Introduction
Real Training and Dyslexia Action’s Masters in Professional Practice in Dyslexia and Literacy is your route to developing specialist knowledge, enabling you to become an informed practitioner, specialist teacher and/or assessor.
Our postgraduate programmes are developed, delivered and assessed by Real Training and Dyslexia Action, awarded and quality assured by Middlesex University – rated in the top 5 Times Higher Education Young Universities in 2023.
- Examine research on literacy acquisition and related difficulties; explore a range of factors that influence typical and atypical communication, language and literacy skills and review the construct of intelligence and how it is applied in learning environments.
- Develop the complex and extensive skill-set needed to be an effective specialist literacy teacher and in order to facilitate literacy understanding in learners; conduct a placement process and deliver a series of structured multi sensory learning sessions.
- Gain a firm grounding in key statistical concepts and in-depth knowledge of a complex, standardised literacy assessment tool; develop competence with a reporting protocol for literacy-related difficulties.
- Gain knowledge of concepts associated with educational assessment; develop competence with a reporting protocol for the cognitive processing difficulties associated with dyslexia and hone consultative skills.
Programme lead
Programme Lead – Literacy & Maths difficulties
Gill is a lead developer and senior tutor with Dyslexia Action, part of Real Group. She has worked in the field of education for over twenty years and is a former primary school teacher.
Gill writes and researches on the teaching of literacy and mathematics. She is a lead developer on the Dyslexia Action Literacy Programme and Dyslexia Action’s MEd in Professional Practice in Maths-Related Difficulties, validated by Middlesex University.
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Where this course fits in
Programme Overview
Studying this Masters in Professional Practice in Dyslexia and Literacy will enable you to:
- Adaptively plan, prepare and deliver a teaching intervention that effectively addresses the individual study requirements of a learner with literacy-related difficulties using structured, cumulative multisensory methods.
- Critically reflect on observations and experiences of professional teaching practice and make links with theories and research relevant to literacy-related difficulties.
- Competently conduct assessment processes including the compilation of professional assessment reports for a variety of purposes.
- Critically reflect on observations and experiences of assessment practice in a manner conducive to future professional development in the field.
- Critically evaluate own role in the strategic support of staff development requirements with reference to own ability to ensure that learning/workplace outcomes and learning experiences are enhanced.
- Identify and critically analyse factors that have shaped educational policy and practice for students with dyslexia and literacy difficulties.
- Synthesise and critique relevant literature and research evidence in order to inform a systematic enquiry related to an aspect of dyslexia and literacy development.
Course details
How can I achieve an MEd Professional Practice in Dyslexia and Literacy?
There are two possible routes to join this programme:
Option 1:
- To join the Dyslexia and Literacy programme, you should have already completed the Dyslexia Action Postgraduate Diploma: Specialist Assessment and Teaching for Literacy-Related Difficulties (120 credits) at Level 7.
- You will then need to study Real Training’s Enquiry-based practice module (60 credits) to complete your Masters.
Option 2:
- You will need to study the Dyslexia Action Postgraduate Certificate: Specialist Teaching for Literacy-Related Difficulties (60 credits) at Level 7.
- Plus Real Training’s Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing (CCET – 30 credits) or Certificate in Psychometric Testing, Assessment and Access Arrangements (CPT3A – 30 credits) and hold current registration with the BPS.
- Plus Real Training’s Dyslexia – Professional Report Writing (30 credits).
- And finally Real Training’s Enquiry-based practice module (60 credits).
How will you benefit?
Enhance your professional expertise
- Further, develop your professional skills and knowledge through work-based project implementation that will enable you to support other practitioners in educational settings.
- Research and critically analyse aspects of Dyslexia and Literacy in greater depth.
- Develop your professional practice using the findings of published research and via critical analysis of the evidence base for Dyslexia and Literacy interventions.
- Further, develop your skills as a professional practitioner-researcher.
- Develop different models of partnership with an understanding of the place of power and ethics in educational settings and in listening to and understanding adults and children, parents and carers.
Engage with flexible e-learning
- Study online and integrate your learning into your working day.
- Work at a time and pace that suits you.
- Take part in a flexible module that draws on a broad range of learning tasks and practical experience.
- Work closely with your peers and be mentored by experienced tutors online.
- Access our sophisticated online learning platform and utilise the latest technologies: video and multimedia content, case studies and problem-based scenarios, directed reading, structured learning logs, online discussion, online questionnaires, peer evaluation, student forum, and webinars (with tutors and guest lecturers).
- We will ensure that you never feel lonely or unsupported in your studies.
Liaise with experienced tutors
- Enjoy dedicated specialist support from our experienced tutors.
- Receive dedicated support from our tutor team – comprising experienced specialist teachers and educational psychologists.
How will you be assessed?
The assessments on this programme cover both theoretical and practical elements and is designed to enable delegates to develop practical skills in specialist teaching and assessment and encourage evaluation of the research and evidence-base.
A combination of assessment tools is used. These include:
- Assignments (formative and examined)
- Essays and assessment reports
- Exercises and peer evaluation discussions
- Practical teaching material assignments
- Case studies
- Quizzes and other online self-assessment instruments
- Reflective reports
- Weekly lesson plans and evaluations (specialist teaching)
- Filmed evidence of assessment administration (psychometric assessment) and teaching practice
Are you eligible?
- You must hold a degree.
- You will also need at least two years of recent and relevant experience gained from working with individuals with Dyslexia, or literacy-related difficulties.
- You will require access to an educational setting for this module, as you will work with a learner during the teaching practicum.
How long does it take to achieve the full Masters in Professional Practice in Dyslexia and Literacy?
It depends. Most delegates tend to complete this Masters programme within 3 years. It usually takes a year each to complete the PGCert, PGDip and the Enquiry-based Practice module. You are able to take breaks between the modules if need be, as long as you return to complete the programme within 5 years, your credits will remain valid.
What other Masters Programmes does Real Training offer?
We offer a number of Masters programmes, enabling you to develop specialist skills in SEND, pastoral care, leadership and autism:
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