RSP is a reading spelling programme for really special people.

We test incoming students for literacy skills and anyone who is 18 months or more below their chronological age in reading comprehension, word recognition, writing or spelling is invited to participate in the two year programme. They can leave at 6 month intervals if they demonstrate that they have caught up.

The teacher has trained as a SPELD tutor and has over ten years experience with students who have dyslexia and specific learning differences. The programme is phonologically based and begins with initial letter sounds and syllables. It continues until students are working with words at a 13 year old level.

Lessons are often based on spelling patterns, but the results indicate an even better improvement in students’ reading ages. References include Mary Andrew’s programme, Reading and Spelling Made Simple as well as the Alpha to Omega programme. Each lesson begins with a test on words that students have selected for homework. Then a pattern is introduced or revised, and the lesson usually ends with a game related to underpinning skills required in reading and writing. Brain gym or right brain/left brain exercises are included in the lesson to enable learning and some movement for kinaesthetic learners as well as to incorporate body awareness for others.