Dyslexic pupil thanks teacher for gift
A DYSLEXIC teacher has donated a reading pen to help a pupil with the same condition.
Drama teacher Natasha Riddy, 22, of Northampton, who is about to finish her first year of teaching, has dyslexia which makes reading and writing difficult.
She presented Mary Evans, 13, who attends Robert Manning College, in Edinburgh Crescent, with the pen. Mary, in turn, presented Natasha with a bouquet of flowers to say 'thank you'.
Natasha discovered she was dyslexic when she went to university when staff noticed she was struggling with her writing. She saw a psychologist who diagnosed dyslexia.
She was given a dyslexia reading pen which scans all text apart from handwriting. It's linked to earphones and it reads the text back.
Natasha said: "It was in a chance conversation with one of my colleagues that we got talking about the pen, which is when I decided to donate it to the school."
The piece of kit is worth 200.
Mary, who's in Year 8, said: "I am really pleased with it and have found it very useful so far. It is really good."
Head of student support Carole Goulding said the equipment makes text come alive for Mary.
She said: "I'm so grateful for this. Mary is a bright young lady but dyslexia is a hindrance.
"It is a way forward for dyslexic students."
Carole urges anyone who thinks they may be dyslexic to seek help.
She said: "There is no need to be embarrassed as it is very common. It is a fact that at least 20 per cent of the population have some form of dyslexia."
Natasha is leaving the school at the end of the term for one in Northamptonshire.
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Monday 06 February 2012
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