Clinic

Prof. John Stein

Prof. John Stein is the Chairman and Co-Founder of the Dyslexia Research Trust. Prof Stein studied medicine at New College, Oxford and St Thomas's Hospital, London; he is now a Professor of Neuroscience at Magdalen College, Oxford. Prof. Stein started a career in Neurology, continuing his training in London, Leicester and Oxford; however, he decided that basic research into the visual guidance of eye and limb movements might be more useful. He became a tutor in medicine and neuroscience at Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1970.

Since then Prof. Stein has been studying normal and abnormal eye and limb movement control in animals, neurological patients and dyslexics. In 1978 with Sue Fowler he began to study the role of vision in learning to read, and he has been pursuing the hypothesis that reading problems may result from impaired low level perceptual visuomotor and auditory processing that is caused by abnormal development of magnocellular neurones in the brain. Thus he has been researching visual dyslexia for over 30 years.

Prof. Stein is well recognised as a world expert in this field and is regularly called upon to give his knowledge, expertise and advice to academics, teachers, parents and the media.

Dr Sue Fowler

Dr Sue Fowler is a Senior Research Orthoptist and Co-Founder of the Dyslexia Research Trust. Dr Fowler has been studying visual dyslexia for over 30 years. In 1978, Sue was working at the Royal Berkshire Eye Clinic as an Orthoptist. The Senior Ophthalmologist, Jimmy McMillan, asked her to investigate the vision of children with reading problems to see if there was a link between their vision, eye control and reading difficulties. Sue identified from the children's descriptions of blurring, letter movement and glare, that many did indeed have visual processing problems. To help develop ways to help these children, Sue approached Prof. John Stein who was interested in both education and visual eye control.

Since Sue Fowler retired from NHS practice, she has run the DRT visual research clinics with the help of volunteers. For many years she did not take any payment for her time. Sue's very wide experience over 40 years, and her uncanny ability to identify visual problems, has enabled her to help literally thousands of children.

Priti Kashyap

Priti joined the DRT Research Clinic in April 2008. Previously Priti studied for her PhD in myopia (short sight). Whilst studying, she worked as a locum orthoptist for the NHS and as a clinical demonstrator and examiner for optometry students.

As a clinical demonstrator, Priti worked in the Dyslexia Clinic where children were assessed for coloured filters using the Meares-Irlen method. She soon discovered that there was a clear pattern; only the yellow or blue filters led children to improve their reading ability significantly. Priti also began to notice that some eye conditions such as difficulty converging eyes could be helped with these colours. Often using the filters could alleviate symptoms that would otherwise need much more complicated treatment. (Priti then discovered that her observations repeated what Sue Fowler and Prof. Stein had noted years ago!)

Priti says that she is learning so much from Sue and she thinks herself very fortunate to be able to work with such experienced and knowledgeable professionals. Priti keeps in touch with her colleagues in the NHS and tells them about our research as it may help to enhance their practice as well.

Dr Anna Pitt

Dr Anna Pitt is our in house Chartered Psychologist. She first joined John Stein as a Research Assistant, having completed her BSc in Psychology and Performing Arts, Community and Education. She then progressed to undertake a DPhil in Dyslexia Research at the University of Oxford which she completed in 2009.

Anna has a keen interest in research focusing on the auditory deficits of dyslexia, and how different levels of education impact on dyslexia.

She has a wide experience of DSA (Disability Student Allowance) support, lecturing and teaching. She works with adults, students and children helping them to fully understand their own individual form of dyslexia. She shows them how to use their own strengths, in combination with a variety of other strategies, to combat their difficulties. In helping dyslexics identify their key areas of difficulty, Anna helps them create an entirely personalised package of recommendations to assist them in their studies, or in the workplace. For more information, please contact Anna by email.

Dr Freda Yeang

Freda Yeang obtained a PhD in the area of biological sciences in 1987 and her interest in specific learning differences developed when a close family member was identified with dyslexia in 1995. Soon after, she completed the Hornsby Diploma in teaching and assessing and has worked with the Oxfordshire Dyslexia Association as Trustee and at Saturday School in both tutoring and screening capacity. In 2001, she started work as freelance 1:1 specialist support tutor at Oxford Brookes University. Since then she has worked freelance as both tutor and assessor for specific learning differences for students at higher education mainly in the Oxford area. She has assessed students from Oxford Brookes, Oxford, Ruskin College as well as a number of London Universities.