Ann Sullivan - Phonics for SEN

Pumpkin   was what she called him because she knew he’d always held a candle for her   that his head was huge, fleshy and orange were further contributory factors Brian Bilston

Today’s Halloween-based poem is called ‘Pumpkin’.

Oh yes. @discoverinclusion.bsky.social

Prayer for Uninteresting Times   Send me a slow news day, a quiet, subdued day, in which nothing much happens of note, save for the passing of time, the consumption of wine, and a re-run of Murder, She Wrote. Grant me a no news day, a spare-me-your-views day, in which nothing much happens at all, except a few hours together some regional weather, a day we can barely recall. Brian Bilston

Here’s a poem called ‘Prayer for Uninteresting Times’.

The Seductive Appeal of Discovery Learning - kirschner-ED The idea that children learn better if they discover something themselves is attractive for many different reasons, in spite of the fact that empirical research tells a different story.

The Seductive Myth of Discovery Learning
The idea that children learn better if they discover something themselves is attractive for many different reasons despite the fact that empirical research tells a very different story.
#EduSky
www.kirschnered.nl/2025/03/30/t...

Surely it's time to start some hard thinking and engage in debate to navigate through this.

Thanks, Ben.

Are we finally going to talk about this? I hope so!

Yes - many issues raised around what 'evidence-led' constitutes and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions - there are practices that may prove not to be effective - there a differences in 'interpretation' of what is written on EHCPs

Great to hear about good practice in Steubenville having such impact on children's lives.

The great @brianbilston.bsky.social

Using AI to enable access to phonics for non-speaking learners One of the strategies that I advocate when working on reading with non-speaking pupils is picture matching. The premise is simple. The child reads the given word (in their ‘thinking voice’ in their he...

I’ve been in the lab again, mucking about with AI. I think I have come across a ‘game changer’ for teaching pupils who are non-speaking or have communication difficulties!

I've blogged about it here...

www.phonicsforpupilswithspecialeducationalneeds.com/post/using-a...

I can't find any information about the LAMP phonics offer on their website.

Phonics and AAC Many non-speaking children use Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) strategies. These systems enable them to select pictures to express themselves, ranging from paper-based symbol grids to voi...

New Blog
A recent question from a parent got me to writing this blog about phonics for AAC users, particularly incorporating the use of voice output devices in instruction.

www.phonicsforpupilswithspecialeducationalneeds.com/post/phonics...

Tonight on @itvnews.bsky.social we have a special report on early years reading across the UK.

We hear from those let down by the continued use of discredited methods, while Northern Ireland's Education Minister tells me why he's urgently reforming their system.

On the ITV Evening News shortly.

A reminder that using SSP as the foundation of literacy is not universally advocated. Although phonics has been 'mandated' in mainstream schools in England since 2005 and special schools since 2021, the same is not true for Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales.

www.itv.com/news/2025-02...

Early Morning Love Poem Duvet, you are so groovet, I’d like to stay under you all of Tuesdet. Brian Bilston

Early morning love poem.

Are SEN children different? It’s a truism in education to say that all children are different, and of course they are, each child is a precious, unique individual with their own set of characteristics, experiences, and perspe…

I think you would appreciate Monique Nower's blog: howtoteachreading.org.uk/are-sen-chil...

Are SEN children different? It’s a truism in education to say that all children are different, and of course they are, each child is a precious, unique individual with their own set of characteristics, experiences, and perspe…

Excellent blog.

I preface my training with 'let's talk labels and the severity scale' going on to say these have some use for us as professionals but they do not define the child. We need to know and understand their individual profiles of needs, strengths and barriers to accessing learning.

A reader with a terminal illness emailed in despair. What she told me should shock us all | Frances Ryan Rosy is unable to move, breathe or eat unassisted. Yet NHS assessors think it’s fine to leave her alone for hours at a time, says Guardian columnist Frances Ryan

This column has been the second most read on the whole Guardian site today and it’s all credit to Rosy who literally used her last voice to speak out about this country’s care crisis.

Please do continue to read and share. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Incidentally since then I have trialled and produced a programme for those with the greatest needs, including those with PMLD.

Here is the report from the pilot study.

www.phonicsforpupilswithspecialeducationalneeds.com/_files/ugd/d...

Is there an alternative to phonics? From time to time (with more frequency than I’d like) I see posts on social media literacy groups asking about alternatives to phonics. This question is grounded in a misunderstanding that phonics is ...

My own blog about this issue from 2023.

www.phonicsforpupilswithspecialeducationalneeds.com/post/is-ther...

Learners with disabilities benefit from more complex reading instruction Stanford education scholars Chris Lemons and Lakshmi Balasubramanian share strategies for helping students with intellectual and developmental disabilities learn to read.

Stanford Report on teaching literacy to learners with complex needs by Chis Lemons and Lakshmi Balasubramanian is excellent.
I hope this will spark a conversation about this group of children who have been failed for too long.

news.stanford.edu/stories/2025...

Great review, Kerry and well deserved.

Plus all the ones that are always free:
- Fantasy Phonics
- Alphabetic Code charts
- Sunflower decodable readers (basic code)
- Book Bag bookmarks for parents/carers
+ much more

TIA Ann
Donate to Parkinson's UK here: www.parkinsons.org.uk/donate?utm_s...

Available resources:
- Spelling practice booklets
- Movable alphabet cards
- Mini workbooks
- Word-catcher game
- Word Detective
- Vocabulary Builder
- Assessment Suites
- Sound Posters for older pupils
- Phonic Word Wall
- Alternative Keyboard materials

My husband was diagnosed with PD 15 years ago and has benefited from advice and support from this charity. To support them I have made everything in my website shop FREE to download until 12th February. If you find the resources useful, please consider a small donation to this charity - link below.

I am looking forward to meeting a group from Parkinson's UK tomorrow to talk about communication strategies for people with Parkinson's in hospital whose speech is temporarily affected.

Yes! I am an avid puzzler (average competence, sadly)!

Dianne, I wonder if you are aware of the games on Linked In? I think you would enjoy them. I have added them to my daily routine!

Thanks, Colin. I agree that so many teachers feel under pressure to stick to a time frame rather than adjust pace to respond to pupil need.