Specialist teacher and assessor of Dyscalculia and Dyslexia

Hello, I’m  Jan Thomson-Long

I’m a specialist teacher and assessor of Specific Learning Difficulties in literacy and mathematics. Whether you’re a parent seeking answers for your child, or an adult who has always wondered why certain things feel harder than they should, I’m here to help you find clarity and the right support.

I hold an Assessment Practising Certificate (APC), enabling me to carry out diagnostic assessments. My particular passion is specific maths difficulties — an area I trained in through a postgraduate diploma (Level 7) at Edge Hill University, followed by a Master’s in Dyscalculia from the University of Chester.

Booking Links

To arrange a screening please complete this form Request for Screening

To arrange an investigation with report please complete this form Request for Diagnostic Assessment

Or if you would like to have a chat first please call Jan on 0238 104 0120 who will be happy to discuss and explain the process.

Specific Learning Difficulty in Mathematics

Dyscalculia is a specific maths learning difficulty

Some people have a specific learning difficulty in mathematics ,which is not dyscalculia and may be linked to more general cognitive issues.  Dyscalculia is a specific subset of Specific Learning Difficulty in Mathematics.

Many individuals who have dyscalculia have no other difficulties and are achieving at expected levels in all other subjects, some may of course have other difficulties such as dyslexia, ADHD, and dyspraxia which often co-occur.

Difficulties in an individual’s ‘sense of number’ can lead to problems in calculations, the ability to count either forwards or backwards, confusion with mathematical symbols and language, misunderstanding the role of place value, estimations can seem wild as they have no basis, the magnitude of amounts is not appreciated which subsequently impacts on the ability to manage money and time. 

Other cognitive issues may also be present such as working and/or visual memory, non-verbal reasoning, processing speed, attention and concentration.  These contribute to a lack of confidence and increased anxiety when required to use maths in everyday tasks.

Dyslexia

is a specific learning difficulty

Dyslexia is linked more to literacy, reading, comprehension, spelling and writing. However, speed of processing, sequencing, short-term and working memory, along with organisational abilities, are often adversely impacted.

Diagnosis of dyslexia has improved significantly over recent years, along with teachers’ training, so that many students are better able to be supported. However, it is important to recognise that every person is an individual with their own cognitive profile. This is why a diagnostic assessment matters: no two people with dyslexia are alike, and what works well for one may be far less useful for another. The assessment process explores this individual profile so that personalised recommendations can be made.

Screening

There are some ‘online screeners’; however, many are checklists that, although useful, can be misleading. Dyslexic and dyscalculic screening might be conducted by schools or colleges that may use computerised applications. These can measure some aspects of both conditions but are insufficient in terms of interpreting the strategies that could be employed to support the individual. They should also be used with caution — I have had students who clearly have maths difficulties but were not identified by those applications.

So if you are concerned that your child, or you yourself, may have dyscalculia or dyslexia, the first step would be to complete some questionnaires, followed by a face-to-face screening with me. This might include some use of computerised applications (they are great for reaction speeds), but essentially, I will be observing discreetly while conducting manual screening alongside it.

There is a charge of £100 for screening one condition, or £150 for both dyscalculia and dyslexia. If a full assessment is recommended following the screening, a £50 deduction will be applied to the price of the full diagnostic, so long as it takes place within 3 months.

A full diagnostic assessment for specific maths difficulties, dyscalculia or dyslexia can only be conducted by a qualified assessor (such as myself) or an educational psychologist who has undertaken additional training in maths difficulties.

Do you need a full diagnostic assessment for specific maths difficulties (including dyscalculia)?

Diagnosis may grant Disabled Students’ Allowance eligibility

Recommendations for teachers and other professionals

Legal recognition

Exam Access Arrangements

A Diagnostic Assessment is the only way to formally identify a specific learning difficulty, such as dyscalculia, dyslexia, or a broader specific learning difficulty in mathematics.
Disabled Students’ Allowance 

Additional funds to cover study-related costs 

Can be used to purchase specialist equipment or software — for example, text-to-speech software, or assistive technology suited to your specific difficulties  

There are many benefits to having a diagnosis of the specific learning difficulty that you or your child is coping with.

Full diagnostic SpLD investigation includes:-

  • Questionnaires detailing the medical and educational history.
  • Input from teachers or other relevant professionals (where applicable).
  • Diagnostic testing using standardised, approved tests designed to identify specific learning difficulties.
  • A written report in line with guidelines set by the SpLD Assessment Standards Committee (SASC).

The current price for a Full Diagnostic Investigation into either Specific Learning Difficulty in Dyslexia, or Specific Learning Difficulty in Mathematics/Dyscalculia, is £650. If both conditions need to be investigated, the price is £950. This is payable in two equal instalments: the first on commencement of the investigation, and the final instalment before the report is released.

Please note: in order to conduct an assessment, you (or, for a child, their parents/carers) will need to provide information by completing forms and questionnaires. This information needs to be received no less than 3 teaching weeks prior to the first booked assessment date.

If a screening has been conducted by myself within 3 months of requesting the full diagnostic investigation, then £50 of the screening fee will be discounted from the final bill.

 

CONTACT US

Call: 0238 104 0120
18-19 Admiral House,
Mountbatten Business Centre,
Millbrook Road East,
Southampton
SO15 1HY

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