Having worked with dyslexic children and adults for the last 19 years, I can vouch that SIS Dyslexia Therapy is a comprehensive, intense and in-depth program. It not only trains you professionally but also makes you a better person. It delivers a solid combination of not only just spelling and reading rules but also scientific multisensory procedures, its underlying rationale, and timing of when to use it.
It instantaneously inspired huge confidence in me because it was able to answer all my ‘Whys and Hows’ satisfactorily, and I could eventually see an effective shift in my students’ approach to the literacy tasks. The transformation in the SIS therapy students was so subtle and gradual that it took my breath away when I saw the ‘explosion into independent reading and spelling’. I feel blessed to watch this miracle unfolding multiple times.
Ms Sandra Dillon, my trainer is a teacher par excellence. She is a force to reckon with. Ms Masarrat Khan and Ms Manek Chitalwala who assisted and supervised our work were an extension of her.
When I was struggling with my advance level work, my supervisor Ms. Masarrat’s firm and friendly guidance helped me and my failing confidence immensely. I am sure I must have frustrated her with my innumerable doubts and errors, but she handled it like a pro by being extremely thorough in her critique as well as corrections. I am forever grateful to MDA and her for being my constant companion in this journey of becoming an SIS Dyslexia Therapist. Thanks to her timely guidance, I feel more competent and have more conviction in the system than before.
I can proudly say that with the ‘Skill Set’ acquired in the SIS Dyslexia Therapy course, I, in my own small way, as an SIS Therapist, effectively reach out and help parents and students, and in the process try to spread hope, healing and joy.
Afshan Jabeen
Email- afshan@ripples-cel.com
Phone No.- 9985041506
I am Ashmita Daswaney, currently working as a Special Educator in Dubai Scholars Private School, Dubai, UAE.
I joined MDA and enrolled for the Dyslexia Therapist Training Course in October 2012. The course was well designed and executed by Ms. Masarrat Khan. The manual and learning aids used were of great help in my understanding and learning. The program was extremely well paced and aligned to allow me to work full time while advancing with the course. Apart from being extremely helpful, Ms. Masarrat and Ms. Manek were extremely patient with me and supported me immensely to ensure the completion of my course.
During my course and post completion of the course, I had the opportunity to work in a school with special needs children, taught dyslexic students privately, and currently work with a variety of students with special needs. The knowledge I received at MDA was and is the crux of my daily job profile. I was able to migrate from being a banker to working with special needs children with great ease and respect only because of the foundation set by MDA.
Thank you everyone at MDA. Good luck always!
Sounds in Syllables is a fabulous program to help teach the English language. It is explicit and scaffolded so beautifully. I have been able to reach out to many students with learning difficulties. It is effective as it improves fluency and automaticity of reading, spelling and handwriting.
This is great for all the students, with or without difficulties. They learn better with the structure and the minute details in the process of teaching.
Learning and implementing this approach has definitely been a life-changing experience for me.
I am a Dyslexia Therapist and completed the course in 2017 from Maharashtra Dyslexia Association in collaboration with the Multisensory Language Training Institute of New Mexico. This is a certified training course for teachers, therapists and other professionals working with children and adults with dyslexia.
The course has enhanced my knowledge about dyslexia and the strategies I need to apply with the learners facing reading and spelling challenges. The SoundsIn Syllables program has guided me to conduct the pre and the post test before each level. This is the only programme through which I can monitor the progress of my learners and implement the strategies systematically as per the curriculum designed.
Throughout my two years of rigorous training I was exposed to word attack skills, linguistic and morphological patterns, listening and reading comprehension skills, remediation of handwriting, a structured, multisensory, process-oriented approach to teaching spelling, which emphasizes on phonological/phonemic awareness, basic sound-symbol relationships, spelling rules and generalizations for base words and derivatives.
I am practicing as a dyslexia therapist for the past 3 years and have guided numerous learners with reading, spelling and handwriting difficulties and supported them to overcome their learning challenges in school and life.
I would recommend the individuals in this field to take up the Sounds InSyllablesprogram which will help them in improving their understanding, and expose them to a structured and systematic programme. The course has changed both my work and personal life in a positive way already. I am able to utilize the skills learnt with individual needs. The programme is flawless and has given me the confidence to deal with the challenges of the learners with learning difficulties.
Please feel free to call or write back to me on the below email address or phone number in caseany further details are required pertaining to the course.
Pramila Agarwal
Head of Special Needs Department,
Special Educator and Dyslexia Therapist,
JBCN International School, Oshiwara, Mumbai
Email- agarwalpramila12@gmail.com
Phone no.- 9820388658
The course exceeded my expectations significantly.
It was an invaluable learning experience because it challenged my thinking, and impelled me to unlearn old methods and relearn a scientifically structured mode of therapy. With this remarkable course, I graduated from being a special educator to a therapist.
Were the course instructors good?
No!!!!!!!! No!!!!!!!!!!!No!!!!!!!!!
Masarrat and Manek weren’t simply good.
They were peerless — they displayed a consummate knowledge of the subject.
I have learnt so much from all their input and guidance throughout each lesson of the course.
Thank you, Masarrat and Manek, for getting my assignments back to me as promptly as you have.
The error correction feedback was constructive and to the point, and always positive and motivating.
Neither Masarrat nor Manek were pedantic about little issues; instead they focussed on the core learning to be gained from the course.
Was it hard?
It wasn’t hard; it was gruelling- it entailed self–discipline,
and motivation to adhere to the rigors and demands of the coursework.
When I completed the course, it was baptism by fire.
Was it worth it?
Of course, it was!!!!
Have no doubt about this ….. the course is the epitome of excellent quality.
All the tears, effort, grumbling and mumbling was worth it.
Was it fun?
It was mirth and merriment, all the way.
The warm camaraderie with my batch-mates, and Masarrat and Manek; the spontaneous jokes, jest and sally, the bond of friendship, still holding strong, is a precious gift of this course to me.
A special thanks for the assistance and general help of the MDA staff who made the centre a ‘home’ for all of us.
If I could, I would do this course all over again….
