With over 40 years’ teaching experience, Elaine Alvin has put pen to paper and published a book on literacy especially aimed at helping young teachers and parents.
Now retired and living at Bateau Bay, Alvin took three years to write the book – The Gift of Literacy.
After a four-decade career specialising in both special education and the gifted and talented, Alvin was on a mission to provide more information about learning difficulties and how to address them in the classroom for both teachers and parents.
“This book is the product of recognition of the fact that there is so little information, even in teaching training establishments, and even less given to a parent who is coping with a child who has learning difficulties,” she said,
“While there are many books on literacy, many are tied to theory which is only as good as what will work in a classroom.
“I wanted to give something back after so many years because so many kids need help.”
Alvin’s work covered teaching at primary and secondary levels with many years spent in the field of special education as a special education officer-in-charge as well as a district consultant and tutoring at the Ourimbah campus of Newcastle University.
A highlight of her career was presenting a paper on gifted and talented students at a world conference in Germany.
She has also presented special education papers at both state and national conferences.
The book covers most aspects of the area of literacy including Alvin’s work in diagnosing learning difficulties in underachieving gifted and talented students.
The book is available through Amazon and Thrifty Books.
Denice Barnes