With so much disruption, how can we support children to settle back into their school routines?
One of the biggest disruptions to life as we know it has been the national closure of schools. Whilst adults have scrambled to find alternative childcare, stay sane and keep children occupied at home, young people have faced their own struggles.
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Meet Lenny and Lily
For most children, the lockdown has meant the loss of routine, familiar structure, friends and relationships, opportunity and freedom. Some may even be dealing with grief having lost a loved one, or struggling with anxiety. After all, this is a confusing and daunting time for all of us…
Professor Barry Carpenter CBE, and teachers Alison Erskine and Jenny Hawkes, have developed two new wordless stories to support the mental health of all primary school children. Beyond Words resources provide both mainstream and special educational needs pupils, supporting their return to school.
The absence of words…
Lenny and Lily in Lockdown and Lenny and Lily Return to School help children make sense of their experiences, communicate their feelings and prepare for more change as they come back to the classroom.
The absence of words in these books not only ensures that they are truly accessible and differentiable for all children regardless of capability but also allows all pupils to tell their own lockdown story – as they see it.
Both stories are available in paperback as a classroom resource, with the option to save some pennies when purchasing classroom packs. Reintegrating into school is proving to be challenging for both pupils and teachers and we are all learning as we go, tackling unprecedented challenges every day.
Overcoming learning lost
Overcoming the learning loss and the emotional and psychological impact of the pandemic on young minds is no small feat. During this critical and tumultuous time, affordable and accessible resources such as these are invaluable.
Teachers are trying their best against all odds. These simple and effective stories can lend a brilliant helping hand in safeguarding and supporting young children through the most uncertain period of time they are likely to have experienced.
“Each child’s experiences will need to be shared and acknowledged. These wordless stories are a unique way to help children recall and tell their own story of lockdown and to talk about their emotions and feelings.” – Jenny Hawkes; assistant head teacher, Whitfield Aspen School.
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