Tributes have been paid to a Pembrokeshire educational pioneer, who died at the weekend. Prue Popat devised a unique method of developing literary skills making it easier for children to learn to read and write. The POPAT programme is now used in schools across the county, in both mainstream and special needs facilities - as well as further afield in Wales and parts of England. "Prue was a very inspiring person. Her programme has benefited hundreds of school children, not only in Pembrokeshire, but across the country," said Nick Groves, head teacher at Llangwm VC School. "It's a very powerful learning tool and it's important her work continues." Pauline Roche, a Special Educational Needs Advisory teacher for 25 years, said she was a quiet unassuming person who was full of "wonderfully original ideas." "She originally developed her approach while working as a speech and language therapist in Lincolnshire in the 1970s and at the time intended it to be used as a means of assisting children's speech development," she said. "Later she moved to Pembrokeshire and it was her contact with her fellow teachers in the county that revealed to her its full potential as a literacy programme." POPAT is a method of teaching phonics, which makes the links between letters and sounds easier to learn for children across a range of ages and abilities. It teaches spelling, punctuation and grammar in both English and Welsh and assists teachers in the early identification of children who are having difficulties. Mrs. Popat, who lived in Tenby, had been ill for some time. She died at St. Michael's Hospice, Hereford, on Saturday, April 25, aged 69.
