Dyslexia Assessment and Tutoring in Abingdon, Oxfordshire

Ruth Johnson

I have a BA (Hons) degree and a P.G.C.E. I am a fully qualified dyslexia teacher and assessor with over 30 years of teaching experience across both primary and secondary settings, including 25 years at The Unicorn School, a specialist school for learners with dyslexia and co‑occurring conditions.

I hold Level 5 and Level 7 diplomas and an Assessment Practising Certificate (APC). I am also a full member of the Professional Association of Teachers of Students with Specific Learning Difficulties (Patoss).

What is Dyslexia? See this definition

I offer the following two services:

Diagnostic Assessment Reports for Dyslexia
Specialist Tuition

Confidential Diagnostic Assessment Report for Dyslexia

I offer face-to-face Full Diagnostic Assessments for learners aged 8-16, providing a clear and detailed picture of each learner’s individual strengths, areas of difficulty and learning profile. The assessment is designed not only to explore whether dyslexia is present, but also to help explain why a learner may be experiencing difficulties and, importantly, how they can best be supported. My reports provide practical, individualised recommendations for school, private tuition and home, as well as guidance regarding examination access arrangements.

Before the assessment

Before the assessment, I ask parents/carers and teachers to complete questionnaires and request that the learner has had an eye test within the last two years.

These questionnaires provide valuable background information about the learner’s development, education and current strengths and difficulties. They form an important part of the overall assessment and help me to build a comprehensive picture of the learner.

What does the assessment explore?

Language and Reasoning (receptive and expressive)
Cognitive Presentation (speed of phonological processing and retrieval, short-term memory and working memory)
Attainment (reading, writing and spelling)

Difficulties in cognitive presentation, including how a child processes phonological information (speech sounds and words), can help explain why reading and spelling may be harder than expected, even when a learner shows strengths in other areas such as language and reasoning or the curriculum. Dyslexia presents differently in every individual and I aim to include a clear understanding of the learner’s unique pattern of strengths and difficulties.

Learning difficulties can sometimes occur alongside other conditions and where appropriate, I would include onward referral recommendations within the report.

The assessment takes approximately 3-3½ hours to complete. I take a flexible, learner-centred approach and will adapt the pace and structure of the assessment to meet the learner’s individual needs.

After the assessment

I aim to complete the detailed written report within three weeks of the assessment. The report can be up to 30 pages long and has a concise Diagnostic Decision at the beginning.

I am happy to arrange a meeting or telephone/video call before the assessment to answer any questions and discuss whether an assessment is appropriate for your child. Following the assessment, I can also arrange a feedback meeting to talk through the findings.

For further information or to arrange an initial conversation, please get in touch.

Specialist Tuition

I offer specialist, individualised tutoring tailored to each learner’s specific needs. Support may include reading, spelling, extended writing, answering comprehension questions and developing basic maths skills. I draw on a wide range of resources and approaches to ensure that sessions are engaging, purposeful and appropriate for each learner.

My aim is to equip learners with practical strategies and skills that they can use independently, while building their confidence and helping them make progress.

I offer one‑to‑one tuition either in the learner’s home, where I’m able to travel locally, or in my own home, which has a dedicated teaching and assessment room. If sessions take place here, parents and carers are very welcome to relax in the living room during the lesson.

I am DBS checked.

Testimonials

"Thank you so much for everything Ruth. You really did put R at ease and he loved working with you. Plus, his assessment is a true reflection of his capabilities and struggles. H."

"I really can't thank you enough. I think your work with S has really helped her isolate what she finds hard about English. I think the attention has been invaluable for her and helped her parents see that she is not 'not trying' but that she needs to think about things in a different way or try a different strategy. She has loved working with you. Thank you! M."

"Thanks ever so much for all your hard work putting the report together and all your suggestions and spending time with B. His teacher has seen the report overview and has started mind mapping with him and getting him to try hard maths questions allowing him to verbalise what he thinks he should be doing while gently guiding him. She's also going to give him a computer to work from twice a week and confirmed that he will be given 25% extra time in future tests. Thanks for helping us on our journey. Many thanks H."

"I just wanted to say thank you so much for the thorough assessment you carried out with E - we know this is going to have such a massive impact on the way E learns and believes in herself from now on - so thank you!! J."

"Really I can not put into words how grateful I am to you for supporting and enabling M to be more positive about herself .❤️K."

Contact

Email: ruth9johnson@gmail.com

Mobile / WhatsApp: 07752356550

Address: St Amand Drive, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 5RD

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