My blogs

Helping you make the most of Rapid English

About me

Introduction	Rapid English is an ICT-based literacy teaching system that has proved successful with young people referred to Youth Offending Services. The really criminal thing is how badly mainstream education has let them down – some young people cannot read simple two-letter words after 10 years’ schooling. This makes participation in the curriculum impossible, leading to disengagement and disruptive behaviour. Links between poor literacy, poor educational attainment and crime are well-established – most young people in custody have below-average verbal skills and over 80% were excluded from school. Yet we find that even the most under-achieving students can learn in a few dozen lessons to speak, read and write clearly, simply and confidently. Our interactive software lets them successfully manage their own learning using our tried and tested teaching method. Success with literacy restores their self-esteem and willingness to engage in education. Schools need not let these young people down.

Introduction

Rapid English is an ICT-based literacy teaching system that has proved successful with young people referred to Youth Offending Services. The really criminal thing is how badly mainstream education has let them down – some young people cannot read simple two-letter words after 10 years’ schooling. This makes participation in the curriculum impossible, leading to disengagement and disruptive behaviour. Links between poor literacy, poor educational attainment and crime are well-established – most young people in custody have below-average verbal skills and over 80% were excluded from school. Yet we find that even the most under-achieving students can learn in a few dozen lessons to speak, read and write clearly, simply and confidently. Our interactive software lets them successfully manage their own learning using our tried and tested teaching method. Success with literacy restores their self-esteem and willingness to engage in education. Schools need not let these young people down.