About This Course
The Specialist Practitioner: Teaching Learners with Literacy Difficulties and Dyslexia (SpLD) course is an assessed, non-credit-bearing Bangor University continuing professional development (CPD) course delivered through the Miles Dyslexia Centre.
This practical course develops the specialist teaching skills needed to support children and young people with literacy difficulties and dyslexia. You will learn to assess literacy strengths and areas where support is needed, and to plan, deliver and evaluate targeted literacy interventions using multisensory and evidence-informed approaches.
The course does not carry Bangor University academic credit and successful completion does not lead to a Bangor University academic qualification.
You may study this course individually or as part of the Specialist Teacher and Assessor Professional Training Pathway.
View the Specialist Teacher and Assessor Professional Training Pathway
Who is this course suitable for?
This course may be suitable for:
- teachers
- specialist literacy tutors
- teaching assistants and learning-support staff
- Additional Learning Needs practitioners
- speech and language therapists
- other professionals supporting children and young people with literacy difficulties or dyslexia.
Applicants should have at least two years’ relevant experience of working with children and young people in an educational, therapeutic or learning-support role. Full requirements are provided in the Entry Requirements section.
What will you learn?
Through the course, you will develop your ability to:
- identify literacy strengths and areas where support is needed
- assess difficulties relating to reading, spelling and writing
- plan, deliver and evaluate targeted literacy interventions
- apply structured, cumulative and multisensory teaching approaches
- select and evaluate teaching and assessment materials critically
- adapt teaching to meet the needs of individual learners
- reflect critically on your specialist teaching practice
- support literacy development through the medium of Welsh or English.
Professional recognition
Subject to the current requirements of the relevant professional organisation, successful completion will enable eligible learners to apply separately for appropriate specialist teacher or practitioner recognition.
Professional recognition is not awarded automatically by Bangor University. Learners must apply separately and meet the relevant organisation’s current eligibility, membership, application and fee requirements.
This course may also be completed as part of the Specialist Teacher and Assessor Professional Training Pathway. Learners intending to progress to the Specialist Assessor course must also successfully complete The Science of Literacy Difficulties for Intervention and Assessment, unless equivalent prior learning has been formally accepted by the Miles Dyslexia Centre.
Delivery and study commitment
The course is delivered flexibly over ten months and can be studied online. Delivery may include:
- live online teaching
- recorded learning materials
- online learning activities
- tutor support and mentoring
- practical teaching activities
- face-to-face sessions at Bangor University, where available.
Teaching is delivered through the medium of English, with additional specialist Welsh-medium sessions.
Resources are available and assessments can be completed through Welsh or English, including the practical teaching intervention.
You should plan for approximately 12 hours of independent study each week alongside scheduled teaching and practical activity.
Assessment
Assessment includes:
- 20 hours of practical teaching with a child or young person
- two recorded 60-minute teaching sessions
- a case study based on the learner receiving the intervention
- a teaching portfolio based on your practical teaching.
Formative activities and tutor feedback will support the development of your practice throughout the course. Summative assessment is used to determine whether you have met the course requirements.
Tutor
Ruth Elliott
CPD Lead at the Miles Dyslexia Centre
Ruth Elliott is a specialist teacher and assessor of pupils and adults with literacy difficulties. She is a qualified teacher and holds AMBDA with the British Dyslexia Association. She is the CPD Lead at the Miles Dyslexia Centre and is also a content creator and adviser for the CA:LON project.
Course Content
What will you study on this course?
The course develops the knowledge and practical skills needed to plan and deliver specialist literacy interventions for children and young people with literacy difficulties and dyslexia.
Topics may include:
- theories relating to dyslexia and literacy difficulties
- factors that may affect the development of reading, spelling and writing
- co-occurring difficulties associated with dyslexia
- language and learning, self-esteem and mathematics
- bilingualism and additional-language learning
- assessing literacy strengths and areas where support is needed
- planning structured, cumulative literacy interventions
- multisensory teaching approaches
- selecting and evaluating teaching and assessment materials
- monitoring progress and adapting teaching
- reflecting critically on specialist teaching practice.
Practical teaching
You will plan and deliver a literacy intervention with a child or young person aged 6–16. Your teaching practice will allow you to apply the approaches studied on the course, evaluate the learner’s progress and reflect on the development of your own professional practice.
You will need access to a suitable child or young person through your workplace or an associated organisation. Full details are provided in the Entry Requirements section.
Course Cost
For the 2026/27 academic year, the fee for this individual course is £2,450.
If you book all three courses as the Specialist Teacher and Assessor Professional Training Pathway, the total discounted fee is £4,750.
View the full professional training pathway
Fees charged by external professional organisations for membership or professional recognition are not included in the course fee.
Entry Requirements
Applicants should:
- have at least two years’ relevant experience of working with children and young people in an educational, therapeutic or learning-support role
- have the academic skills, professional experience and capacity needed to undertake demanding part-time professional study and assessed practical work
- have strong reading, writing and communication skills
- be able to meet the practical requirements of the course.
The course requires access to a child or young person aged 6–16 who would benefit from a literacy intervention in your workplace or an associated organisation.
Please contact the Miles Dyslexia Centre if you are unsure whether your qualifications, experience or access to a suitable learner meet the requirements.
Teaching is delivered through the medium of English, with additional specialist Welsh-medium sessions.
Resources are available and assessments can be completed through Welsh or English, including the practical teaching intervention.
Application
Apply for this course or the full pathway
To apply for the Specialist Practitioner: Teaching Learners with Literacy Difficulties and Dyslexia (SpLD) as an individual CPD course, or as part of the full Specialist Teacher and Assessor Professional Training Pathway, complete the application form below.
The form will ask you to select whether you are applying for the full pathway or for an individual course.
Apply for this course or the full pathway
Need advice before applying?
If you would like to discuss your eligibility, professional accreditation aims or whether this is the most appropriate course for you, complete our enquiry form or contact the Miles Dyslexia Centre:
Email: mdc-training@bangor.ac.uk
Request advice from the Miles Dyslexia Centre
Professional recognition
Applying for a Bangor University CPD course is separate from applying for professional recognition or membership through an external professional organisation.