BETT Awards 2018 finalists announced

The finalists for the annual Bett Awards have been announced today and Scanning Pens are delighted to announce they have been named as finalists across three categories.

The Bett Awards are an annual celebration for the highest levels of achievement by companies that supply Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for education. In association with BESA (British Educational Suppliers Association) these prestigious awards form an integral part of inspiring creativity and innovation for nurseries, schools, colleges and special schools with a clear focus of enriching a child’s learning journey.

The three shortlisted categories include:

·       Digital Devices

·       Special Educational Needs Solutions

·       Exporter of the Year

Co‑Founder & Chief Executive Officer Jack Churchill was thrilled by the recognition “Being shortlisted for these awards is a testament to the positive contribution we want to make in the education sector. Our assistive technology helps dyslexic children and young adults overcome challenges and allows them to demonstrate their abilities in ways that were once unimaginable.”

The Bett Awards Judges are renowned for their experience and knowledge of ICT educational resources. They are drawn from a bank of experienced teachers with outstanding ICT knowledge and understanding, education consultants and advisers, and high-profile ICT journalists.

All winners will be announced at the 20th annual Bett Awards on Thursday 24th January at a ceremony hosted at Tobacco Dock.

About Scanning Pens

This marks a number of prestigious awards gained by Scanning Pens Ltd.  Founded in 2003 Scanning Pens is a dedicated supplier of assistive technologies including mobile scanners and reading aids to support people with a diverse range of disabilities. Scanning Pens have recently launched their Succeed with Dyslexia campaign which aims to re-establish self-confidence and provide the opportunity to succeed and champion that anything is possible with dyslexia.

For further information please visit www.scanningpens.com #succeedwithdsylexia

Social Media & Grammar Pedants

Social Media.  Do you love it or hate it? Are you on Facebook? Twitter? Snapchat? Instagram? Pinterest? You Tube? These are the ones that I know of but I know my daughters are on lots of other platforms I have never heard of.  Personally, I think there are more positives to social media than negatives.  In terms of working with SEN children it is fabulous.  Why? Well first, they aren’t all word based.

·       You Tube is such a fabulous resource.  Videos (well that’s what I still call them). Millions and millions of videos on everything!!  Imagine being Dyslexic and being able to watch a video instead of having to read a book to find something out.  Love it.

·       Snapchat & Instagram – picture based so perfect for students with reading difficulties.  A picture says a thousand words.  You can follow people like you! 

Secondly, social media can help students with SEN feel less isolated. They can connect with people who have similar learning differences and share experiences. They can feel like they belong and they are not alone.  Facebook is the big one – we are able to share so many experiences.  I like being able to see pictures of what my friends have been up to.  For me it’s also a useful guide as to the mental well-being of a lot of my friends.  I can see when they are struggling by the sort of posts they like or comment on.  There are many, many pages and clubs that people can join, including Dyslexia and other types of SEN. We all like spending time with people who are like us, who can share our experiences and opinions.   For young people, finding students who suffer the same challenges can be more difficult and Facebook gives them that opportunity.

So, bearing all this in mind, what are some of the negative things about Social Media.  Well I will tell you a big one, especially for anyone with Dyslexia or an SEN – Grammar Pedants.  You know who I mean and it may well be you!  People who like to correct other people’s spelling and grammar.  There are even memes now criticising those who don’t know how to use they, they’re and their correctly. 

I have an admission to make – initially I was one of those people.  Reading a word spelt wrong made me wince. Yes, I know.  But I safely say I have seen the light!! I now realise that being a grammar pedant isn’t a good thing to be on social media.  It can put people off using it and that is awful.  At least 1 in 10 people have Dyslexia and struggle to use the right spelling and grammar. This doesn’t mean their opinion is less valid and doesn’t mean they should be ridiculed.  I can read and understand what they’re saying, isn’t that the point of communication?   Because somebody spelt a word wrong in a debate does that mean their opinion is any less valid? No, it doesn’t. Yet this is implied so often. “Well I might take your opinion more seriously if you used the apostrophe correctly but you’re obviously uneducated so I shall ridicule you.”  Oh please. Many, many intelligent people have Dyslexia so your argument is pants!

So, if you are a grammar pedant on social media please try to become a reformed character. I know it will be hard but ween yourself off slowly.  Perhaps start a facebook group for other recovering spelling and grammar pedants like yourself so you can moan privately.  I know bad spelling makes you wince but this is social media – it’s not a legal document. Social Media isn’t an exclusive club for only those who know which ‘which’ to use. 

P.S. I did look up whether I should use spelt or spelled and was informed that in English English (as opposed to American English) I could use either.

How can I support my child with Dyslexia?

