Christopher Eveans
Robina State School
An inspiring Gold Coast principal who led his school to become the first in the nation to be accredited by the Australian Dyslexia Association (ADA) has been nominated for a state leadership award.
Robina State School (RSS) has changed the lives of many students with reading difficulties since it first started as a pilot “dyslexia-friendly school” about five years ago.
The accreditation means the school has teachers who can identify struggling readers, including those with dyslexia, and its staff can teach a code-based structure of English language with a focus on phonological and phonemic awareness in oral language.
RSS principal Christopher Eveans, who has been nominated for a Queensland College of Teachers Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning Award, says seeing children experience success is what inspires him and motivates him to teach.
Chris regularly shares his knowledge by mentoring schools, presenting at seminars and writing publications, and furthers this knowledge by visiting many progressive schools to observe innovative teaching practices.
He has ensured RSS teachers have undertaken professional development about dyslexia and has two trained in multi-sensory learning.
Students undertake assessment from their point of entry at the school, ensuring early recognition rather than later remediation around literacy challenges.
“Teaching reading to students is hard work, it’s not simple and it is challenging for teachers,” Chris says.
“There is a percentage of students that are failing to read yet research tells us it should be less than 5 per cent who fail and after 38 years of being in education I think I’ve finally learnt how to teach reading effectively.”
Chris says best teaching practice for children with dyslexia benefits all children and the ADA accreditation has helped all students flourish.
“Students who have a diagnosis of dyslexia are enjoying school, are experiencing success and are positive in their self-esteem,” he says.
“We’re reducing the percentage of failing students.”
Robina State School (RSS) has changed the lives of many students with reading difficulties since it first started as a pilot “dyslexia-friendly school” about five years ago.
The accreditation means the school has teachers who can identify struggling readers, including those with dyslexia, and its staff can teach a code-based structure of English language with a focus on phonological and phonemic awareness in oral language.
RSS principal Christopher Eveans, who has been nominated for a Queensland College of Teachers Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning Award, says seeing children experience success is what inspires him and motivates him to teach.
Chris regularly shares his knowledge by mentoring schools, presenting at seminars and writing publications, and furthers this knowledge by visiting many progressive schools to observe innovative teaching practices.
He has ensured RSS teachers have undertaken professional development about dyslexia and has two trained in multi-sensory learning.
Students undertake assessment from their point of entry at the school, ensuring early recognition rather than later remediation around literacy challenges.
“Teaching reading to students is hard work, it’s not simple and it is challenging for teachers,” Chris says.
“There is a percentage of students that are failing to read yet research tells us it should be less than 5 per cent who fail and after 38 years of being in education I think I’ve finally learnt how to teach reading effectively.”
Chris says best teaching practice for children with dyslexia benefits all children and the ADA accreditation has helped all students flourish.
“Students who have a diagnosis of dyslexia are enjoying school, are experiencing success and are positive in their self-esteem,” he says.
“We’re reducing the percentage of failing students.”
- Story by Joshua Pickstone