Part 3 of 3
Morph Mastery Lessons in Action – Part Three
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Blog
Listening to books: a cheat’s form of reading?
Audio books are mistakenly thought of as a cheat’s way to read. This is so far from the truth! In this blog I share my own experience of listening and explain the benefits for children and young people. Audio books are not just enjoyable and helpful for those who struggle to read the physical book, e.g. those with dyslexia or neurodiversity. They help all children and young people with language, reading, writing, listening skills, relaxation and wellbeing. Listening, far from being a passive second best, enables an engagement with texts and literacy skills which may otherwise not have been experienced.
Morph Mastery Lessons in Action – Part Two
Part 2 of 3
Morph Mastery Lessons in Action – Part One
Part 1 of 3
Listen to my interview with Dale Pickles (SENDCast) all about Morphology
Do you want to understand morphology better, and how it can transform learning? Here’s a podcast with the wonderful Dale Pickles of SENDCAST, in which I explain morphology and its powerful role in teaching reading, spelling and vocabulary.
Dyslexia: a new definition, a new era?
It is a momentous time in the dyslexia world. For the first time in dyslexia’s almost 150 years of history, multiple stake holders found consensus on a new definition of this condition which has caused controversy for as many years. In this blog, I outline how dyslexia’s turbulent past has influenced the present, with reference to the resilience of dyslexia’s advocates (especially mothers). For me, the new definition is a positive marker of how far we have come in both agreement and understanding. However, I am deeply concerned about the continuing inequity across UK state schools. It is simply wrong that children whose parents can pay have access to identification of a need that is so prevalent and disabling in school, while many others are left on the heap.
What happened to Evan’s writing?
In this blog, my guest Tina Coope, Education Executive of PANS PANDAS UK, informs us of a little known, but devastating medical condition called PANS (Paediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) and PANDAS (Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections). Sometimes mistaken for dyslexia, PANS and PANDAS impact executive function and writing. This little known but devastating condition can be supported once identified, and this article seeks to inform educators of the important signs to look for.
Morph Mastery Adventures at Westcourt Primary School
If I produced a stick of rock to represent my work (now there’s an idea!), the words inside would be “supporting schools”. I love collaboration, I love enabling, empowering and equipping in all things literacy and dyslexia, and I love schools. In this blog you’ll read about one amazing school I have worked with over almost two years, and you’ll see a video of Morph Mastery in action. Westcourt Primary School in Gravesend have not only talked the Morph Mastery talk, but they walk the walk, through thick and thin.
Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Maths: How to identify and help
In my assessment work, I am often told by learners with dyslexia that the thing they find hardest of all in school is maths. This is no surprise to me: dyslexia impacts working memory, sequencing and processing speed, all of which are needed in abundance for maths. However, it can be befuddling to learners, parents and educators that what is essentially a problem with words (dyslexia) has such a significant impact on maths as well. In this blog, I offer explanation of dyscalculia and dyslexia and how they impact maths differently, as well as ten strategies to support.
Morphology: Why and How it Works for Learners with Dyslexia and Literacy Difficulties
Our language is morphophonemic; in other words it is based on both morphological and phonological structure (units of sound). Approximately 80% of English words contain more than one morpheme. These morphemes are used across a number of words, and therefore can be generalised. They have been described by Rastle (2018) as “islands of regularity in the mapping between printed words and their meaning”. Morphology is not a whole word approach, nor is it an alternative to phonics. Morphemes literally make sense of language and they are entirely necessary as part of cracking the code of English spelling.