“This is a breakthrough for my daughter’s learning,” is how one Norwich-based home educator describes her use of a world-leading online reinforcement resource, used in over 1,400 schools across the UK and now available for use in the home, with her daughter who has an autistic spectrum disability. Michelle Mould, a special education needs governor at her local school, has been educating her daughter Rosie at home for the past four years: “I’ve had a constant battle to find appropriate resources to assist with my daughter’s education.
Last October I came across a reference to EducationCity.com, the online learning resource, in the Daily Telegraph, and decided to take out a free trial subscription and went online with Rosie. “The impact,” she enthuses, “was amazing to see. EducationCity.com’s interface uses simple, colourful graphics, ideal for Rosie who is so easily distracted by the smallest of things. Quite often many resources are visually too overloaded for use by those with autistic spectrum disabilities. She loves the games and characters and enjoys getting the reward animations when she gets her answers right, which are really motivating for her.”
EducationCity.com is used not only by teachers in their lessons in schools, but also by parents to support their child’s learning at home, and it is used by over half a million children. All activities are curriculum mapped to QCA and national literacy and numeracy strategies in England and to curriculum guidelines in Scotland. As Michelle Mould explains, knowing this last fact is extremely reassuring to the home educator. “Because all the activities are linked to National Curriculum learning objectives,” she says, “I know have a way of knowing that I’m covering all the things Rosie would be taught in a school. It has also enabled me to introduce, much more effectively, reading, mathematics and science into her programme of work.” The clear, clean design, consistent theme of this online resource and its range of four characters (Stig, Sten, Manu and Klara) is aimed to appeal to children aged from 4 to 13 (Foundation level to Key Stage 3).
Children outside of this age range, or of an under- or over-achiever standard, may also find the content relevant to them. The cohesive style, combined with standardised control mechanisms encourages quick and frequent use. An innovative feedback and assessment feature allows children and parents to print off a certificate which both highlights areas where they made mistakes, and also reinforces the correct answers.
As Michelle says: “Since she’s started using EducationCity.com I can see that Rosie is growing in confidence. It has definitely helped her with little words. And the simple act of using the computer and enjoying the activities has a normalising benefit. For instance, Rosie’s brother can see her in a different light when she is sitting there doing similar activities to himself.”