ON DEMAND RESOURCE LIBRARY

Professor Angela Fawcett
Advisor, Register of Educational Therapists (Asia)
APJDD Editor-in-Chief, Dyslexia Association of Singapore
DAS Academy Academic & Examination Board Member

Angela is a leading international researcher into dyslexia and other learning differences, with a range of theoretical and applied contributions. Angela is now Emeritus Professor at Swansea University, following her retirement in January 2011 and also holds an honorary professorship at Sheffield University. She was awarded a 2-year Leverhulme Emeritus fellowship until September 2013, to complete her research projects in Wales. She is one of the co-authors of the Dyslexia Screening Test (DST), and her recent visit to India in July 2012 to lecture at the World Education Summit generated 45 articles in the press on the launch of the DST-J India.

The BRAIN EFFICIENCY SCREENING TEST (BEST): Re-Uniting the Developmental Disorders!?

It has long been recognised that, in addition to their defining differences, there are commonalities between developmental disorders, as evidenced by their ‘comorbidities’. These commonalities have been partially explained by recent research on executive function, working memory and speed of processing in cognitive development. Applying this ‘inclusive’ framework to the understanding and support of all children with special educational needs (SEND), we upgraded our well-established 30-minute Dyslexia Screening Test to create an index of brain efficiency (BEI) as well as a literacy index (LI), renaming the test the Brain Efficiency Screening Test (BEST). The BEST, uniquely, meets all the requirements of the recent Delphi group recommendations for dyslexia screening while empowering teaching professionals to undertake the test. It was utilised in a recent UK intervention with highly disadvantaged ‘Children with a Social Worker’ aged 8-11 years to supplement existing measures. Data will be provided on comparison of BEST ‘at risk’ classifications with school diagnostic classification; of BEI with other assessments of executive function; and of BEST as a principled method of assessing the ‘progressive ‘ benefits of an intervention. 

KEYWORDS: Dyslexia, learning disorders, attention, executive function

Dr Neil Alexander-Passe experiences dyslexia and ADHD himself and has, over the last 20 years, specialised in the emotional experience of having a learning difference, called ‘lived experience’. 

He has published 20 books (in English and Italian) and 15 peer-reviewed papers in the fields of dyslexia and neurodiversity (ADHD and autism), examining correlations with mental health, success, entrepreneurship, crime, creativity, parenting & marriage. 

He has just published his latest book, ‘The Mind and Motivation of Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs’, and ‘Dyslexia, Art, and School-based Trauma’ is about to be published. At present, he is researching and writing a new book entitled ‘Neurodiverse Minds in a Digital Battlefield: Cybersecurity, Cybercrime, and National Security’.

He gained his PhD in 2018 investigating ‘Dyslexia, Traumatic Schooling, and Post-School Success.’ He uses the ‘bi-ability’ theoretical model for dyslexia/invisible disabilities, and the use of a ‘post-traumatic growth (PTG)’ concept to understand how many individuals with dyslexia/invisible disabilities can be successful ‘despite or because’ they experienced traumatic schooling as children. 

Neil is an expert in dyslexia and mental health, looking at the ‘lived experience’ resulting in trauma, as well as what makes a successful dyslexic, having a dyslexic partner, and being a dyslexic parent.

Four books have been published on the school-to-prison pipeline:

• Dyslexia, Neurodiversity, and Crime: Investigating the school-to-prison pipeline (pub. 2023)

• ADHD and Crime: Investigating the school-to-prison pipeline (pub. 2024)

• ADHD: School, Addiction, and Possible Pathways to Crime (pub. 2025)

• Autism Awareness and Crime: investigating the school-to-prison pipeline (pub. 2025)

Neil is an Exam Access Assessor at Capital City College-Angel, and a former Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCO) in primary/secondary schools in both the UK’s state and independent sectors. He is also a SEND expert consultant to the UK’s Department for Education.

Neil is a Scientific Board Member for the Asia Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences, Dyslexia Association of Singapore; an academic board member at ‘SPELT’, a dyslexia organisation in Tasmania, Australia; and a member of their newly formed ‘Dyslexia Research Centre of Excellence’. He is a full member of the British Psychological Society.

