Reviews

Reviews

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This book will appeal to anyone who wants to learn to read or help someone else to read in a way which will not make the learner feel belittled, stupid or babyish. It is presented in a simple, but effective format which is structured to deliver success and to minimise and address errors.” Read the full review

Book Review - SEN Magazine Issue 49 Nov-Dec 2010

“It's the simplicity of the concept that makes it a hugely hopeful aspect of an otherwise grim societal failing. It needs to be supported."

Deborah Orr, The Guardian

“How marvellous to find a system that works for both coaches and learners. The key to unlocking literacy is to make it simple. This book will change lives…”

Minette Walters, Bestselling author and Quick Reads Learners' Favourite Award-winner

“I used Yes We Can Read with a child who had been receiving one to one help for seven years and reached a reading age of 5.5. After 10 weeks additional help using Yes We Can Read, he’d made 18 months progress.

Geof Sewell

“I think it’s absolutely brilliant.”

Jilly Cooper, Bestselling Author

“Every time we turn a page, I understand more about the genius of Yes We Can Read. The big plus is that it makes learning to read fun. Unshackled by the straightjacket of any strict grid system, Coach and Learner have more opportunity to take control of the learning and easily adapt it to suit the learner’s needs.

Julie Carthy, Adult Education Tutor

"We have started to use Yes We Can Read with one of our pupils, with rapid success... This is a pupil who has struggled to read since he started school, and is now in Y3. He was on the border of being a school refuser, and the success he is now experiencing since starting the programme, is helping him to be much happier at school."

Julie M Johnson, Headteacher, Our Lady's Catholic Primary School

"The magic comes from the tool, Yes We Can Read. The premise is simple, ‘each one teach one’, and anyone who can read can use the techniques in the book to help someone who finds reading a challenge."

Coach

“Patrick is 72 and the phonic alphabet is a revelation to him. He loves Yes We Can Read and described it as 'his bible'. He tries to read the local paper at home with Yes We Can Read open on the picture page to help him.”

Tutor

“Michael and I have just finished our first Yes We Can Read session which went really well. Michael was learning from page one and he engaged with the book straight away. At the end of the session he said that he had enjoyed it and he had butterflies in his stomach because he was excited about the next session. I found the material very user friendly and the session as enjoyable as Michael did.”

Rob Frier, The Passage - supporting Rough Sleepers and homeless people

“Yes We Can Read does work. It has helped me a lot and now I am finished I am getting my cousin started.”

Mr Chan

“B and his Nan have had their sessions each evening at 8.00pm. B has speeded through the first third. Nan is now ensuring that he reads the sentences with greater fluency, more smoothly, second time round. She was concerned because of past homework wars but so far he's been highly motivated and initiates their sessions, bringing the book to her.”
Teacher

“There are so many people out there who can’t read and need help - so why don’t people who can read help people who can’t?”

Sue Torr MBE, Literacy campaigner and author of the Gatehouse Book, Secrets

“It has really helped me. I feel I can read a lot more now and I like the photo-alphabet too. I really like the sentences that I have to read because they are funny and make me laugh.”

Ashley, Year 7 pupil

“I just wish they’d had Yes We Can Read when I was at school. Now I have learned to read and I am teaching my niece with Yes We Can Read. She is doing so much better at school, and her behaviour has improved too, I reckon. I love being able to read bedtime books to my one year old son. If he turns out to be dyslexic like some of the others in my family, I will teach him with Yes We Can Read as well.”

Catherine, young mother, Brighton

“If you know someone who finds reading difficult and learning to read didn’t quite work the first time for whatever reason then this is the scheme for them: Yes We Can Read is just the magic you need to succeed.”

Damien Jordan, Headteacher, Fairlight Primary and Nursery School, Brighton

“Yes We Can Read is amazing. It works, it absolutely works! You take a tadpole and watch the metamorphosis into a frog with little steps, slowly but surely.”

