The secret is out!  I am excited, honoured and humbled to have received an inaugural Diana Legacy Award from HRH Prince William and HRH Prince Harry at St James’s Palace yesterday.

Meeting the inspiring young people who also received the award was a privilege and I am humbled to hold the same accolade as them.

The Teach Us Too campaign journey has not been trail blazed alone, and I receive this award with thanks in my heart to everyone who has travelled the path with me;  and I am immensely grateful for the Diana Award for joining me as I seek to be a voice for the voiceless.

[see the day on Sky news and on tumblr]

On Friday, I had the privilege of speaking at a study day for professionals and parents entitled: AAC (Alternative and Augmentative Communication) & Literacy Best Practice Study Day.  Excitingly, there was a whole room of people as passionate about literacy teaching as I am.

Have you ever stopped to wonder what it is like being trapped in a classroom and babysat with hour after hour of age inappropriate activities? Nursery rhymes, songs for everything, sensory materials and the icing on the cake – being talked to in a voice usually reserved for babies.  All of this prioritised above literacy teaching, ANY literacy teaching. The type of literacy teaching that expects learning. When I was at special school I learnt to amuse myself in my inner world, often disappearing off with my best friend.  This was the inspiration behind my BBC Radio 2 500 words story, “Curtains to Freedom”, which you can read here.

Next week I will be sitting my Year 6 SATs. My dream is that in the years to come many children like me will reach their full potential and have the opportunity to learn to read and write.

Will you join me in making this a reality?

To find out more about AAC click here