As part of its campaign to promote reading, the Manx Dyslexia Association has purchased a set of Barrington Stoke books to supplement Ramsey Grammar School Library’s resources for young people. The Association believe that by working in partnership with school libraries, its members can inspire and encourage students who might otherwise struggle to get the most from their reading. The newly introduced books are written by popular children’s authors such as Michael Morpurgo and Malorie Blackman and are printed on off-white paper with careful spacing of words and lines. This, together with exciting content, illustrations to support comprehension and manageable chapters, ensure that students get the maximum out of the books they choose to read.
Jan Kneen, the school’s Librarian said, “These books are a fantastic additional resource for our young readers. They are specifically designed to build self-esteem which in turn increases their confidence to access all areas of the school curriculum”.
Dyslexia literally means “difficulty with words” and current research suggests that up to 20% of the population have a dyslexic brain. As the Manx Dyslexia Association points out, there is nothing wrong with a dyslexic brain and so there is nothing to fix or make better, however the dyslexic individual needs to learn how to get around the barriers to learning that dyslexia creates. When these barriers are removed, the dyslexic learner can reach their potential, especially within the school environment. Ramsey Grammar School strongly believes that all young people who have Special Educational Needs should have those needs identified and met so that, through their educational and other experiences, they may take their places as full and valued members of society, with qualifications and employable skills for the workplace.
“It is important that dyslexia does not go unrecognised and through the tremendous work of our Primary Schools, in the majority of cases early recognition allows our schools to provide appropriate support and interventions”, said the school’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, Ian Wilson.
Through their partnership with the Manx Dyslexia Association, Ramsey Grammar School is working towards delivering excellence for all of their students.
Photo - RGS Student Librarians with some of the new books.
