write read - Freedom Scientific
write read - Freedom Scientific
write read - Freedom Scientific
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<strong>write</strong><br />
to<br />
<strong>read</strong><br />
inspiration. hope. future.
Why are we calling this the Write To Read project, and what is it?<br />
There’s no spelling mistake - we want to really highlight that a person with dyslexia sees a sea of words and<br />
often can’t comprehend them.<br />
The Write to Read project was created by The Westport Club with the assistance of Quantum Technology and<br />
the support of ClubsNSW, to provide inspiration, hope and a future to children in the Port Macquarie - Hastings<br />
region.<br />
The Write To Read project will provide state-of-the-art technology that supports children with significant learning<br />
difficulties such as dyslexia, at school. Learning difficulties can affect learning at all levels of education and<br />
their impact will vary from child to child. As many as 10% of children in Australia suffer from dyslexia or a<br />
similar learning difficulty.<br />
The technology, called Wynn, can automatically convert any text into speech, enabling students to listen to<br />
their books, assignments and tests; and as each word is spoken it is also highlighted on screen so students<br />
can follow along, improving both their <strong>read</strong>ing and listening skills.<br />
Many children with learning difficulties experience severe frustration, low self esteem, uncontrollable behaviour<br />
both at school and at home and social conflict, followed by unemployment, poverty, family breakdowns,<br />
alcoholism, drug abuse and dependency when they are older. To reduce the impact of a learning disability it<br />
is important to develop strategies and use appropriate technology to compensate for learning problems, and<br />
enable children to work independently and help them achieve their education and life goals.<br />
The Westport Club is going to fund the implementation of the adaptive technology into 11 schools in the Port<br />
Macquarie - Hastings region. The Club has invested $50,000, with a further $5,000 support from ClubsNSW to<br />
purchase enough software and provide appropriate training to teachers in the schools.<br />
Project implementation into schools<br />
With the assistance of the NSW Department of Education and Training, The Westport Club and Quantum<br />
Technology were able to identify schools in the Port Macquarie - Hastings region which would benefit the most<br />
from the availability of this adaptive technology.<br />
Schools to benefit from the Write to Read project in the Port Macquarie - Hastings region are:<br />
Primary Schools<br />
• Port Macquarie Public School - Grant Street, Port Macquarie<br />
• Tacking Point Public School - Bangalay Drive, Port Macquarie<br />
• Hastings Public School - Waniora Parkway, Port Macquarie<br />
• Westport Public School - Widderson Street, Port Macquarie<br />
•<br />
Wauchope Public School - Waugh Street, Wauchope<br />
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•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
North Haven Public School - Oxley Highway, Wauchope<br />
St Agnes Primary - Boronia Street, Port Macquarie<br />
St Joseph’s Primary - Warlters Street, Port Macquarie<br />
St Peter’s Primary - Ocean Drive, Port Macquarie<br />
High Schools<br />
• Westport High School - Findlay Avenue, Port Macquarie<br />
• Port Macquarie High School - Owen Street, Port Macquarie<br />
Why is The Westport Club doing this?<br />
The Westport Club’s vision is to ‘make a significant contribution to the quality of community life’ and in conjunction<br />
with the Mingara/Dymocks Literacy Foundation has al<strong>read</strong>y contributed $6,000 in books and teaching resources<br />
to schools in the Port Macquarie - Hastings region to help improve literacy and instill a love of <strong>read</strong>ing in schoolage<br />
children. It was through this initiative that Dyslexia Campaigner, Jim Bond, approached the club to see if it<br />
could assist children with significant learning difficulties such as dyslexia.<br />
In 2006, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) conducted a national survey of literacy standards and noted<br />
that 52% of Australians aged 15 to 19 had a literacy level that “was insufficient to meet the complex demands of<br />
everyday life and work”. When confronted with these statistics, The Westport Club and ClubsNSW felt compelled<br />
to make another positive contribution to literacy in NSW.<br />
The Write To Read project is a positive opportunity for the club to strengthen its existing commitment to improve<br />
literacy in schools. In NSW, 13 schools are al<strong>read</strong>y using the Wynn software and their teachers have received<br />
training from Quantum Technology. The Westport Club feels that the implementation of the software into another<br />
11 schools will have a hugely powerful impact, almost doubling its availability in NSW schools. This action by The<br />
Westport Club, ClubsNSW and Quantum Technology has the potential to help to start break cycles, so that the<br />
lives of many children in the Port Macquarie - Hastings region are positively impacted.<br />
What are learning difficulties?<br />
Children with learning difficulties may seem bright because they can talk well and have good ideas, but they<br />
cannot put these ideas down on paper and ultimately don’t do as well as expected at school. Children with<br />
learning difficulties may:<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
find it hard to <strong>write</strong>;<br />
have poor handwriting;<br />
take longer than other children to finish written work;<br />
have had speech or language problems when younger;<br />
have trouble remembering times tables;<br />
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•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
have poor memory for oral instructions;<br />
have trouble following a line of print;<br />
have concentration problems because it is hard for them to do the work;<br />
become disruptive, distracted or fidgety.<br />
Children with specific learning difficulties can face a wide range of challenges, such as problems in spelling,<br />
