Learning Difficulties Support

What Is a Learning Difficulty?

A learning difficulty means a child has clear, lasting trouble with reading, writing or maths that does not match their general ability. Dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia are some of the forms it can take.

Only a qualified doctor or an educational assessment team can diagnose a learning difficulty. Our centre does not make diagnoses. We offer therapy that supports the academic and developmental skills of children who already have a diagnosis or are going through the diagnostic process.

A learning difficulty is not caused by laziness or a lack of motivation. It comes from differences in the way the brain processes information. With the right support, a child's academic skills can improve a great deal.

It is not about intelligence either. So even when school results look low, the right support can help a child bring out their real potential.

In some children, a learning difficulty appears alongside delays in language development. If this sounds familiar, our Developmental Language Disorder page may also help.

Parents often ask whether a learning difficulty will go away on its own. Some signs may ease with age. Even so, supporting academic skills early makes a real difference to a child's future.

Which Signs Need an Evaluation?

Common early signs include mixing up letters or numbers, skipping lines when reading and reading much more slowly than classmates. Reversing letters when writing, or very uneven handwriting, can also stand out.

Some children explain things well out loud but struggle clearly when they write. This gap is an important sign. It can point to a mismatch between a child's general ability and their school performance.

In maths, look out for trouble grasping what numbers mean, or still counting on fingers for simple sums. Difficulties with managing time and putting things in order are also common.

Some of these signs overlap with normal differences in development. For a clear picture, it is important to work with a qualified educational assessment team.

Signs usually become clearer in the first years of primary school, when children start learning to read and write.

When parents notice these signs, they usually speak to the teacher or the paediatrician first. If needed, they refer the family to an educational assessment team or a child psychiatrist. Our centre supports families during this time and helps make the next steps clear.

Some children struggle in one area only. Others have difficulties with reading, writing and maths together. That is why we evaluate each child individually and build each programme for that child.

Our Approach

A child with a learning difficulty usually needs support in more than one skill area at the same time. So our programme combines occupational therapy and speech and language therapy, based on your child's individual profile.

Occupational therapy uses movement-based activities to build writing skills and visual perception. You can read more on our Handwriting Difficulties (Dysgraphia) and Visual Perception pages.

Speech and language therapy supports language-based academic skills, such as reading comprehension and vocabulary. Running both therapies together supports your child's school performance as a whole.

Some children also have attention difficulties. In that case, our specialists may add techniques from our Attention and Concentration work to the programme.

Our specialists meet regularly to review each child's progress together. They update programme goals when needed. This way, reading, writing and motor skills move forward within one shared plan, not in separate pieces.

We never reduce a child to a single label. Our specialists look for the areas where your child is strong. Then they use those strengths to support weaker skills, so your child keeps learning with confidence.

How We Evaluate

At the first meeting, our specialists look at your child's reading, writing, language and fine motor skills. They do this through observation and play-based activities. They also talk with you about your child's developmental history and any diagnosis your child already has.

The aim is not only to find the areas your child finds hard. We also want to see the skills your child is good at. The therapy plan is built on both.

Based on the evaluation, we prepare a programme with individual, measurable goals. We review it at regular intervals and update it when needed.

The evaluation usually takes around an hour and a half. It is play-based and relaxed, so your child does not get tired. Our specialists also take the teacher's observations into account and, with your permission, contact the school when needed.

The first meeting can be held in English. Tell us which languages your child uses at home and which language they read and write in at school. This helps us plan sessions in English, in Turkish or bilingually.

How Therapy Works

The programme uses play-based activities, because children learn faster when they are motivated. Our specialists start from your child's strengths and build academic skills step by step.

Each session at our centre lasts 40 minutes and is one to one. Our specialists usually recommend a few sessions a week, and the exact number depends on your child's needs. As sessions progress, new skills are carried over to tasks like those at home and at school.

Specialists from different therapy areas meet regularly to review progress together. For example, a writing difficulty spotted by the occupational therapist is also worked on in speech and language sessions.

Once a month, our specialists hold a family meeting to go over your child's progress with you. This makes it easier to carry therapy goals into your daily routine at home.

The programme often uses multisensory learning. Taking in information through more than one sense helps learning last. Our specialists adapt these techniques to your child's age and interests.

For example, when learning a letter, your child sees it, hears its sound and traces its shape by hand. This gives more lasting results than traditional methods that rely on one sense only. Our specialists use the same idea for maths and reading. They make tasks gradually harder as your child progresses.

Learning Difficulties Support in English

Many families who come to us live in Istanbul and speak English at home. They include expat, international and mixed-nationality families. Our learning difficulties programme is fully available in English.

• Therapy in English: occupational therapy and speech and language therapy sessions can be held in English.
• Bilingual Turkish-English sessions for children growing up with both languages, planned around your child's language profile.
• Family meetings and progress updates in English, including the monthly family meeting.
• In person in Istanbul: 40-minute individual sessions at our centre in Beykent, Büyükçekmece, Monday to Saturday, 09:00 to 18:00.

Reading and writing in two languages

Turkish spelling is very regular: a letter almost always makes the same sound. English spelling is much less regular. So a child may find reading easier in one language than in the other. Before we plan sessions, we look at the language your child is learning to read and write in at school.

Learning two languages does not in itself cause a learning difficulty. But if a child struggles clearly in both languages, not just in the newer one, a closer look is worthwhile. Our Bilingual Children page explains more about language development in two languages.

For our address and directions, see our Contact page.

Working With Your Child's School

Reading, writing and maths skills shape how well a child settles into class and does at school. With your permission, our specialists can contact the school and share their suggestions. This keeps therapy goals in line with what teachers see in class.

Does your child's school teach in English, in Turkish or in both? Tell us at the first meeting. We plan the goals around the language your child is learning to read and write in.

If you want to build these skills before your child starts school, our School Readiness Programme page is also useful.

For some children, small changes in class make a big difference, such as extra time or the option of an oral exam. Our specialists share practical ideas like these with the school. This helps your child take part in class more comfortably.

Regular contact with the teacher links progress at school with progress in therapy. It also lets our specialists quickly add a difficulty seen in class to the therapy goals.

Some schools offer extra arrangements for exams and homework for children with learning difficulties. Our specialists guide you on how to discuss these with the school. When needed, they also prepare a written report of their observations.

The Family's Role

You are one of the most important parts of your child's therapy. Our specialists show you practical techniques to use at home, because home is where your child learns most naturally.

For details, see our Parent Guidance page. If you would like a written plan with goals for home, our Home Programme Consultancy may also suit you.

A patient, consistent attitude at home does more than anything else to help your child keep the skills gained in therapy. Small, steady steps always last longer than big, irregular efforts. They also keep your child motivated over time.

Parents sometimes mistake school struggles for laziness. In fact, a learning difficulty is a difference in information processing that the child cannot control. Knowing this helps parents stay patient. It also helps the child keep their self-confidence.

Homework is a common source of stress. Our specialists share simple strategies, such as short study blocks and a clear starting point. This makes homework time calmer at home.

Brothers and sisters can be involved too. Playing with siblings can support the social and academic motivation of a child with a learning difficulty. Our specialists offer simple ideas for this. They also stress the importance of not comparing siblings.