Visual Thinking 101_28 Literacy from the Inside Out

Have you ever wondered why you and your children find literacy so hard and maybe they get diagnosed as Dyslexic. It’s just a missing skill that can be taught in minutes. Do listen to this short 5 min video to get you started and when you are interested to learn more Whatapp me below.

Chat on WhatsApp

We have on-line live coaching available to anyone who wants to learn more about supporting highly visual, creative children and adults, who are often neurodivergent. Do join one of our free sessions.

Neurodivergent Strengths and Challenges

My name is Olive Hickmott, I am a health and learning coach, specialising in working with neurodivergent students. I would be pleased to support you in any way I can.
You are welcome to contact me olive@empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here you will find my learning platform for some of my training programmes and free live webinars  www.visualkids.co.uk
You will find other useful information and Practitioner Training at http://www.empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here is my YouTube channel for more free resources: https://www.youtube.com/c/OliveHickmott
My latest books are:
The Elephants in the Classroom: using every student’s natural power of Mental Imagery to enhance learning: Neurodiversity through the lens of mental Imagery.
Bridges to Success – How to transform Learning Difficulties

#olivehickmott #visualthinking #empoweringlearning #neurodivergent #mentalimagery #dyslexic

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An inspiration: neurodiversity from the inside out

When I think about Neurodiversity, I think about my school days and the school days others have experienced, just not understanding why they find school so difficult.

I was lucky to find the secret to how visual thinkers overcome literacy challenges, through using their strengths of mental imagery. This interview with Allen explains my journey and how I came to be a neurodiverse coach and advocate, finding my passion in life. I can help you take the same journey.

We have on-line live coaching available to anyone who wants to learn more about supporting highly visual, creative children and adults, who are often neurodivergent. Do join one of our free sessions.

Neurodivergent Strengths and Challenges

My name is Olive Hickmott, I am a health and learning coach, specialising in working with neurodivergent students. I would be pleased to support you in any way I can.
You are welcome to contact me olive@empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here you will find my learning platform for some of my training programmes and free live webinars  www.visualkids.co.uk
You will find other useful information and Practitioner Training at http://www.empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here is my YouTube channel for more free resources: https://www.youtube.com/c/OliveHickmott
My latest books are:
The Elephants in the Classroom: using every student’s natural power of Mental Imagery to enhance learning: Neurodiversity through the lens of mental Imagery.
Bridges to Success – How to transform Learning Difficulties

#olivehickmott #visualthinking #empoweringlearning #neurodivergent #mentalimagery #alleno’donoghue

Visual Thinking 101_27 blogs later, you must have questions!

All year I have been doing blogs about Visual thinking: extoling its merits, explaining the challenges and celebrating success. I am sure you must have questions by now, if not just read a few of them and I am sure you will think of some.

This is an invitation to not just hear my answers to your questions, but join in discussion with many of the Empowering Learning Practitioners. Join our free webinar on 29th March 2023, 8pm, entitled
Ask Us Anything, here is the link, please book in advance:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqf-CsrDkrH9SHQOfhkoh0XjmUWGVUYn_V

We should be delighted to have you join us. If you can’t please just post a question in WhatsApp below, and we will get back to you.

Chat on WhatsApp

We have on-line live coaching available to anyone who wants to learn more about supporting highly visual, creative children and adults, who are often neurodivergent. Do join one of our free sessions.

Neurodivergent Strengths and Challenges

My name is Olive Hickmott, I am a health and learning coach, specialising in working with neurodivergent students. I would be pleased to support you in any way I can.
You are welcome to contact me olive@empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here you will find my learning platform for some of my training programmes and free live webinars  www.visualkids.co.uk
You will find other useful information and Practitioner Training at http://www.empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here is my YouTube channel for more free resources: https://www.youtube.com/c/OliveHickmott
My latest books are:
The Elephants in the Classroom: using every student’s natural power of Mental Imagery to enhance learning: Neurodiversity through the lens of mental Imagery.
Bridges to Success – How to transform Learning Difficulties

#olivehickmott #visualthinking #empoweringlearning #neurodivergent #mentalimagery #askusanything

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Visual Thinking 101_26 4-year-old creative geniuses

Many people have asked me about the statistic that 98% of 4 year-olds are creative geniuses and only 2% f adults are. This comes from some research done by Dr. George Land for NASA. In 1968, George Land conducted a research study to test the creativity of 1,600 children ranging in ages from three-to-five years old who were enrolled in a Head Start program. This was the same creativity test he devised for NASA to help select innovative engineers and scientists. In addition, I am sure that is you know a 4-year-old you will realise just how creative they are.