Having worked with many many students who have dyslexia, and their parents, I have been witness to a whole gamut of reactions and emotions.  All parents are concerned and want the best outcomes for their child, it’s just there are differing opinions on how to achieve the best outcomes.  What are the best outcomes?  Well this is also up for debate, but for me, a positive outcome is where Dyslexia doesn’t stop the child achieving anything they want to do.   I think all the parents I have worked with would agree with this.  Again, they may disagree with how this done!

C-Pen Reader

Here are some of the parental reactions I have experience:

• “I don’t want them labelled as Dyslexia or SEN as this will hinder them in their life.”
• “They’re not dyslexic, they are just lazy and need to work harder then there won’t be problem.”
• “They must have TA one-to-one support immediately.”
• “Are you sure it’s not down to poor teaching.”
• “Well actually his/her Dad has it and so does his uncle.”
• “They will obviously now get a statement/EHCP support plan.”

So, taking this into account I would like to pass on my wisdom (makes me sound old) and experience to parents of children with dyslexia:

1.     Dyslexia is not a bad thing.  There are many many fabulous qualities that people with Dyslexia have as a result of having Dyslexia.  Last week was Dyslexia week and I saw many blogs and articles about the positives of having Dyslexia.  Google them and read them!

2.     It’s not your fault.  They don’t have Dyslexia because of something you’ve done wrong.   Dyslexia is neuro-developmental condition and not as a result of bad parenting.

3.     Your child is not stupid and having the label ‘Dyslexia’ does not mean people will think your child is stupid. Dyslexia does not affect intelligence and anyone who thinks it does is wrong (maybe stupid?)

4.     Your child will benefit from knowing they have Dyslexia and knowing how to manage it. Imagine what it does to self-esteem to not be able read as easily as your friends can.  You think there’s something wrong with you. Once children know it’s Dyslexia, that it’s not their fault, it’s just their brain works differently, the relief is clear to see.   Psychoeducation always improves outcomes.

5.     They may not automatically get additional funding or a statement.  Dyslexia has levels of severity and affects each person in different ways.  Many children with dyslexia have already developed their own strategies to manage the difficulties and don’t need any additional support.  Or the difficulties they have may not be severe enough to warrant additional funding.

6.     Having a TA to support in class isn’t the best thing.  For some parents, having a TA support their child is the holy grail.  Something that is viewed vital and necessary. However, this isn’t always the case.  Recent studies show that having a TA can be detrimental to progress – academically and socially.  Instead you should be looking at ways your child can manage their dyslexia independently.  They won’t have a TA when they leave school so by not equipping them for independent learning we are adding extra barriers for them to overcome after leaving school. There is so much assistive technology available, this should be initial go to for support.

7.     Don’t judge your child based on the artificial world of education. School isn’t the real world so don’t presume that academic levels/achievement are the only indicator of becoming a successful adult.  40% of self-made millionaires are dyslexic and I bet the vast majority of those didn’t do well at school.  Make sure ALL the talents and abilities of your child are recognised.  Don’t get caught up in the parenting competitiveness of believing the best parent has the highest achieving child (or indeed the most popular). This isn’t true.

The Frostig Center, Pasadenia, California, has conducted over 20 years of research into the lives of children & adults with SEN/LD.  With this research, and incorporating other studies, they identified six success attributes in children/adults who were successful.  They judged success as:

• having good friends
• having positive family relations
• being loved
• having self-approval
• job satisfaction
• having physical and mental health
• achieving financial comfort,
• achieving spiritual contentment and an overall sense of meaning in life.

Successful adults with LD/SEN were much more likely to have the following characteristics (and these are more important that IQ):

• self-awareness – open and specific about difficulties and how it affects their lives
• proactivity – actively engaged in the world around them
• perseverance – doesn’t like to quit but does know when to quit, able to try many strategies
• goal setting – specific, flexible goals in all areas of life, understanding of steps required to achieve goals
• using support systems – has received support but has had a successful reduction of dependence on support as getting older; able to cut the ‘chord’; support people understood and supported the moves toward independence
• emotional coping strategies – awareness of situations that trigger stress and how to manage

Further details can be found here: http://frostig.org/our-research/ld-success-predictors/ and there is a guide for parents available.

So, if you are a parent of a child with Dyslexia don’t view it as a negative.  It’s fabulous. Your child is utterly fabulous and brilliant way.  And if they do become a millionaire remember to thank their Dyslexia that they were able to develop those skills.

Why October Dyslexia Awareness Month is Important

Dyslexia is invisible.  We cannot see how the unique wiring impacts each individual nor can we see the brilliance that lies beneath the surface of misspelled words, word retrieval misfires, and slow reading times.

The invisibility creates a false sense of reality. On the surface, a student’s learning abilities may appear to be sufficient, when in fact the student is struggling in every class.  The student becomes increasing disengaged as they do not understand the material given to them nor can they complete their class assignments.

