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The Lifeboat Read and Spell Scheme

Sula Ellis, Tony Ellis, Jackie Davison, Mick Davison

The launch of the Lifeboat Read and Spell Scheme.

Shown alongside are the authors with Professors TR Miles (Editor, Dyslexia Journal) and Béve Hornsby (Principal, Hornsby International Dyslexia Centre) and students from Long Close, Walnut Tree Walk Primary and Queensmill schools at the launch with the authors' lifeboat, Gallichan.

From its inauguration in March 2000, the Lifeboat Read and Spell Scheme has proved a tremendous success in a wide range of mainstream, special needs, adult literacy and ESOL teaching.

Originally designed – by experienced SEN professionals – for use with dyslexic and other children with literacy difficulties, the Scheme, in the opinion of Professor TR Miles, former editor of the Dyslexia Journal, “so obviously represents good practice that one can recommend it as being suitable for teaching reading and spelling to all students, whether dyslexic or not”.

And so it has proved. The Scheme is now used in around 3,000 primary and secondary schools and colleges throughout the UK and in many countries around the world; with children and adults, for working in the classroom, in groups and independent and differentiated learning situations. It is also in use in Adult Dyslexia and Sure-Start centres, YOIs and Pupil Referral Centres, and also with parents working at home with their own children.

"Launch the Lifeboat to Read and Spell" – the full name of the scheme – is presented through a series of ten books, and includes 100 photocopiable lessons, each of which follows a consistent lesson format. Together the series makes up a truly inclusive, highly-structured, easy-to-manage, multi-sensory teaching resource for a wide range of literacy teaching. Its ease of use also means that the lessons can be delivered and supported by both Classroom Assistants – and parents.

The structure of Robinswood's Read and Spell Scheme is available in detail below. Please take a look at this along with the Teaching Guide, which is reproduced here as it appears in Book 1.

To get a feel of how the Scheme works, also look at the four sample lessons which are available below along with the two downloadable assessment sheets.

If you would like to know more about how the Scheme could help you in your particular teaching situation, please contact Robinswood direct. Wherever possible, we will be delighted to arrange for an individual presentation at your school, college or offices, or to indicate to you where the Scheme can be viewed.

(Although the Lifeboat Read and Spell Scheme is named after the authors' ex-RNLI lifeboat Gallichan, pictured above, the Scheme is not connected in any way with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution itself.)

Click here for the Teaching Guide.
See the scheme in your area.

The registered trade mark 'Lifeboat' is owned by the RNLI and incorporated here with RNLI consent.