Here is just one of the references available. https://dreamhumanity.com/2022/10/29/nasa-finds-that-schools-bring-down-the-creative-genius-in-the-us/

Here is the late Dr. Land talking about the research at a TEDx talk. https://youtu.be/ZfKMq-rYtnc

It is our job as adults to ensure that a child’s exceptional creativity is not lost as they grow up. If you have lost your creativity as an adult and would like to revisit it, do join one of out free on-line webinars: Exploring mental pictures.

I should be delighted to receive your views.

Chat on WhatsApp

We have on-line live coaching available to anyone who wants to learn more about supporting highly visual, creative children and adults, who are often neurodivergent. Do join one of our free sessions.

Neurodivergent Strengths and Challenges

My name is Olive Hickmott, I am a health and learning coach, specialising in working with neurodivergent students. I would be pleased to support you in any way I can.
You are welcome to contact me olive@empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here you will find my learning platform for some of my training programmes and free live webinars  www.visualkids.co.uk
You will find other useful information and Practitioner Training at http://www.empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here is my YouTube channel for more free resources: https://www.youtube.com/c/OliveHickmott
My latest books are:
The Elephants in the Classroom: using every student’s natural power of Mental Imagery to enhance learning: Neurodiversity through the lens of mental Imagery.
Bridges to Success – How to transform Learning Difficulties

#olivehickmott #visualthinking #empoweringlearning #neurodivergent #mentalimagery #NASA #DrGeorgeland #tedx #creativity #creativegeniuses

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Visual Thinking 101_25 So OFSTED doesn’t value visual thinking skills

I am even more bewildered today with this government contradiction. Our Prime Minister talks about wanting to promote creativity, innovation, problem-solving skills etc. At the same time, Lee Owston, Acting National Director of Education, at Ofsted, writes about the importance of reading and then says that phonics is the only way. Phonics is a sequential auditory strategy that is quite frankly alien to many visual thinkers. The 21st-century diverse thinking skills we need for creativity, innovation, problem-solving etc., are based on excellent mental imagery skills and mental imagery of words is an easy way for these children to start their journey into a love of literacy.

https://educationinspection.blog.gov.uk/2023/03/02/pupils-with-special-educational-needs-and-or-disabilities-who-have-fallen-behind-with-reading/

Before phonics came along, adults who were good at literacy might realise they had naturally developed the skill to picture words.

Quoting from Lee Owston “Teaching sight words alongside phonics is confusing to pupils because they are unclear about which strategy to apply, often resorting to guessing.” This is certainly not true. When you are taught properly to visualise words, there is no guessing involved, just a speedy reference to visual representations of words in your Word Form Area.

Once you have mastered familiar words, often 100s of them, you can use your phonics detective to see how the phonemes are located in the word and then move on to using phonics for words you have never seen before. Once you have decoded a new word a couple of times, it should be added seamlessly to your Word Form Area. Visual skills are also vital for homophones and silent letters in English.

This route to reading seamlessly scaffolds onto the child’s visual skills, reducing stress and increasing enthusiasm for reading and spelling.

I should be delighted to receive your views

I should be delighted to receive your views.

Chat on WhatsApp

We have on-line live coaching available to anyone who wants to learn more about supporting highly visual, creative children and adults.

Scaffolding Easy Literacy

My name is Olive Hickmott, I am a health and learning coach, specialising in working with neurodivergent students. I would be pleased to support you in any way I can.
You are welcome to contact me olive@empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here you will find my learning platform for some of my training programmes and free live webinars  www.visualkids.co.uk
You will find other useful information and Practitioner Training at http://www.empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here is my YouTube channel for more free resources: https://www.youtube.com/c/OliveHickmott
My latest books are:
The Elephants in the Classroom: using every student’s natural power of Mental Imagery to enhance learning: Neurodiversity through the lens of mental Imagery.
Bridges to Success – How to transform Learning Difficulties

#olivehickmott #visualthinking #empoweringlearning #neurodivergent #mentalimagery #Dyslexia #SENpolicy #OFSTED #phonics

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Visual Thinking 101_24 A new SEN policy, but…..

So the government in the UK has finally published a log-awaited SEN policy: Transformational reform begins for children and young people with SEND. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transformational-reform-begins-for-children-and-young-people-with-send

It talks of millions being spent on more SEND schools, to cope with the large numbers of pupils, but no mention of checking why so many children are being diagnosed and the extraordinary queues for assessment.

