Cognitive strategies for overcoming dyslexia
University College Dublin – 7 June 2001
Royal Pharmaceutical Society, London – 9 July, 2001
A unique one-day training course for teachers on using cognitive methods for assessment and teaching of dyslexic children in the mainstream classroom
SPEAKER:
DYSLEXIA CAN BE OVERCOME!
- There are many successful dyslexics in all walks of life.
- Dyslexia is no longer a bar to achievement at the highest levels of education.
- Dyslexic students are now obtaining first-class honours degrees at university and progressing to Ph.D.s.
WHAT IS THE SECRET?
Enabling dyslexic children and students to be successful, both in education and in their careers, can be achieved by means of a learning and teaching programme that is systematically tailored to the individual’s pattern of cognitive strengths and weaknesses. Specifically, this means:
- Early identification of dyslexia using cognitive methods
- Teaching based on the child’s profile of cognitive strengths and weaknesses
- Helping the child to be aware of and make use of their own metacognitive learning styles
- Exploiting the full range of technology support
- Developing independent learning skills
- Boosting self-confidence and fuelling ambition
This one-day training course will look at each of these key components of the essential educational package for creating successful dyslexics. The day will be a combination of instructional presentations, detailed case-study work and other practical activities. A full package of teacher’s notes will be provided.
This training course is designed specially for ordinary classroom teachers, head teachers, and SENCOs. No prior knowledge of dyslexia is required, but those with some understanding or experience of dyslexia will be able to further their knowledge and skills significantly. Other professionals working with dyslexic children (e.g. educational psychologists and speech therapists) will also find the day very useful. The overall aim of the day is to equip all those attending with the requisite skills to begin to work successfully with dyslexic pupils.
PROGRAMME
1. WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL DYSLEXIC?
- What is dyslexia?
- What causes dyslexia?
- Profiles of successful dyslexics
- Typical strengths and weaknesses
- Problems and solutions at school
- Personality and confidence
- Problem solving skills
- The role of the teacher
- The role of the parents
- Problems and solutions after leaving school
2. IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT
- Cognitive methods for identifying the dyslexic
- Assessing cognitive strengths and weaknesses
- Tests and materials for use in assessment
- Typical and atypical dyslexics
- Case studies of dyslexics (practical activity)
- Differential diagnosis: distinguishing dyslexia from other developmental disorders, such as Dyspraxia and AD/HD
- Specific maths difficulties
- Special arrangements in examinations
3. TEACHING AND LEARNING
- Creating a learning plan based on the cognitive profile
- Teaching strategies and materials at the pre-school stage
- Teaching strategies and materials at the primary stage
- Teaching strategies and materials at the secondary stage
- Teaching strategies and materials at the post-16 stage
- Strategies for supporting children with specific maths problems
- Technology support for learning at all ages
4. DEVELOPING INDEPENDENT LEARNING SKILLS
- Metacognitive learning styles
- Building on strengths
- Compensating for weaknesses
- Boosting self-confidence and fuelling ambition
- Techniques for developing memory skills
- Techniques for developing organisational skills
- Independence via technology
- Revision and examination techniques
- Learning at university and beyond
5. QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION
BOOKING INFORMATION (OnLine Booking Available)
The training day runs from 0930 to 1700 with registration from 0815 to 0925. An informal buffet lunch will be available, and a choice of refreshments will be offered throughout the day. The conference programme and joining instructions / map will be supplied to each applicant.
The inclusive cost for the training day is £110 per delegate plus VAT – a total cost of £129-25 (in Dublin this will be £105 sterling or approx. Ir£135) – please note that some concessions are available for full-time unwaged students, previous IPS course delegates, group bookings and delegates booking more than one IPS conference / training day in the academic year. If you are unable to pre-pay, and ask us to invoice your institution, local council / education authority, NHS Trust etc. we will need your completed booking form and an official purchase order or capitation order quoting the full course price together with details (direct phone number etc.) of the person responsible for arranging payment. We also accept Visa / Access / American Express credit cards plus Delta, Switch and Electron.
Please use a separate booking form for each person attending – (OnLine Booking now available!). Please note that cancellations will be accepted until 10 days prior to the course subject to a 50% cancellation fee, both on pre-paid and invoiced course fees. After this date we will be unable to refund course fees, either paid or due, but substitutions of delegates will be accepted on condition that IPS receives full written notice of cancellation and new delegates’ names before the course date. If you let us know of any special requirements i.e. wheelchair access, hearing aid remote microphones, special dietary requests etc. as soon as possible before the conference date, we will do our best to help.
PLEASE CONTACT: Linda Whelan
Course Co-ordinator
IPS (International Psychology Services)
17 High Street, Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, England BN6 9TT
Tel. 01273 832181 Fax 01273 833250
(from overseas: tel. {44}-1273-832181 fax {44}-1273-833250
e-mail: info@devdis.com Internet: www.devdis.com
