The Ontario Branch of the International Dyslexia Association has a couple of upcoming workshops in Toronto that may be of interest to some of you. The sessions are free and online registration is available. ONBIDA continues to surprise me, one would expect such a specific disability based association to not offer much of a unique service but they regularly have great workshops and a fantastic little conference. I've already signed up for the February session. You can view the descriptions below or on their website (where you can also register) by CLICKING HERE.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
How to Navigate the Emotional, Social and Behavioural Struggles Associated with Learning Disabilities
Presented by: Barbara Muskat, M.S.W., R.S.W.
Director, Community Consultation and Co-Acting Executive Director, Integra
Did you know that learning disabilities are the second most prevalent childhood health condition? Affected individuals are also at risk of facing a lifetime of emotional, social and behavioural struggles such as anxiety, depression, conduct problems, social isolation and poor self esteem. In this presentation you will learn:
* How psychosocial behaviours develop in individuals with learning disabilities and their impact on childhood, adolescence and adulthood
* What societal misunderstandings and stigmas are faced by individuals with learning disabilities
* How an ecologically-based approach can enhance coping and resilience
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Strategies to Help Your Struggling Writer
Presented by: Charles W. Haynes, Ed.D., CCC-SLP
Associate Professor and Clinical Supervisor,
Graduate Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders
Do you know a student who struggles to express what he wants to say? Teachers often observe that students with dyslexia struggle to express themselves in their writing. These same children and adolescents are at risk for failing socially and academically. Through lecture, discussion and hands-on activities, participants will learn practical strategies and techniques for supporting, or "scaffolding," students’ development of oral and written expression. Examples of theme-centred skills instruction at the word and sentence levels will be explored and their relevance to paragraph-level writing will be illustrated. Examples from lower, middle and upper grades will be displayed and comprehensive handouts will be provided. This session is specifically designed for:
* Classroom Teachers
* Speech-Language Pathologists
* Reading-Writing Specialists
* English as a Second Language Instructors
* Parents and advocates who want to learn research-based ideas for spoken-written language intervention
