Q&A with Leila
Leila Sifri completed her English BA (1993) at UCL and later returned to take the Specific Learning Difficulties (dyslexia) MA (2022) based at the UCL Institute of Education.
I was able to embark on my new career with confidence, knowing that the training I received was excellent.
What were your motivations to pursue this Master's degree at UCL?
I wanted to challenge myself with a higher level of academic study but was also seeking a professional qualification that I could use to change the direction of my career.
UCL had the perfect course for me; also I had enjoyed my first degree here (English BA) and the location was convenient for me to travel to.
What was the best thing about your degree course?
Too many things to choose from! Above all, the support, expertise, encouragement and positivity from the course leader and the teaching team.
What do you find interesting about your field of study? What inspires you?
Learning about the scientific research into dyslexia and interventions to help children with dyslexia was fascinating and built on my lifelong interest in literacy and reading. What inspires me now is hearing from parents and teachers that the work I do with children has helped their reading and spelling to improve.
What impact has this MA had for you professionally?
Doing a Master's degree at UCL enabled me to redirect my career onto a new pathway, building on the skills and experience I already had. I was able to embark on my new career with confidence, knowing that the training I received was excellent - the course changed my life.
In my work with schools and families, the qualification from IOE is highly respected.
Having a Masters from UCL can have a powerful effect on your career, because of the quality of the teaching and the excellent reputation of UCL as a university. I was impressed by the expertise of the teaching team and the teaching of research evidence.
I made a lot of contacts with peers during the course and have stayed in touch with many of those. We consult each other for advice and have done further training and teaching together.