Great Books grow Great Kids

Help self-employed specialist learning support teacher Sacha Fawbert (BCA, GDipTchg-Prim, Level 5 Cert.SLD) purchase learning resources for teenage students with dyslexia who are sick of reading ‘The Fat Cat sat on the Mat’!

The Challenge

I provide customised learning programmes to students with dyslexia and other literacy difficulties. I’m used to creating my own learning resources, and this works well for my younger kids. Older students need specialist resources that are more age-appropriate. Up until now, I’ve been writing my own phonics-based stories because none have been commercially available for teenagers. Recently, some fantastic ones hit the market. Engaging, with great storylines and appealing imagery, I’m confident that they will make a huge difference.

Unfortunately, they can only be purchased in sets that progress through a series of levels. I need to purchase three sets to be able to offer the progression that my students need. Self-employed, I rely on parents to pay for my services. In the majority of cases, there is no government funding available. The cost of professional resources is prohibitive, and I need help to buy them.

The Funding Goal

Initial purchase of three sets of phonics readers:

• Alba Series – Reading books $130 + GST (plus postage)

• Totem Series – Reading books $130 + GST (plus postage)

• That Dog! Series – Reading books $130 + GST (plus postage)

Bonus purchase of workbooks if funds allow:

• Alba Series – Workbook $115 + GST (plus postage)

• Totem Series – Workbook $95 + GST (plus postage)

• That Dog! Series – Workbook $95 + GST (plus postage)

All resources will be purchased from https://www.learningmatters.co.nz/shop/, a New Zealand-owned business.

How the Right Resources Make All the Difference

Older students with literacy issues need what’s known as ‘hi-lo texts’. These are stories that appeal to an older age group but are written for a low level of reading ability. Dyslexic kids need to be taught ‘the code’ or rules of written language in a systematic way. This is known as ‘phonics’. Reading lists of sentences over and over is no one’s idea of a good time.

For older students to move forward, they need lots of repetition using stories that follow phonics rules. This gives them an opportunity to apply their skills, increase reading mileage and experience success. Most commercially produced stories do not follow a phonics-based progression and set students up for failure, making them more reluctant to learn.

What teenagers need are sentences within the framework of a story. With the majority of resources catering for younger kids, older children find them off-putting and this lowers their self-esteem. The newly available readers and workbooks are pitched perfectly to teens, letting them progress through the different levels, fostering a sense of achievement.

The following link takes you to a great article and video clip that explains decodable text:

https://www.spelfabet.com.au/2015/08/predictable-or-repetitive-texts/?fbclid=IwAR1ZdzS1QBm9kYjINP145KT6GppxMKArUzP0Vxt_syNXTLdiNFJxNGMkJys

About Me

Originally a primary school classroom teacher, I started specialising in teaching kids with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) in 2013. A proud Hutt Valley-ite, I grew up in Wainuiomata, travelled extensively, and returned to live high in the beautiful Western hills of Lower Hutt with my family and several high-maintenance cats.