Athlone Credit Union provides dyslexia-friendly books to series of local schools

Nineteen local schools in Athlone will each receive a set of four dyslexia-friendly children’s books about Irish wildlife, thanks to Athlone Credit Union and Clare author, Shane Casey.

Shane is a former Biodiversity Officer, and with three stories in each book, his series helps to engage children with the wildlife on their own doorstep, from hedgehogs and mayflies, to song thrushes and salmon.

To strengthen their educational value, Shane has also produced accompanying support materials for teachers and parents (available as a free download from www.shanecaseybooks.ie).

But there is something else that makes the books stand out. Their design and layout make them dyslexia-friendly. "They’re only little changes," says Shane, "but they make a huge difference. We use a combination of special font, colour schemes, and layout to make it easier for children with dyslexia to read."

There has been a significant increase in dyslexia guidance for parents and teachers in recent years, however, there remains limited resources available for the children themselves. Shane’s books are Ireland’s only dedicated dyslexia-friendly books series.

"The feedback we’ve had from parents, teachers, and particularly the children themselves has been overwhelming," says Shane, "for some 11 and 12 year olds, these were the first books they had managed to read in full on their own, and it had given them the confidence to try other books."

The four books sponsored by Athlone Credit Union are ‘Nature’s Secret Adventures’, ‘Nature’s Hidden Adventures’, ‘Nature’s Marvellous Adventures’, and ‘Nature’s Incredible Adventures’.