Wellbeing

SWPBS: 

Spotlight on Lunchtime Clubs: Ooshie Club

Whittlesea lunchtime clubs are in full swing for Term 3. It has been fantastic to see so many students participating in our clubs during each break. Today we wanted to mention one of our most popular clubs - Ooshie Club. This week we had so many students and even some teachers turn up to Ooshie Club. A big thank you to Ms Gordon for running Ooshie Club each week throughout Term 3. Ooshie Club is run every Thursday at first break.

Have a look at just how popular Ooshie Club has been this week at WPS!

DISABILITY INCLUSION

Over the next few weeks we will be looking at some of the more common learning differences. This week we start by looking at Dyslexia.

Understanding Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a common learning difference that affects the way the brain processes written language. It is not linked to intelligence, effort or vision. Children with dyslexia often have strengths in creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking and verbal reasoning, but they may find learning to read, spell and write more challenging than their peers. Around 1 in 5 Australians are thought to have dyslexia, making it one of the most common learning differences seen in schools.

How is dyslexia diagnosed?

Dyslexia is usually identified through a comprehensive assessment completed by a psychologist, educational psychologist or speech pathologist with expertise in literacy difficulties. The assessment looks at a child's reading, spelling, writing, language skills, memory and thinking abilities. There is no single test for dyslexia. Teachers and parents often notice early signs, but a formal assessment helps determine whether a child's difficulties are consistent with dyslexia and guides recommendations for support. At least 6 months of evidence-based intervention must have been attempted for a diagnosis to be given; this can include participation in the tutoring program at WPS.

What are the signs?

Every child is different, but some common signs of dyslexia include:

• Difficulty learning letter names and sounds.
• Slow or inaccurate reading.
• Trouble sounding out unfamiliar words.
• Difficulty remembering spelling patterns and high-frequency words.
• Avoiding reading or writing tasks because they feel difficult.
• Reading that requires significant effort despite good understanding when information is read aloud.

Many children with dyslexia are bright, curious learners who excel in areas such as science, technology, art, sport or creative thinking.

How can we support children with dyslexia?

With the right support, children with dyslexia can become successful readers and confident learners. Helpful strategies include:

• Providing explicit, structured literacy instruction.
• Teaching phonics in a systematic and sequential way.
• Allowing extra time for reading and writing tasks.
• Using audiobooks or text-to-speech technology where appropriate.
• Breaking learning into smaller, manageable steps.
• Celebrating effort, strengths and progress to build confidence.
• Working together as parents, teachers and specialists to provide consistent support.

Early identification and intervention make a significant difference, helping children develop the skills and confidence they need to thrive.

Dyslexia doesn't limit success

Many highly successful people have dyslexia and credit their different way of thinking as one of their strengths. Business leader Richard Branson, filmmaker Steven Spielberg, chef Jamie Oliver and Australian Olympic champion Sally Pearson have all spoken publicly about their experiences with dyslexia. Their achievements remind us that, with understanding, appropriate support and perseverance, children with dyslexia can achieve remarkable success in any field.