Irish Association of Teachers in Special Education present their Spring regional seminar:
Advancing Literacy for Learners with Special Education/Additional Needs
Date: Saturday 6th February 2016
Venue: Dublin West Education Centre, Tallaght IT, Old Blessington Road, Dublin 24
Presenter Brendan Culligan
Presentations:
Session 1: Teaching Handwriting
Session 2: Tackling Spelling Difficulties
Registration: 9:30 – 10:00
Session 1: 10:00 – 11:30
Tea / Coffee Break: 11:30 – 12:00
Session 2: 12:00 – 13:30
This seminar is open to primary, post-primary, special education class/school teachers, SNA’s, parents and all other professionals working in the area of special education.
*Free to IATSE members *€5 for all other participants
To register: please contact or
See www.iatse.ie for further information
Session 1: Teaching Handwriting
Handwriting is a vital skill that takes a great deal of time and practice to perfect. Although it takes up much of the child’s school day, it has a very low profile in literacy. This session will examine how a rational and systematic approach is essential if we want to enhance children’s penmanship and creative writing ability. It will outline practical strategies to develop fine motor skills and demonstrate that cursive writing is possible from the beginning of school
Session 2: Tackling Spelling Difficulties
This session will examine spelling as a development process. It will examine what is required to become a proficient speller. it will outline the reasons for spelling failure and through the use of case studies will offer suggestions to ameliorate these difficulties. It will explore ways of developing visual perception of word forms and suggest games and activities to make spelling less stressful.
Speaker/Presenter: Brendan Culligan
Brendan was a primary school teacher for over thirty years. Fifteen of these years were spent in learning support. He spent another fifteen years lecturing in English Curriculum Studies both in Froebel College of Education and later in Marino Institute of Education. He is past secretary to ILSA and past President of Literacy Association of Ireland. He was a member of the Government Task Force on Dyslexia in 2001. Brendan has presented papers both nationally and internationally and is the author of many articles and books on spelling and handwriting.