Making a Mark! - McElderry Katrin

Making a Mark! Discovering the Power of Neurodiversity on a Learning Safari is an educational resource in a story format aimed at 9-14 year olds. Written by Katrin McElderry and Mark Stoddart, the book highlights neurodiverse learning profiles - particularly dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and ADHD - while weaving in educational themes like grit and the growth mindset through its characters and their experiences.

The book uses world-famous sculptor Mark Stoddart's life and art as inspiration and through powerful analogies shows that learning can be adventurous and safari-like. 

The first section of Making a Mark! Discovering the Power of Neurodiversity on a Learning Safari is written in story format and tells the educational journey of Mark and his neurodiverse friends. The second section provides information on how the brain works and neurodiversity and enables readers to reflect upon their own learning profiles: their strengths and challenges alike. 

The book can be easily integrated into a classroom setting aimed at supporting neurodiverse students while also benefitting neurotypical learners in helping them build a balanced understanding of cognitive learning differences. 

Making a Mark! Discovering the Power of Neurodiversity on a Learning Safari teaches that every single brain is unique and therefore neurodiversity is 'normal'. It will encourage all children to embark on a journey of creative learning, perseverance and triumph.