Children
Mascot Competition Entries and Winners
We were delighted that Victoria Crivelli, a previous Vice-President of HWDA, agreed to judge the Mascot Competition entries. She was very impressed with the students’ creative ideas and gave her feedback to everyone who entered a design. You can read her comments next to each mascot picture. Victoria couldn’t choose a single winner so decided to award joint 1st place to Faith’s Puzzle Care Bear and James’s Ted. Features from each of the two bears will be used to make the new HWDA Mascot: Ted’s body and paws details with Puzzle Care Bear’s jigsaw heart.
Joint Winners: Puzzle Care Bear and Ted
Thea’s Ballerina Hamster was Runner Up and Finn’s Flight Model was Highly Commended. It is hoped that we can make up kits of Finn’s design so people can make their own model at home. You can see his model in action on the video below.
World Book Day 2024: Made By Dyslexia Celebrates 5 Amazing Dyslexic Storytellers
Follow the link to Made By Dyslexia’s Facebook page. On World Book Day they celebrate the work a selection of authors who have tapped into their dyslexic thinking skills to create some of the best children’s stories ever! Which of them is your favourite storyteller?
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=made%20by%20dyslexia
Our students get creative with their writing, too…
We think you’ll agree that this short, descriptive piece of creative writing by Ash has the reader gripped from the start…
As Christmas morning approaches, in the distance the sky glows orange. But this is no sunrise, it is a cackling, aggressive, uncontrollable fire. Summers here are often prone to drought, but this year is like no other… As I jump out of the fire truck, I feel the panic of responsibility towards my fellow firefighters: their safety is in my hands. Before I know it, the wind changes direction, creating an opening in the smoke to vaguely see a joey. Running towards the roaring flames, instinct takes over me – all that matters is scooping the joey under my turn-out coat, creating a layer of protection.
Mackenzie speeds down the freeway with the radio blaring his favourite country music channel. “Breaking news! Sydney’s Fire Department fear for their lives tackling the biggest Australian wildfire ever recorded!” Mac freezes. Pulling over onto the hard shoulder, he frantically reaches for his phone.
As I attempt to run out with the trembling animal, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. Closing in, the flames twist again. They are coming for me. As the heat becomes unbearable, I lob the joey as far as I can hoping it will make it to safety. I know I can’t.
What Makes You Xtraordinary?
Check out this video from Made By Dyslexia to see Benjamin and other children explain about their dyslexia superpower. Some are great at dance, sport, art, model making and creative thinking. They are inspirational and very talented children making them all Xtraordinary!
https://www.facebook.com/madebydyslexia/videos/1205721470254969/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
Design a Mascot Competition
Lots of organisations, companies and charities have a mascot that represents and celebrates what they stand for. HWDA would like its very own mascot that would become identifiable with the amazing skills, talents and strengths that children show through dyslexic thinking. We are delighted to be holding this competition for our students so that their creative ideas can be brought to life.
If you would like to enter, please give or send your design to your Workshop Tutor or email a picture of it to the Workshop’s Senior Tutor:
- Hereford Workshop: seniortutorhereford@hwda.org.uk
- Worcester Workshop: seniortutorworcester@hwda.org.uk
- Bromsgrove Workshop: seniortutorbromsgrove@hwda.org.uk
Mascot Quiz
How many of the following mascots can you identify?
Where does this local mascot live? Click here to find out.
The Junior Bulls mascot lives at Hereford FC.
This mascot likes to play games. Click here to see who it is.
Astro Bot is the new mascot for PlayStation.
Can you name this fiery mascot? Click here to see if you’re right.
Scorch the Dragon is the Welsh Rugby Union mascot.
This endangered animal plays an important role in conservation. Which organisation does it represent? Click to find out.
The Giant Panda is the mascot for the WWF (World Wildlife Fund).
Here is another famous fund-raising bear. Can you name him? Click here for the answer.
Pudsey Bear is the mascot for Children In Need.
These mascots were especially designed for the Summer Olympics held in the UK in 2012 but can you name them? Click to reveal their names.
