Teachers failing pupils – it is still happening

Thanks to Susan Godsland of www.dyslexics.org.uk who flagged up this video clip from the Spelfabet website. Does is sound familiar?  It makes me sad to think of the pupils I failed before I was trained in Sounds-Write.  This is still happening… http://www.spelfabet.com.au/2013/11/teacher-knowledge-of-phonics/

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Alba Series reviewed in the DSF Bulletin

The Dyslexia – SPELD Foundation’s publication ‘The bulletin’, Autumn 2013, has just published an article reviewing the ‘Alba’ reading series. I have scanned it – but the print is a bit small so here is the summary: “As with the very popular existing catch-up readers produced by Phonic Books, this series will develop reading skills and confidence through […]

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Evidence-based teaching – fantastic reading results using Magic Belt, Totem and Talisman series

The table below shows a set of results sent to us from a teacher who has used our catch-up range Magic Belt, Totem and Talisman books and workbooks this past year. All her pupils struggled with reading and have various profiles of learning difficulties. These include speech and language difficulties, specific learning difficulties, emotional difficulties […]

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Struggling reader – a breakthrough!

I had one of those lovely experiences on Thursday, while teaching at the Bloomfield Learning Centre. One of my pupils aged 11 (Year 6) had arrived at the centre as a non-reader.  He attended a school where reading had not been taught through phonics or in a systematic way.  Unusually for an 11 year old […]

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Uplifting You Tube clip for dyslexic teenagers

If  you are teaching dyslexic teenagers, or if you are a parent or carer of a dyslexic teenager struggling with literacy, you might want to share this You Tube clip with them. Very uplifting! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaR70gTHOnY  

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Fantastic reading results using Totem and Talisman Series – case studies

A few weeks ago, out of the blue, we received a letter from an SEN teacher. It included these fantastic results of reading progress of her pupils during 2011/2012, using the Totem and Talisman series. RA = reading age SS = standard score Pupil Year Start RA SS End RA SS Progress 1 6 Sept […]

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What is the difference between a ‘reluctant reader’ and a ‘struggling reader’?

One often hears the terms ‘reluctant reader’ and ‘struggling reader’. Is there a difference between these terms?

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The importance of age-appropriate phonic reading material for ‘catch-up’ pupils

When older pupils, who are struggling with literacy, come to the learning centre where I teach, they often have low self-esteem.  Offering them babyish looking books will compound their sense of failure.  If they are given books that young primary school children are reading, what does that say about them?

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