my way! assembly 3 ‘do something’ - first news for schools · shrek 4: forever after ! ......

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My Way! Assembly 3

‘Do something’


Teaching Resources

www.dudeswithdyslexia.co.uk

Harry


Teaching Resources

ISSUE 238 17 ! 30 DEC 201022

READING CHAMPIONS

THE BOOK CORNER

EVERYONE knows a Reading Champion – they’re people who inspire others to get reading. Each week one of our champions tells you a bit about their favourite reads and what they think makes reading so appealing.

Name: Phil Earle

Phil Earle is the author of the Being Billy an extremely moving teen novel about a boy in care

Favourite reads: “My favourite books when I was younger were the Roy of the Rovers comic and Flat Stanley. One of them was a footballer, and one was squashed "at, but I wanted to be like both of them.

A cracking book stops me thinking about anything else. Comics and graphic novels inspired me, the mix of words and pictures.

Reading allows me to go places and experience things that my own life won’t allow. It expands your views on so many matters. Reading doesn’t have to mean normal #ction. If you think you don’t like reading, why not try comics, magazines, annuals, even websites, formats with di$erent visual styles. I love working in children’s publishing. It’s like being the biggest kid in the toy shop. I don’t have to pretend to be an adult.”

Do you think you would make a good Reading Champion? Ask your school to sign up today. www.readingchampions.org.uk

BOOK REVIEWS www.redhouse.co.uk

I REALLY enjoyed this book. The Wombles are quite common creatures but tend to keep themselves to themselves, only venturing out when they really need to. These endearing creatures will draw you into this page-turning wonder of a book. Go on wild adventures with Bungo, Orinoco and Great Uncle Bulgaria and many more of these adorable

creatures as you read on! This book will bring tears to your eyes as you laugh along with the Wombles of Wimbledon common!

reviewed by Charlotte Lennon, 10

THE WOMBLES ELIZABETH BERESFORD

I KNOW what a Bathyscaphe, Hakka House and an Auroch are – do you? All right, I didn’t know them before I started reading this huge encyclopedia! It’s an amazing book, over"owing with info, pictures and drawings about everything you could ever imagine, from space and

the natural world, to history and science. There are quizzes, fun facts and serious bits. It is a great book to dip in and out of when you’ve #ve minutes to spare. But, be warned, those #ve minutes could easily turn into 35 minutes as it’s so engrossing!

reviewed by Joshua Wood, 9

KNOW IT ALL

WHAT’S IN THE SHOPS?

SHREK 4: FOREVER AFTER ! THE FINAL CHAPTER ! PLUS DONKEY’S CHRISTMAS SHREKTACULAR WWW.THEHUT.COM £14.85THIS two disc special tells the tale of Shrek, a loveable ogre who rescued a princess but, longing for the old days, Shrek signs a deal with Rumpelstiltskin turning his world upside down in the process.The second disc sees Donkey presenting his very own stage show featuring his Far Far Away pals in this merry, musical treat with all the trimmings. A must see this Christmas!

ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS 2 ! CHRISTMAS EDITION WWW.PLAY.COM £7.99THE cute rodent rockers return in this fun Christmas special. This time, the boys try to save their failing high school by competing in the Battle of The Bands contest. With female rivals The Chippettes on the scene, can the squeaky siblings get the girls and save the day?

GLEE: SEASON 1HMV £28.99GIVE a cheer for Glee. William McKinley High School once had a champion glee club, but now they’re not so great! In steps the Spanish teacher and takes up their cause, vowing to transform the group of singers and dancers into champions. Filled with your favourite characters and dynamite musical numbers, Glee: Road to Sectionals is an electrifying, pitch-perfect winner that all the family will love this Christmas.

DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROLWWW.AMAZON.CO.UK £12.93WATCH Ebenezer Scrooge as he begins Christmas with his usual contempt. But, when the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future take him on an eye-opening journey revealing truths old Scrooge is reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before it’s too late.

Want to share your story? Find out how online at www."rstnews.co.uk

I AM writing to tell you about some work I’ve done at school to help people with dyslexia.

I’ve got dyslexia myself and I wrote a lea"et to help other people understand it better.

