PS!

I forgot to mention our new learning tool: Poirot!

Mum watches all the repeats, and has lots on DVD. Joshua and Samuel have taken, since we've lived here, to going in to her room of an evening and watching them with her.

This has recently taken off as one of Samuel's new "obessions", but with some positive side effects.

He's begun to write down clues, plot ideas, suspicions etc as he watches, and then tries to guess "who did it" before Poirot reveals all.

Obviously, this means he is voluntarily writing - plus point one. He is letting Nan correct his spelling - plus point 2. Most importantly, this working out, and writing down, is a maturing in his thought processes which I am sure will be vital for his understanding of himself. I know that Roarke often needs to get things down like that on paper to work them through (despite, like Samuel, being a kinesthetic and auditory learner). I am pleased to see the logic that he is showing in working these things through: and he's getting a high success rate (not easy with Agatha Christie!).

Watching these is also helping with his skills in "reading" body language, emotions etc, as well as building his language skills to overcome the SPD. All very good stuff.

William is trying to do the same, naturally! He draws pictures of the main characters, then dictates to his Nan what "clues" she needs to write down for him. He calls these his Poirot notes, and carries them around with him!

This, in turn, has led to some questions and discussions about being able to read and write; and working on the theory that a child needs to feel a need, before they will CHOSE to learn something (which has been being discussed on one of the HE lists this week), I am quietly confident that this will bring about a new desire on his part to pick up his reading and writing.

Now, my task is to search the internet for Poirot related learning opportunities/websites....