Specialist Dyslexia & Psycho-educational Assessments and Intervention in Barcelona
Supporting international families through expert assessment, evidence-based intervention, and ongoing guidance.
Designed for International Families in Barcelona
Specialist led Orton Gillingham intervention
Multidisciplinary team
Experienced in international and local education systems
Multilingual professionals
A Structured, Specialist-Led Approach
Psycho-educational assessments
Orton Gillingham Intervention
Guidance for families
Our Team
Fiona Higgins
Dyslexia Specialist & SpLD AssessorDyslexia Barcelona is led by Fiona, a specialist in dyslexia and literacy development with over 20 years’ experience supporting children and families. Fiona is a certified Dyslexia Specialist and Assessor through the British Dyslexia Association. She is also a Member of the Orton Gillingham Academy and a Certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Interventionist through the Centre for Effective Reading, International Dyslexia Association.
Meritxell Alquezar
Child NeuropsychologistMeritxell is the Founder and Director of the CUIDA Centre in Barcelona. A trilingual child neuropsychologist and Associate Professor of Psychology, she has received extensive training in both the US and Spain and actively collaborates with international and local schools throughout Spain.
How We Work
We offer tailored pathways depending on each child’s needs, previous assessments, and current support requirements.
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Assessment Pathway
For children who require a full evaluation, we provide a comprehensive psychoeducational assessment in Barcelona.
Psychoeducational assessment in Barcelona
Detailed written report
Feedback session with parents
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Option 2:
Intervention Pathway
For children with existing assessments or diagnoses, we begin directly with targeted intervention planning.
Review of existing reports
Individualised intervention plan
Immediate start of OG sessions
Ongoing progress monitoring
Orton Gillingham Intervention
The right support can change everything for a dyslexic learner.
Specialist dyslexia tuition based on the Orton Gillingham approach helps strengthen reading, spelling, and writing skills while rebuilding confidence and protecting self-esteem.
We provide one-on-one, live, online, individualised Orton-Gillingham-based intervention sessions.
❊ Testimonials
We were feeling lost and overwhelmed trying to understand our child’s learning challenges, especially while living abroad. Working with Fiona and Meritxell was a turning point. The assessment was thorough, professional, and conducted with such warmth and care that our child felt completely at ease. They explained the results clearly and helped us truly understand our child’s learning profile for the first time.
Fiona and Meritxell’s guidance has been invaluable, not just as a specialists, but as professionals who truly understands the complexities of international family life. We’re so grateful for their expertise and support."
— Isla L., Parent
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Finding Meritxell and Fiona was a huge relief for our family. As parents living abroad, we were struggling to understand why our son was falling behind in school, and we didn’t know where to turn. Meritxell and Fiona carried out a full assessment with great care, professionalism, and sensitivity. They took the time to explain everything clearly and answered all of our questions with patience and empathy.
Meritxell’s and Fiona’s support has been a game changer for our family, helping us feel confident and informed in a system that was once so confusing. We can’t recommend them both enough."
— Paula R., Parent
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When we first reached out to Fiona, we were feeling unsure and anxious about our daughter’s struggles with reading. As an international family, we weren’t familiar with the local system or how to access the right support. From the very first conversation, Fiona put us at ease. The assessment process with both Fiona and Meritxell was thorough, insightful, and handled with such kindness that our daughter felt comfortable and understood.
Fiona and Meritxell’s expertise and support have made a world of difference to our family."
— Ashley W.M, Parent
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❊ FAQs
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A psycho-educational assessment is a comprehensive evaluation that looks at how a child learns, thinks, and processes information. It assesses cognitive abilities (like memory, attention, and problem-solving) as well as academic skills such as reading, writing, spelling, and math. The assessment helps identify a child’s strengths and areas where they may need extra support, providing clear guidance and practical strategies for parents, teachers, and schools to help the child thrive.
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Assessments can be conducted from age 7, once children have had some exposure to reading and writing instruction. However, signs of learning difficulties can appear earlier, and informal screening or early support can still be helpful before this age.
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The full assessment usually takes 3–4 hours and is split into two sessions: one with our child neuropsychologist and one with our dyslexia assessor.
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Yes, we offer online intervention sessions that are tailored to each learner and focus on building reading, spelling, and writing skills through structured, multi-sensory methods. Our sessions are based on the Orton Gillingham approach.
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Absolutely. Our team is multilingual and we have extensive experience working with bilingual and multilingual children. Assessments and interventions take into account the child's language background and are adapted to meet their unique needs.
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We understand the challenges of navigating education systems in a different country, especially when your child is struggling. We offer clear, compassionate guidance, help families communicate with schools, and provide practical support that works across cultures and curricula.
Get in Touch
We understand that seeking support can be an daunting step. If you have questions about psycho-educational assessments or Orton Gillingham intervention services, we’re here to help.
Reach out and we’ll respond as soon as possible.

