Dyslexia Awareness Week: Competition Winners

Thank you to everyone for taking part in our Dyslexia Awareness Week competitions this year! We had some wonderful entries. Please find the winners in each category listed below, along with their submission!

Dyslexia Friendly School/College: Frewen College

The BDA received a several nominations for Frewen College for this category. This is what some of the people who nominated them said:

"As well as using teaching techniques that benefit dyslexic students, the pastoral care is second to none. Most of the children that attend this school have been bullied at previous schools that they have attended. At Frewen, the huge emphasis on making sure that the children feel happy and secure means that they are then much more able to concentrate on and benefit from fantastic learning opportunities both in and out of the classroom."

"As a specialist school they open their doors to other schools including state schools to help them identify and manage children in their schools that may need help, and how to help them. They are holding conferences each year covering an aspect of dyslexia. They continually support parents with the nightmare ehcps that are needed by the children but rejected by officials. The prep school understand that all their pupils all have similar problems but each are individuals that are looked at so they can meet each childs specific needs. Their outstanding work warrants a nomination for school of the year."

Highly Commended in this Category: Managing Dyslexia – Community Group, Sheffield

Nomination for Vanessa Goddard: Group Leader

Vanessa’s passion for he group has transferred to each and every learner. Due to the overwhelming peer/tutor support some individuals within the group have moved on to further education and paid employment. Vanessa strives to break down barriers often encountered with dyslexia. Vanessa encourages her learners to share their lived experiences.

This community resource continues to flourish due to Vanessa’s commitment, passion, enthusiasm and dedication.

Writers 18+

Demi Morrell, Peterborough: 'When I was in School'

When I was in school, I felt a fool. It must have been when I was seen a teacher came and did a test and told me “just do your best”. My reading skills were very low, my writing skills I did not show. I couldn’t really use my hand, I didn’t really understand. Did dyslexia ring a bell? I wasn’t sure, I couldn’t tell.

But way back then stood, ridicule but that was then and back in school for now more people are aware and now more people offer care and those that are just so sincere appreciate a modern year. For dyslexia in the here and now is just something how people fail to realise that those who suffer are often wise.

Writers 12 -17

Millie Battye (13), Birmingham - 'A Day in the Life of Claroread'

My next patient sat down with a slightly annoyed look on her face. She opened up Word and started to type. She looked up and saw hundreds of words underlined in red, staring menacingly down at her. She sighed and started correcting them all, afraid of what her class might think. Once they had been corrected she started typing eagerly. She had so many creative ideas. She squinted at her words, struggling to read them. Slowly and patiently, I read the words back to her. She smiled, corrected her work and started again…. She kept writing and as I watched, I noticed that she kept using the word “nice”. I called to my thesaurus to help. She glanced at him and changed her word from “nice” to “wonderful”. Next, I pulled up an overlay and she selected pink and instantly her face relaxed. She smiled and started to read quite easily and with my help became much better at choosing her words. She wrote and wrote. Her teacher came to read her work and beamed at her. “that’s amazing Grace!” she said. “Claroread is really helping”.

I grinned broadly. I love my job.

Writers 5 -11

Maisy Waters (8), Perranporth - 'The World Needs Dyslexics'

Listen to your brain

You were born to be amazing

Clever

Creative

You are unique, different and kind

You need to be yourself in all ways

Picture an image in your head

Imagine positive things

Dyslexics are awesome in every way

Good things will happen in the future

The world has lots of problems, but

Dyslexics can solve them!

Artists

Ethan Wyatt (5 – 11), Pencoed

Tonje Goff (12-17), Cheltenham