Our first ambassador, Marion Stanton, has long been an advocate for the importance of literacy teaching and learning for all students and was the first to advise on Jonathan’s literacy education.

We are extremely lucky to have Marion’s support and wealth of knowledge behind our charity.

I lead a group of 50 teachers, resource developers, a Speech and Language Therapist, an Assistive Technologist and a management team for Communication and Learning Enterprises (CandLE). We support 100+ students individually and several schools.

 I am a qualified teacher, special needs teacher and AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) specialist and I have an MA in education. I am about to embark on my PhD with Lancaster University in ‘Social Justice for Students who rely on AAC’. In 2015 I was honoured by invite to the Queens garden party having been put forward by the DfE for my work with children and families. However, my most important qualification is being the mother of a 38-year-old who has cerebral palsy and lives in his own home with the support of a committed group of personal assistants.

Our professional team works across the UK providing support where there are students who rely on AAC in mainstream and special schools as well as Education Otherwise than At School (EOTAS). We have developed ways of working that enable young people to reach their potential, determined by the highest expectations of what they are capable of. If a student is not making progress, instead of asking what is wrong with the student, we ask, what can we change in the way we are teaching? We base all of our support to students on research-based approaches in which we are able to offer training. We are currently thinking about students who need support beyond the age of 19 and into adulthood and how they can be enabled in the workplace. We have also started a Person Centred Planning (PCP) project which will focus on obtaining the view of students so that they have an active part in their own life plan.

Our resource developers produce resources for our students using educational technology designed to support their access. This includes the development of our literacy programme and the adapting of popular books that students can enjoy reading independently when they might not previously have had this opportunity.

We have trained in and investigated in depth the ways in which students who rely on AAC can become literate and have been able to facilitate this goal for many students. We also work with the wider curriculum to support students in gaining qualifications, including university entrance.

I was delighted to be asked to be an ambassador for Teach Us Too which has aims that are very close to my heart. I enjoy participating in the events that the organisation plan throughout the year.