Marc Wood, Step By Step Project Lead Tutor, The Friends Centre, Brighton

“Yes We Can Read is a brilliant one-to-one reading scheme. It should be used in every school by LSA’s, volunteers, parents and students who can read fluently to teach others. It should be used in every community in the English speaking world to bring reading to everyone.”

Carol Reckling, Special Needs Co-ordinator, The Rushden Community College

“P was really chuffed to get his book. He feels the phonic alphabet is key to everything and is looking forward to practising it on his own. He's doing really well. Have to say I'm finding it really interesting and quite exciting observing how the book works and the effect on the reader as things develop.”

Vicky, Coach

"It is going great. We are on page 83 at the moment and I am still amazed at the progress she is making with it! I tell everyone about your book. It is fantastic."
Mum

“People who are thinking about becoming or who are training to be a teacher will gain great confidence and satisfaction from the one-to-one coaching in Yes We Can Read. The whole experience will provide a solid platform and a springboard for their talents, regardless of the age groups or subject areas they will be teaching. Yes We Can Read is ideal for peer mentoring.”

Marcus Wright, KS4 Maths Co-ordinator, Cardinal Newman School

“My family was always travelling around, so I never really went to school, just for a short time when I was little. They said I had to go to a different sort of school for children who couldn’t read. I just stopped going. I tried to learn to read lots of times, with all different teachers, but I never thought I would ever do it. When my coach sent me a postcard with lots of writing, I knew I had got it. I am 64 and I can read after all. Yes We Can Read is a very good book. It’s the best thing.”

Maureen

“Yes We Can Read is a very useful tool to engage and motivate young people and adults into developing their reading skills in a supportive way.”

Vicky Duckworth, Senior Lecturer & Course Leader full-time PCET, Faculty of Education, Edge Hill University

“I have really enjoyed this reading programme and I have found it to be better than previous ones I have tried with students. It’s simple, yet very effective. Both my learner and myself have found it to be very funny and we have found ourselves laughing as we are trying to read it. I like the simple layout of the book and clear instructions for the coach. Definitely a ten out of ten for it!”

Hayley Dawkins, Teaching Assistant

“The layout of this reading programme is simple yet effective. The notes for the coach are clear and precise. The repetitive text enabled my reader to fully grasp the particular sound we were focusing on. The text is humorous and at times, my reader and I would laugh out loud, thus creating a relaxed and enjoyable reading experience. The fun facts contribute to the enjoyable reading and to the fun experience.”

Lisa Dickinson, Teaching Assistant

“This programme has enthused both coaches and student. The element of humour in it has been especially motivating to this particular student. All the indications at this stage are that he is making excellent progress with developing confidence in himself as a reader.”

Carol Hodgson, Learning Support Teacher

“We are getting better all the time. My learner is really enjoying it and feels she is accomplishing something with every exercise. She says it is making her feel really good!”

Lesley Cullen, Coach

“We are bombing along and having a good laugh too.”

Jason

“Yes We Can Read is thoughtful and systematic. It is motivating and soundly based on words having meaning.”

Sue Partridge, Unravelling Reading

“The best thing that has happened for her and me up to now is when she came for her session last week, which was her birthday, and she told me she had read the verses in her birthday cards for the first time in her life! Comments like this make it very worthwhile.”

Coach

“The first thing I wanted to do when I came out of my 2-year diabetic coma was to learn to read again. Now I am reading again with the help of Yes We Can Read.”
Nigel

“I always wanted to read a book and I could never do it. I’m 63 years old and now I can do it. Yes We Can Read is a brilliant book.”
Moon

“We have such a good laugh... It’s the best thing I have ever done in my life because it’s so rewarding. I feel that I’m giving something - a treasure - to Moon because she’s never been able to read.”

Linda Curtis

“I am 61 and I am reading at long last... I’m proving to myself each day that I can do it. Now I have something to look forward to.”
Robert

“I love the way it makes me feel and the way it makes Robert feel. I always wanted to teach and now I can - I’ve achieved my ambition.”

Olga

“Yes We Can Read has given me so much as coach to my 64 year old learner.“