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About Us

Helping those with Specific Learning Disabilities since 1999

Specific Learning Difficulties (SLD) are neurological conditions that affect how you learn and how your brain processes information. SLD are unrelated to intelligence. They occur in people across the full range of the intellectual spectrum.

OUR AIM:

Our aim is to enable those with specific learning difficulties (SLD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to reach their full potential.

OUR VISION

That every individual with SLD or ADHD has their learning needs recognised and met; and for educators and other agencies to share knowledge in a collaborative way for the good of all.

OUR MISSION:

To enable and facilitate the recognition, remediation and referral of those who learn differently, to encourage their success and enjoyment of lifelong learning. To give disadvantaged learners a chance to succeed at school and in life.

RECOGNITION OF DIFFERENCES

SPELADD was founded in 1999 and celebrated its 25 th anniversary in June 2024. SPELADD chose its name in recognition of Specific (SPE) Learning (L) Disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD). In 1999 these often-overlapping groups were not officially recognised in NZ. It wasn’t until 1996 that ADHD was starting to be openly talked about and diagnosis accepted, while it took until 2007 for dyslexia to be recognised.

SPELADD has attended and presented to many organisations, including the Palmerston North, Hastings and Rotorua ADHD support groups and schools. We have also talked to UCOL, the Safer Community Council, Strengthening Families, Adult Literacy, Community Advisory Board to the College of Education, Disability Support Groups, Massey University, Community Services Council, and numerous local schools and kindergartens. In 2015, SPELADD attended a select committee meeting at parliament. The MPs who were present requested the monthly newsletter.

SPELADD has written several publications. In 1999, Janice Millar and Elizabeth Manson created The Puzzling Children. This was designed with school teachers in mind. In 2000, Elizabeth wrote The Spelling Detective based around the classes she ran at the Linton Army Camp for spelling. In 2024 a Listening Skills programme for juniors was published. All these booklets are available from our online shop.

Since its humble start in a converted double garage at St. Mark’s Church, we have assessed and assisted more than 2,300 children and adults from all walks of life with the aim of encouraging their success and enjoyment of lifelong learning.

FAQ’s

How long does an assessment take?
We advise that an assessment will take 2 to 3 hours depending on the number of rest breaks needed and how long some tasks take to complete. However, the majority are closer to 2 hours.
Can parents observe the assessment?
Yes. We would sit you out of sight of your child so they can’t look to you for answers. It really depends on what you both feel most comfortably with. You can stay for a while and then leave or stay for the whole assessment. Or you can choose not to stay for any of the assessment if that’s what makes your child more comfortable.
What happens after the assessment?
The assessment report will be emailed to you with a few weeks. Once you have the report it belongs to you; you can share it with whomever you wish i.e. school, teachers, GP etc.

You have membership to SPELADD and our resources for one year. If you wish to discuss the details of the report in more detail, we can arrange a meeting in our office with the SPELADD President and Liaison Officer. You can come to the office and access the library. We can provide advice and guidance on any assessment recommendations i.e. specialist opticians, occupational therapy etc.
How much does an assessment cost?
The prices vary dependent on the assessment needed, and whether you have a Community Services Card or Full-time student card. A full price assessment costs $480. SPELADD subsidises assessments for those with Community Services Cards or Full-time student card, bringing the costs down to $230.

The subsidy can also be used for the assessment recommendations i.e. if the assessor recommends tutoring, SPELADD will subsidise 40 lessons.