If you have dyslexia, you #nd it hard to read and write because the words move around on the page.

I also made a Power Point presentation at home which I brought into school, Salusbury Primary School, to show my class.

For more book reviews and clips go to www.!rstnews.co.uk/bored

an electrifying, pitch-perfect winner that all the family will love this

Understandingmy dyslexiaFIRST NEWS is running a campaign called My Way! It’s about recognising that for some people school is easy but, for others, it might be harder – but that the way you learn has nothing to do with how smart you are. Around six children in each class have learning challenges which means that their brains work in a di#erent way. But that doesn’t mean that they won’t be fantastically successful in whatever they choose to do.

Oliver, 9, from London, has dyslexia. Here he describes how he has been working hard to deal with the learning challenge but, also, how important it is to him that his friends understand it. This is exactly what the My Way! campaign is about and we are really proud of the work Oliver has been doing.

Some of the points on Oliver’s lea$et include:

If you have dyslexia it’s a good thing to talk to an adult with dyslexia.

I use an overlay, a piece of blue see-through plastic, which helps to stop the words moving around so much.

Using a computer screen makes writing easier because the screen is bigger.

You can use the colour overlay as the background on the computer.

Dyslexia means I "nd it hard to concentrate.

ISSUE 238 17 ! 30 DEC 201022

READING CHAMPIONS

THE BOOK CORNER


Name: Phil Earle

Phil Earle is the author of the Being Billy an extremely moving teen novel about a boy in care

Favourite reads: “My favourite books when I was younger were the Roy of the Rovers comic and Flat Stanley. One of them was a footballer, and one was squashed "at, but I wanted to be like both of them.

A cracking book stops me thinking about anything else. Comics and graphic novels inspired me, the mix of words and pictures.

Reading allows me to go places and experience things that my own life won’t allow. It expands your views on so many matters. Reading doesn’t have to mean normal #ction. If you think you don’t like reading, why not try comics, magazines, annuals, even websites, formats with di$erent visual styles. I love working in children’s publishing. It’s like being the biggest kid in the toy shop. I don’t have to pretend to be an adult.”

Do you think you would make a good Reading Champion? Ask your school to sign up today. www.readingchampions.org.uk

BOOK REVIEWS www.redhouse.co.uk

I REALLY enjoyed this book. The Wombles are quite common creatures but tend to keep themselves to themselves, only venturing out when they really need to. These endearing creatures will draw you into this page-turning wonder of a book. Go on wild adventures with Bungo, Orinoco and Great Uncle Bulgaria and many more of these adorable

creatures as you read on! This book will bring tears to your eyes as you laugh along with the Wombles of Wimbledon common!

reviewed by Charlotte Lennon, 10

THE WOMBLES ELIZABETH BERESFORD

I KNOW what a Bathyscaphe, Hakka House and an Auroch are – do you? All right, I didn’t know them before I started reading this huge encyclopedia! It’s an amazing book, over"owing with info, pictures and drawings about everything you could ever imagine, from space and

the natural world, to history and science. There are quizzes, fun facts and serious bits. It is a great book to dip in and out of when you’ve #ve minutes to spare. But, be warned, those #ve minutes could easily turn into 35 minutes as it’s so engrossing!

reviewed by Joshua Wood, 9

KNOW IT ALL

WHAT’S IN THE SHOPS?

SHREK 4: FOREVER AFTER ! THE FINAL CHAPTER ! PLUS DONKEY’S CHRISTMAS SHREKTACULAR WWW.THEHUT.COM £14.85THIS two disc special tells the tale of Shrek, a loveable ogre who rescued a princess but, longing for the old days, Shrek signs a deal with Rumpelstiltskin turning his world upside down in the process.The second disc sees Donkey presenting his very own stage show featuring his Far Far Away pals in this merry, musical treat with all the trimmings. A must see this Christmas!

ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS 2 ! CHRISTMAS EDITION WWW.PLAY.COM £7.99THE cute rodent rockers return in this fun Christmas special. This time, the boys try to save their failing high school by competing in the Battle of The Bands contest. With female rivals The Chippettes on the scene, can the squeaky siblings get the girls and save the day?