The Successful Dyslexic: How We Help Young People Achieve Success

Based on his book ‘The Successful Dyslexic: Identify the keys for success to achieve your potential’, this presentation looks at the origins of success in dyslexic adults, using both an online survey to locate successful and less successful dyslexic adults (N=101), and a sub-group of interview participants (N=20) to understand the nature and motivation of success in adults with dyslexia. 

School trauma was a focus of the study, using the theory of ‘Post-Traumatic Growth’ as a means to understand how individuals can have a traumatic and humiliating schooling, but still gain post-school success through positive use of trauma. 

The interview study also proposed that school trauma could become a positive force in creating successful and resilient dyslexics, with interesting responses as participants coped with the concept of ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1888). 

The presentation concludes by offering the ‘keys for success’ as found by the study.

Keywords:  Dyslexia, success, school, post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, post-traumatic growth 

Baiba Blomniece-Jurāne

Clinical and Educational Psychologist,
CBT Specialist, Founder of Social Enterprise, Barboleta.

Baiba Blomniece-Jurāne works at the intersection of psychology, education innovation, and applied research. She supports schools, educators, and specialist centres in implementing evidence-informed practices and designing learning environments that meet the developmental and educational needs of today’s digital generation. She is the author of the Barboleta method—an embodied learning approach that combines balance-board activities with structured cognitive tasks to support children’s attention, self-regulation, and learning. As a PhD candidate in Education Sciences, she explores how these routines relate to children’s learning success.

Movement-Based Stimulation of Executive Functions to Enhance Math and Reading Skills in Inclusive Education

Across many education systems, basic literacy and numeracy have declined. In PISA 2022, the OECD reported average drops since 2018 of about 15 score points in mathematics and 10 in reading across OECD countries. (OECD,2023)

The paper aims to investigate whether the involvement of movement coordination and balance in the inclusive learning process contributes to reading and maths skills. 

Method: The methodology used to measure skills: the multiplication test, Wechsler’s attention subtest – Encryption, and reading skill test. To create a pedagogical intervention: a balance board with integrated multiplication tasks and letters, as well as movement coordination exercises. 

Results: The first results of one study confirm the authors’ hypothesis that students aged 9–10 years old, after pedagogical intervention with the Smart Balance Board, show higher levels of concentration and multiplication in repeated tests. Increased dynamics were observed in the improvement of reading skills for 9 children.

Conclusions: The literature indicates a positive effect of motor coordination exercises on the development of pre-reading and maths skills. The case studies show a positive effect of motor coordination exercises on reading and multiplication skills. The article shows the importance of motor coordination and balance in the learning process through the development of attention and information processing speed. 

KEYWORDS:   attention; maths skills; reading skills; motor coordination; inclusive education. 

DR MARTIN BLOOMFIELD
Founder, Dyslexia Bytes - www.youtube.com/@DyslexiaBytes
Editor in Chief, NeuroConverse
Steering Committee Member, the Accessible Learning Foundation
Lecturer, the Berlin School of Business and Law

Dr Martin Bloomfield has worked in the field of neurodiversity for over twenty years, winning a Commendation for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion from the British Council, instigating and presenting the National Dyslexia in Business Awards along with the National Federation of Enterprise Agencies, participating in a Centre for Social Justice roundtable on dyslexia, speaking at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on inclusivity and education, consulting on the UN’s Ocean Decades White Paper, and being one of the drivers of the UK’s Dyslexia Bill, which went through Britain’s Parliamentary process in 2022. He is a lecturer in applied ethics at the Berlin School of Economics and Law, a director of Beyond Inclusion Ltd, a Trustee of the Accessible Learning Foundation, and editor-in-chief of the academic journal NeuroConverse.

Do Androids Dream of Dyslexic Sheep?

In an increasingly AI-driven world, the promise of personalised learning and assistive technologies for individuals with dyslexia is immense. However, a critical challenge exists: the potential for algorithmic bias to perpetuate ethical injustices against neurodiverse populations. This keynote explores the complex interplay between artificial intelligence, social stigma, the cognitive profiles of dyslexic individuals, and the moral imperative for equitable access to knowledge.

Original research reveals that AI, in addition to exhibiting ethnic and gender bias, is saturated with neuronormative bias, measurably disadvantaging dyslexic children and adults. This bias leads AI to perceive dyslexic individuals as less competent and motivated, a crucial issue given AI's ubiquitous use in education, the economy, and social services. Such bias can demonstrably disadvantage dyslexic students, teachers, and professionals, creating a profound ethical injustice that reflects and amplifies social inequality.

