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The late, great Prof Beve Hornsby frequently visited our Centre. She never failed to praise our work and described Christina as 'magical'. In her last book "Dyslexics I have known" (2001), Whurr Publishers, Prof Hornsby printed a letter about an adult taught by Christina Jubb. It is re-printed here with permission of Margaret Andrews.
"Dear Dr Hornsby,
I have just finished reading 'Overcoming Dyslexia' and I felt I had to write to tell you how thankful I am to you and your dedicated teachers.
My husband is dyslexic. He was struggling at work and his self-esteem was at rock bottom. After some tests at work, John was sick with worry. I spent two entire days phoning around for help. I phoned the British Dyslexia Association, the Dyslexia Institute, and advice lines in Salisbury and Southampton. All that my calls achieved was increased frustration and it only added to our despair. One of the helpers on the advice line even told me my husband was more likely to be stupid than dyslexic.
We weren't getting any sensible answers and a couple of the people we encountered really spoke down to us. They promised to ring back but never did so. Helpful they were not. Then through a friend we heard of Tina Jubb who has been like a breath of fresh air. As soon as she stepped in, we felt a great weight lift from our shoulders. Nothing seemed so bad because Tina is always so positive.
So far, John has had six lessons and I have seen him change before my eyes. His reading and spelling have improved but it is far more than that. John is reading books, writing letters, and is being promoted at work. He is happier and more confident than I have ever known him and hoping to start an HND when he finishes with Tina.
There is no doubting in our minds that Tina is magic. She advised us to read your books and I've since discovered that she trained under you. We also have Alpha to Omega so that I can help John at home.
A big thanks so much for teachers like Tina and for your books.
Yours sincerely
Margaret Andrews"
JH - Hampshire
Jonathan was always getting into trouble at school. Dyslexia runs in the family so we had him assessed when he was six. He's now fourteen and doing well - with help from the team at Access Education. (Mrs H).
ME - Portsmouth
M visited Access Education in December 2008 for an assessment. We were extremely worried how he would cope with this due to him already having a diagnosis of ADHD and also awaiting an assessment for possible Asperger's Syndrome.
We had prepared M well and Tina and Mike were very welcoming. They understood our needs very well and left the door open to the testing room because M would have had difficulties being separated from us in unfamiliar surroundings. The test was long and M would normally have found it very hard to concentrate for so long. Mike and Tina spoke very softly, with clear simple instructions and plenty of praise. This gave M the confidence to keep trying even when things got difficult. The results of this assessment have been worth their weight in gold!!! They have also made things clearer for us as parents.
The school have tried hard to support the recommendations on Tina's report and most importantly M has started to make progress.
Thanking you both again, the Evans family.
DM - New Forest (aged 17)
"When I came to the Centre at Milford on Sea I was failing miserably at school and had been diagnosed with depression. I was sinking fast. The staff there lifted my head above water and guided me safely to shore using sound advice and sympathetic teaching. What more can I say? They have given me my life back and I feel so much better now".
RS - Milton Keynes
This is just to say that your support and patience have been outstanding. The hearing tests you recommended showed that N has severe hearing loss. You were right!
The previous centre had told me that N was dyslexic and when you said his main problem was hearing, I didn't know what to think. Sorry if I was a pain but I was worried sick.
JD - Dorset
My little one is only five, but he's struggled with all sorts of problems since he was two. Within days of seeing Tina, we noticed a difference. And that's just since we knew what was wrong and what we can do.
We've not even started to put things right yet. It helps us all to know that this is fixable. In such a short amount of time, the whole family felt better. I think an angel guided me to Access Education. When I said this to Tina, she told me she doesn't believe in angels. She should do - we think she is one! (Mr & Mrs D). |
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CBJ - Dorset
CB was a school refuser until he saw Tina. Since going to Access Education, being assessed and receiving therapy, CB is back at school and is a different boy. (Mrs J).
JB - London
Unfortunately, we do not live close enough to benefit from the tuition offered at Milford on Sea. But we needed an assessment for Access Arrangements. There were only two days to go before the deadline, but Tina saw my daughter and wrote the report overnight. Excellent service! - (Dr B)
GS - Hampshire
Click here to view handwritten pdf
Mr & Mrs S
LS - Surrey
'We took Luke to a centre specialising in balance therapy. Luke said it made him dizzy but it didn't improve his spelling. It was expensive and it did not have any lasting benefits. The staff at that place seemed to work to a formula, but not all children are the same. Individual differences were not taken into account'.
Christina comments 'Even if it had improved brain function, a client would still be left with a gap in learning which needed to be filled. The best balance in the world will not make you a good speller without some specific input'.
