Mission Superheroes

Click on this promotional video by our Young Ambassadors about the Mission Superheroes Professional Learning Guide.

Watch a video from Dyslexia Scotland’s 2020 Members’ Day, in which Dyslexia Scotland Ambassadors Paul McNeill and Rossie Stone talk about how the project evolved since the original idea in 2017.

Mission Superheroes is a free short programme that can be delivered in primary schools working with learners, families and staff. It aims to:

Help P4-7 pupils to learn more about dyslexia
Enable P4-7 pupils to find ways of building on their strengths and to discover how to overcome their dyslexia difficulties through the creation of their own cartoon superheroes
Raise awareness of dyslexia and inclusive practice across the school community.

Two successful pilot phases of the programme from 2017 to 2019 were delivered in several primary schools across Scotland, led by two of Dyslexia Scotland‘s Ambassadors, Paul McNeill and Rossie Stone. Building on the lessons learned during the pilot phases, the programme resources are now available here on the Toolkit for our Scottish primary schools to use.

A free copy of the comic created by Rossie Stone, cartoon artist and creator of Dekko comics is available to view here and for download here. Rossie created Superhero and villain characters for the Mission Superheroes programme and these characters were used to engage with the children and support them to develop their own characters.

Programme Overview

The Ambassador outreach programme was made up of three workshops in each school, for teachers, parents/carers and learners. To support the planning and delivery of this programme a Professional Learning Guide has been developed which includes the following resources:

Teaching staff workshop presentation and notes
Session notes for each workshop
Pupil workshop presentation and guidance for class activities/lesson plans
Film links and link to a free cartoon comic (PDF)
Ideas and slides for a parent workshop
Sample questionnaires and letters

Select here to download the Professional Learning Guide which provides further details on the programme.

Watch the interview with Rossie Stone in which he talks about the Ambassador Outreach Programme.

Programme Evaluation Questionnaires for Staff

Select here to download the teaching staff questionnaire designed to be completed at the start of programme.

Select here to download the teaching staff questionnaire designed to be completed at the end of programme.

The questionnaire can also be adapted for completion on Microsoft Forms which will collate the information submitted. Access to Microsoft Forms is freely available through GLOW – Microsoft 365.

Workshop 1: Teaching Staff Workshop

Select here to download the session plan for the workshop

Select here to download the presentation ‘The Dyslexia Scotland/Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit Ambassador Outreach Programme Workshop for teaching staff’

Select here to download the teaching staff workshop presentation notes.

Select here to download the teaching staff questionnaire designed to be completed at the start of programme. (The questionnaire can also be adapted for completion on Microsoft Forms which will collate the information submitted. Access to Microsoft Forms is freely available through GLOW – Microsoft 365).

Select here to download the sample letter for parents and carers which explains the Dyslexia Scotland Ambassador Outreach Programme.

Select here to download the sample letter for educational practitioners which explains the Dyslexia Scotland Ambassador Outreach Programme.

Select here to download a slide which has links to helpful resources and support

Workshop 2: Parent/Carer Workshop

It is particularly important to involve parents/carers at each stage of this programme, but how this is done will depend on the school and the local authority. The Professional Learning Guide has a range of suggestions to support parental engagement with, and participation in, the outreach programme.

Select here to download the sample letter for parents and carers which explains the Dyslexia Scotland Ambassador Outreach Programme.

Select here to download a slide which has links to helpful resources and support.

Workshop 3: Pupil Workshop

Some film clips of the Pupil Workshop are available below to help staff with preparation of the workshop.

Resources

Select here to download the Session Plan

Select here to download the Pupil Workshop presentation used by Paul McNeill and Rossie Stone

Select here to download the Pupil Workshop Presentation notes

Select here to download the Strengths and Challenges List

A free copy of the Comic (PDF), which features Superheroes created by Rossie Stone and ideas from pupils during the pilot workshops is available to download at the top of this page.