Flat Stanley

[5zeds]

Ds is severely disabled and we are school-less. It’s unlikely to resolve soon (possibly ever) and not within my control. However we are making progress and (finally!) reading with limited understanding and gaining confidence. He has taken to Flat Stanley and we have found some work sheets to use. I’m swamped and wondering if anyone can suggest similar stage books that have workbooks you can buy to use alongside reading? I’m sorry to barge into the staff room. Any ideas would be very gratefully received.

You don't say how old, but there is a book I saw recently at a school called White feather which is dyslexia friendly about a soldier in the war.

His age isn’t really in line with his interests or ability, but I would say KS1/2? Dyslexia isn’t an issue, but we couldn’t do war or anything even slightly upsetting and while he can read haltingly he doesn’t always understand the content.

My lo with ASD and learning difficulties enjoyed Flat Stanley and the early reader Horrid Henry books (not that I like them but he’s making progress).

The Magic Key series (ort) had workbooks alongside the texts.

Jeremy Strong books might appeal and I have found some resources
(I'm not a teacher so they might not be suitable)

www.jeremystrong.co.uk/teachers/welcome/

The magic key, would probably work though I confess I didn’t enjoy them on any level. Workbooks are the big incentive though. I think Flat Stanley works for him because the stories are quite simple.

Does Horrid Henry have associated work books?

Mine like the Shifty McGifty books (there are big, rhyming ones as well as smaller short-story ones) and there’s a great series called the Jolley Rogers - The Jolley-Rogers and the Ghostly Galleon (Jonny Duddle) www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1848772408/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_V6MvEbYY0ZGZW?tag=mumsnetforu03-21.

What about the old puddle Lane books, there's an easy to read side and a more challenging side

It’s not so much the books as books where there are resources like comprehension, word searches, write a story based on what happens next, that you can buy to accompany them (though books are helpful too). Sometimes it is easier to start from scratch but morphing things for him is less work and I find it reassuring to be able to say, he can attempt this or do that independently.

Consider joining Twinkl or something like the Literacy Shed - these are resources meant for teachers BUT they tend to have lots of resources linked to specific books.

They are also levelled by key stage, which can be helpful.

Have you asked under homeschooling? They might have better access to workbooks etc .

Teachit has lots of worksheets and activities linked to texts that you could print out. It’s subscription for the best stuff but there’s so much on there it’s be worth it even for a month.

www.teachitprimary.co.uk/bookshelf-book-based-comprehension

Thank you all so much. Lots of things to investigate. I’m much more secondary stem than primary literacy and I know it sounds awful but I just need something to be a bit easier. . We ARE making progress despite a really difficult year and honestly I’m so proud of him. We aren’t unique there are so many HE children with SEN. It’s a bit horrifying really. We will share your suggestions were they can help.

Hi OP - have a look at the Scholastic 'Read and Respond' range. There's actually a Flat Stanley thing, but there is Diary of a Wimpy Kid, George's Marvellous Medicine, Hodgeheg, Diary of a Killer Cat etc, which might work?

shop.scholastic.co.uk/series/2

Horrid Henry is definitely a 'thing' with the 6/7/8 year old boys, although I've had 11 year old girls with SEN still loving them. You'll get sick of listening to them/engaging with them, but loads of different stories (try Book People for a massive set for a tenner or something).

I'm doing some work with a boy who is struggling in Year 3 at the moment. We're using a book called Bee Boy, and another called The Legend of Kevin. I'm linking it all up with 'real life' stuff rather than too much about book response. Bee Boy is being linked with climate stuff - importance of bees, bit of science and so on. Kevin is set in a flooded town, again - it's all over Newsround etc, good for geography links. I wasn't sure if it was going to work - he obsessively reads Flat Stanley if left alone to it, but he had a massive shit fit on Friday because I wouldn't let him just whip through the Bee Boy book. He was begging to read it. Now, I might have been mean in not letting him have it just yet, but the engagement thing I was expecting is just not an issue.

Anyway, good luck!

My ds is just about at the reading level of Flat Stanley, He loves the Mr Men books and can read most of those fluently, Tom gates books are something he enjoys but I think he needs another few months before hes fluently reading all the words in them.

I'm sure there are Mr men workbooks available or you can link the book to other subjects (e.g. Mr tall could lead to a lesson about height, or lebtgh, Mr uppity could be a money based lesson etc)