Fifty-five local schools across Tralee, Castleisland, Killorglin, Ballyduff and Causeway will each receive a set of four dyslexia-friendly children’s books about Irish wildlife, thanks to Cara Credit Union and author, Shane Casey.
Dyslexia affects, on average, three children in every class of 24. However, despite a significant increase in the awareness and understanding of the challenges faced, there remains limited resources available for the children themselves.
Nature’s Adventures Collection
Through the support of Cara Credit Union, one collection of Irish published books, the ‘Nature’s Adventures’ collection, is working to buck this trend.
About the dyslexia-friendly elements of the book’s design and layout, author Shane Casey said they’re only little changes, but they make a huge difference.
“We use a combination of special font, colour schemes, and layout to make it easier for children with dyslexia to read,” he said.
Less Daunting for Young Readers
“Little things, like avoiding a double space after a full stop, prevents white lightning on the page.
Or left aligning the text instead of justifying it, makes it easier to see where the sentence ends, and is less daunting for a young reader than a block of text’.
“The stories themselves are also important many of the books used by children with dyslexia can be quite juvenile, and so having stories that are age appropriate is key to encouraging children to read more.
Appreciation and Understanding
“For some 11- and 12-year-olds, these were the first books they had managed to read in full on their own, and it had given them the confidence to try other books.
“So many children’s books personify wildlife and nature beyond recognition and in the midst of a global biodiversity and climate crisis, it’s important to both understand and appreciate the world around us,” said the author.
Members Thanked for Support
Siobhan Donnelly, marketing and business development manager of Cara Credit Union said that they’re delighted to be in a position to work with Mr. Casey and the local primary schools on this initiative.
“Inclusivity is very much part of the credit union operating principles and we will continue to work with our communities to ensure we put our members at the heart of everything we do.
“We would like to thank our members for their support, as without this we would not be in a position to support these worthwhile projects,” said Ms. Donnelly.
The four books sponsored by Cara Credit Union are: Nature’s Secret Adventures; Nature’s Hidden Adventures; Nature’s Marvelous Adventures and ‘Nature’s Incredible Adventures.
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