GLEE: SEASON 1HMV £28.99GIVE a cheer for Glee. William McKinley High School once had a champion glee club, but now they’re not so great! In steps the Spanish teacher and takes up their cause, vowing to transform the group of singers and dancers into champions. Filled with your favourite characters and dynamite musical numbers, Glee: Road to Sectionals is an electrifying, pitch-perfect winner that all the family will love this Christmas.

DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROLWWW.AMAZON.CO.UK £12.93WATCH Ebenezer Scrooge as he begins Christmas with his usual contempt. But, when the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future take him on an eye-opening journey revealing truths old Scrooge is reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before it’s too late.

Want to share your story? Find out how online at www."rstnews.co.uk

I AM writing to tell you about some work I’ve done at school to help people with dyslexia.

I’ve got dyslexia myself and I wrote a lea"et to help other people understand it better.

If you have dyslexia, you #nd it hard to read and write because the words move around on the page.

I also made a Power Point presentation at home which I brought into school, Salusbury Primary School, to show my class.

For more book reviews and clips go to www.!rstnews.co.uk/bored

an electrifying, pitch-perfect winner that all the family will love this

Understandingmy dyslexiaFIRST NEWS is running a campaign called My Way! It’s about recognising that for some people school is easy but, for others, it might be harder – but that the way you learn has nothing to do with how smart you are. Around six children in each class have learning challenges which means that their brains work in a di#erent way. But that doesn’t mean that they won’t be fantastically successful in whatever they choose to do.

Oliver, 9, from London, has dyslexia. Here he describes how he has been working hard to deal with the learning challenge but, also, how important it is to him that his friends understand it. This is exactly what the My Way! campaign is about and we are really proud of the work Oliver has been doing.

Some of the points on Oliver’s lea$et include:

If you have dyslexia it’s a good thing to talk to an adult with dyslexia.

I use an overlay, a piece of blue see-through plastic, which helps to stop the words moving around so much.

Using a computer screen makes writing easier because the screen is bigger.

You can use the colour overlay as the background on the computer.

Dyslexia means I "nd it hard to concentrate.

Oliver


Teaching Resources

Alfie, Ben, Sarah, Pollyanna, Georgia-Rose, Emus and Jack.

22

STUNT BUNNY: SHOWBIZ SENSATIONTAMSYN MURRAY

reviewed by Caroline Alice Westwood, 7

AT !rst glance, Harriet Houdini appears like a typical family pet – a little rabbit chosen by the Wilson family which accidentally bites Mr Wilson’s !nger and escapes from her hutch. But it becomes apparent very quickly that Harriet is an extremely clever bunny with some big dreams of

stardom. Follow Harriet’s journey from the Wilson family home to the world of TV studios when she competes in a TV reality show. This book portrays family life in a funny, sympathetic way that you can relate to. Showbiz Sensation very quickly has become my new favourite book!


Name: Ali Sparkes

Ali’s S.W.I.T.C.H adventures feature in a £1 World Book Day book: Bug Battle.

Favourite reads: “As a child, I read many classic adventures like Anne of Green Gables, What Katy Did, but also – voraciously – Enid Blyton and Joan Aiken (my favourite of hers is The Whispering Mountain) and a fantastic story by Jean Craighead George called My Side Of The Mountain. I also loved Anthony Buckeridge’s Jennings stories – still just as funny today as they were 30 years ago. If I could be any storybook character it would have to be Dido Twite in Joan Aiken’s Black Hearts In Battersea and Nightbirds Of Nantucket. She’s such a feisty, scrappy, can-do, fabulous girl.

For me reading is for pure pleasure, there’s nothing to beat it. A good book sets o" the cinema in your head, a cinema that is yours and yours alone; nobody else will ever see that story exactly as you see it, which is what makes it so special. And of course, while you’re being delighted in your very own surround sound 3D auditorium, your brain is absorbing new ideas at light speed and you are learning language and geography and history and nature and spelling and science… all without even trying. Fabulous though many are, no interactive computer game will ever do quite the same for you. Trust me on this… No really – trust me!”