I have taught very able, creative and imaginative children how to visualise words and improve literacy and numeracy, for more than 2 decades. I am at a loss to understand why there is no mention of updating the national curriculum to service these highly creative children, who end up in SEND. This would greatly reduce the number of SEND students. So all these ideas are not addressing the underlying problem, known as the Elephant in the Classroom.

The good news is that they plan to recruit 5,000 early years special educational needs coordinators, but what about recruiting 5000 early years coaches who could help children scaffold their learning onto there exceptional mental imagery. Dyslexia is the easy place to start and then move onto ADHD challenges.

I should be delighted to receive your views.

Chat on WhatsApp

We have on-line live coaching available to anyone who wants to learn more about supporting highly visual, creative children and adults.

Scaffolding Easy Literacy

My name is Olive Hickmott, I am a health and learning coach, specialising in working with neurodivergent students. I would be pleased to support you in any way I can.
You are welcome to contact me olive@empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here you will find my learning platform for some of my training programmes and free live webinars  www.visualkids.co.uk
You will find other useful information and Practitioner Training at http://www.empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here is my YouTube channel for more free resources: https://www.youtube.com/c/OliveHickmott
My latest books are:
The Elephants in the Classroom: using every student’s natural power of Mental Imagery to enhance learning: Neurodiversity through the lens of mental Imagery.
Bridges to Success – How to transform Learning Difficulties

#olivehickmott #visualthinking #empoweringlearning #neurodivergent #mentalimagery #Dyslexia #SENpolicy #Dyslexia #ADHD

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Love to Learn

Do join me on the FREE Love to Learn Conference, where I am really delighted to be speaking.

www.studywithjessy.today/Olive

My name is Olive Hickmott, I am a health and learning coach, specialising in working with neurodivergent students. I would be pleased to support you in any way I can.
You are welcome to contact me olive@empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here you will find my learning platform for some of my training programmes and free live webinars  www.visualkids.co.uk
You will find other useful information and Practitioner Training at http://www.empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here is my YouTube channel for more free resources: https://www.youtube.com/c/OliveHickmott
My latest books are:
The Elephants in the Classroom: using every student’s natural power of Mental Imagery to enhance learning: Neurodiversity through the lens of mental Imagery.
Bridges to Success – How to transform Learning Difficulties

#olivehickmott #lovetolearn #jessykacoulter #dyslexia

Visual Thinking 101_23 How we could eliminate Dyslexia and keep the visual skills

I am delighted to be speaking at the ANLP International Conference in May 2023. You will learn how developing natural visual skills can eliminate Dyslexia for many of our create imaginative young people. After helping Dyslexics improve their literacy and numeracy for more than 20 years, now is the time to move toward prevention.

Here is a summary of my session and a short 12-minute video that will explain all. https://www.nlpconference.com/olivehickmott

If you would like to start with a preview of how to use mental imagery for learning, join our free on-line teleseminar on Wednesday 1st February at 8pm.  You will get lots of tips to help you understand your own experience and make simple changes if you wish.

Register here: https://www.learndesk.us/live/5066873454460928/explore-mental-pictures

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.  You will be able to ask questions on line; We look forward to hearing from you.

www.visualkids.co.uk

For other resources, look up www.visualkids.co.uk and www.empoweringlearning.co.uk. When building on skills and encouraging creativity you will find their strengths increase and learning difficulties reduce.

My name is Olive Hickmott, I am a health and learning coach, specialising in working with neurodivergent students. I would be pleased to support you in any way I can.
You are welcome to contact me olive@empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here you will find my learning platform for some of my training programmes and free live webinars  www.visualkids.co.uk
You will find other useful information and Practitioner Training at http://www.empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here is my YouTube channel for more free resources: https://www.youtube.com/c/OliveHickmott
My latest books are:
The Elephants in the Classroom: using every student’s natural power of Mental Imagery to enhance learning: Neurodiversity through the lens of mental Imagery.
Bridges to Success – How to transform Learning Difficulties

#olivehickmott #visualthinking #empoweringlearning #neurodivergent #mentalimagery #Dyslexia #ANLP #nnlpconference

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Visual Thinking 101_22 Have you heard about mental imagery and ADHD

People with ADHD often have very fast moving mental images, their brain runs like a Ferrari, without any breaks. This is great for mental gymnastics, making high speed connections between various facts and all manner of clever stuff.

The only problem is that all this high speed stuff can be quite overwhelming, for example:

• very fast moving mental images
• your thoughts going too fast to catch them
• multiple mental images – when you try to image one image of say a cat you get 100 and they are all fighting – very scary
• fractured mental images – that is like the image was on a piece of glass and the glass breaks – so you have bits of cat flying all over the place
• multiple screens – this is like going into a TV shop and there banks of televisions on and you have to watch them all.

