4D | Parent & Child - creating the connection

Auckland - Sunday 30 May, 2010

Time: 12:30 - 4:30pm

Venue: Rydges Hotel
Cnr Federal & Kingston Streets Auckland NZ

Map parking and hotel discount details - click here

Cost: $95 incl GST per person (adult or child)

Workshop description:
Staying connected to your child and their learning can be difficult when the challenges of dyslexia or other differences arise - especially when it comes to homework and learning for tests. Ensuring that your child knows that you understand and are willing to support them is critical for their self esteem and future opportunities as is actually knowing how and what to do.

Focusing on aspects of reading for meaning, spelling tricky words and organising ideas on paper, this unique workshop teaches parents some of the “tricks of the trade” and gives them the opportunity to try them out on their children – while being supported by experienced teachers. While it is best if parents can bring a child (or two) it is understood that this may not always be possible – so please feel free to come along and maybe support another instead. This workshop is very interactive and also very relaxed – you might even have fun!

Those that should attend:
Parents of children that show signs of dyslexia or other learning difference (and their 8 - 18 year old children)

Click here Register now to secure your place.

4D | Dyslexia aware best practice - the new teaching paradigm Auckland - Monday 31 May, 2010 Time: 9am - 4:30pm [lunch break 12-1:30pm, lunch not provided]

Venue: Rydges Hotel Cnr Federal & Kingston Streets Auckland NZ Map parking and hotel discount details - click here Cost: $195 incl GST per person Special 10% discount just for 4D Schools - just $175 incl GST Applies to staff or those working with students from a registered 4D school.

Workshop description:

An extended re-run of the acclaimed sell out workshop that took place during June 2009 – click here for feedback from participants.

This interactive training event takes as its theme “no student left behind” and leads participants to develop effective and practical strategies supporting them to “notice and adjust” in response to dyslexic type learning difficulties.

This workshop places Dyslexia Aware provision firmly within the context of the New Zealand Curriculum and the strategies and activities being cross-referenced with the 5 Key Competencies and the new National Standards in Literacy. Participants will engage in a range of practical “things to do tomorrow,” including a “less is more” marking approach and techniques to support students with weak basic skills to interact with the curriculum at ability appropriate levels. They will also be supported to identify student strengths  and define progress through a variety of strategies appropriate for the National Literacy Standards, including Assessment for Learning, personalising learning, differentiation  and securing alternative evidence of achievement.

Those that should attend:

Primary and Secondary Principals, Teachers, Resource Teachers Learning and Behaviour, Resource Teachers Literacy, SENCOs, Learning Development Officers, Learning Support Teachers, Pre School Teachers etc. seeking essential, foundation knowledge about dyslexia and how best to support students with dyslexic type learning needs.The workshop is suitable for anyone with an interest in dyslexia. It also has real value to parents that are taking an active role in their child’s education or those that come across dyslexia in their professions.

Click here Register now to secure your place.

4D | Advanced - achieving the 4D Edge Auckland - Tuesday 1 June, 2010 Time: 9am - 4:30pm [lunch break 12-1:30pm, lunch not provided]

Venue: Rydges Hotel Cnr Federal & Kingston Streets Auckland NZ Map parking and hotel discount details - click here Cost: $195 incl GST per person Special 10% discount just for 4D Schools - just $175 incl GST Applies to staff or those working with students from a registered 4D school.

Workshop description:

Fresh insights and activities will take participants to another level of confidence & understanding built directly off the experiences of the “4D | Dyslexia aware best practice” workshop being run the previous day or the 2009  introductory workshop run in June 2009.

The latest research into Dyslexia will be presented in plain language so as to enable those attending to offer support and advice to students, parents and colleagues when asked about how best to respond effectively to dyslexic type learning issues. Not only is this presentation embedded firmly within the key competencies and the values of the National Curriculum, it will also support participants to apply the National Literacy Standards, selecting contexts to engage learners and define progress across a range of achievement based evidence.