We ask for payment on or before the assessment date, however we can discuss payment plans for ease of paying.
Is there a minimum age for an assessment?
No. We do offer junior assessments for those five and under. This assessment is shorter than a full assessment as the assessor will observe speech, movement, milestones and hand-eye co-ordination rather than focusing on reading and writing.
Do we assess adults?
Absolutely. We have no age restrictions. 58% are in the 5-11 age group, 25% are 11-17 and 17% are adults (18+). We offer a subsidy scheme for those in full-time education with a valid student card, that covers both the assessment and recommendations.
Do we need a referral to access SPELADD services?
No, anyone can access our services. We take self-referrals, parental referrals, bookings taken through a school or agency.
“Having the subsidy is awesome because if I didn’t have it I probably wouldn’t be able to afford tutoring without it. It’s really helpful and makes it more affordable for me to be able to get the tutoring xxx needs. So thankful for it.”
24/04/23
We came to SPELADD thanks to a recommendation from xxx. We were looking for an assessment to identify educational needs, with the additional support for 1to1 tutoring.
We have found the process of working with SPELADD good and thorough. The report, based on the assessment findings has allowed for further investigations and support.
We choose to work with a SPELADD tutor as we wanted the 1to1 teaching which is tailored to our son specifically. The tutor really understands his needs and requirements, and even in a small amount of time there has been a positive change. At school, teachers have witnessed the changes as writing has improved and the overall educational achievements have improved. Without the additional tutoring all aspects of school life would have continued to slip.
We would recommend SPELADD to others concerned with Specific Learning Difficulties, both for the assessment and for tutoring.
02/06/21
SPELADD tutoring has been hugely beneficial to my 12 year old son, who, prior to his medical diagnosis, was labelled ‘naughty’ by a teacher he had for two years running. He subsequently formed the belief that he was ‘stupid’ and ‘dumb’. His tutoring has increased his numeracy and literacy, and his confidence in himself.
15/11/2022
SPELADD tutoring has been hugely beneficial to my 12 year old son, who, prior to his medical diagnosis, was labelled ‘naughty’ by a teacher he had for two years running. He subsequently formed the belief that he was ‘stupid’ and ‘dumb’. His tutoring has increased his numeracy and literacy, and his confidence in himself.
15/11/2022
Hi SPELADD, Thank you so much for this report and the time spent on xxx the other day with [the assessor]. We have forwarded the report to xxx’s teacher and she is quite overwhelmed with joy to finally have quite definitive reassurance through such a thorough assessment, making everything so much clearer for her. And is looking forward to implementing your recommendations in class and seeing how xxx progresses.
27/10/2022

We have received a subsidy for our son’s assessment and tuition fees through SPELADD. This has been a huge help financially for us as without this subsidy we would not have been able to give our son the one on one tuition, which he needs to assist him with his learning. SPELADD have been extremely accommodating to our family’s needs and we would recommend this service to other friends and family.

Sarah

says he is feeling more confident and was happy with how his entrance tests at Awatapu went last week…

From a Mother of a Struggling Son.

We came to SPELADD thanks to a recommendation from —. We were looking for an assessment to identify educational needs, with the additional support for 1to1 tutoring.

We have found the process of working with SPELADD good and thorough. The report, based on the assessment findings has allowed for further investigations and support.

We choose to work with a SPELADD tutor as we wanted the 1to1 teaching which is tailored to our son specifically. The tutor really understands his needs and requirements, and even in a small amount of time there has been a positive change. At school, teachers have witnessed the changes as writing has improved and the overall educational achievements have improved. Without the additional tutoring all aspects of school life would have continued to slip.

We would recommend SPELADD to others concerned with Specific Learning Difficulties, both for the assessment and for tutoring.

I have dyslexia and I noticed signs in my son so as I have been through SPELADD it was my first go to. My son has had tutoring lessons for almost 3 years, I think, and they have helped him to not fall too far behind on average. It's also very cool the my son has the same tutor I had when I was in need of that extra support. [SPELADD] it's been part of my life since I was 8-10 I'm 32 now. I've always known about it [SPELADD] and will spread the word to those who may find it of aid.
August 2024: Thanks for the report.  The report is amazing, very extensive and [the assessor] was an absolute delight to work with.  [The assessor]'s manner towards Xxx and I was fantastic, she is a very experienced and caring woman.  We greatly appreciate her findings because it has answered a lot of questions.
October 2024: Our two boys (aged 7 and 9) were assessed at speladd …. They have since had weekly tutoring at school with their amazing tutor and the boys love her. They have both come a long way with their numeracy and literacy and we couldn’t be happier with their progress. One on one learning has been invaluable for our boys and we would highly recommend Speladd to any families with children struggling with their learning.
A Cochrane

