Dyslexia is a common specific learning difficulty that is not related to intelligence. In Hong Kong, studies indicate that approximately 9.7% to 12.6%* of children experience varying degrees of this condition. Caused by congenital neurological differences, it affects how the brain processes sounds and symbols, impacting reading, writing, and spelling abilities.
Dyslexia Assessment and Training Packages
Professional dyslexia assessment helps parents identify learning difficulties early. With targeted training, children can strengthen their abilities and regain confidence in learning.
Our assessments are conducted by qualified psychologists, who precisely identify the child’s learning “barriers” and design a personalised learning roadmap. This helps helps both children and parents move from facing learning challenges to adopting effective strategies.
Target Group:
Children aged 6–15 years 5 months, native Cantonese speakers currently learning Traditional Chinese
Assessment Highlights:
Assessment reports accepted by both the Hong Kong Department of Health and the Education Bureau
Applicable for Special Educational Needs (SEN) support applications and school follow-up
Assessment Include:
Parent interview: Understanding the child’s background and learning history
Speech Therapist-Led Dyslexia Training (Traditional Chinese)
Our training is led by qualified Speech Therapists. Based on the findings of the assessment, our therapist will tailor a plan specifically for your child's unique needs.
We follow evidence-based methods tailored to the characteristics of Chinese characters. Instead of simply teaching vocabulary, we focus on "how to learn words," equipping children with systematic strategies to decode new characters, infer pronunciation and meaning, and develop autonomy and confidence in learning.
Through targeted reading exercises, children strengthen their understanding of word patterns and structures; with integrated writing practice, they improve dictation performance and overall written expression.
Target Group:
Children aged 6–12, native Cantonese speakers currently learning Traditional Chinese
Programme Details
Research shows that over 70% of Chinese characters are phonetic compounds (formed by a semantic radical and a phonetic component). Our training focuses on helping children develop Orthographic‑Phonological Conversion (OPC) awareness—learning to use visual character cues to infer pronunciation. Speech therapists guide children through systematic practice to effectively decode and recognise characters:
Regularity (“read by the side”): Teaching children to recognize phonetic components. For example, knowing the character 同 helps them read 銅. This rule reduces fear when encountering new characters.
Consistency (analogy method): When direct decoding is not possible, children learn to utilize "word families" or "phonetic consistency." For instance, once they know 清, they can infer 請 and 晴. Learning one character opens the door to many related ones.
Our intervention is structured to progressively enhance the child's literacy skills and confidence:
Level 1: Build awareness of regularity
Level 2: Build awareness of consistency
Level 3: Apply strategies flexibly to improve reading fluency and comprehension
Level 4: Writing training: Once recognition is stable, further deconstruct character structures to improve copying and dictation performance
Clinical research and experience show that children who receive targeted strategy training demonstrate significant progress in vocabulary acquisition, reading fluency, and dictation. Most importantly, students gradually build independent reading skills, enhancing their learning motivation and confidence.
The above prices are only applicable to non-inpatient clients.
Union Hospital reserves the right to make the final decision regarding package terms, conditions, and pricing.
Final charges are subject to the latest hospital announcements and will be confirmed in the official quotation.
Both the assessment and training programmes are conducted in Cantonese and specifically target Traditional Chinese reading and writing skills.
Why Choose Our Programmes?
Accurate Diagnosis, Targeted Treatment
Our Psychologist-led assessment accurately identifies your child's core learning difficulties, ensuring a targeted and effective training direction.
Tailor-Made Treatment
Led by professional speech therapists, we don't teach rote memorisation. We equip children with evidence-based character-decoding strategies. They leave not just with a few memorised words, but with a lifelong toolkit for learning.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A: There is a distinct difference. A lazy child typically has the ability to complete work but lacks the motivation. A child with dyslexia, despite putting in significant time and effort, struggles to grasp character structures and phonological rules. If your child is working hard but progress remains significantly behind their peers, a professional assessment is recommended.
Common Signs of Dyslexia:
Writing Difficulties: Frequent omissions, stroke errors, or mirror writing.
Memory Challenges: Trouble retaining learned words despite repeated practice.
Reading & Comprehension Issues: Difficulty grasping main ideas when reading; poor reading comprehension
A: The causes of literacy difficulties vary. Some children struggle with phonological processing, others with memory, others with visual perception. Commencing training without a formal assessment makes it difficult to target the root cause of the learning difficulty.
A: Our goal is not just short-term catching up, but equipping your child with "learning how to learn" skills. Once they understand the structure and patterns of characters, they can tackle new words independently, without relying on parents to read alongside. Many parents report that homework time decreases and parent-child relationships improve after training.
A: Yes. Both programmes are billed separately:
To understand your child's profile first: Enroll in Assessment only
If you already have a recent assessment report: Enroll in Training only
For complete support: Assessment first, then Training
For children who have never been assessed, we recommend starting with the Assessment programme to ensure training is properly targeted.
A: School-based support is valuable but often involves long waiting times and limited sessions. Our programmes offer:
Seamless transition: Training can begin immediately after assessment
Individualised training: Regular, structured 1-on-1 sessions to ensure clinical efficacy.
Parent involvement: Regular updates so you understand progress
Multidisciplinary approach: Psychologist and Speech Therapist collaborate for consistency
A: Our programmes focus on clinical accuracy and evidence-based methods. Once a child acquires proper decoding skills, it reduces long-term reliance on intensive tutoring.
Service Hours: Monday to Saturday: 9:00 - 18:00 Sunday and Public Holiday: Closed
Reference:
*Chan, David W.; Ho, Connie Suk-han; Tsang, Suk-man; Lee, Suk-han; Chung, Kevin K. H. (2007), Prevalence, gender ratio and gender differences in reading-related cognitive abilities among Chinese children with dyslexia in Hong Kong. Educational Studies, Vol. 33 Issue 2, p249-265.