A particular priority will be to take skills from the previous workshop to another level in order to create ladders for learning and to support dyslexic learners to make best use of their strengths. With all activities placed firmly in a context of securing alternative evidence of achievement, the course will cover:

Spelling – how to “spell what you can say” and to make phonically appropriate responses to complex jargon words
Reading – minimising issues with accuracy to develop ability appropriate comprehension skills
Writing – kinaesthetic approaches to getting ideas down on paper

Those that should attend:

Primary and Secondary Principals, Teachers, Resource Teachers Learning and Behaviour, Resource Teachers Literacy, SENCOs, Learning Development Officers, Learning Support Teachers, Pre School Teachers etc.looking to develop a level of confidence that will ensure all their students are engaged and enjoying their learning.

Click here Register now to secure your place.

4D | Interventions - beyond great teaching, un-sticking the 4% Auckland - Wednesday 2 June, 2010 Time: 9am - 4:30pm [lunch break 12-1:30pm, lunch not provided]

Venue: Rydges Hotel Cnr Federal & Kingston Streets Auckland NZ Map parking and hotel discount details - click here Cost: $195 incl GST per person Special 10% discount just for 4D Schools - just $175 incl GST Applies to staff or those working with students from a registered 4D school.

Workshop description:

This course is intended to extend the knowledge and skills of participants who already have a background in meeting the needs of dyslexic learners and focuses on the needs of the 4% of dyslexic students with significant issues for learning. The interactive and practical course will be close to a Masters level and will lead participants through some of the latest research and apply current thinking to develop effective interventions for students who have failed to respond to “notice and adjust” strategies in the classroom.  This workshop is particularly pertinent in terms of the new National Literacy Standards, especially with regard to keeping learners at the centre of decision making and building individualised and personalised responses to dyslexic type learning needs.  Strategies to deliver the “clear and consistent expectation for student achievement” which is enshrined in the National Literacy Standards will be discussed and developed in terms of creating opportunities for “small steps for success” and recognising these within the wider picture of attainment and achievement.

A range of phonic approaches will be discussed including the use of “sound buttons” to support the initial teaching of word building and blending, together with strategies to move from the synthetic to the analytic and on to whole word and “context based” approaches. Some IT solutions will be modeled together with opportunities to use some assessment tools. Kinaesthetic approaches to teaching reading and spelling will be addressed, as will ways to support dyslexic learners to “show what they know” via alternative evidence of achievement. Managing the learning and behaviour of small groups will also be discussed, particularly from the perspective of supporting colleagues and parents in an advisory capacity.

Those that should attend:

Primary and Secondary Principals, Resource Teachers Learning and Behaviour, Resource Teachers Literacy, SENCOs, Learning Development Officers, Learning Support Teachers, Pre School Teachers etc. Also, individuals supporting dyslexic adults & children that work from outside of the school environment.

Participants would benefit by having attended the 4D | Dyslexia aware best practice and the 4D | Advanced - achieving the 4D Edge workshop.

Click here Register now to secure your place.

4D | Leaders - creating change through vision and empowerment Co-presented by Neil MacKay and Faye LeCren, eTime Auckland - Thursday 3 June, 2010 Time: 9am - 4:30pm [lunch break 12-1:30pm, lunch not provided]

Venue: Rydges Hotel Cnr Federal & Kingston Streets Auckland NZ Map parking and hotel discount details - click here Cost: $195 incl GST per person Special 10% discount just for 4D Schools - just $175 incl GST Applies to staff or those working with students from a registered 4D school.

Workshop description:

The morning focus of this powerful workshop will be on how to use the principles of Dyslexia Aware best practice as a simple cost-effective vehicle for school-wide improvement in order to inform and enhance teaching and learning for all students. Topics to be covered include monitoring and tracking, differentiation and seeking alternative evidence of achievement within the context of the Vision and Key Competencies of the New Zealand Curriculum. Strategies to recognise and build on current best practice will be presented alongside auditing techniques, both in the form of proformas that will be made available for use back in school.

The afternoon session will take a wide-angle view on how to create whole school change that is driven by vision yet owned by all staff. Brace yourself for some wonderful leadership insights and gems from the founder of eTime, a business success story driven by a passionate and seasoned NZ Principal who has helped countless NZ schools embrace 21st century teaching and learning.

