Reading, Phonics, and Dyslexic Profile with Charlie Pitt Miller
Release Date: 06/30/2022
What is an OT? with Kim Griffin
The SENDcast
We’ve all heard of Occupational Therapists – but do we truly understand the breadth and depth of their role? Kim Griffin has been an OT for over 20 years and joins Dale for today’s podcast ‘What is an OT?’. Kim sheds light on the history of the profession, explains how the name was derived and how it can specialise in different areas; such as working with children, adults, mental health, SEND, orthopaedics and so on. An OT’s role can support people across their lifespan! Kim specialises in paediatrics and has extensive experience working with SEND children within schools. During...
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Parenting foster/adopted children with Alison Knowles
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Let's begin by acknowledging a fundamental truth: there are no bad children. Each child exhibits behaviours as a means of survival within their unique environment. In the case of foster or adopted children, many have endured profoundly traumatic pasts, resulting in complex behavioural issues. However, at their core, they are children who, like any other child, simply need to feel loved, safe, and valued. In this week’s episode, Alison Knowles joins Dale to discuss ‘Parenting foster/adopted children’. We explore the specific challenges facing foster or adoption families including;...
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A Profound Separation with Joanna Grace
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The National SEND Picture with Simon Tanner
The SENDcast
When it comes to the national SEND landscape, it's crucial to gain a comprehensive understanding of what is happening across the country. Different schools and authorities often face unique challenges, and it's important to recognise the difference between struggles that are universal and those that are localised to specific schools. Having spent 6 years as a MAT SEND Leader, Simon Tanner joins Dale today bringing his expertise to discuss ‘The National SEND Picture’. During the conversation, Simon delves into the national issues affecting the SEND landscape, such as workload, funding, and...
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Controller, Friend or Benevolent Dictator with Fintan O'Regan
The SENDcast
The impact of a teacher's style and approach can be profound, especially when it comes to students with special educational needs (SEN) and behaviour challenges. Some teachers effortlessly handle students perceived as "difficult", while others struggle and resort to excessive punishment. On this week's podcast, we're discussing teacher styles for supporting SEN and behaviour with our regular guest Fintan O’Regan. Fintan looks a 3 specific types of teacher style and considers the merits of each - are you a controller, a friend, or a benevolent dictator? Controller – These subject...
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GIRL UNMASKED – Autistic Masking, School and Mental Health with Emily Katy
The SENDcast
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Standardised Approach to Exams with Dr Susie Nyman
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Strengthening the SENCO-Headteacher Partnership
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SENCOs face lots of challenges in their role, one significant one being many headteachers’ lack of understanding of the role. Traditionally, becoming a headteacher followed a career pathway, progressing from teacher to deputy head, and finally to headship. During this, detailed SEND training was often overlooked which has led to an awful lot of misconceptions and lack of awareness among headteachers on the vital SENCO role. This has led to SENCOs feeling frustrated from not being heard or understood. In today’s episode, we hear from an experienced SENCO who has worked with 11 headteachers...
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Sensory Strategies with Kim Griffin
The SENDcast
From birth, we possess certain innate senses, such as touch, while others, like vision and balance, continue to develop throughout childhood and beyond. Understanding how these senses evolve and impact our daily experiences is crucial for creating an optimal learning environment. In this episode, Kim Griffin guides us through an insightful discussion on ‘Sensory Strategies’ covering various aspects, including: the types of senses perception of sensory support, strategies and tools arousal states and their influence on learning regulation how different senses can be distracting in school...
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How exercise is different for children with SEND and why it matters with Miriam Saffer
The SENDcast
There is a lot of talk about the need for reasonable adjustments and targeted support for those with SEND when it comes to school, but far less about the need for accessibility and inclusion in other aspects of life. Research shows that the rates of obesity, asthma, heart disease and many other long term negative health outcomes are significantly higher in communities and groups of the population who have a disability, whether that’s a physical or a neurodivergent condition. Keeping physically active is vital to good health, but depending on a young person's needs, the options available can...
info_outlinePhonics have been around for years and are successful, BUT they don’t work for all pupils, and they aren’t the only way to teach reading.
Only 75% of children leave KS1 able to read well enough to access KS2 effectively (91% passed the phonic screen by Y2) *
The ultimate goal is for children to have a bank of words in their long-term memory that they can read fluently when they see them, and phonics is a part of that journey. If you don’t ‘get phonics’ by the end of year one the chances of phonics supporting reading attainment by the end of KS1, no matter how much quality Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) is provided, is slim.
Charlie Pitt Miller joins Dale for today’s podcast to discuss ‘Reading, Phonics and the Dyslexic Profile’. Charlie takes us through the characteristics of persistent literacy difficulties and how they are a barrier to applying phonic knowledge.
Listen to this episode to support your pupils with additional needs to become successful readers.
*gov.uk Phonics screening check and key stage 1 assessments in England 2019
About Charlie Miller
From the start of Charlie Miller's career in 1991, SEN has been foremost; she trained for a BEd in Sheffield 87-91, and was a SENCO from 2002-2012. She is currently a specialist assessor and advisory teacher - mainly advising on identification of needs and next steps for learning for children with SEN – including dyslexia / dyscalculia.
She constantly questions the impact of phonics and how it jars against the characteristics of dyslexia, and often checks in on data linked to phonics and reading attainment.
Her 2015 MA professional enquiry and research led to the development of the Top Triangle Reading Intervention for children who have not responded well to phonics and have disengaged from learning to read.
Contact Charlie Pitt Miller
Email - [email protected]
Useful Links
2019 Reading / Phonics end KS1 data
2019 Reading / Phonics end KS2 data
The Reading Framework (2021)
Reading Wars or Reading Reconciliation – Alison Bradbury; Dominic Wyse (2022)
https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/rev3.3314
Top Triangle Reading Intervention- not a published intervention - being edited to stand alone … and piloted – not yet available except in Leicestershire schools. Happy to share when final edit available.