New learning opportunities - 2018/19

Posted by Shirley Lawson on the 20th August, 2018

Is this the term when you plan to get your head around implementing assistive technology in a move towards providing an inclusive learning environment? Why not start by signing up to our 90 minute Online Learning workshop on 6th September at 4:00pm?

Just log in online to access guidance and support on how to create an environment where assistive technology is utilised practically and readily. We will showcase a range of technologies and demonstrate how they can be used to enable students with or without additional support needs to become independent, successful learners. And we will look at the wider issues of matching the right technology with the needs of students using assessment and evaluation methods.

Florian (2015) argues that an inclusive pedagogical approach is about class teachers extending what is generally available to everybody rather than solely differentiating for some. This is an important shift in thinking that can avoid the negative effects of treating some students as different.  Assistive technology can provide a range of tools which will support learners of all abilities.

We are also running a full day course on 13th September on Raising Attainment for Dyslexic Learners using Assistive Technology.  This will be a popular course – sign up today!

We will be sharing knowledge and expertise of a wide range of hardware (laptops, iPads, Chromebooks etc), software and apps that can support dyslexic learners to meet their learning objectives. Participants will have opportunities to explore solutions for having text read out loud (Text to Speech), predictive text, speech recognition, spelling and grammar checking, the use of audio notes and mind mapping software and apps.

Either or both these Professional Learning opportunities will give you the knowledge of how assistive technology can support your learners – chances are you have the technology in school already. We want to help you to start using it to its full capacity.

Florian, L., (2015) Conceptualising inclusive pedagogy: The inclusive pedagogical approach in action. in JM Deppeler, T Loreman, R Smith & L Florian (eds), Inclusive Pedagogy Across the Curriculum. vol. 7, Inclusive Pedagogy Across the Curriculum, vol. 7, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp. 11-24. DOI: 10.1108/S1479-363620150000007001