Those that should attend:

Primary and Secondary Principals, Senior Teachers, Resource Teachers Learning and Behaviour, Resource Teachers Literacy, SENCOs, Learning Development Officers, Learning Support Teachers, Pre School Teachers etc.

Those participating in this workshop will be in positions of leadership and influence. Those from primary and secondary schools will, following this workshop, be well placed to lead their schools along the 4D Quality Mark pathway towards a school culture that truly understands and celebrates difference and diversity.

Click here Register now to secure your place.

4D | Workplace - celebrating difference, discovering the creative edge

Auckland - Thursday 3 June, 2010

Time: 1:30pm to 5:30pm

Venue: Rydges Hotel
Cnr Federal & Kingston Streets Auckland NZ

Map parking and hotel discount details - click here

Cost: FREE for employers & dyslexic employees thanks to sponsorship from the Cookie Time Charitable Trust

Workshop description:

This interactive and practical workshop supports employer development and also focuses on recruitment and staff retention. At least 10% of any given workforce will be dyslexic to some degree and individuals will typically think faster than they read, write and get their ideas down on paper – at all levels of employment, from graduates to ground workers.

Practical solutions will be presented to demonstrate exactly how to make bulletins and documents more accessible, and will include essential advice on writing effective reports through to preparing for internal, national and/or professional examinations and assessments. The workshop will provide information on how you can help employees manifest their potential and add value to your business.

Experiences taken from the UK with employers as diverse as the Armed Forces, a multinational civil engineering firm and a Metropolitan Police Force will be used to identify opportunities for you and your workplace.

Promoting a notice and adjust philosophy, the focus is on creating a new business reality in which dyslexic employees are recognised, respected and empowered to achieve their potential. This workshop also has the potential to maximise the contribution of all employees whose abilities and skills are acknowledged but whose literacy needs are holding them back.

Those that should attend:
Employers, business owners and employees that want to work with their employers in becoming more dyslexia aware.

Click here Register now to secure your place.

4D | For Difference - Attention, Autism Spectrum, Vision, Hearing, Challenging Behaviours and more! Auckland - Friday 4 June, 2010 Time: 8:30am - 12:30pm

Venue: Rydges Hotel Cnr Federal & Kingston Streets Auckland NZ Map parking and hotel discount details - click here Cost: $165 incl GST per person. 10% discount just for 4D Schools - just $145 incl GST applies to staff or those working with students from a registered 4D school.

40% Loyalty discount - just $95 incl GST for those that have booked on any other workshop and to all Autism NZ Members

Workshop description:

The 4D Inclusive Classroom - how to meet additional learning needs without affecting the education of the rest of the class.

This workshop builds on the 4D principle of "get it right for dyslexia and get it right for all" to show how fine tuning learning and teaching for students with AD(H)D, ASD, Dyspraxia/DCD, Speech and Language, Visual and Hearing issues and challenging behaviour may also improve the achievement and attainment of all. The key barriers to learning for these additional needs will be unpacked to demonstrate "barrier busting" practical solutions to support teachers to fine tuning current practice to include these vulnerable students - all in a context of the National curriculum and the National Standards.

The workshop will be of value to class and subject teachers who are responding to this range of needs every day and also for those with leadership roles who have responsibility for enhancing inclusive best practice within their schools. A priority will be to support teachers to be aware of a range of possible barriers and to have the confidence to take front line "notice and adjust" action before referring on for additional support and to respond to needs without feeling the need to wait for the official "label".

Those that should attend:

Primary and Secondary Principals, Resource Teachers Learning and Behaviour, Resource Teachers Literacy, SENCOs, Learning Development Officers, Learning Support Teachers, Pre School Teachers etc. Also, individuals supporting dyslexic adults & children that work from outside of the school environment.Participants would benefit by having attended the 4D | Dyslexia aware best practice and/or the 4D | Advanced - achieving the 4D Edge workshop.

Click here Register now to secure your place.