Writing words and letters in sand trays provides visual, tactile, and kinesthetic input.
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Vision 2016:
Engaging Students Who Learn Differently The Hope Graham Program at Bancroft School Puts Dyslexia in its Place
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t first glance, the classroom looks like any other in the Lower School. But if you know what to look for, there are subtle differences. The room is uncluttered. The walls are painted in soothing colors. There are only a handful of students in the class. The teacher is projecting her reading lesson onto an interactive smartboard. There is an iPad for every child. And there are those green, oddly shaped seats known as “gumdrop chairs.” This is a Hope Graham classroom. A cornerstone of the School’s Vision 2016 strategic plan—the Hope Graham Program (HGP) at Bancroft School launched this fall. The 15 students now enrolled in HGP are in Grades 2, 3, and 5. All have languagebased learning differences (LBLD)—commonly referred to as dyslexia—a neurobiological condition that makes it difficult to acquire reading, writing, and spelling skills, despite average to superior intelligence. With the right accommodations and teaching methods, however,
students with LBLD are very capable of achieving academic success. HGP is here to make that happen. Very small class sizes, abundant technology, and multi-sensory, kinesthetic, phonics-based instruction based on the respected Orton-Gillingham reading program are all important elements of the Hope Graham Program. The three dedicated HGP teachers are all expertly trained to tap into the children’s strengths and help them dramatically improve their literacy skills. Thanks to a generous grant from the Fred Harris Daniels Foundation, the two HGP classrooms are equipped with an array of technological and sensory tools. Among them are the aforementioned gumdrop chairs (officially called Zenergy Chairs), which provide a slight but constant motion when a child is seated. “It may seem counterintuitive, but studies have shown that the movement of the chairs helps kids with attention and focus,” explains Candace Anderson, associate director of