annart

Welcome!  Thank you for visiting.  I'm enjoying being a part of HubPages.  What a variety of people and skills there are out there!  Didn't start publishing until nearly a year after I joined and wish I'd got going earlier! Why not try it? Write a Hub today! 

I'm now retired - from teaching literacy & EFL (English as a Foreign Language).  I was privileged to work at a brilliant independent establishment in Somerset for those who are primarily dyslexic.  During my 14 years there I met many inspiring students, children who arrived with no self-esteem, frightened and often bullied and who left as confident people with good GCSE grades and much to contribute to society, able to cope with their difficulties and succeed despite them.  Many go on to obtain degrees.

My EFL experience has ranged from teaching multi-nationals at a school in London in the 70s to helping overseas dyslexic students.

I love the fact that each student always poses a different challenge.  Every person is unique, has much to learn but also much to offer in return.

Emphasis on teaching phonics is well-founded but I have found that some students don't respond so well to this, so I have devised a morphological reading system; it's still in the stages of being patented, trialled and updated before final publication. 

If anyone wants any advice about helping a child with reading/spelling, check out my hubs below or contact me and I'll do my best to help.

My writing career is varied; several published articles and letters, the usual miriad of fiction, non-fiction and poetry started years ago but left on my laptop for editing or chucking out - so I can now use some for hubpages!  My 11 year-old granddaughter and I are in the process of writing a children's story.

Family is a huge part of my life; two daughters and three grandchildren to delight in.  

Travelling is fascinating.  I've been lucky enough to visit Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Dubai and we spend as much time as possible in France.  I am a fluent French speaker.

My choice of hub 'photo' is the Moonflower, a beautiful flower which opens for only one night and has a heavenly, pungent scent.  I first came across it in Perth, Australia, in a friend's garden.

I love driving, as well as riding a motorbike (in good weather!), reading, playing tennis, painting, drawing and, of course, writing! (If you fancy your own chances at writing, then start a HubPage now!)

What about life in retirement?  Seeing the family, lots of writing, travelling, socialising; I can do what I want when I want and I love it! 

All my hubs and photos are copyright Dec 2011/2012 and all rights reserved; not to be reproduced without permission. 

AFC2012