SPELD - 37 years supporting those who learn differently. SPELD NZ, the Specific Learning Disabilities Federation, has 29 member associations nationwide. The not-for-profit organisation was set up in 1971 to help children who were not realising their educational potential because of various specific learning disabilities - children who learn differently.

Parents and SPELD tutors provide assistance to people of all ages with learning problems, notably dyslexia.  Other conditions include dyscalculia, dyspraxia, aphasia, attention deficits (ADD and ADHD) and various degrees of autism.

School is often a difficult place for those who learn differently.  It is thought that as many as ten per cent of the population may have learning problems, even though they are intelligent and may achieve very well outside the classroom.

Research indicates strongly that dyslexia and related disabilities are neurological in origin and one of SPELD's greatest concerns is that learning disabled children almost inevitably develop behavioural problems as a result of frustration and anger.

The behaviour then becomes a symptom, which attracts attention from the school authorities who are oblivious to its real cause.

For thirty years SPELD NZ has offered effective intervention to break this cycle of failure.

Qualified SPELD testers first identify the student's areas of strength and weakness.  The tests are quite thorough, covering general cognitive ability, number skills, reading, memory, laterality, motor co-ordination and other specifics.

Then specially trained tutors plan remedial programmes based on the detailed assessment.  The tutoring is one-to-one and it is focused, at least initially, upon the specific weaknesses identified in the assessment.  It is not like exam coaching, though for older students tuition is usually related to curriculum demands.

"An individual with Specific Learning Disabilities is average or above average in some intellectual areas and below in others.  This is due not to a lack of general ability nor a failure of effort or normal teaching.  The individual's problems may be organic and may show a familial tendency.  The effects of the Specific Learning Disability may be seen in reading (Dyslexia), numbers (Dyscalculia), writing and spelling etc.  Assessment may reveal difficulties with underlying processes such as spatial relationships, sequential processing, memory, attention, auditory and/or visual perception."

(Working definition approved at the SPELD NZ Annual General Meeting 2003)
 

1.   Advocacy

• Presenting submissions to government
• Organising publicity campaigns, publishing a newsletter (The Record)

 
2.   Assessment and Tutoring

• Providing assessment and tutoring services 
• Subsidising specialist training and professional development of tutors and assessors

 
3.   Family Support

• Working with schools where possible to help individual students
• Networking with social welfare and community groups
• Getting parents together so that they can support one another.

SPELD is now offers widely respected courses for tutors and parents who want to help those who learn differently.  Both are NZQA approved  by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority under the provisions of the Education Act 1989, and SPELD New Zealand is accredited to teach them.
 

The course improves awareness of specific learning disabilities and provides the necessary skills to qualify as a SPELD tutor.  Teachers holding a recognised N.Z. certificate may enrol for either the Distance Course or the Block Course.  The content is the same for both.

The Distance Course takes six months, includes compulsory three day workshop. There are six modules, each with a written assignment.

The Block Course has a total of 75 class hours plus three assignments and is organised at different centres at various times.

Topics covered in the Certificate Course include:

• ADD and ADHD
• Anatomy of the eye and ear
• Assessment and lesson planning
• Child development and exceptional children
• Emotional development and SLD
• Learning difficulties and specific learning disabilities
• Neurology
• Reading, spelling, writing and maths with SLD
• Remedial theories
• Sensory integration and motor development
• Teaching learners with SLD - children to adults
• Technology with SLD
• History and organization of SPELD

This is a two-day course usually run with a week or a fortnight between the two days because some of the second day is spent going over the homework exercises.

It is a non-technical introduction to specific learning disabilities designed for beginning teacher aides and for parents wishing to help in the classroom.

Course topics include:

• How it feels to have a specific learning disability
• How failure leads to frustration and trouble in class
• How the brain works
• Literacy
• Numeracy

For details of current courses, click Here.