[senco-forum] Y7 non reader

Hello
  I agree that it seems terrible that someone has had 7 years of teaching and still cannot read - but I've got a pupil who has just that problem.  
  The primary school did an excellent job in improving his receptive lanaguage skills.  Backtracking, we estimate he came to school at 5 working at P4 or below.  He has now got receptive language skills in Level 1.  But most of what he was taught about literacy was beyond him when he was exposed to it.  We are actually using PiPs with him.  
  Where do other people get advice about for a pupil like this?  

  Amanda
  Secondary SENCO
  Cornwall

lucy grimme <lucy.grimme at btinternet.com> wrote:
  This is becoming increasingly frequent. students who cannot read 
cannot access the national curriculum at KS3. We have to take into 
account that these students have had 7 years primary education trying 
to teach them to read and the child will be fed up with basic literacy 
training and this will have affected the student's self esteem and 
confidence. what you provide depends upon what you can afford to 
provide. some subject teachers are better than others at including 
non readers in their lessons; find out which teachers are sympathetic 
and do not withdraw from there. one of my non readers copies from 
the board and takes part in lively discussions in one subject area but 
he can independently read and write nothing. LSA support in this 
lesson has actually proved disruptive and has been withdrawn. Your 
child will have some strengths, find out what they are and build on 
them. We are in the very fortunate position of having an on site 
working farm, this suits many children but not all and is a very 
expensive resource as students still may require 1:1 adult supervision 
for health and safety reasons.
Consider creating a vertically grouped class of similar students who 
do not attend some mainstream lessons but who follow 'project' work 
which is cross curricular and develops communication skills (consider 
ASDAN model even though this is for older students).
Statements that say '15 hours support' usually imply that LSA support 
in mainstream lessons is adequate. we should all be fighting for a 
completely different/alternative curriculum for such students so that 
they can achieve, succeed and enjoy school instead of facing failure 
every day because somebody is telling them that the National 
Curriculum is good enough for them. It isn't.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Graham" 
To: "senco-forum" 
Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2007 3:44 PM
Subject: [senco-forum] Y7 non reader

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Bill Graham
To: senco-forum
Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2007 12:29 PM
Subject: Y7 non-reader

Dear All

We have in our Y7 a lad whose RA is virtually non existant. 
Conseqently he's struggling in the majority of curriculum areas. He 
has a TA and his statement says he needs 15 hrs of support and he 
doesn't do French, going to our SEN tutor instead for 3 lessons.

His mum was quite upset (naturally) after parents evening due to the 
comments mainly about his behaviour. I have a review coming up next 
week. What do other secondary schools to do help similar pupils?

Lorraine

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Amanda
Secondary SENCO
Cornwall