BESA CORNER
This month, in our ongoing feature highlighting the work of members of the UK education suppliers’ trade body BESA, we hear about THE LINK LIVE SLCN conference taking place later this month; and learn more about the award-winning SIR LINKALOT spelling app.
Sir Linkalot links his way to spelling greatness!
Sir Linkalot is a unique award-winning app (Best Educational App - BETT 2020) for spelling tricky words from ‘was’ to ‘onomatopoeia’. To find out what it’s all about, take a peek at the this (you’ll be hooked when the boy says ‘I was terrible at it’)
https://vimeo.com/376397859
The Link Live SLCN conference – an SCLN journey from 4-14 years
A setting that fosters a communication friendly environment hugely benefits all children and, as pupils return to school with the current challenges for language development, it is essential that schools have an effective whole school approach in place for SLCN. Our own data from the 50,000 assessments carried out with Infant
Language Link in the Autumn term 2020, clearly showed an increased level of need with at least 20% more pupils arriving at school with the lowest language levels (less than 6th percentile, a standard score of 77). The effect on language of further time away from school this year is unknown but likely to be highly detrimental. It is no surprise that children’s wellbeing is of the highest priority for
schools and with 81% of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties having unidentified speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) it is clear to see that a whole school approach to SLCN is crucial to help pupils recover and adapt to school life once more. The Link Live SLCN conference, brought to you by The Link Magazine, is
our first-ever virtual conference and will provide practical and informative speech and language seminars and workshops focused on identifying and supporting SLCN from 4-14 years. ‘Linking Language and Wellbeing at a Time of Recovery’ is Friday’s
keynote presentation at The Link Live. In this session, Jean Gross CBE, will discuss why it is a good time to think about the way SLCN and wellbeing are intertwined and why all children with SEMH should be screened for potential SLCN. Our other eminent speakers from the fields of speech and language, education, psychology and family support will provide inspiration for all - from academic to practical - equipping you to support children and young people’s vital communication skills. With diverse topics including drama and SLCN, a child’s understanding of their DLD diagnosis, and running interventions for KS3, there is something for everyone involved with SLCN support. Tickets cost £80* and give access to ALL sessions on BOTH days (plus our
fantastic freebie bundle of £100 worth of downloadable resources from our online shop for every delegate). A live Q&A session will follow each presentation and all sessions will be available on demand for a month following the conference. If you want to ensure your school meets the needs of all pupils with
SLCN then join us and other like-minded thinkers at The Link Live – we look forward to meeting you there! For more information and to book your ticket please visit:
https://event.bablglobal.com/tll2021/home
*Are you a Speech Link or Language Link subscribing school? All schools with a current Speech and Language Link subscription will get a free ticket to The Link Live. Entry information is on your Speech and Language Link Homepage.
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www.education-today.co.uk
Sir Linkalot's 3 Rs: Results, Reactions and Remote learning Remote learning is a term that we are fully aware of. Getting children's attention in class is tricky at the best of times but at home has taken it to another level. Boy, what a challenge! When the little people are at home, they feel it's downtime. Many
teachers and parents have said during lockdown that bringing the usual classroom resources into their home just isn't cutting the mustard. The blame lies at no one's feet: not the government, the school nor the parents. We’ve been in a unique situation meaning a unique solution is required.
Education + fun + audience participation = Holy Grail Rote learning is dry and takes time. It doesn't work for many students and they can't participate. Rebranding it ''Look, say, cover, write, check'' certainly makes it more appealing but changing the book cover doesn't alter its content. Linking is a blast that is quick, interactive and works almost every time. All you need to play is an imagination: no rules, no system. Nothing. Students who find learning an issue are excellent linkers as rote
learning simply doesn't work. So, they have to explore their imagination to commit something to memory. Sir Linkalot has a term for students who have dyslexia: multi-lateral. Interestingly, children who can recall something on just hearing or seeing it once, i.e., linear learners, aren't necessarily accomplished at linking. Sir Linkalot tells us that, of the hundreds of links he has received from children, many are created by children with a learning difficulty. To quote him... ''It's a genuine game- changer for them''.
We can all play Audience participation is a fundamental part of learning and Sir Linkalot encourages it, in spades. Anyone can submit a link to him in the hope that their creation will appear on the app along with their name. We all love our name in lights!
Tutorials for teachers and parents When a school buys the app, Sir Linkalot hosts Zoom demos for schools and parents who are given the school access code gratis to enable the child to practise at home. He shows them around the app and how it works as a classroom resource calling the 5 to 10 minute daily sessions Sir Linkalot Time. Linking knows no bounds.
Sir Linkalot and Lady Lexicographer (Countdown's Susie Dent) rack up 80+ lessons Having done 45 lessons during last year's lockdown, he restarted them in November with two shows a week on Tuesdays (Levels 1 & 2 - Rec & KS1) and Thursdays (Levels 3 to 5 - KS2 & KS3) at 4.30pm often featuring Lady Lex. These are proving to be a great hit in class and at home. He talks the children through his eight linking techniques and challenges them to think of links with the best ones getting a shout-out in a subsequent lesson and winning all sorts of 'merch' (badges, pencils etc).
May 2021
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