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I get my P and Q and D and B different.
It's really crucial that we work to make sure that they are successful
and that they know they're successful right from the start.
I'm Kate and I'm lucky enough to work at Ewelme a few sessions a week,
working with children who have dyslexia.
This is a very small school. It has a very friendly population
both of staff and children.
- H. - H. It's H.
Ewelme is a Church of England school in a very rural part of Oxfordshire.
It's the oldest school in the country
still operating from its original buildings.
At first sight, this is a very unusual school.
It's in a beautiful setting. But it's not that unusual professionally
and in terms of what the children experience.
It's a regular school.
They're not a specialist school, but it has in it teachers
that are interested in dyslexia of children.
Since I've been working here, the staff have become very interested
in working with dyslexic children.
And there are plans to do some more formal training
in the coming year.
But teachers at Ewelme already teach in a way that is accessible
for children with dyslexia.
In this programme,
we will be looking at a number of the multisensory methods they use,
including the use of fuzzy boards and wooden alphabets.
And the practice of writing on children's backs
to help them memorise their letter shapes.
We will also be looking at the help that colour-tinted glasses
give to some children, and the importance of teaching
continuous cursive handwriting.
About 5% of the children that we would have in a normal class
will have quite serious dyslexic problems.
And they will need more intensive help.
A further 5% show some dyslexic characteristics.
At Ewelme, teachers are on the lookout for the signs of dyslexia
from the first day a child enters the reception class.
If I was looking at children in a reception class,
I'd be looking out for children who have difficulties with organisation,
for children who are not remembering sequences,
so perhaps aren't remembering the days of the week.
You're looking for children who can't find their way round the school,
are very disorientated when trying to find resources in the classroom,
still can't get themselves dressed, so still putting their shoes on first
and then not being able to get their trousers on.
Obviously, when children are doing their writing,
they have key characteristics that show through in their writing.
We find one of the telltale signs is that children find it very difficult
to retain information.
They have a serious difficulty remembering the shapes and sounds,
hearing the differences in the sounds of words.