Being behind your peers, unable to read, write or spell, I believe is one of the most stressful feelings you can have as a student.  We receive questions and inquires on why our work is not completed.  We don't know why; therefore, we are unable to provide an answer which only creates more frustration. 

Reader Pen by C-Pen

I remember, as if it was yesterday, being in second grade overwhelmed and frustrated.  I was two grade levels behind my peers and could barely spell the simplest of words. My handwriting was all over the page which compounded the problem.  Even to this day, I can recall the emotions I felt and how I knew at a gut level, something was wrong. 

In third grade, my teacher was a graduate student obtaining her dyslexia/reading specialist certificate.  She recommended that I be tested for dyslexia. Finally, a name was given to my frustrations.  I was relieved to know it was not my fault.

Teachers and educators can profoundly change their students’ lives in many ways.  Every time, I write and speak on the topic of dyslexia, I mention to two teachers who forever changed my life - Mrs. King and Dr. Wakefield.  They understood the importance of testing students for dyslexia. 

They Understood that Awareness is Everything for a Dyslexic Student. 

For millions of students and adults who are still undiagnosed, awareness is the difference between receiving help or not.  The difference between gaining the essential intervention that can help them achieve their full potential or a lifetime of frustration without ever knowing why.

Only when we have awareness can we solve a problem or assist a student who needs intervention and accommodations.  Without awareness and testing, students will continue to encounter learning challenges.

Dyslexia is unique in that it is invisible, brilliant, and frustrating all at the same time.  Digital tools designed for individuals with dyslexia help reduce many of the language processing frustrations we encounter every day.  I think about how much spell check has changed my life and provided an independence from constantly asking peers how to spell words. 

Today, we have handheld devices that can read to us, check the dictionary meaning and scan notes.  We have access to multiple software programs that perform a range of tasks from checking for dyslexia mistakes to audio dictation of reports, emails, and digital messages.

We must have awareness first, testing second for progress to occur.  Only then, can these amazing technologies be used to their full potential and reduce the learning challenges encountered by dyslexics.

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month in the United States. We are working to increaseawareness, ensure all students are tested, and have access to digital technology so that they can reach their full potential. 

Study of an 8-year-old child with dyslexic tendencies and the C-Pen Reader for every day classroom based work

Supporting young children with dyslexic tendencies is not only a worry for parents, but also for teachers as cited in an article from Dyslexia Action (2017)2.  74% of those teaching dyslexic children feel dissatisfied with their initial teacher training, questioning whether if it provides them with the skills to identify and teach children with dyslexia.  Often dyslexic children are incredibly skilled and intelligent; therefore, it is imperative early identification of dyslexic tendencies are recognised to enable the implementation of the right teaching/learning style for that child (as recommended by educational psychologist Dr. Gavin Reid (2017))7.  However, reading problems can occur due to other issues such as medical and learning difficulties.  Early identification of dyslexia can prove to be challenging. 

When a clear identification has been achieved, teachers require a bag of strategies and knowledge such as access to supportive guides; for example, the Dyslexic Screener (available online)3; awareness and instruction on the use of up- to-date available assistive technology; which in turn will enable them to support the dyslexic child; and confidence to explore the child’s learning styles to help the child reach their full potential.    Finally, the teacher will need to understand the individual child’s emotional well-being, Rosie Bissett, (Dyslexia Ireland chief executive cited in Irish Examiner, 2017)8 recently stated “It is crucial that teachers understand dyslexia while at the same time having expectations for the child…”.

There are several research papers relating to assistive technology and students with learning disabilities; livescribe pen, (Harper et al. 2016)4 android software platforms, (Tariq et al. 2016)9 mobile learning (Alghabban et al. 2016)1.  However, many of these devices are aimed at the older student.  Studies involving primary aged children focus on computer-based training programmes rather than smaller hand-held devices which may encourage independence.

This study evaluated existing dyslexic teaching strategies; sounding out, phonics, learning words from sight, multi-sensory activities and aligning these tried and tested approaches with a device which promotes independent learning; the C-Pen Reader.

A further focus for this study was to gain understanding of how a primary aged child could develop independent skills and habitual behaviours which would support their future educational journey.  The dyslexic child requires continual feedback to confirm their success, they require extra time; to enable others to listen to them read; and they need to be motivated.

Extra time to practice reading and sounding out text is of great import to the dyslexic child, followed by confirmation from the adult (who often will have 20-30 other children in the classroom), before continuing with their work.  Obviously, this impacts on the dyslexic child’s chance of achieving all the work set in each lesson due to the extra minutes they require to ensure they are confident with their learning.   The C-Pen Reader was deemed the perfect device to promote such efficiency, with confirmation coming from the pen rather than an adult.

The research question: “How effective would the early introduction of assistive technology be to the primary aged child, to encourage emotional development, independent learning and lead to positive reading outcomes?”