But the medical profession have not connected mental imagery and ADHD. You don’t need a large research project just a quick discussion with someone diagnosed with ADHD, and their exceptional skills are clear. In addition we know how people can start to control their imagery when they want to focus. It takes just a few minutes to teach, the student just needs to practice. And don’t believe anyone who says you are born with ADHD, until you have tried these skills.

There has been a petition to improve adult ADHD screening, inform patients, end discrimination and improve self-management. It will be discussed in Parliament in Feb 2023. I look forward to mental imagery being included in the self-management tools.

If you have experienced one or all of the above do come and join our free on-line teleseminar on Wednesday 1st February at 8pm.  You will get lots of tips to help you understand your own experience and make simple changes if you wish.

Register here: https://www.learndesk.us/live/5066873454460928/explore-mental-pictures

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.  You will be able to ask questions on line; We look forward to hearing from you.

www.visualkids.co.uk

For other resources, look up www.visualkids.co.uk and www.empoweringlearning.co.uk. When building on skills and encouraging creativity you will find their strengths increase and learning difficulties reduce.

Click above to book your place now at one of the free coaching sessions.

My name is Olive Hickmott, I am a health and learning coach, specialising in working with neurodivergent students. I would be pleased to support you in any way I can.
You are welcome to contact me olive@empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here you will find my learning platform for some of my training programmes and free live webinars  www.visualkids.co.uk
You will find other useful information and Practitioner Training at http://www.empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here is my YouTube channel for more free resources: https://www.youtube.com/c/OliveHickmott
My latest books are:
The Elephants in the Classroom: using every student’s natural power of Mental Imagery to enhance learning: Neurodiversity through the lens of mental Imagery.
Bridges to Success – How to transform Learning Difficulties

#olivehickmott #visualthinking #empoweringlearning #neurodivergent #mentalimagery #ADHD

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Visual Thinking 101_21 OFSTED’s reading report

Last November OFSTED published their research “Now the whole school is reading: supporting struggling readers in secondary school”.

The introduction states, “Each year, around one-quarter of 11-year-olds do not reach the expected standards in reading at the end of their primary school”.

Very informative, but I am left with questions and no ideas who to address them to, for answers.

1. The report itemises extra costs, training and resources that secondary schools have had to fund, but there is no mention of why children are transferring from primary with these challenges and the case for better funding in primary.
   
2. Did the work include or exclude neurodivergent students who are diagnosed with Dyslexia, ADHD etc? If included, this confirms that Dyslexics can learn to read, which is not generally accepted; if excluded, this is not a representative sample.
   
3. Was there any acknowledgement as to whether the students were visual thinkers and if so did the assessments and strategies take this into account.
   
4. Do any detailed assessments check to discover whether the student is picturing words in their Word Form Area. This specific reading gap is an essential skill for fluency and accelerating phonics.
   
5. Do any of the remedial programmes do anything to reduce a child’s anxiety that has developed over years of failure/bullying etc, such as grounding and breathing techniques?
   
6. When reading aloud in a classroom, performance anxiety can make struggling readers much worse than their actual skill level.
   
7. The report is an interesting description of reading, but what about spelling and handwriting, which are part of the same challenge?
   
   If you want to know more do join one of my free online live classes, Thriving with Dyslexia or Visual Thinking and Learning for Adults. Just click the link..

www.visualkids.co.uk

For other resources, look up www.visualkids.co.uk and www.empoweringlearning.co.uk. When building on skills and encouraging creativity you will find their strengths increase and learning difficulties reduce.

Click above to book your place now at one of the free coaching sessions.

My name is Olive Hickmott, I am a health and learning coach, specialising in working with neurodivergent students. I would be pleased to support you in any way I can.
You are welcome to contact me olive@empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here you will find my learning platform for some of my training programmes and free live webinars  www.visualkids.co.uk
You will find other useful information and Practitioner Training at http://www.empoweringlearning.co.uk
Here is my YouTube channel for more free resources: https://www.youtube.com/c/OliveHickmott
My latest books are:
The Elephants in the Classroom: using every student’s natural power of Mental Imagery to enhance learning: Neurodiversity through the lens of mental Imagery.
Bridges to Success – How to transform Learning Difficulties

#olivehickmott #visualthinking #empoweringlearning #neurodivergent #mentalimagery #Dyslexia #OFSTED #phonics #wholeschoolreading #reading

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