WHY WE CREATED THIS TRAINING COURSE
For many years we have all been waiting for a course to train all educators in how to support their Neurodiverse students with Specific Learning Difficulties. Over the years, 1000’s of teachers have asked us for this type of training. To date, no such course has been created in Australia, and so we looked overseas and received permission from UK Education Dept to deliver this training, to teachers in Australia, and now it’s going around the world!
We have added to this accredited training by offering it in an innovative, multisensory, online, on-demand, video-based platform. This ground breaking training is easy for anyone to access, regardless of where you may live or work, so anywhere, any time! The original course material was written by many experts within the field of Learning difficulties and are listed below. All links to evidence and research are provided within the course material.
This amazing course would never have come to fruition without my friend and colleague, Liz Dunoon. Her dedication and passion to help struggling learners, coupled with her innovation and experience, have taken this training to a new level! Enjoy it and keep us posted!
FUNDED BY THE UK EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Liz Horobin for orchestrating this training during her role as Project Director of the BDA. This training not only offers valuable insight into the overlap of learning differences but goes on to help build a solid foundation with key strategies coupled with vital checklists across the four stages of education. It is that breath of fresh air which allows us to share our common goal of reaching and teaching every learner, despite their differences.
TEACHER TRAINING FOR STUDENTS WITH NEURODIVERSITY COURSE PRESENTERS
Jillian Zocher - Specific Learning Difficulties Specialist
Jillian Zocher is Specific Learning Difficulties Specialist for students across the age range. She completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Specific Learning Difficulties in conjunction with the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre (UK) and the Oxford and Cambridge Royal Society of Arts in 2002, after years of having taught at dyslexia friendly schools overseas. Her practice, Decoding Dyslexia, is at the Dyslexia and Learning Alliance Centre on the Central Coast, NSW. Jillian also offers a comprehensive, 45 minute screening and follow-up report via skype for all ages. www.decodingdyslexia.com.au or e-mail: decodingdyslexia@gmail.com
Jillian is the founder of the Learning Difference Convention and The Australia Learning Difference Dyslexia Handbook, borne out of charitable efforts on the Central Coast NSW towards Dyslexia awareness. Through accredited seminars and workshops, she aims to heighten awareness and offer support for those with diverse needs, those with a learning difference, thereby enabling an inclusive passage of education for all. www.learningdifferenceconvention.com
Jillian is about to launch two new websites, one for those of you who are unable to attend the annual convention. This new platform hosts videos from some of our seminars http://workshopstrust.com/, and the second website, http://swapcardgames.com/ links teachers and parents, to valuable resources for use across all age ranges. This website will be that breath of fresh air you have been looking for when it comes to reaching even the most severe dyslexics!
Member of
Liz Dunoon - Australian Dyslexia Author and Educational Consultant
Liz Dunoon is a teacher and a mother to 3 children all with dyslexia. She is the author of 4 books including ‘Helping Children With Dyslexia’, the creator of the Speech to Spelling Code (STOS) and the video based on line tutoring program ‘The Ten Minute Tutor’(TTMT).
Liz has spent the last 15 years researching and studying dyslexia and Specific Learning Difficulties. She supports individuals, parents and teachers. She networks with dyslexia researchers, specialists and educators from around the world, researching new information and material and presenting it in such a way so parents, teachers and dyslexia specialist can utilize this knowledge in their own work and lives. Liz does this via her free resource websites; Get into Neurodiversity as well as www.dyslexiadaily.com , www.speechtospellingcode.com , www.thetenminutetutor.com and related social media pages. Her following is well over 200,000 parents, teachers and specialists worldwide and more than 10,000 individuals have completed her TTMT tutoring program.
Liz knows that with appropriate educational support intelligent children with neurodiversity and Specific Learning Difficulties can shine. Adults with SpLd who experience success in life always report that a significant parent or teacher was their ‘champion’ and inspired them to overcome adversity, forge ahead and succeed. It is Liz’s intention to create more of these champions and in fact to have a champion in every school. Together with Jillian Zocher, a dyslexia specialist teacher, Liz has created the NESA accredited training course for educators, specialists and parents to ensure every child has access to a champion: Teacher Training for Students with Neurodiversity.
Her key word is ‘Transformation’. Being educated about SpLD is powerful – and a community of powerful people can bring about positive change for neurodiverse individuals.