writing, <strong>read</strong>ing and copying, as well as issues with numeracy. Learning difficulties do not happen because of<br />
low intelligence or poor teaching. It is important to recognise that learning difficulties worry children and can lead<br />
to social or behavioral problems and children need support and encouragement to overcome these effects.<br />
Failure to learn to <strong>read</strong> can have serious consequences for children. They are at increased risk of:<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
developing mental health problems, such as depression;<br />
juvenile delinquency;<br />
not finishing school;<br />
being less responsive to health education;<br />
being unable to cope with managing chronic disorders such as diabetes or asthma;<br />
attempting suicide;<br />
ending up in jail.<br />
These are just some of the serious potential outcomes for children with dyslexia who go without intervention.<br />
Dyslexia has serious social and economic costs too.<br />
Through its passing of the Education Amendment (Educational Support For Children With Significant Learning<br />
Difficulties) Bill 2008, the NSW government committed to provide educational support for children with significant<br />
learning difficulties.<br />
Instrumental to the passing of this legislation was dyslexia sufferer and campaigner, Jim Bond, and Rev.<br />
the Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes AC MLC, who, following the passing of the Bill, continued to negotiate with the<br />
Director General of the NSW Department of Education and Training, Michael Coutes-Trotter, and Treasury to<br />
gain further funds for additional special education teachers. $10.9 million was allocated which enabled 286<br />
teachers to have specialised training in special needs’ education. This covered most schools in NSW.<br />
In 2010, an on-line training course has been designed by the NSW Department of Education and Training<br />
for teachers to help them assess the needs of children with special needs. To date, 1,300 teachers have<br />
registered and expressed an interest in undertaking the 3 month training program. This is expected to<br />
rollout in Term 3 this year.<br />
The training of special education teachers will help support the Write To Read project and help provide early<br />
intervention for students suffering from significant learning difficulties. With intervention and support, some<br />
children with special needs will become successful <strong>read</strong>ers.<br />
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The Jim Bond Story<br />
Jim Bond knows what it’s like to feel the frustration of a learning difficulty; he suffers from dyslexia. For 20<br />
years, Mr Bond from Killarney Vale on the NSW Central Coast, has campaigned to have dyslexia recognised as<br />
a disability to enable early support for children suffering from the condition, and specialised training for special<br />
needs’ teachers.<br />
With tenacity and passion, Mr Bond engaged the support of Rev. the Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes AC MLC,<br />
representative of the NSW Legislative Council, to assist him in getting a private member’s bill passed through<br />
the NSW Parliament, recognising dyslexia as a disability and children with it as having ‘significant learning<br />
difficulties’.<br />
Through its passing of the Education Amendment (Educational Support For Children With Significant Learning<br />
Difficulties) Bill 2008, the government committed to provide educational support for children with significant<br />
learning difficulties. After 20 years, Mr Bond’s tireless efforts finally paid off. He has been instrumental in ensuring<br />
children in Australia suffering from dyslexia have access to a supportive learning environment.<br />
Jim Bond’s story is documented in his paper “Falling Between The Cracks” available via www.pc.gov.au.<br />
The Westport Club<br />
The Westport Club stands as testament to a successful adaptation to change. Originally known as Grand United<br />
Port Macquarie West Bowling Club and begun in a modest clubhouse built in 1958 on the banks of the beautiful<br />
Hastings River, the Club was unable to overcome the challenges facing the club industry and faced liquidation.<br />
In February 2006, an amalgamation with Mingara Recreation Club let the Club not only survive, but thrive. Within<br />
a short space of time it has undergone a transformation that has led to its recognition as a valuable community<br />
asset. Not simply an absorption or ‘takeover’ of a struggling club by a larger one, but its reinvigoration to forge<br />
stronger links to its local community and create its own path to a strong future.<br />
The Westport Club is becoming well known in the Port Macquarie community for its dedication in working towards<br />
its vision to make a significant contribution to the quality of community life and this vision, this pervades all aspects<br />
of the club’s operations.<br />
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eferences<br />
Bond, J.J. (1999), “Falling Between The Cracks; How the System fails dyslexics”<br />
Horney, A. 2009, “Exploring the effects of Digital Note Taking on Student Comprehension of Science Texts”,<br />
Journal of Special Education Technology, 2009, Vol. 24, No. 3).<br />
Dyslexia Working Party (2010), “Helping people with dyslexia: a national action agenda”.<br />
Report to the Hon Bill Shorten, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children’s Services.<br />
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20081204009<br />
http://www.quantumtechnology.com.au<br />
contact<br />
For further information please contact:<br />
John Millard<br />
Community Services Manager<br />
Mingara Leisure Group<br />
Mingara Drive, Tumbi Umbi NSW 2261<br />
P: 4349 7858<br />
M: 0404 820 681<br />
E: jmillard@mingara.com.au<br />
Kim Bailey<br />
Brand & Communications Manager<br />
Mingara Leisure Group<br />
Mingara Drive, Tumbi Umbi NSW 2261<br />
P: 4349 7709<br />
M: 0411 349 913<br />
E: kbailey@mingara.com.au<br />
Tim Connell<br />
Managing Director<br />
Quantum Technology Pty Ltd<br />
5 South Street, Rydalmere NSW 2116<br />
P: 8844 9888<br />
E: tconnell@quantumtechnology.com.au<br />
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