Amanda

Reading lessons with a Year 4 Student

I taught a Year 4 child with significant behavioural and self-esteem difficulties who had recently re-engaged with learning after two years out of the classroom. Early on, I identified indicators of dyslexia and referred him for assessment, which confirmed a diagnosis two months later. I then designed and delivered a bespoke reading programme targeting phonological awareness, grapheme–phoneme correspondences, and whole-word recognition of common exception words. By tailoring lessons to his needs and building his confidence, he made 20 months’ progress in reading over the course of the year.

Reading Lessons Year 4 child

I taught a Year 4 child who had pronounced dyslexia which made him very resistant to reading at home. I worked with his mother to set up systems at home to motivate and reward him until he was willing (but never enthusiastic) to read! I used a variety of games and hands-on activities to develop his knowledge of common exception words and improve his ability to decode unfamiliar but phonically regular words. We also improved his exam technique. He was working at mid-Year 2 level when I first assessed him and after two years of one-to-one lessons, he scored just one mark short of greater depth in his reading SATS.

Online reading and writing lessons for a Year 5 Child

I taught a Year 5 looked-after child online for a year who had experienced significant past trauma. Lessons were delivered via Zoom using Google Docs and an online whiteboard, with a focus on developing writing content, widening vocabulary, and building reading fluency. Writing tasks were linked to his personal interests, and we introduced targeted vocabulary to prepare him for Year 6 writing requirements. Alongside this, I worked closely with his mother to support her in teaching handwriting and spelling at home. For reading, I created a bespoke, responsive programme addressing phonological awareness, grapheme–phoneme correspondences, and whole-word recognition of common exception words. After making no progress in writing the previous year, he achieved a year’s progress in writing and 15 months’ progress in reading during our time working together.

Writing Lessons Year 5 Child

Some of my most successful pupils have not necessarily made outstanding academic progress but have grown significantly in confidence and resilience through small-group and one-to-one teaching. For example, I worked with a Year 5 autistic child for two years who later transitioned to an MLD school for children on the autistic spectrum. Although she remained pre–key stage throughout our time together, the personal and emotional progress she made was highly significant. At the start, she was often distressed, reluctant to enter the classroom, and unwilling to edit her writing, which was frequently illegible. By giving her one-to-one time before lessons and building trust—particularly through our shared love of animals—I became one of her trusted adults. Over time, she allowed me to support her learning, and by the end of the two years, she was producing legible writing that typically included basic punctuation. Most importantly, she had developed the confidence to support Reception children with their reading and writing during her final term at the school, and she transitioned to secondary school with a consistent attendance record. I remain as proud of her achievements as those of any other child I have taught.

Writing Lessons with a Year 6 Child

I worked with an autistic and dyslexic boy who, like his siblings, experienced high anxiety around school and was a reluctant learner. He joined a writing skills booster group that I led, where I used hands-on experiences and the children’s own interests to motivate and engage them. To reduce the impact of handwriting and spelling difficulties, he used a laptop, enabling him to focus on developing the content of his writing. Over time, he became an enthusiastic writer, even volunteering to promote the group to other children. He made a year’s progress in just three months and went on to achieve age-expected levels in his SATs writing assessment.

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