This injustice comprises two aspects. One, where dyslexics' knowledge and competence are devalued; and the other, where the ability to address these issues is hampered by a lack of awareness and ethical vocabulary. These injustices contribute to diminished academic outcomes, poorer mental health, increased social stigma, and increased homelessness, substance abuse, and criminality within the dyslexic population.

This talk, grounded in original research and real-world examples, examines these biases and their consequences, offering alternatives and solutions. It challenges AI developers, policymakers, and users to critically examine their ethical responsibilities. Ultimately, it asks: how can we ensure that all children are catered for equally and ethically in a world rapidly adopting AI in education and beyond?

KEYWORDS:  AI, Artificial Intelligence, Epistemic Injustice, Dyslexia

Julia Clouter
Global Head of Education
Empowering Tech & Scanning Pens

With over 25 years’ experience in SEN, literacy, and behaviour, Julia Clouter is an established leader in inclusive education. As Global Head of Education at Empowering Tech, she drives international research and training initiatives focused on assistive technology.

A former SENCo and Designated Safeguarding Lead, Julia brings frontline expertise to her strategic work in advancing accessibility and equity.

Coaching and Pairing for Impact: An Inclusive Literacy Framework Built on Assistive Technology and Orton-Gillingham Principles for Phonics Recovery. She is an ambassador for Succeed With Dyslexia, a published author, and a consultant to the UK Department for Education. Through her collaboration with Scanning Pens, Julia develops educational resources and leads a continuing professional development programme on assistive technology — empowering educators to create inclusive classrooms where every learner can thrive.

Coaching and Pairing for Impact: An Inclusive Literacy Framework Built on Assistive Technology and Orton-Gillingham Principles for Phonics Recovery. 

Literacy Junction is a digital training package delivered as one-to-one support, paired with Reading Pen TTS technology for learners who have not embedded reading at Level 3.

Title: Coaching and Pairing for Impact: An Inclusive Literacy Framework Built on Assistive Technology and Orton-Gillingham Principles for Phonics Recovery.' 

Abstract:  This paper presents a scalable literacy intervention model tailored for learners aged 9–14 with persistent literacy difficulties linked to dyslexia and other Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD). It integrates Literacy Junction (LJ), a multi-sensory phonics programme built on Orton-Gillingham principles, with assistive technology (AT) coaching using Reading Pens. This pairing provides a fully scaffolded solution for students who have not progressed with traditional Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) approaches.

Trialled in a Birmingham-based UK case study, learners supported via Wave 3 interventions demonstrated rapid gains in reading fluency, comprehension, and writing. Early results show learners achieving progress equivalent to a full academic year within ten weeks. The combined coaching and pairing model produced a 35% improvement in literacy outcomes—significantly outperforming either intervention in isolation.

This dual-strategy approach empowers learners with SpLD to “learn to read” while simultaneously enabling them to “read to learn.” By aligning inclusive pedagogies, AT integration, and learner-led coaching, the framework fosters learner independence and sustained academic success.

The submission proposes a replicable model for teaching excellence, grounded in multidisciplinary collaboration, real-world data insights, and equity-driven design, uniting transformative ideas to help close the literacy gap.

Keywords:  #AssistiveTechnology #OrtonGillingham #LiteracyIntervention #DyslexiaSupport #CoachingAndPairing #ReadingPens #Wave3Support #SENDEducation #InclusiveTeaching #TeachingExcellence #IndependentLearning #MultisensoryTeaching #EducationEquity #BirminghamCaseStudy #SENDStation

Alexandria Hough
Independent SEND Consultant & National
Lead for Secondary Education SEND Station

Alexandria Hough is a seasoned SEND practitioner and parent of a neurodiverse teenager, offering a uniquely holistic perspective on inclusive education. As National Lead for Secondary Education at SEND Station, she provides national training for inclusive classroom practice.  Alex has also been a spearhead for a transformative and sustainable SEND practice across Birmingham secondary schools, equipping SENCOs and leadership teams to embed SEND priorities into whole-school practice.

Her consultancy work includes comprehensive SEND reviews, staff coaching, and modelling adaptive teaching approaches that foster both challenge and wellbeing.

Alex’s unwavering passion lies in ensuring that SEND learners are recognised, supported, and empowered — accessing education that is equitable, engaging, and truly inclusive.

