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Reading with Ease and Fun
Start date: Sep 1, 2015, End date: Aug 31, 2017 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Over the last 25 years, many researchers have made a concerted effort to find out why so many children struggle with learning to read, and we now know much more about how to identify children at risk and how to intervene effectively. Research shows that the problems associated with learning difficulties (LD) can be considerably decreased if there is early intervention that helps develop the foundation skills necessary for development of the levels of literacy necessary in today's competitive world. The challenge that remains is getting this research-based information out to educators, parents, and others specialists who work with children. As in every domain of learning, motivation is crucial. Although most children begin school with positive attitudes and expectations for success, by the end of the primary grades and increasingly thereafter, some children become disaffected. The majority of reading problems faced by today's adolescents and adults are the result of problems that might have been avoided or resolved in their early childhood years. It is imperative that steps be taken to ensure that children overcome these obstacles during the primary grades. Children who struggle to learn to read are often excluded from the classroom and extra-curriculum reading-related activities because of their poor reading skills. Such children put too big effort to decode the written text, so the level of comprehension is quite low, they don’t find reading to be an interesting activity, and easily get demotivated to read. Early identification of the problem, proper instructions from the teachers, adequate help from the SEN staff, and endless support from family members are crucial for children’s motivation. Involving these children in various reading-related activities together with their peers could greatly help to keep their motivation “alive”. The problem this project addresses is of great importance not only in the partner countries, but for many others outside the partnership, because it affects thousands of pupils, their teachers and families, the supporting staff – not only academically, but also in emotional, behavioural and social aspects. The objective of the project is developing a training course for primary school teachers and SEN staff, and a set of activities that aimed at enhancing students’ interest and motivation to read.The Materials developed within the project will provide proper knowledge and understanding of the reading process and problems children may encounter in the reading-acquisition stage, as well as a set of practical advices and exercises for initial formation and improving of the reading skills in each child depending on his individual needs. A set of Worksheets developed collaboratively by all partners will be of great help not only for teachers and SEN staff but also for parents to help the development of their children’s study skills. A great variety of interactive activities with students during the second project year, involvement of parents in those activities, will help increasing the interest and motivation of the students to read, will form in them new reading habits, and will strengthen the collaboration between all parties engaged in the educational process (teachers-students-parents). As far as the materials developed within the Partnership will be in not only in the partner languages, but also in English they will be available to much wider audience beyond the partner countries, which will considerably increase the impact of the project results at European level, moreover the topic in question is crucial for almost everybody. All resources produced by the partners will stay available (e.g. the Video Lessons will be uploaded in a YouTube Channel) even after the end of the project period and could be used by every interested user. The consortium is made up of institutions from 6 European countries: Bulgaria, Latvia, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Turkey. Although different in their nature and structure (NGOs, University, Professional organisations, Teacher training Centres, Educational authorities) they all have large experience, abilities and competences in the field of special education and teaching methodology in general, and in literacy acquisition particularly. Different perspectives and different context partners work in in their respective country will enable a synthesis of different approaches to the problem. This transnational cooperation facilitates the integration of novel insights into the work related to literacy acquisition, reading difficulties, SEN support, interactive teaching methods and inclusive education in the partner countries. The project partners are equipped with the skills, expertise and competence required in order the project aims to be achieved at the highest level.

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