TEACHER TRAINING FOR STUDENTS WITH NEURODIVERSITY COURSE AUTHORS
Liz Horobin (SpLD Specialist Educator)
Professional Practice Team Lead – Patoss Limited (July 2019 – Present : 2 months)
Pianist/accompanist – Self employed (1980 – Present : 39 years)
Over the years, I have worked as a piano teacher both full and part-time, as well as providing accompaniments for concert and exam performances. From 1989 – 1996, I was a member of the Natural Theatre Company of Bath and played keyboards for their productions of Scarlatti’s Birthday Party and Scarlatti’s Wedding, in the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, and Israel.
British Dyslexia Association (BDA) (6 years 3 months)
Roles:
Head of open and onsite training (April 2018 – June 2019 1 year : 3 months)
Project Director (April 2013 – April 2018 : 5 years 1 month)
During the last three years (2013-16), I’ve been involved in directing and delivering two Department for Education funded projects. The Primary Literacy Project (2013-15) focussed on supporting phonics and literacy at Key Stages 1 and 2, while the follow-on one-year Early Identification Project (2015-16), aimed to provide a framework to help primary schools to meet the requirements of the SEND reforms. These projects have resulted in the highly successful Sound Check intervention programme (see http://www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk/files/dyslexiaaction/what-works-5th-edition.pdf) and the Literacy Leap award framework for primary schools.
I’m now about to begin work directing a new DfE funded contract providing support for children and young people with dyslexia and other SpLD.
Head of Training – British Dyslexia Association (July 2011 – March 2013 : 1 year 9 months)
Bracknell UK
Project Manager – British Dyslexia Association (February 2010 – July 2012 : 2 years 6 months)
From 2010 – 2012, I managed the Big Lottery funded research project, Dyslexia and Multilingualism. This joint project between the BDA and Bath Spa University explored the identification and support of children aged 8 – 11 from EAL backgrounds who were at risk of dyslexia.
Head of Foundation Courses for International Students – Bath Spa University (April 1996 – January 2010 : 13 years 10 months)
I began working as a teacher on Foundation Courses for International Students at Bath Spa University in 1998. In 2002, I took on the role of Head of Foundation, in which position I oversaw the extension and development of a suite of foundation programmes, including Art & Design, Music, Business, Tourism, and British Culture.
Fintan O'Regan (ADHD)
Fin is one of the leading behavior and learning specialists in the UK. He trained as a secondary Science and PE teacher after studying Zoology and Genetics at Sheffield University and remains fascinated by the impact of nurture and nature on human development. He was the Headmaster of the Centre Academy School, regarded as the first specialist school within the UK for children with ADHD/ODD from 1996 -2002. Prior to this he has been a Deputy Head, Head of Department and Science/PE teacher in schools in London, Newcastle and Washington DC. Throughout this period he has worked with a range of students and parents and this experience has helped to develop a balanced perspective of the issues facing schools, teachers and families regarding behavior and learning differences. The SF3R behavior and learning model developed by Fin forms the principles of his approach regarding proactive short term and long term solutions to behavior and learning success as “although it is true that no two children are the same, structured and flexible systems and strategies will yield similar successful outcomes”. He is an internationally acclaimed presenter and consultant in Behavior, Learning and Motivation working both within the Education and Health sectors.
Recent presentations have taken place in Thailand, Singapore, China, The UAE, France, Germany, Switzerland and Ireland.
Within the UK he is currently a SEN and Behavior Consultant for the Schools Network and an associate lecturer for Leicester University, the National Association of Special Needs, Tribal Education and the Institute of Education.
He is currently the Vice Chairman of UKAP and member of the European ADHD Alliance and former chairperson of the European ADHD Taskforce, member of the Special Education Consortium and member of SpLD Assessment Standards Committee.
Publications include the T.E.S. award wining book Educating Children with ADHD (2000), How to teach and Manage Children with ADHD (2001), Surviving and Succeeding in SEN and ADHD: Impact and Intervention: (both 2005), Troubleshooting Challenging Behavior and Challenging Behaviors (both 2006) The Small Change: Big Difference series Inattention, Hyperactive and Disorganised (2008) and recently published Successfully Managing ADHD 2014.
