DYSLEXIA AND DRAMA. By Helen Eadon. David Fulton. pound;11
Written by a teacher for other busy professionals, this book is a handy source of information and it provides some positive approaches for working with children with dyslexia. It summarises dyslexia and some related conditions and their implications, and offers inclusive strategies for drama, and practical ideas for setting homework and raising exam achievement. Insights are provided by children’s perspectives of their experiences, and another brief chapter gives advice on involving parents.
While containing a wealth of useful tips and facts, the overall impression is a rather bitty ad hoc mixture. The book contains both general approaches for supporting children with dyslexia, as well as identifying drama as particularly useful for promoting their self-esteem and confidence.
Examples from practice are helpful in showing how they may reveal their often latent creative strengths.
It seems that the book is intended to be dipped into, rather than to lead the reader through a learning process. Activities are more suited for children (and their teachers) in the upper primary years and key stage 3, especially for the GCSE syllabus.
Melanie Peter
Senior lecturer, Anglia polytechnic university