Literacy Awareness Training (LAT) Course For Teachers and Professionals working with special needs children

 

 Many LD children (85%) have an inability to remember what they hear. This is due to an "incompletely developed auditory conceptual function". The primary cause is neurophysiological and it appears randomly in 1/3 of the general population, without apparent linkage to race, sex, cultural factors such as education and socio-economic class, or even intelligence

Reading, spelling and speech development depend on adequate auditory conceptual development - the ability to perceive the number, order and identity of sounds in words and to represent those sounds symbolically.

The LAT course addresses phonemic awareness- the ability to retain auditory information and distinguish the identity, number, and sequence of sounds in words has greater predictive value in reading success than previously examined areas.

The LAT course also addresses visual imagery, which is the foundation of higher order thinking skills. Many LD children also exhibit a specific language comprehension disorder in oral and written language because of deficits based in the sensory system. These individuals have a weakness in creating the "gestalt" or "whole". This weakness interferes with the connection to and interpretation of incoming language. They only process "parts", bits and pieces, a few facts and details, dates and names, but cannot process the whole concept.

The concepts taught in the LAT course have a wide application to many speech and language problems and are supported by clinical and classroom studies and current brain research.

Course Details

DATE: Courses are held regularly and run over 10 days (excluding weekends)

TIME: 9 am-5 p.m. (Monday-Friday)

VENUE: 3 Cambridge Street, Harris Park, NSW 2150

COST: AU$2200 (incl. GST) Morning and afternoon tea provided

Registration: Please contact Rosemary Boon, Tel (02) 9637 9998, Fax: (02) 9637 8799,

Email: rboon@learningdiscoveries.org

Numbers are strictly limited to 10, so please register early.

About Rosemary……………

Rosemary Boon is one of the most prominent psychologists dealing with learning difficulties and associated disorders. She is one of the professions' most sought after speakers, having addressed workshops and conferences in the United Kingdom, United States and nationally.

As a qualified teacher, trainer and psychologist with a background of over 25 years in special education, school counselling, educational psychology and neuropsychophysiology, Rosemary continues to provide full hands- on teaching to children and adults in need of specialised and individualised remedial teaching. Her work as a school counsellor focused on children with learning and language disabilities, attentional deficits, and behavioural and emotional problems. This led her to look for better ways to help them. To this end she has travelled extensively to gather knowledge and skills learning from world pioneers in their field, and continues to do so. Her methods are wholistic in approach and her teaching abilities are unparalleled.

In 1988 she piloted the Lindamood ADD Programâ at Lurnea Public School with children of varying functional and age levels. Since training firstly with Pam Ward, Educational Psychologist, and later with Phyllis Lindamood in California, she has conducted regional inservices for counsellors, specialist and classroom teachers in both the Lindamood ADD Programâ and Nanci Bell's Visualizing & Verbalizingâ method for language comprehension and critical thinking. She has also learned the Spalding Methodâ .

Rosemary’s experience in clinical practice has demonstrated that there is no "single programme" or "package" available which can be used "as directed" given the diverse needs of people with learning difficulties and associated comorbidities. Therefore a multi-modal, eclectic approach has been adopted to formulate The Literacy Awareness Training Course.

Further training has included Neurofeedback (EEG Spectrum USA), Flexyx Neurotherapy (USA), SKIL QEEG Topometric Analysis (USA), SAMONASâ Sound Therapy (UK, Germany), The Listening Programâ (UK), Hypnosis and NeuroDevelopmental Therapy. Rosemary is also a certified One-on-One Heartmathâ provider, an Irlen Screenerâ and is currently finishing her studies in clinical nutrition.

More information about these services can be found on the website http://www.learningdiscoveries.org

Comments from Previous participants

"....a ten day learning course which must be ranked amongst the most powerful, exciting and stimulating of the numerous courses I have ever attended over a long (and continuing) teaching career. I highly recommend the course to all other dedicated teachers with a strong desire to prevent and/or remediate student reading and/or learning problems." Marjorie Robinson, Ex School Principal, SPELD Committee

"I have found my philosophy of teaching challenged and enriched by what I learned. The content of Rosemary's course is providing my students with a broader base of skills and strategies enabling them to overcome difficulties more efficiently and effectively." Kay Breen, Deputy Principal, Infants

"....an inspirational motivator and a very perceptive communicator. Rosemary's experience as a psychologist, teacher, and special education teacher allows her to create a unique learning environment which engenders enthusiasm and a thirst to learn more." Jennifer Chamberlain, B.A. Linguistics

"As a mother of a child with learning disabilities I have no hesitation recommending Rosemary's training course to other parents who wish to learn these methods." Michelle Bish, Parent

"The support given to me by Rosemary was what I needed to teach my dyslexic daughter an alternative way to read and spell. Since I have taken the course, at any time I have needed support, all I have had to do is pick up the phone and Rosemary has been there for us". Ruth Low, Parent, Qld.