Is there really a school to prison pipeline for struggling readers?
‘I don’t do education’
A woman from the Basic Skills Agency insisted, ‘You can’t just sit a young offender down at a table and teach them to read.’
Improved literacy is life-changing
In Ireland and was told he was dyslexic; in England he was told he had a learning disability; teachers found him difficult; college tutors treated him as stupid.
Where reading can take you
Choosing text for struggling readers – start with what they know and take them somewhere less familiar. Raise your expectations and see where reading can take you.
Inclusion – Deep, Wide and Welcoming
This is a post about inclusion in schools, not just the inclusion of policy documents but the inclusion of real-life school, the inclusion that states explicitly, “you belong here regardless of how hard you find this”.
Reading Anxiety
Some hide their anxiety and suffer quietly while others express it in disruptive or self-harming behaviour. There are young people who panic at the sight of text in every secondary school.
Shame or Safety?
If a 13/15/20 year old can’t read very well then they have already experienced enough shame. If they’re not already angry, they soon will be.