A new toolkit for school staff called NEST has been created to help neurodivergent secondary school pupils.
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New toolkit for neurodivergent pupils⤴
from Robert Doyle @ Reach
Tag Archives: Dyslexia
A Simple, High Impact Learning Activity⤴
from Mr Feist @ DF Scotland Teach
I know I am not alone in finding lockdown challenging. We are teachers, and as such having quiet schools with only a handful of children just does not feel normal. We, along with our children, are learning to adapt every day and the stark difference in the quality of learning many children are experiencing in this lockdown is incredible – a true testament to how well colleagues have reflected and adapted to rise up to the challenge.
That being said, it is hard and online learning is still never going to be any substitute for face to face teaching.
Reflections on this, and how best to meet the needs of learners in my target groups; providing them with fun and engaging activities that they can engage in at home has led me back to an activity that I used in my second year of teaching, when I reached out to GDSS for advice on how to support one particular learner; I have linked to their website below as it is a superb resource. They showed me how to use the game ‘Snakes and Ladders’ to support literacy development. Now, there are many ways to do this, and after hunting for the resource that was shared with me I could not find it so I have put together a resource (below) which works really well for me with learners who require support with reading and spelling.
Link to PDF resource: Snakes and ladders game
For this game you need word cards, but children can easily make these at home by copying down their spelling words/common words. There are fantastic word card packs out there, which I will also link to below. Anything can be used as a counter, and this can easily be played as a family game.
I have used it with a variety of learners from P3-7, and have found that they really enjoy it, and, as children can use their own word cards it is automatically differentiated as children can play at their own pace. Indeed, when I have children who are using more advanced words, they will often use the rules for game one while children with cvc words would use the game 1 rules.
However you play it, do, as it is truly a fantastic game. Again, I take no credit for the idea but just put together a quick resource to save you making one!
Have a good week,
Donald
Word cards website that I love to use: ESLFlashcards.com
GDSS website: gdss.glasgow.sch.uk
My Say: “My dyslexia enables me to be creative”⤴
From Dyslexia Unwrapped, where you can listen to lots of young people talk about the ups and downs of having dyslexia.
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Lyla: “If I wasn’t dyslexic I wouldn’t be me, I am what you see”⤴
Did you know that 1 in 10 people are thought to be dyslexic in some way? That means that over half a million people in Scotland have dyslexia. The word ‘dyslexia’ is a tricky one to spell. The word comes from the Greek and it means ‘difficulty with words’. Dyslexia effects everyone in different ways, but basically it means that you may need help with reading, writing, spelling and sometimes speaking too. People with dyslexia have amazing talents. You only have to look at lists of famous people with dyslexia to realise how the right support can help people with dyslexia achieve incredible things: the actress Keira Knightley, the chef Jamie Oliver, the businessman Sir Richard Branson…. the list goes on.
Another talented person with dyslexia is Lyla, a pupil from Mearns Castle High School who won the Scottish Youth Poetry Slam for this awesome poem. Read it below, or check out Lyla perform the poem in this Facebook video.
My name is Lyla
I love lots of drama, and everyday I am curious
But when I was seven I was diagnosed with something more serious
It sometimes muddles up my words when I write
I can’t read small writing
I don’t really care if people find out… I’m dyslexic.
I find Math and English a wee bit hard
My mum’s dyslexic but she mastered her dream in spite of it.
Being dyslexic can really suck, but if I really try that little bit harder I will master my dream so never give up
Memory is the worst for me I can’t remember much but if I really try like in this poem I really can succeed with a bit of luck
I’m dyslexic as I said before
I don’t care if people find out
If I wasn’t dyslexic I wouldn’t be me I am what you see.
A big thank you to Lyla for letting us share her poem.
If you’ve got dyslexia, Dyslexia Scotland are there for you to help and listen to you.
And of course, you can contact us if you want to find out about your rights to support at school.
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Just found out you’ve got dyslexia? Get advice from young people who know how you’re feeling….⤴
This letter has been written by 2 pupils who wanted to offer advice to any young people who may have just found out that they are also dyslexic.
Dear friend,
Don’t worry. It might be a bit of a shock to find out that you are dyslexic. However, some of the smartest people in the world are dyslexic. Did you know that Johnny Depp from Pirates of the Caribbean is dyslexic? Also Lewis Hamilton, the Formula One driver. Richard Branson is a millionaire and owner of Virgin T.V, Virgin airlines, Virgin money and lots of other businesses. Not only is he smart but he is also dyslexic.
There are lots of things that you can use to help you with your learning. Your school, family and friends can help. Some of the things we use are coloured reading rulers or tinted glasses. You can use computers to help you search for information or for writing. There are lots of dyslexia friendly games you can use and dyslexia friendly books.
Don’t be embarrassed about telling friends and family. The more people who know, the more people can help. The same at school. If teachers know they can help and give you suitable work.
Thanks for reading this. We hope this has helped you,
From Joshua and Alistair.
If you’re a young person with dyslexia, you can get in touch with Dyslexia Scotland on 0344 800 8484 or email helpline@dyslexiascotland.org.uk . There’s also some good advice and info on the Dyslexia Scotland website, including how to get your voice heard.
This letter was in Dyslexia Scotland’s publication Young Persons’ Dyslexia Voice. Many thanks to the young writers Joshua Geddes and Alastair MacDonald for letting us feature it on Reach.Scot
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Have trouble reading books?⤴
Books for All can help you get books and other learning materials in accessible, alternative formats.
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1 in 10 people have dyslexia in Scotland⤴
What do Keira Knightley, Steven Spielberg and Jamie Oliver have in common? They all have dyslexia.
Having dyslexia means you may need help with reading, writing, spelling and sometimes speaking too. People with dyslexia are often very creative and good at thinking outside the box.
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New film about one girl’s story of being bullied for having problems reading⤴
Did you know that Albert Einstein the genius scientist was considered dyslexic? Just one of the things I learnt from watching a wonderful new film called Judged, by I am me Scotland. The film is about one girl’s story of what it’s like to have dyslexia and get bullied at school for not being able to read out loud in class. “I was always scared I would get picked. You see, being dyslexic doesn’t mean I’m stupid. I’m actually really clever…it Continue reading
Calum Walker talks dyslexia⤴
As it’s Dyslexia Awareness Week this week, we thought we’d ask Calum Walker to share his experience of having dyslexia. Calum, who is 10 years old and attends Carron Primary School in Falkirk, has been helping other children with dyslexia by using Youtube to share some of his top tips for reading and writing.
Click on Calum’s picture to hear some of his brilliant advice and watch Continue reading Dyslexia Scotland – teachers welcome!⤴
from Lena Gillies
The theme of Dyslexia Awareness Week this year is ‘Making Sense of Dyslexia’, chosen to fit in with Education Scotland’s 2014 report ‘Making Sense: Education for Children and Young People in Scotland’. Lots of people think that we just work with children and adults with dyslexia and parents but that’s not so. Earlier this month, […]