About SPECTRUM

SPECTRUM is an innovative learning tool carefully designed to address all aspects of literacy difficulties and therefore accommodates the dyslexic brain.

The SPECTRUM concept is based on recognizing that letters and combinations of letters can have different sounds, using colour to highlight those differences and using a programming route that would take account of the likelihood of a letter or combination of letters being sounded in a particular way.

One person in 20 (over 2,000,000 in the UK) is severely dyslexic. Of these 300,000 are children in schools, meaning there is an average of at least one dyslexic child in every classroom. Research by the British Dyslexic Association suggests that approximately another 6% may have mild to moderate dyslexic difficulties.

Powerful pieces of research show us that the brain is capable of developing new neurological pathways (brain plasticity) and that it can be changed. Effective intervention can provide a life transforming event.

While there are effective remedial packages available for those who find reading English difficult, and some excellent practice in schools, current methods rely on the premise that if traditional literacy skills are broken down into chunks and re-introduced systematically and with variety, the necessary skills will gradually be acquired. In reality the gap between reading ages and curriculum content broadens so that even as an individual is making progress they remain significantly behind their peers and curriculum demands.

About the author

Louise Brenchley has in depth understanding of language acquisition, having taught young learners with specific literacy difficulties for 16 years. She has worked with young people whose difficulties span all aspects of dyslexia, memory deficit and language development, who experience difficulty in learning, because they simply don't access the spoken or written word in the conventional way. Somewhere in the mass network of thought processes access to words breaks down and their written and or spoken communication skills become muddled.

In 2000 Louise did a PGCE in Action Research with a multi disciplinary team from her school at Northumbria University. This is when the seed was sown for SPECTRUM, which came about as a direct result of addressing the needs of severely dyslexic/language impaired teenagers in her care. She was inspired to explore colour as a new gateway to literacy.

The underlying concept of SPECTRUM was formulated while Louise was practicing as an SEN teacher. It has been developed since she sustained a neck injury and retired from teaching in September 2003. The project has been funded by Northstar Equity Investors and Gateshead IT Trust.

Bruce the Boxer

Contact us:

• E-mail Louise:
• E-mail Mark:

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Last update: 15th April 2008