Kids Have The ‘Write To Read’
I have often spoken of the needs of people with dyslexia. That I promoted strongly a special Bill accepting dyslexia as a disability, and have constantly questioned ministers, and participated in our Budget Reviews and special Inquiries, is well known. I am pleased to note some significant developments tonight.
Children with Dyslexia come from one in every seven families. I have visited many public schools to examine what is happening with these children. Children with learning difficulties may seem bright because they can talk well and have good ideas, but they cannot put these ideas down on paper and ultimately don’t do as well as expected at school.
Children with learning difficulties may: find it hard to write; have poor handwriting; take longer than other children to finish written work; have had speech or language problems when younger, as I did; have trouble remembering times-tables; have poor memory for oral instructions; have trouble following a line of print; have concentration problems because it is hard for them to do the work; so become disruptive, distracted or fidgety.
Learning difficulties do not happen because of low intelligence or poor teaching. It is important to recognize that learning difficulties worry children and can lead to social or behavioral problems and children need support and encouragement to overcome these effects.
Failure to learn to read can have serious consequences for children. They are at increased risk of: developing mental health problems such as depression; juvenile delinquency; not finishing school; being less responsive to health education; being unable to cope with managing chronic disorders such as diabetes or asthma; attempting suicide; ending up in jail. In my experience as a Parole Officer I found that 80% of prisoners suffered from Dyslexia.
The response of Family First NSW Party was encouraging. First priority in our policy platform was to practically support families and children with dyslexia and learning difficulties. We wanted to make a difference but we could not do it ourselves. We did not want to be like other minor parties who constantly complain about the state of things, and warn constantly of dire consequences thus creating fear in the hearts of many elderly and timorous people. We wanted to do something practical and helpful. We would need to network if we were to make a difference. Here is an example of incredible networking leading to changes for children across the whole state.
I had asked Rev Fred Nile, leader of CDP to introduce a Bill into the House on behalf of us and he did. But it languished for a year with no sense of urgency. I decided to move it on and started negotiating with other parties and members of Parliament. The Opposition agreed to support it and appointed two members to lead the charge. The Greens and the Shooters also agreed, then the Government agreed. Eventually it was passed in Upper House.
I negotiated with leaders of all parties and discussed it with the then Premier Nathan Rees and the two ministers of Education for its passage through the Lower House. Thus the Bill passed both houses unanimously.
Then I discussed the need for additional funding with the Treasurer and $10.9 million was allocated at a time when severe budget cutbacks were made to all budgets. This enabled the employment of 286 additional trained special needs and learning difficulties teachers to public schools.
Then further discussions with Mr Coutts Trotter, Director General of the Department of Education and Training, and senior DET officials, including Mr Bryan Smythe King who is in charge of the Department’s learning difficulties section. I visited and met with Principals and P & C’s in schools across the State.
Instrumental to the passing of this legislation was dyslexia sufferer and campaigner, Jim Bond. Jim Bond knows what it’s like to feel the frustration of a learning difficulty; he suffers from dyslexia. For 20 years, Mr. Bond from Killarney Vale on the NSW Central Coast has campaigned to have dyslexia recognized as a disability. With tenacity and passion, Mr. Bond assisted in getting a private member’s bill passed through the NSW Parliament, recognizing dyslexia as a disability and children with it as having ‘significant learning difficulties’.
After 20 years, Mr Bond’s tireless efforts finally paid off. After years of frustration from politicians, he has been instrumental in ensuring children in Australia suffering from dyslexia have access to a supportive learning environment. I encouraged Mr. Bond into using the assistive technology for himself so he enrolled as a mature age student at Macquarie University doing a degree in Political Science.
He was greatly helped by Sharon Kerr, Director of Macquarie University Accessibility Service, whose staff translated textbooks into forms of computer speak that enabled Jim Bond to hear the texts being read to him, and to write as best he could which was translated into acceptable English. With further help from a special tutor, Dr Michaela Baker, Mr Bond has now progressed to year two and has earned credits and distinctions along the way.
We approached Macquarie University’s Professor Max Coltheart, Professor of the Department of Cognitive Sciences, who offered to train teachers where schools had no budget, without cost. We did not allow any problem to stop the progress towards helping children with learning difficulties.
Then in 2010, an on-line training course was designed by the NSW Department of Education and Training for teachers to help them join with parents to assess the needs of children with special needs. I was privileged to do a trial access. To date, 1,300 teachers have registered and expressed an interest in undertaking the 3-month training program during this year.
The training of special education teachers will help support the Write To Read project and help provide early intervention for students suffering from significant learning difficulties. To enable children to speak, read, and understand mathematics, teachers need to understand technology.
Family First devised a network plan to circumvent the Government’s budget restrictions to support schools with computers, $6000 of software, and teacher training. The technology has been designed by Quantum Technology, Australia’s major supplier of assistive technology to the disabled. The Managing Director, Mr Tim Connell, made many visits to schools and P & C’s with Mr Bond and myself. He demonstrated the software that automatically converts text into speech, enabling students to listen to their books, assignments and tests; and as each word is spoken it is also highlighted on screen so students can follow along, improving both their reading and listening skills. This is essential for the NAPLAN Tests.
So we approached the Mingara Recreational Club on the Central Coast through Community Services Manager John Millard and Manager Paul Barnett, and the Board provided over $70,000 to cover costs on the Central Coast. In appreciation, at a public function, Family First presented the Club with a framed certificate of appreciation.
We also contacted the CEO of Clubs NSW, David Costello, who said Clubs NSW would join in funding computers and software and would encourage Clubs across NSW to support all schools in their area. “We immediately recognised its potential to be life changing for students who suffer a learning disability. By endorsing and helping fund the program, we hope to encourage other clubs to fund the installation of the technology into schools across NSW,” he said.
The first to introduce the technology and teacher training in Port Macquarie area was the Westport Club manager Anthony Westman. He said speaking with local teachers had opened his eyes to the literacy challenge facing local schools.
Only last Friday night the Westport Club was named the NSW Club of the year. The launch of “The Write To Read” program took place at The Westport Club, last Monday 7 June 2010. The Westport Club and ClubsNSW have jointly funded $55,000 worth of assistive technology, called WYNN, for 11 schools in the Port Macquarie-Hastings region.
Schools to benefit from the Write to Read project in the Port Macquarie – Hastings region are: Primary Schools • Port Macquarie Public School – Grant Street, Port Macquarie • Tacking Point Public School – Bangalay Drive, Port Macquarie • Hastings Public School – Waniora Parkway, Port Macquarie • Westport Public School – Widderson Street, Port Macquarie • Wauchope Public School – Waugh Street, Wauchope • North Haven Public School – Oxley Highway, Wauchope • St Agnes Primary – Boronia Street, Port Macquarie • St Joseph’s Primary – Warlters Street, Port Macquarie • St Peter’s Primary – Ocean Drive, Port Macquarie High Schools • Westport High School – Findlay Avenue, Port Macquarie• Port Macquarie High School – Owen Street, Port Macquarie
Here is a good example how a small political Party can provide vital equipment to every public school in NSW and in-service teacher training to benefit thousands of children with dyslexia and other learning difficulties. Coordinated networking can ensure that every child has the “write to read”.
REV THE HON DR GORDEON MOYES, A.C., M.L.C.