They are Wenlock and Mandeville.
Can you guess what this mascot represents? There’s a clue in the symbol. Click here for the answer.
Ecobot is a recycling mascot used by Newsham Council.
This mascot’s uniform might give you a clue to their role. Click to see if you are right.
Welephant is the Fire Service’s Fire Safety mascot.
UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) supports children’s rights and welfare throughout the world but do you know what their mascot represents? Click to find out.
This is their mascot for Global Education.
These mascots represent a Premier League football club. Do you know which one and what their names are? Click to reveal the answer.
Hercules and Bella are the mascots for Aston Villa FC.
With Easter just around the corner, here are some ‘eggcellent’ Easter jokes to make you chuckle!
Fun and inspiration
A famous dyslexic genius once said this …
A message for dyslexics,
and their families,
and their friends,
and, sadly, even some of their teachers
Everyone is a genius.
But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.”
– Albert Einstein
Good advice for us all!
A Wordsearch is surprisingly good fun!
Click here to download a PDF page of the WordSearch.
See how you get on! If you’re struggling, or want to check that you got it all correct, click here to download the solution.
Create your own word games and learning aids with WordCardGenerator
The teaching, learning and fun puzzles on this page were created using the simple-and-quick-to-use software
WordCard Generator 2, an ideal resource for busy teachers, TAs and parents. Email Linda Adey at info@wordcardgenerator.co.uk for more details or check out wordcardgenerator.co.uk to download a demo version, to see the 7 different activities made from hundreds of built-in WordBanks, containing over 17,000 words, and to watch short instruction videos to show how easy it is to produce a range of great resources.
A Poem Inspired by Alexander aged 8
You Just Don’t Understand
You just don’t understand what it’s like to be me.
All this reading wobbly letters makes me very un hap py.
I have dyslexia, for me that means visual perception difficulties and other confusing things.
I can’t do my shoelaces, I can’t tell the time, will it still be like this when I’m 9?
Writing is selfish, it’s a disgrace, what’s on that piece of paper under my face?
The paper’s white, there’s a glare when I stare.
I keep on looking, But…..I’m not getting ANYWHERE!
(If I were an alien I’d be on Mars, spying on the Earthlings and looking up at the stars).
I’m a disappointment, I just don’t understand,
I look at my page-it’s just not how I had it planned!
The story I imagined full of adventure and fun, it’s not on my page, now I want to RUN!
(In front of me there’s a blank)
(If I was an ocean I would have a deep abyss.
Deep down…. like a hump back whale, there I would stay, so I could NOT fail)
I WAS good at maths, Now that’s getting tricky.
Learning the time, now that’s taking the Mickey!
More words which won’t keep still, all this movement is making me quite ill.
(If I were a tree I would be in the deep dark rainforest making the canopy.
Birds would flock to rest inside, I’d be invisible, I could hide).
I feel my life is over, (Although it’s just begun), I just don’t get my brain, I want another one!
It doesn’t make sense, I don’t know what to do, please sir, can I go to the loo?
My pencil needs sharpening, I’ve dropped my rubber on the floor,
Oh, he’s coming over-he’ll be asking for more!
(If I were a scientist I’d think out of the box,
Like Einstein and Jenner, who prevented the pox!)
The teacher’s talking, I’m not sure what to do, if I look busy, he won’t have a clue!
Now I’m talking to the friend next to me, did sir say 1, 2 or 3?
(If I were a chameleon I’d have a disguise, find a beautiful plant under which I’d hide).
They think I’m not working hard, but my brain IS working really fast.
I just don’t see it, I don’t understand.
Sent out for talking in class, when people walk by, will they laugh?
My life is ruined, I feel SO dumb, “It’s OK we can work on this, ” says mum.
The name is dyslexia, how am I suppose to spell that?
It means you’re wired differently, what do you think about that?
Like one of the greats Branson, Gates, Picasso too, it’s all about finding what works for you.
That’s not so scary, there’s a long way to go, but now there’s a word of which I know.
It’s called dyslexia, which is part of me, I’m beginning to celebrate my neuro diver sity!