Comments Luke's dad - 'The centre we went to before Access did not provide exam concessions or any other service. You paid a lot of money, followed the programme and your child either improved or did not. They were more focussed on the business rather than on the child'. (Mr & Mrs S).
JR - West Sussex
We knew something wasn't right as J's brother sailed through Prep school. J's reading wasn't bad but she didn't read for pleasure and writing was a real problem.
Aged 8, we'd had J tested at our local Dyslexia Institute. The Psychologist did not get the best out of her. He told us that J was neither bright nor dyslexic. But J was unhappy and I knew that something was wrong.
I made an appointment for Tina to visit and she made an instant connection with J and put J at her ease. It turned out that J is highly intelligent (as we had suspected) - and also dyslexic.
She has since had specialist tuition, now reads for pleasure and is a different child.
I wish I had found Access Education years ago. The difference in J is miraculous.
AMS (Midlands)
I am writing to let you know that I passed my qualifiers! After handing your report to the Exams Registrar I was awarded the much needed extra time in the exam. I found I had enough time to read the questions, understand them and answer them as well.
I wish I had come to you earlier! Thank you! You have made me understand my strengths and weaknesses - now I know the best way to approach my studies.
This time round, with the extra time I was allotted and revising with your advice in mind on how to use different methods, I had a very different experience during my exam.
And in the short span of a few weeks, I was more prepared than ever before! I passed my exam and even the on-going lectures seem a lot clearer to me than before.
Even though I was not a classic dyslexic, my efforts have always been impeded by my short-term memory and poor reading and writing skills. These became more pronounced during my exams as graduate medicine is an intensive course with a very high pass mark. I would encourage anyone with such issues to come to you for an assessment.
ME - Havant
Thank you again for providing such a fantastic, informative, helpful service. I'm sure you will see us again in the future. (Mr & Mrs E) |
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EN - Basingstoke
The school said that they had thought my daughter may be dyslexic. The County Ed Psych was likely to take two years before he could see her, they said, or I could arrange a private assessment.
It took me two weeks of frustration, leaving messages on answerphone and talking to people who didn't have a clue. Then a friend told me about Access Education. I read their excellent website and rang then straight away. Within 5 minutes the appointment was booked. They were knowledgeable, fast and efficient. A breath of fresh air. (Mrs N)
JD* - Surrey
Hello just wanted to say thank you for the encouragement that you gave me about my studies, when you assessed me at Milford. I've finished my degree and it looks like I'm going to pass! That looked unlikely two years ago. You may remember that when I came to see you, I was intent on leaving uni.
Keep up the good work! All dyslexic students need people like you to encourage them. If I had not met you, I would have given up.
Just wanted to say 'a big thank you'. You and Mel made a difference to my outlook on education which only had positive benefits for me.
Once again many thanks. - Jack D.
AB* - Cardiff
Hey - sorry about hogging the book for so long. Kind of forgot about it. I did find it really useful in the end. I read it and liked it SO much that I decided to buy the full version and I managed to find the CD set with it as well. So I have started that now. I put the book in the post today, it should be with you soon.
thanks again - Al
PF* - Cambridge
Thanks for all your help with all the testing and so forth. Most enjoyable.
And I still have some of those puzzles bumbling about in my mind, looking for answers. Have just heard I am getting a laptop, thanks to DSA. I can use it in exams and get extra time. All jolly pleasing - and all down to your most excellent help.
Yours, with thanks and sincerity - P.
* Emails from students at University
PC - Southampton
Our child underwent treatment at a local centre which was some form of chiropractic manoeuvre to 'reprogramme her neural pathways'. We were told it was aimed at the cause of her dyslexia. The therapist told us that our daughter had probably suffered some unknown damage at birth or suffered toxic shock through childhood vaccinations. My brother, a neurophysiologist, thought we were mad! He said that scientifically, it's a load of hooey!
Thankfully, my brother pointed us in the direction of some real specialists (Access Education), before we were consumed by guilt. Tina explained to us that developmental dyslexia is inherited. This in itself stopped us banging our heads up a brick wall. It also relieved P of anxieties that we were passing on to her.
Based on Tina's comments, we took the brave decision to withdraw her from school in GCSE year and sent her to Tina for tutoring! Not only did P's literacy improve, but also her IQ and her self-esteem.
It would be nice if there was a quick fix for dyslexia (we also tried the Dore method unsuccessfully) but we know now that there is not.
All I can say is, the 'quick-fix' brigade didn't work for us. In fact, their involvement adversely affected the family 'dynamic'. We all felt responsible for the 'alternative' treatments not working.
I suggest you don't waste time and go straight to Access! (Mrs C)
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