World Book Day 2013

World Book Day is on 7th March this year and lots of events are being planned. As in previous years, all school children will be given a voucher to exchange for one of a selection of books.

There is also a competition to find the UK’s Storytelling Superstar for 2013.

Best selling authors Francesca Simon and Lauren Child are urging people to submit videos of the most skilled and passionate storytellers in action. It’s simple to take part – just visit the special Storytelling Superstar page and follow the instructions to send in or upload a short clip of yourself or your nominee performing an extract from a favourite children’s book. The competition is open from Wednesday 16 January, with entries closing on Monday 11th February.

The winner will be the person who shows the special panel of judges that they can bring stories to life in the most imaginative ways – from acting out characters, putting on different voices and filming in unusual locations, to dressing up and using props or playing games with the words to get others joining in the performance.

TV documentary about dyslexia

Dragonfly Film and Television Ltd. are making a television documentary about dyslexia and are looking for young people in the UK who have struggled with dyslexia to tell their stories. If dyslexia seriously affects you or someone you know, if you are currently learning to deal with it or if you have had severe problems in the past which you have managed to overcome, they would love to talk to you. Please send them a short email telling them a bit about yourself and how dyslexia has affected you as well as your contact details. If you are under 18 please speak to your parents before contacting them. Contact Claire Runham, Researcher Tel: +44 (0) 207 033 2300  Email: claire.runham@dragonfly.tv    (April 2012)

Mandatory phonics test

You will be familiar with recent discussions in the news about the Government’s plans to introduce a mandatory phonics test for all six-year-olds. These plans were the subject of a ‘phone-in on BBC Radio 4′s consumer affairs programme “You and Yours” on 10 April.

Six and a half minutes (6:21) into the programme, there is an extended contribution by a lady whose son completed a Davis programme and is now taking five AS Levels. The caller speaks very eloquently about the Davis approach to dyslexia, the gifts of dyslexic individuals, and then goes on to express her reservations about the proposed new testing regime.

The programme is well worth a listen and can be heard on the BBCiPlayer

Claymation interviews

Have a look at this short animated, claymation film which features interviews with some very famous (and entertaining) characters!  It was produced by art students in Sydney with the support of Marianne Mullally, a Davis facilitator. I love it and the music!

Dyslexia.wmv: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSQI46ezQ8U

Government petition

The British Dyslexia Association has launched a petition to the government requesting that sufficient dyslexia training be provided as part of Initial Teacher Training.

It needs 100,000 signatures to trigger a debate in Parliament. If you agree with the petition would you please sign it, and even more importantly, pass on this request and link to everyone you know or meet who might be willing to do the same.

Here is a link to the petition.

‘Dyslexia Is the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me’

Donna Flagg, author of Surviving Dreaded Conversations, has written a moving account of her experiences at school and how her success (she now owns and runs two businesses) ‘is directly tied to my ostensible failures of the past, not because of the scars, but because of what I had to learn in order to survive a system that did not recognize me as a legitimate member’.

You can read the full article here.

Inventors, Writers and Art Competition

The British Dyslexia Association is holding an Inventors, Writers and Art Competition. The awards ceremony will be during Dyslexia Awareness Week (31st October to 6th November 2011).

There are three separate sections:

Art Competition  The submission can be a drawing, sculpture, collage or photography. There are three age-based categories so anyone aged 3 to adult can enter.

Inventors Competition The B.D.A. invites dyslexics of all ages to submit ideas for a piece of technology based equipment, which does not currently exist, but which could provide substantial benefits to dyslexic people.

Writers Competition  This competition is for a fictional short story or poem (no more than 500 words in length).

Each section has three age-based categories so anyone aged 3 to adult can enter.

All submissions need to be received by the BDA by 30th September. Click on any of the competition links (above) for further details.

SuperReading

I have finished the SuperReading course. It ran over 10 weeks and guaranted to double my reading efficiency, a calculated relationship between speed and calculation. However, it requires you to practice the techniques for 40 minutes each day which is a considerable commitment.  The final results for the dyslexics in my group rose from being better than 27% of the non-dyslexic population to better than 91%!

The ongoing course results are being monitored by Dr Ross Cooper who had described them as ‘extraordinary’.  If you would like to do a SuperReading course, it is now covered by the DSA. I am in the process of becoming a SuperReading coach so please contact me if you or your college are interested in setting up a course.

Post Graduate Diploma in Adult Dyslexia Diagnosis and Support

I was pleased to hear that I have been awarded my Pg Diploma in Adult Dyslexia Diagnosis and Support. I have thoroughly enjoyed studying this section and hope to be able to progress to the MA.  However, with the LLU+ unit closing because of the cutbacks, I will need to wait until the next academic year to see where I can continue my studies.

World Book Night

I took part in World Book Night yesterday and gave away 48 copies of The Reluctant Fundamentalist.  I was just one of  20,000 people giving away a total of 1 million books. I gave mine to taxi drivers, shop assistants and the people sitting outside at the pub and they, in turn, must pass their copy on when they have read it. Each book’s journey can be traced on www.bookcrossing.com through its unique number.  It was surprisingly hard to find 48 people who wanted a free book, almost a third of the people said that they did not read books.

Let’s hope this event becomes an annual event and more people discover the joy of reading.