David French’s Post

Who better to explain the #InnovateUKFunded tech than a 3-year-old? :-) Avery loves Thomas the Tank Engine and maps the character names, e.g., Ben. He doesn’t need to wait to learn the letters though—that learning is secondary! The focus is on the speech sounds in the right order using the speech sound monsters (Phonemies). The tech does the rest! #MySpeekie Starting school as readers who read what THEY want, for pleasure, is the by-product, not the goal. My goal is to ensure no child struggles to learn to read. We don’t wait to find out if they are autistic, have ADHD, or are dyslexic—we just send them to school as avid pattern seekers with great phonemic awareness who can communicate with spoken or written words.

🎉 Celebrating Small Victories in the Classroom! 🎉 As educators, we know that the small victories are often the most meaningful. Whether it’s a child learning to use the toilet independently, cleaning up after a spill, or that priceless moment when a child jumps with joy after deciphering a word phonetically—these moments remind us of why we love what we do. It is these everyday accomplishments that build confidence, independence, and a love for learning. What’s a ‘small’ victory that made your day in the classroom? Share your stories and let’s celebrate the little wins that add up to big growth! #SmallVictories #MontessoriMoments #TeachingWins #EarlyChildhoodEducation #MontessoriTeachers #ChildDevelopment #CelebratingSuccess Image is created with the help of AI.

I am dyslexic and so are my children. This is the first time I’ve have spoken about this because I have felt stigmatismed my whole life due to dyslexia so, I have hidden it and hidden it well. Today I use AI as my copilot to correct my spelling, keep up with my ideas and hide my dyslexia. AI enables me to focus on my ideas, patters and strategy rather than spelling. Being dyslexic has caused my family much heartache over the years. The feelings of being useless, constantly being told you are going to fail because you can’t spell or read out loud, as a child it is just traumatising. The UK school system is just not designed for dyslexics to thrive. We are thriving though, and teachers where surprised how brilliant my boys were when they were given a human scribe. Yes, you read that correctly, a human scribe. In the age of AI our schools provide people rather than technology to help children with spelling and grammar….🤯 My questions are: Why is our school system still set up for dyslexic children to fail in this digital age? How do we change this and get schools to use technology to help these children achieve their best? #dyslexia #dyslexicthinking

Learning isn't one-size-fits-all, especially for our neurodivergent students. ✨ Incorporating multi-sensory techniques can transform the educational experience, making it more engaging and effective for everyone. Multi-sensory learning involves using visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic-tactile pathways to enhance memory and learning. This approach is particularly beneficial for children with ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurodivergent conditions. Here are some of the strategies I use to make learning multi-sensory: 1️⃣ Visuals and colours: Use colourful diagrams, charts, and mind maps to help students visualise concepts. 2️⃣ Auditory tools: Incorporate rhymes and verbal repetition to reinforce learning. Listening to recordings of lessons can also be helpful. 3️⃣ Hands-on activities: Engage students with interactive activities, like experiments, models, and tactile tools, to make abstract concepts more concrete. 4️⃣ Movement: Allow students to move around while learning. This can be as simple as using a standing desk or taking short breaks for physical activities. 5️⃣ Memory aids: using mnemonics and other techniques that appeal to students’ long-term memory formation.  When we cater to the unique needs of our neurodivergent students, we help them thrive academically and emotionally. No child is the same, so learning the needs of each of my students allows me to help each individual reach their potential. If you are looking for a tutor who understands neurodiversity and can give your child the support they need and deserve, send me a DM. 👩🎓 #MultiSensoryLearning #NeurodivergentEducation #InclusiveEducation #PrivateTutor #InternationalTutor

Why do some children avoid or resist learning? Many just find it boring, because they can't understand how important reading, writing, maths and other academic skills relate to their ability to thrive in the future. Others feel that learning should be easy, and they don't like the discomfort of making mistakes or trying more than a few times. Making mistakes can also make them feel embarrassed in front of their peers. But some have an auditory processing disorder (APD). This means their brain doesn't process the sounds of language quickly enough. They may not be able to remember a set of instructions, have spelling problems, and have to work so hard to read, that they avoid it. APD is common in children with dyslexia, autism and ADHD, but it can also exist on its own. It's not picked up in hearing tests either, as these are usually volume based. They don't pick up how fast a brain can sequence and process language sounds. I'm Monique, a learning coach and mum who understands the journey with learning challenges. I've been learning about neuroscience and growth mindset for more than ten years now, and focus on the skills that support learning, like attention, memory, language processing, reading and mindset. Can I help you? Book a free 30 minute chat, check out the specials or join the community I'm building for people who want to take a new and fresh approach to learning challenges. Click on the link in my bio or here https://lnkd.in/gF8UqDHE #learningchallenges #auditoryprocessingdisorder

