26 January 2026
Unlock Learning Parent Circle:
Parenting a neurodiverse child can be overwhelming, isolating, and emotionally demanding, especially when you’re trying to navigate learning differences such as dyslexia, language difficulties, or other learning challenges. Many parents tell us they don’t know where to turn, what questions to ask, or whether they’re “doing enough”.
The Unlock Learning Parent Circle was created to change that.
This is a free, online support space where parents can come together to listen, share experiences, ask questions, and learn from one another in a safe, understanding environment. It is not a therapy group or a training course — but rather a supportive circle guided by an experienced educator, focused on connection, clarity, and empowerment.
Whether you are at the very beginning of your journey or have been navigating learning support for years, the Parent Circle offers reassurance, practical insight, and the reminder that you are not alone.
No pressure. No long-term commitment.
Just support, understanding, and community.
Adopted: 22 October 2025
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability characterized by difficulties in word reading and/or spelling that involve accuracy, speed, or both and vary depending on the orthography. These difficulties occur along a continuum of severity and persist even with instruction that is effective for the individual’s peers. The causes of dyslexia are complex and involve combinations of genetic, neurobiological, and environmental influences that interact throughout development.
Underlying difficulties with phonological and morphological processing are common but not universal, and early oral language weaknesses often foreshadow literacy challenges. Secondary consequences include reading comprehension problems and reduced reading and writing experience that can impede growth in language, knowledge, written expression, and overall academic achievement. Psychological well-being and employment opportunities also may be affected.
Although identification and targeted instruction are important at any age, language and literacy support before and during the early years of education is particularly effective.”
Teacher to Teacher Talk
Learning to read is not an innate process like learning to speak. It requires explicit, structured instruction that helps children connect sounds to symbols and build neural pathways for literacy. When this instruction is inconsistent or misunderstood, many learners struggle — often unnecessarily.
This Teacher to Teacher Talk is designed to unpack the science of reading in a practical, accessible way. We explore:
Why reading is not natural
Why some children struggle to learn to read
What dyslexia really is (and what it isn’t)
How to identify early warning signs
What educators can do when a learner is not reading by the end of the Foundation Phase
How to build classrooms that are inclusive and responsive to diverse learning needs
This session is important because reading is the foundation of all learning. When children cannot read fluently and confidently, every subject becomes a barrier. By strengthening teachers’ understanding of how reading develops — and how to respond when it doesn’t — we strengthen entire school systems.
This talk aligns directly with Unlock Learning South Africa’s mission to build capacity within educational systems, support inclusive education practices, and address barriers to learning in a practical and evidence-based way.
Bookings are now open for 2026.
Schools and educational teams are invited to contact us to secure a date.
Ambleside International School, Hout Bay
We presented our “Teacher to Teacher” talk to the wonderful staff at Ambleside International School.
Learning to read is not like learning to speak. The brain is not wired for reading – it needs explicit, structured, evidence-informed instruction to connect sounds to symbols and build automaticity. When we understand this, we shift from asking, “Why isn’t this child trying harder?” to asking, “How can we teach differently?”
In this session, we explored:
🔑 The science behind how children learn to read
🔑 Why reading difficulties are not a sign of low intelligence
🔑 Practical classroom strategies to support diverse learners
🔑 How to reduce barriers to learning through inclusive, neurodiversity-affirming practice
Our goal is always the same: to equip teachers with knowledge, tools, and confidence, so that no child is left feeling like reading “just isn’t for them.”
We are so grateful to Ambleside International for prioritising professional development and inclusive education.
If your school would like to host a 2026 Teacher to Teacher session, bookings are now open.
Let’s unlock learning — together. 🔓🌈
Mission
To establish a centre of excellence that will demonstrate how the treatment of audio-visual impairments may be made more accessible and effective by centralising expertise, logistical and strategic support to enable access to quality services at the decentralised level.
Vision
To change the life outcomes of children in South Africa who have visual or auditory losses by providing access to services at the critical, early stage of life.
Goal
To set up the Children’s Sensory Support Centre at Vista Nova School, which will provide access to supportive learning infrastructure, technology, and healthcare for all children with auditory or visual losses, independent of socioeconomic, geographic, or linguistic circumstances.