June 2021:
We came to SPELADD thanks to a recommendation from xxx. We were looking for an assessment to identify educational needs, with the additional support for 1to1 tutoring.
We have found the process of working with SPELADD good and thorough. The report, based on the assessment findings has allowed for further investigations and support.
We choose to work with a SPELADD tutor as we wanted the 1to1 teaching which is tailored to our son specifically. The tutor really understands his needs and requirements, and even in a small amount of time there has been a positive change. At school, teachers have witnessed the changes as writing has improved and the overall educational achievements have improved. Without the additional tutoring all aspects of school life would have continued to slip.
We would recommend SPELADD to others concerned with Specific Learning Difficulties, both for the assessment and for tutoring.

October 2022: Hi SPELADD, Thank you so much for this report and the time spent on xxx the other day with [the assessor].
We have forwarded the report to xxx's teacher and she is quite overwhelmed with joy to finally have quite definitive reassurance through such a thorough assessment, making everything so much clearer for her. And is looking forward to implementing

I went to Speladd in Palmerston North seeking help and understanding for my then 8 year old Grandson. The family was having considerable difficulties with his behaviour both at home and at school. Even as a toddler he did not have good socialising skills and was aggressive with other children. He had one sibling, a brother who was 12 years older than he.

One of the problems he had was coping with noise, which he reacted to badly. I was attending an ear appointment when I asked one of the staff about this problem. After some discussion she advised me to visit SPELADD.

On arrival I was greeted very warmly by Elizabeth, who put me at my ease. We chatted for a while discussing fully my grandson’s problems, the difficulties teacher’s and peers were having with him. Things were at the stage where he was going to be excluded from school. In fact, at a later date he finished up being excluded from 4 schools and the Dept. of Special Education informed his mother that no school in their City would take him.

Elizabeth gave me a number of articles relating to my grandson’s problems which seemed to fall into the area of Autism. On reading these articles we came to a good understanding of his problems.

My family had a long road ahead of them, as it was very difficult to get any co-operation through the education system. It is a long and complicated story. However, my grandson is now 17. He was eventually officially diagnosed as being on the Autism scale, with high functioning Asperger’s syndrome.

Eventually one school agreed to help him, one teacher, with much support from the Principal, in particular. I cannot express enough how much this teacher has done for him. She also applied for special funding for him, which is in place for support throughout his educational years until he is 21 years old.

He is doing well at Secondary School, gaining good marks, excelling in some subjects. His social interaction has improved tremendously and although there are days where he can be difficult at home, at school he is coping well.

I am writing this letter to state how much Elizabeth, from Palmerston North’s Speladd helped me so much in the initial stages. We realized it was going to be a life-long journey, and at that stage things were and would continue to be difficult until a correct diagnosis was made. I would like to thank Elizabeth and the Speladd organisation for providing this easily accessible service, which provided comfort and assurance and much needed information.

Kathy (Kathleen) QSM
May 2024: We did assessment which … was engaging for our son and he did so well through the whole thing and we got some answers we had been searching for, for over 2 years. Taken this back to the school and now have a tutor through SPELADD working with him during his school day and adhering to his specific needs of learning. I think this is a great service, more advertising would be great and promoting SPELADD would be helpful for families in need of finding answers like us.
September 2024: Many thanks for this [assessment]. A well written and informative report.
September 2024: Thank you so much for the kindness shown to my children during testing. I am sure it will give us some indication of areas of difficulty.
October 2024: Kia ora Thank you, so much for  [the assessor]’s comprehensive report and her time with Xxx. This is valuable information to try and piece together Xxx’s world and how to better support her journey.
November 2022: SPELADD tutoring has been hugely beneficial to my 12 year old son, who, prior to his medical diagnosis, was labelled ‘naughty’ by a teacher he had for two years running.  He subsequently formed the belief that he was ‘stupid’ and ‘dumb’.  His tutoring has increased his numeracy and literacy, and his confidence in himself.
April 2023: "Having the subsidy is awesome because if I didn’t have it I probably wouldn’t be able to afford tutoring without it. It’s really helpful and makes it more affordable for me to be able to get the tutoring xxx needs. So thankful for it."