WINNING WAYS

Winning Ways
Speech and language therapists who work collaboratively with teachers or teaching assistants should be able to use, share and recommend resources that use these systems. Interactive Literacy Years 3, 4, 5, and 6 by Smart Learning is denitely worth a mention, and oers reasonable value for money if all its options are used. Each interactive CD-ROM features eighteen illustrated texts, with many of the illustrations animated. Texts range from snippets of well-known stories, plays and poetry to texts suitable for Year 6 mainstream pupils that highlight aspects of persuasion, dilemmas and issues. The quality of texts and graphics is fresh and engaging. Within each unit of text you can choose from three options - reading, writing and speaking and listening. I shared the use of the resource with a primary class teacher working with youngsters with a wide range of communication diculties. Usually the teacher focused upon the writing or simpler reading options whereas I used the speaking and listening option most of all. I was pleased how eectively I could address a whole variety of individual language targets with the same text as the class teacher merely by using a different option. All the on screen texts can be heard by clicking on the speech bubble icon - a real plus for the struggling reader. There is also the option to run the speaking and listening screens with or without the soundtrack. This opened up the opportunity for some of the children in the class with better language skills to make up their own commentaries. I was able to print pictures from the screen to be used for sequencing tasks as well as freeze frame screens to focus on other specic language areas. The whole class found the resource enjoyable and motivating. Each CD-ROM is easy to use. It could be employed at whole class to individual levels and is ideal for facilitating eective collaborative practice. Accompanying each CD-ROM is a clear and practical Teachers Book which oers a helpful guide to each unit of work and suggests additional supportive activities and extension work and cross curricular links. It does seem possible after all, just by sitting in front of a computer or interactive whiteboard, to engage children in literacy. Susan Hyde Wright is Speech and Language Therapy Coordinator at I CAN Centre with Dawn House School, a specialist school for communication and interaction. SLTP

Life coach Jo Middlemiss considers transitions and balance

Chris has returned from maternity leave (her first child) and is working part-time. Compared with working full-time she finds it difficult to get all the required administration, liaison and preparation done, and is beginning to resent the extra hours put in at home. Sonia has decided to cut down her workload as she is coming up for retirement and has an elderly relative to look after. She has been allowed to job share but is concerned about the balance in her newly designed life.

s I type, The Byrds are singing Turn Turn Turn*, a beautiful representation of the Biblical reading from Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 verses1-8. With enormous wisdom, beauty and poetry, this tells us we need to look at all aspects of our life - even the challenging things that cause angst and difficulties - as part of the whole grand picture of the amazing journey. Chris is at a transition point. Maternity leave is an extraordinary time of life. Leave has all the connotations of holiday, yet nothing could be further from the truth. It is hard work emotionally and physically and, especially with a first child, everything has probably been turned on its head. Priorities have changed, sleep patterns are disrupted and relationships are being established and possibly renegotiated. Added to all this is the desired (or undesired) pressure to return to work. Chris is re-embarking on her career but this time there is so much more to be considered. Parttime work seems the ideal solution but Chris does not want her professionalism to be compromised. How does she stop work eating into her home life? At the other end of the spectrum Sonia is preparing to leave the profession but is not ready yet to retire completely. She is not leaving for leisure but to take on other time-consuming responsibilities. Again, chances are these will eat into her home life. We often hear the phrase Work/Life Balance. I have come to believe we dont really need the work/ life bit - we just need to think about balance. When we feel our lives going out of kilter it is always time to take stock. This can be very simple if we regularly sharpen the saw (Covey, 1989). Sadly many people never do that or they wait until things become unbearable, when the problem is much harder to solve and illness and stress are added to the pile.

Options

think about how useful that sneaking feeling of resentment is - then shift attitude and language to see what there is in the situation to appreciate sit down with pen and paper to become aware of where things really are. Sonias transition has yet to start so she can take time to prepare and consider tough decisions, making sure she doesnt get pushed under by the expectations of others. This is about survival not selfishness. Never allow other people to use your life to solve their problems if you dont take charge, someone else will. A coach once asked me to give a metaphor for what was going on in my life. I told him that it often felt like plate spinning or juggling with plates constantly being smashed or balls dropped! He asked if I could think of another metaphor involving coloured balls. After a few moments I thought of snooker. Although I know little about it, I had an instantly calming picture of the smooth green table. My coach led me to understand that all the balls were waiting for me to pot them. They were no longer falling or moving by themselves. If I made a mistake and potted the wrong ball it wouldnt fall on the floor and roll away, but would be caught in one of the pockets and wait for me to retrieve it. Suddenly my life seemed more manageable. I was back in charge and could choose how much / how little / how often I wanted to get going at the game. So, to anyone at one of lifes crossroads I would suggest you: Take time to think out what you really want Review the situation as it really is and ask yourself: what you are prepared to do to resolve the situation what you are prepared to stop doing to resolve the situation how you can enjoy the process (without resorting to anger, resentment and disappointment). To everything (turn, turn, turn) There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
SLTP

Choosing to look at and explore her options will help Chris get the balance back. She could: call a meeting with a superior to negotiate how much she is reasonably expected to do at home

*The Byrds sing Turn Turn Turn live on this You Tube clip: www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNopQq5lWqQ

Jo Middlemiss is a qualified Life Coach with a background in education and relationship counselling, tel. 01356 648329. Jo offers readers a complimentary half-hour telephone coaching session (for the cost only of your call). While all Jos work informs Winning Ways, your contact is confidential and no personal or identifying details will be given.

References

Covey, S. (1989) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. London: Simon & Schuster.
SPEECH & LANGUAGE THERAPY IN PRACTICE Winter 2007

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