Coaching and Pairing for Impact: An Inclusive Literacy Framework Built on Assistive Technology and Orton-Gillingham Principles for Phonics Recovery. 

Literacy Junction is a digital training package delivered as one-to-one support, paired with Reading Pen TTS technology for learners who have not embedded reading at Level 3.

Title: Coaching and Pairing for Impact: An Inclusive Literacy Framework Built on Assistive Technology and Orton-Gillingham Principles for Phonics Recovery.' 

Abstract:  This paper presents a scalable literacy intervention model tailored for learners aged 9–14 with persistent literacy difficulties linked to dyslexia and other Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD). It integrates Literacy Junction (LJ), a multi-sensory phonics programme built on Orton-Gillingham principles, with assistive technology (AT) coaching using Reading Pens. This pairing provides a fully scaffolded solution for students who have not progressed with traditional Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) approaches.

Trialled in a Birmingham-based UK case study, learners supported via Wave 3 interventions demonstrated rapid gains in reading fluency, comprehension, and writing. Early results show learners achieving progress equivalent to a full academic year within ten weeks. The combined coaching and pairing model produced a 35% improvement in literacy outcomes—significantly outperforming either intervention in isolation.

This dual-strategy approach empowers learners with SpLD to “learn to read” while simultaneously enabling them to “read to learn.” By aligning inclusive pedagogies, AT integration, and learner-led coaching, the framework fosters learner independence and sustained academic success.

The submission proposes a replicable model for teaching excellence, grounded in multidisciplinary collaboration, real-world data insights, and equity-driven design, uniting transformative ideas to help close the literacy gap.

Keywords:  #AssistiveTechnology #OrtonGillingham #LiteracyIntervention #DyslexiaSupport #CoachingAndPairing #ReadingPens #Wave3Support #SENDEducation #InclusiveTeaching #TeachingExcellence #IndependentLearning #MultisensoryTeaching #EducationEquity #BirminghamCaseStudy #SENDStation

Dr Lynne Kenney is the nation’s leading pediatric psychologist in the development of classroom cognitive-physical activity programs for students in grades K-6. Dr Kenney develops curriculum, programming, and activities to improve children’s cognition through rhythmic cognitive-motor movement, executive function skill-building strategies, and social-relational learning. 

“Dr Lynne” is a pediatric psychologist on the Language & Cognition Team at Wellington-Alexander Center for the Treatment of Dyslexia, Scottsdale, Arizona. She has advanced fellowship training in forensic psychology and developmental pediatric psychology from Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School and Harbor-UCLA/UCLA Medical School. As an international educator, researcher, and author, Dr. Kenney is dedicated to improving the trajectory of children's learning, particularly in high-need, under-resourced communities.

In 2025, Dr Kenney published the first set of original executive function songs for classrooms on Apple Music. In 2024, Fit and Fun Playscapes launched Cognitivities™, an original collection of portable mats that combine music, art, and movement for better self-regulation. This is the first Roll-Out Activities® mat of its kind, helping children practice cognitive skills, executive function, and self-regulation in a calming and engaging way. The lyrics, written by Dr. Kenney, incorporate the cognitive and social-relational lessons she brings to classrooms worldwide.

Dr. Kenney’s books include Move More, Learn More! Harnessing the Brain–Body Connection in Early Childhood, 2026 (Kuczala & Kenney); Brain Primers, 2020 (Kuczala & Kenney); 70 Play Activities for Better Thinking, Self-Regulation, Learning and Behavior (Kenney & Comizio, 2016);  the Social-Emotional Literacy program, Bloom Your Room™; Musical Thinking™; and Bloom: 50 things to say, think and do with anxious, angry and over-the-top-kids (Kenney & Young, 2015). 

Since 1985, Dr Kenney has worked as an educator in community service with national organisations, including the Neurological Health Foundation, Head Start, ACT II Foundation, Understood.org, HandsOn Phoenix, SparkPE, the First Nations in Canada, and Points of Light (Generation On). Dr Kenney values working with Title I Schools.

The Importance of Understanding the Developmental Pillars in Treatment Planning for Dyslexia, ADHD, and Autism

Before implementing learning or behavioural interventions and before referring a child for medication, clinicians must first examine the subskills and subterranean skills that form the developmental pillars that precede and support learning and behaviour. Too often, treatment planning for dyslexia, ADHD, and autism targets surface-level symptoms, such as reading fluency, attention, behaviour, or social communication, without first assessing the sensory, motor, language, and neurocognitive substrates upon which these higher-order skills depend.

