A VOLUNTARY welfare organisation, which conducts classes for those with difficulties in reading and writing, is doubling its capacity and widening its reach.

The Dyslexia Association of Singapore plans to spend $2.2 million to build four more centres in Tampines, Jurong, Marsiling and Punggol in the next two years.

This will add to its existing learning centres in Bedok, Bishan, Ang Mo Kio and Queenstown, which now cater to about 1,000 children in total.

The new centres will mean it can eventually cater to 2,000 children.

Mr Robin Moseley, executive director of the association, said the aim is to reach families living in the outlying areas of Singapore.

'We are particularly anxious to reach out to younger and poorer families,' he said.

Dyslexia is a neurological disorder which causes sufferers to have difficulties in reading, writing or spelling.

One in 10 here suffers a mild form of the learning disorder and needs help, with four in 10 having 'significant dyslexia', said Mr Moseley.

Special-needs officers in mainstream schools can help those with mild dyslexia, while the association can help those with a more serious form of the disorder, he added.

Parents now pay about $25 an hour to put their children in its twice-weekly classes.

Children learn using methods like the Orton-Gillingham approach which teaches lite-racy with multi-sensory methods.

The association, set up in 1991, also plans to start a school for dyslexic students here and in the region.

Currently, there is no such school here dedicated to dyslexic students.

'It will be a flagship school that will help as many children as possible,' said Mr Moseley, who is working on a proposal and hopes to talk to the Government about it within two years.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Apr 9, 2008.