Gill Dixon (Anxiety and Mental Health)
Author, Gill Dixon lives with three family members with the condition who are diagnosed from mild to severe. She is also a nurse and a teacher and so offers a unique perspective with a foot in health, education and as someone directly affected by the condition. Gill has written two other books on dyspraxia and is currently vice Chairman of the Dyspraxia Foundation. All proceeds from this book will go directly to the Charity in a bid to help it continue its excellent work. Dyspraxia is a complex and subtle condition that impacts on every aspect of a persons life.
The book covers, diagnosis, what dyspraxia is and isn’t, its impact, movement difficulties, family issues, visual learning difficulties, support strategies and more. This is an excellent and inexpensive book for those starting out on their journey with dyspraxia, but equally is excellent additional information for anyone interested in the condition, with prior knowledge, or who supports someone with the condition. It avoids complicated jargon and is a really accessible book which can be read as a whole or dipped into as needs arise.
Steve Chinn (Dyscalculia)
His experience spans over forty years of work and research in special and mainstream education. In 1986, he founded, developed and built a specialist secondary school for dyslexic boys, a school which won major national awards. He is now an independent consultant, researcher and writer and have presented papers, contributed to conferences worldwide (over 30 countries) and delivers training courses for psychologists, teachers, parents and support assistants.
Qualifications
BSc (Chemistry) PhD (Applied Physics) University of Leeds
Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) University of Bristol
Dip Ed Man Bristol Polytechnic
Associate Membership of the British Dyslexia Association
Awards
2008 The Marion Welchman International Award for Services to Dyslexia
2010 The Lady Radnor (Dyslexia Action) Award for lifetime services to dyslexia.
2012 IDA Orton Oak’
2013 Visiting Prof of Special Education, University of Derby. 2013 to 2016. Tenure extended to 2019.
2014 FRSA
Teaching Experience
14 years in mainstream schools teaching science
24 years as Head of three schools for dyslexic pupils
1981-84 Head of Shapwick School, a secondary school for dyslexic boys
1984-85 Head of Chatauqua Academy, Baltimore, USA, a co-ed high school for dyslexic pupils
He was the founder (1986) and Principal of Mark College, Somerset and retired in 2005. During his 19 years of setting up and running Mark College, it was awarded Beacon School Status by the DfES, the Award for Excellence by the Independent Schools’ Association, a Highly Effective School Certificate by the DfES, a National Training Award and a Sportsmark (with Distinction). Out of 14 members of staff, six had books published on aspects of dyslexia.
Societies and Committees (past and present)
These include: –
· Chair of the 3rd International Conference of the British Dyslexia Association
· Chair (and co-founder) of CReSTeD, the Council for the Registration of Schools Teaching Dyslexic pupils
· DfES Advisory Group on Partnerships between Independent and State Schools
· Trustee of the Hornsby International Dyslexia Centre
· Chair Dyslexia Action’s Education Advisory Group
· Chair of BDA Dyscalculia and Maths LD sub-committee
· Member of the ESRC Peer Review College
· Honorary Advisory Member of the Register of Educational Therapists (Singapore)
· Visiting Professor at the University of Derby
· Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Lectures and Conferences
He has lectured and provided INSETs and CPD in some 30 countries worldwide and have been a keynote speaker at many major conferences. He set up the first Post Graduate Certificate course in the UK for maths and dyslexia which was accredited by the BDA for the AMBDA (Numeracy). The course was validated by MMU (4 Masters modules at M level) and was delivered for 4 years under Mark College’s Beacon School funding.
Ambitious about Autism (ASD)
Ambitious about autism is a charity for children and young people with autism. Providing services, raising awareness and understanding and campaigning for change.
British Dyslexia Association (Dyslexia)
The British Dyslexia Association has been the voice of dyslexic people since 1972. An organization working to achieve a dyslexia friendly society for all.
Dyspraxia Foundation (DCD, DVD, Dysgraphia)
The Dyspraxia Foundation is a charity aiming to support individuals and families affected by dyspraxia/DCD. It aims to promote awareness and understanding.
I CAN (Specific Language Impairment)
I Can Communicate is a children’s communication website aimed at increasing public awareness of the facts about children’s early language development.
National Handwriting Association (Dysgraphia)
The National Handwriting Association is a charity whose aims are to raise awareness of the importance of handwriting as a vital component of literacy, to promote good practice in the teaching of handwriting and to support those who work with children with handwriting difficulties.