Who is IDL?

In the mid-1980s, educators collaborating with the Starcross Educational Research Association introduced the concept of IDL. In 2012, the "Lifting Barriers" programme, funded by the Big Lottery, facilitated the further development of IDL for implementation within school environments, working with SENCO leaders. Over three years, IDL was implemented in 120 primary and secondary schools in the North West region. The primary objectives were to demonstrate improvements in reading and spelling abilities and enhancements in self-confidence and self-esteem among students with dyslexia or dyslexic-like challenges. The results indicated an average advancement of 11 months in reading and spelling ages, achieved with just 26 hours of usage.

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty primarily impacting a person’s ability to read and spell words. It stems from neurological differences and is not indicative of a person's intelligence or capacity to learn. Individuals with dyslexia might find it difficult to process sounds (phonological processing), spell, and recognise words swiftly, affecting their reading speed, decoding abilities, and comprehension, along with writing and occasionally spoken language.

The early identification of dyslexia is crucial for providing children with the most effective teaching methods. The IDL Literacy Screener is designed to detect dyslexia and tendencies towards it in children, signalling to educators which students need extra support. This tool is online and adaptive, adjusting to a child's proficiency level, and serves not only as a screening instrument for dyslexia but also as a diagnostic tool for pinpointing broader literacy challenges.

Prompt intervention plays a vital role in assisting children with dyslexia, ensuring they do not fall behind their peers or develop an aversion to reading. Through targeted support, teachers can help dyslexic students enhance their abilities, boost their confidence, and achieve their full potential.

What is the IDL Literacy Screener?

The IDL Literacy Screener is a simple and effective software to highlight dyslexic-type difficulties in children aged eight and over. The test takes around 30 minutes to complete and can be used on an individual or group basis.

The Screener focuses on the skills needed to understand written and spoken language including areas such as:

• Auditory processing
• Visual processing 
• Short term memory
• Speed of processing
• Organising and sequencing

Each task contains enough individual questions to ensure accurate assessments can be made. This level of scrutiny allows the results to be used either as a quick indicator of low ability or to identify more specific issues. There is no time limit and questions that are not intended to ascertain short-term memory will have options to repeat audio prompts for improved accessibility. The Literacy Screener also uses customisable colours in the same manner as IDL Literacy, meaning that learners with previously identified issues can read more easily.

The Screener highlights any literacy difficulties your pupils might have, allowing you to provide tailored support to help them succeed. IDL Literacy is FREE with all IDL Literacy licences.

Why Choose the IDL Literacy Screener?

Early Detection

The IDL Literacy Screener can be used to assess pupils as young as 8 years old, facilitating the early identification of dyslexia. Early detection is crucial for providing the necessary support and interventions to help mitigate the difficulties associated with dyslexia.

Targeted Support

By identifying specific areas of difficulty, the IDL Literacy Screener enables educators to tailor their teaching strategies and interventions to meet the individual needs of each student.

Boosting Confidence

For students with dyslexia, understanding their learning differences and knowing that there are specific strategies and tools designed to assist them can significantly boost their self-esteem and confidence.

Comprehensive Approach

The IDL Literacy Screener is part of a broader suite of tools and programmes aimed at supporting literacy development. This comprehensive approach ensures that effective intervention strategies complement screening.

Does IDL Supply Other Learning Support Software?

IDL has an extensive range of products that support learners in both literacy and numeracy. You can view other products here:

IDL Literacy

IDL Numeracy

IDL Numeracy Screener

IDL Multiplication Tables Check

IDL Maths Tutorials

IDL Wellbeing