Dr Kenney classifies the developmental pillars as: Sensory-Motor, Language, Cognitive, and Social-Relational. Key skills within these areas include vestibular, proprioceptive, and tactile processing; bilateral coordination; rhythmic timing; postural control; and core strength and foundational executive function capacities that provide the scaffolding for academic achievement and adaptive functioning. When these pillars are underdeveloped or dysregulated, even the most evidence-based programs yield limited or inconsistent gains. Dr Kenney acknowledges contributions from conversations over 20 years with Ann Alexander, MD; Raun Melmed, MD; Stacy Fretheim, SLP-CCC; Mary Mounstephen, MA; Deb Lund, OTR/L, and Joann McFee, OTR/L, in developing her Pillars conceptualisation.

A pillar-informed evaluation reframes how we determine what a child actually needs. In dyslexia, rhythmic movement and timing-based subskills support the phonological, attentional, and procedural learning systems implicated in reading acquisition. In ADHD, assessing motor regulation, rhythmic sequencing, and executive function subskills often reveals developmental gaps that can be addressed through movement and coaching before or alongside pharmacological intervention. In autism, mapping sensory regulation, motor planning, and interoceptive awareness identifies the physiological readiness required for social and communicative learning. Only after these subskills and subterranean skills are evaluated can clinicians determine with precision the kind of treatment, educational, therapeutic, pharmacological, or combined, that a child will truly benefit from.

This session provides a practical framework for integrating the developmental pillars into intake, case conceptualisation, and cross-disciplinary treatment planning across psychology, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, pediatrics, neuropsychology, and education. Attendees will leave with concrete tools to translate pillar-based assessment findings into individualised, neurodevelopmentally sound intervention plans, ensuring that children with dyslexia, ADHD, and autism receive the right treatment, in the right sequence, and at the right time.

Keywords: dyslexia, brain stem, cerebellum, co-existing diagnoses, developmental pillars, ADHD, ASD

Irene Ong is a reflective and practice-grounded early childhood consultant with more than 20 years in the sector. Her career spans the full spectrum of roles, beginning as an early childhood educator and progressing through principal, cluster head, and operations manager. In these roles, she set up new centres, ensured licensing and SPARK accreditation, coached teams, and built systems for managing parent feedback and handling difficult conversations with confidence. Irene now serves as a consultant and trainer at KLC International Institute, where she specialises in inclusive classroom practices, executive function, behaviour guidance, and educator development. Known for her ability to translate real-world challenges into responsive strategies, Irene equips teachers and leaders with tools that are both practical and sustainable, helping to create environments where children, families, and educators thrive.

Every Child · Every Teacher: A Ground-Up Advocacy for Valuing All

Ground-up advocacy in education begins with the conviction that every child matters, and therefore every teacher matters too. Every teacher includes not only professional educators but also parents, as the child’s first teachers. This session presents the Every Child · Every Teacher (ECET) framework as a ground-up advocacy movement to build inclusive, thriving communities in early childhood education.

At its heart, ECET emphasises that both children and teachers must be VALUED — validated, affirmed, loved, understood, enabled, and developed. For children, this means being acknowledged, encouraged, respected, listened to, offered choices, and nurtured for growth. For teachers, it means receiving the same dispositions and support so that they can pour into children from a place of wellness and strength.

The session highlights four advocacy thrusts: (1) meeting every child’s diverse needs through inclusive practices, (2) supporting teacher well-being across mental, emotional, and professional domains, (3) strengthening parent partnerships in the learning journey, and (4) improving ecosystems through collaboration, job redesign, and communities of practice.

Drawing on practice experience and ground-up initiatives, this presentation shows that advocacy is not about adding tasks but shaping dispositions. Choosing kindness, connecting before correcting, and embedding advocacy into everyday practice transform not just children’s experiences but also educator culture and systemic structures. Ultimately, ECET demonstrates that valuing every child and every teacher is the foundation for sustainable inclusion and empowerment in education.

Keywords:  Advocacy, Every Child Every Teacher, Inclusive Practices, Teacher Wellbeing, Parent Engagement, Ecosystem Change