Teachers

As the foundation for accessing the curriculum and engaging with learning, there is no doubt that reading will be an important part of the recovery curriculum over the coming months. But, how can you ensure you have effective resources and routines in place in your classroom to support children returning to learning.

This #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, it is important to recognise that we actually have a powerful wellbeing tool readily available within our classrooms and homes in the form of books! Books provide a world of opportunity for children to escape from their worries and learn to deal with complicated situations and emotions; in uncertain times they can also help children feel less alone.

The announcement of lockdown 3 has seen huge numbers of parents and carers once again challenged with the task of home-schooling their children. Many will feel anxious and have concerns about their child’s mental health, or the impact that the another lockdown and unpredictable periods of self-isolation will have on their progress. We have put together some of our favourite tips to help parents support children from home in these challenging times.

Christmas provides a perfect opportunity for children to develop their enthusiasm for reading. Our top tips can help families keep on track with reading over the holidays, spread the festive cheer and spend some quality time together with some fantastic stories!

 With partial school closures and periods of isolation, the Coronavirus outbreak has seen huge numbers of parents and carers suddenly getting to grips with the challenges of home-schooling children with neurodiverse differences such as dyslexia, autism or ADHD for the very first time…

Following a long period out of the classroom, many children may have taken a step backwards in literacy learning but, music, the world’s first and most popular language could help fill the gaps. In her recent article, dyslexia specialist tutor and assessor Dr Anne Margaret Smith, who has previously taught English for 30 years in Kenya, Germany, Sweden, and the UK, explains why music offers a fun and stress-free way to get these children back on track with their reading.

As the Recovery Curriculum is implemented in schools, how can all students be supported within their ‘bubbles’, to ensure that they don’t get left behind? In their recent article, Pamela Hanigan and Rachel Gelder, founders of Lancashire Dyslexia Information Guidance and Support (LDIGS), discuss how schools can build targeted interventions into classroom bubbles.

As the old saying goes, ‘knowledge is power’ so think about how much you know about dyslexia. If your answer is ‘not much’, then Dyslexia Awareness Week could be a great time to improve your knowledge! The British Dyslexia Association’s website is a great place to start, with articles, webinars and more information to help you become more Dyslexia aware! As a Dyslexia Smart organisation, we have created the following list of top tips which you can follow to create a dyslexia-friendly environment in your classroom…

In the following blog post, Rossie Stone, the creator and founder of Dekko Comics, shares the story of his struggles during education and discusses how his comics can help to smash reading and learning barriers in the classroom, by making the curriculum accessible for all and improving children’s confidence.