Always an interesting read: 10 Significant Education Studies of 2024 1. A Simple Tactic for Warm Demanders 2. Winning the Battle For Student Attention 3. AI Vaporizes Long-TerM Learning 4. Take Your Proto-Biologists (and Poets) Outside 5. Learning to Love Academic Mistakes 6. This Is Your Brain on Peer Pressure 7. Covid’s Long Tail 8. The Impulse to Overprotect ELLs 9. A Modest Mental Health Turnaround 10. The ‘Science of Reading’ Meets Real Children https://lnkd.in/gGRBMsjp

📚 Rethinking Homework in the Age of AI and Mental Health 📚 The debate over homework's value in education is heating up, fueled by growing concerns about student mental health and the rise of AI. I was recently interviewed for an article in Axios that states that recent data shows a significant increase in students reporting "no homework," with 37% of 13-year-olds experiencing this, up from 21% in 2012. Schools like Butterfield Canyon Elementary have adopted no-homework policies, promoting students' social-emotional health by allowing them to explore life beyond academics. While mental health metrics have improved post-pandemic, stress levels remain high, with 67% of high school students citing homework as a major stressor. This stress is particularly acute for those with heavy workloads. AI tools like ChatGPT are also changing the homework landscape, offering both support and potential pitfalls in academic integrity. Educators are becoming more intentional about assignments, focusing on meaningful exercises that foster creativity and critical thinking. The conversation is evolving, with legislative efforts like California's recent bill urging schools to consider homework's impact on student well-being. I personally see the impact of homework on my grandchildren. 🔍  I’m Curious: How do you think reimagining homework policies could impact student engagement and overall well-being in schools? #Education #Homework #AI #StudentWellbeing #Innovation https://lnkd.in/eNQ9Yg3G

Dyslexia is not a disease, it is a learning style. Symptoms of dyslexia in school going kids   Reading well below the expected level for age   Problems remembering the sequences   Difficulty in seeing similarities and differences in letters and words   Difficulty in spelling words   Receives reports of “not doing well in school”   Unable to read one-syllable words, such as “mat” or “top”   Problems in connecting sounds and letters (e.g., “big” for “got”)   Difficulty in sequencing numbers and letters

Discover Neuralign.org: Your Gateway to Dyslexia Screening Neuralign Screener 1: 🚀 A quick and easy 10-question tool that uses behavioral and situational questions to assess your risk of dyslexia. It’s a great starting point! For a more in-depth evaluation, we recommend reaching out to a qualified professional for a formal diagnosis. Neuralign Screener 2: 🌟 Dive deeper with this comprehensive screening tool that uses both pseudowords and real words to evaluate your risk of dyslexia. It only takes about 5 minutes! For a thorough assessment, we suggest consulting a qualified professional for a formal diagnosis. Understanding Dyslexia: Common Challenges Word Skipping: Dyslexic individuals might skip over small words or parts of words when reading. For example, “Jack went down to the store yesterday” might be read as “Jack went the store yesterday.” Difficulty with Small Words: Words like “and,” “the,” or “is” can be tricky, leading to sentences that don’t make sense or are missing key information. Substitution of Words: Similar-looking or similar-meaning words might be swapped, changing the intended message of the text. Visual Processing Issues: Dyslexia can affect visual processing, making it hard to track words and lines of text, causing parts of the text to be skipped. Understanding these challenges can help in developing strategies to support dyslexic individuals in their reading and comprehension journey. 🌈📚 Feel free to explore more at Neuralign.org and take the first step towards understanding dyslexia better! https://lnkd.in/gjydVtV4

Schools are rethinking homework policies to prioritize students’ mental health, spurred by the rise of AI and shifting attitudes post-pandemic. Key takeaways here: • Mental health concerns: Many schools, like Butterfield Canyon Elementary in Utah, have adopted no-homework policies to reduce stress and support social-emotional development. • Homework’s effectiveness is unclear, especially for younger students. Reading for pleasure is linked to better outcomes. • AI’s role: 19% of teens have used ChatGPT for homework help, raising concerns about academic integrity and learning. • California legislation is considering the impact of homework on student well-being, reflecting a broader trend toward meaningful, less burdensome assignments. This shift underscores the need to balance academic rigor with students’ overall well-being. What are your thoughts? #education #schools #homework