Special Needs
Helping children with learning difficulties...
Letterland grew from teaching, observing and talking with children aged 5 to 10 who were persistently baffled by print. Through their imagination and shared moments of make-believe a child-friendly language about the English language was born.
Letterland has learned through feedback from parents, teachers, speech language pathologists, nurses, occupational therapists and special needs teachers that using part or the entire Letterland programme has caused breakthroughs where children have learning difficulties.
The system takes responsibility for the whole spectrum of ability in any one classroom from the reader with difficulties to the fluent reader. Letterland has also been used in Special Needs environments to aid early literacy development in children with a range of complex conditions, such as:
- Dyslexia
- Autism
- Dyspraxia
- Cerebral Palsy
- Apraxia
- Down's Syndrome
- Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
- Speech and Language Disabilities
The memorable multisensory approach...
In Letterland:
- Multisensory teaching is simultaneously visual, auditory and kinesthetic/tactile to improve memory and learning.
- Children sing, act, draw, write, move, speak and build words by being the letters.
The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) has established "There is a growing body of evidence supporting multisensory teaching". And advises, "Young children in structured, sequential, multisensory intervention programs, who are also trained in phonemic awareness, make significant gains in decoding skills…The IDA actively promotes effective teaching approaches." IDA Fact Sheets #968-09/01 and #969-01/00
Literacy is fun with Letterland...
"Associating letters with interesting characters...and incorporating this into activities and games that are fun is important for promoting young children’s learning...Application of this principle can be found in Letterland...a program that teaches kindergarteners letter-sound associations."
Everyone can have fun with this programme, because Letterland:
Breaks down the barriers
- No mundane drills or inaccessible explanations of spelling rules.
- Letterland uses metaphors, stories and songs to break the literacy code.
- Pictograms engage all learning styles.
Develops ownership of print
- Builds fascination and confidence for print.
- Extends interest for print out of the classroom.
Uses age appropriate teaching
- Children are not alienated as stories can be related to their hobbies and interests.
Letterland has been used in a number of different teaching environments with children who have very different learning difficulties.
Here are a few examples of where Letterland can be used effectively to improve learning literacy.
Combatting letter reversals...
The carefully designed pictograms relate body parts to letter shapes.
Letterland can help children with a range of learning difficulties including dyslexia to overcome predictable letter reversals, because:
- Directional clues are designed into each pictogram, related to the concept of the 'Reading Direction'.
- Letters are referred to as 'he' and 'she', not neutral 'it'.
- 'Handwriting Songs' help letter formation.
- Drawing and picture coding the pictograms provides personal involvement in the print.
- Finger tracing over the letter shape improves fine motor control.
Improving vocabulary and communication...
Parents and carers of children with autism have found the pictograms an aid in teaching phonemic awareness and improving communication skills with their child. Children with autism tend to be visual learners and benefit from a visual means of communication.
Letterland's method of teaching sight vocabulary on simple picture coded cue cards that can be attached to everyday objects can help a child to understand and improve their communication skills. This then encourages the development of spoken language and controlled communication.
Strengthening fine and gross motor control...
The kinesthetic approach to Letterland's teaching enables children with dyspraxia to practice their ideation, motor planning and execution. Finger tracing pictograms on: a Alphabet Wall Frieze, ABC book or Picture Code Cards helps to reinforce letter shape and improve gross and fine motor control.
Live spelling and role-play situations help to reinforce individual letter sounds, blending sounds and spelling patterns. These kinesthetic elements help children to build confidence and improve coordination as they learn.
Reinforcing letter Sounds...
Letterland can be used as an eclectic approach to helping a child with apraxia. The 'Alphabet Songs' and 'Handwriting Songs' cassettes/CDs are very popular with Speech Language Pathologists and parents, as is the 'Once Upon a Time in Letterland' video.
Actions from the 'Letterland Teacher's Guide' and 'Action Trick Poster' act as visual, kinesthetic cueing modes to help a child remember the sound of a specific letter.
"They are the most valuable resources I have ever seen. I would recommend the use of (these) materials."LuAnne McFarlane, MSc, Professor & Clinical Director of Speech Language Pathology,
University of Alberta, Canada
If you would like to know more about the system, please contact us.