THE CHRONICLES OF AVANTIA: CALL TO WARADAM BLADE

reviewed by Sebastian Westwood , 10

IF you’ve enjoyed the Best Quest books and have read them all, the new Avantia series by the same author could be for you! In Call to War, Tanner, Gwen and Castor, helped by their beasts Gulkien, Nera and Firepos, face a fresh challenge.

The evil Derthsin, who has already murdered Tanner’s father and abducted his mother, has returned to wreak more havoc on the land of Avantia. He’s in hot pursuit of the Mask of Death which would give him control over the children’s beasts. Will Tanner, Gwen and Castor be able to withstand Derthsin and his armies and outwit him? Every page of this book is packed with action and courage and I found the book to be a real page turner. Highly recommended for everyone over the age of eight who wants to lose themselves in a land of magic!

FIRST NEWS has been running a campaign for a year called My Way! It’s about getting people to understand that everybody learns in their own way. For some people school is easy but, for others, it might be harder. The important thing we want everybody to understand is that the way you learn has nothing to do with how smart you are. Around six children in each class have learning challenges but that doesn’t mean that they won’t be fantastically successful in whatever they choose to do. As My Way! ambassador Henry Winkler says: “Every child has brilliance inside them. Their job is to dig it out and give it to the world.”

The Government are about to make changes to the ways in which children with learning challenges are helped at school. First News was asked to visit the Department for Education with some My Way! children ahead of the changes so that those involved in making the decisions could get their views.

For more book reviews and clips go to www.!rstnews.co.uk/boredgo to

THE BOOK CORNER MY WAY CAMPAIGN

READING CHAMPIONS

Book reviews www. redhouse.co.uk

Do you think you would make a good Reading Champion? Ask your school to sign up today. www.readingchampions.org.ukAsk your school to sign up today.

We were invited by the Minister for Special Educational Needs, Sarah Teather. She wanted to speak directly to children a"ected by learning challenges because she has to make decisions about how to change the way they are taught at school. Unfortunately, she was ill on the day but the director of SEND, Ann Gross, stepped in instead.

The young people who came along were Al!e, Ben, Sarah, Pollyanna, Georga-Rose, Emus and Jack. They were able to talk about their experiences at school dealing with di#culties such as dyslexia, autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and being deaf.

It was a very emotional discussion. All of the young people were able to express the good and bad parts of their school lives.

There were three messages that came through loud and clear about how their learning could be improved.

1. To be heard. All the children felt they needed to be listened to more by teachers

when they were trying to express what help they needed.

2. For their teachers, assistants and helpers to be better trained about their learning di#culties so that they could give better help.

3. More than anything, for other children to understand what makes them di"erent. Many of the children talked about how children with learning challenges were picked on and bullied because of the ignorance of other pupils.

The Government said they were reviewing some of their ideas, based on what the children had told them. And we will be going back to see Sarah Teather soon, now she is better!

Want to share your story? Find out how online at www.!rstnews.co.uk

and click on My Way!

FirstNews ISSUE 246 18 $ 24 FEB 2011

WOULD you like to star in this column? Write around 150 to 200 words about your learning challenge and how you’re succeeding despite it and send us a photo too. HOW you learn is just as important as WHAT you learn and we want to hear from you.

Send your reports to newsdesk@!rstnews.co.uk putting My Way! in the subject box. And THANK YOU!

Be a My Way! star…

The seven My Way! children with First News editor Nicky Cox and the Department for Education’s Ann Gross and

Laura Cunningham

SEVEN My Way! kids joined First News editor, Nicky Cox, at the Department for Education last week.

Seven My Way! Kids visited the Department of Education. The Minister for Special Educational Needs, Sarah Teather, wanted to speak directly to children affected by learning challenges because the Government were about to make changes to the ways they are helped at school.


Teaching Resources

The Three Key Points raised by the My Way! Children Ambassadors at their meeting with the Government:

1. To be heard - to be listened to more by teachers when we are trying to express what help we need.

2. For teachers, assistants and helpers to be better trained about learning difficulties so that they can give better help.

3. More than anything, for other kids to understand what makes kids different. Children with learning challenges can be picked on and bullied because of the ignorance of other pupils.

my way! assembly 3 ‘do something’ - first news for schools · shrek 4: forever after ! ......

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