Positioning dyslexia within the neurodiversity space, Sam will explore how Universal Design for Learning fosters learner centred experiences, which can truly build inclusive classrooms. This short session will explore current thinking in neurodiversity, how this links to Universal Design for Learning, and ultimately supports dyslexic learners in the classroom.

We know that many learners with dyslexia struggle to acquire accurate and fluent reading skills, leaving many with long-term difficulties. This talk will briefly touch on why reading can be problematic for dyslexic learners, the potentially damaging impact of weak reading accuracy and fluency, methods of assessment for reading skills and the types of errors commonly seen. But most importantly, this talk will provide attendees with a range of teaching methods, practical strategies and activities that could significantly improve reading accuracy and fluency.

Making the impossible, possible: Achieving and succeeding with dyslexia and neurodiversity in further and higher education is possible.

The session will explore important considerations to be made when planning for college and university courses. It will look at what students can do to prepare themselves for college and university and how to get the right support from the start.

The session will demonstrate some strategies and techniques for study success, including how to use technology and dyslexic thinking to achieve your goals.

This talk will explore the principles underpinning the Maths Mastery approach to teaching maths and how this can be beneficial to learners with Dyscalculia. The talk will cover the five core competencies of metacognition, visualisation, generalisation, number sense and communication. It will also gives examples of how to use manipulatives and how to develop reasoning through the use of the bar model.

In this session, we will talk about the importance of times tables and division and how this is best taught, for understanding, to learners with dyscalculia and maths difficulties. We will explain the significance of the 'Jenga Approach'. We will talk about the pre-skills required, the use of key facts, and how the strategic fact method actually works.
We will share how we use manipulatives to support learning and how to make learning fun using games!
The session is suitable for educators or parents and links to resources you can use at school or home will be shared afterwards.

Dyscalculia: from science to education. Dyscalculia is not just being bad, or even very bad, at maths. Indeed, there are professional mathematicians who have trouble with simple arithmetic. Dyscalculia is a specific disability in understanding and using numbers, and it has a specific cause. We all inherit, and share with other creatures, a mechanism for representing the number of objects in the environment. Learning arithmetic in the normal way is based on using this mechanism to understand how our familiar numerical symbols, counting words and digits, are linked to sets of objects and operations on sets. In dyscalculic learners, this mechanism is not working efficiently. Very simple tests can identify this and can be used even with young learners, perhaps even infants. Methods for helping dyscalculic learners should be based on sets linked to their familiar symbols. Most digital games enable learners to practice what they already know. However, they can help learners acquire for the first time basic number concepts. Very few digital games have been shown in proper trials to improve learning. I will present a game, NumberBeads, we have shown to be effective in international trials.

Maths anxiety can have a huge impact on our understanding of maths concepts and our ability to perform arithmetic. This presentation will help you learn how to recognise the signs of anxiety and understand how it impacts our problem-solving skills. Having struggled with maths anxiety herself, Amanda is passionate about helping others in the same situation. Her experience of teaching maths for 29 years in both mainstream and specialist schools has given her the tools needed to help teachers and parents reduce that anxiety. She will discuss the research carried out by the Maths Hubs teachers that she led, and suggest resources and strategies that can be used to reduce maths anxiety at home and in school. It is hoped that a reduction in anxiety levels can help learners unlock the knowledge they have already gained and help them move forward in a safe environment where mistakes welcomed as part of the learning process.

This talk will explore the principles underpinning the Maths Mastery approach to teaching maths and how this can be beneficial to learners with Dyscalculia. The talk will cover the five core competencies of metacognition, visualisation, generalisation, number sense and communication. It will also gives examples of how to use manipulatives and how to develop reasoning through the use of the bar model.

Imagine training for the job for your dreams at university only to be rejected as you don’t have a GCSE Maths. Imagine constantly being in and out of debt because you struggle with finances. Imagine signing mortgage agreements, job contracts or pension schemes when you misread big numbers or struggle to associate numbers with value.

Imagine having all these challenges, trying to explain to someone that you have dyscalculia and their response being: ‘what’s that?’

Most people don’t know how to pronounce dyscalculia let alone know what it is. This must and will change.

In this session, two adults from different backgrounds and on different career paths will talk through their experiences of dyscalculia: what is it for them, what help they wish had been there for them, how we can build awareness of dyscalculia and how we can better accommodate and support children and adults with dyscalculia now.

As a specialist maths teacher, I need to create targeted maths support plans for my new students. These must build on their secure maths blocks, develop real understanding and correct any misconceptions. For this, I need an assessment that allows me to listen to my student’s explanations, observe their manipulation of concrete resources and examine the strategies that they use.

In this presentation we will see how diagnostic assessment provides the accurate evaluation of maths knowledge that is needed to write targeted maths support plans.

In this talk, Dr Ross will outline processes by which private dyslexia assessments may be commissioned and how to link the different elements of those assessment to real-life interventions and support. Dr Ross will discuss the concepts of ‘reasonable adjustments’ for young learners and suggest ways that you can support young people in a cost effective way, which helps to build bridges with learners and their families. The place of private assessment reports will be discussed and related to the Equality Act 2020, the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0-25 Years. The importance to your organisations or giving full consideration to private assessments will be discussed and the potential pitfalls of not engaging with recommendations made in reports will be highlighted.
Specific Learning Outcomes are as follows:
• Understand processes linked to private dyslexia assessments
• Relate elements of private assessments to difficulties experienced by young people in class
• Highlight high-impact, low-cost strategies to support young people with dyslexia in class
• Understand the importance of implementing ‘reasonable adjustments’ to support young people with dyslexia/SEND.

This presentation will consider Adhd and neurodivergence in order to successfully support learning behaviour and socialisation objectives
Areas to be covered
• Demystifying AdHd and other key Neurodivergent terms including ASC and SpLD
• Understanding and Supporting Executive Functioning in terms of supporting learning and behaviour
• Introducing the SF3R approach to support Neuroinclusive practice
• Structure in terms of outlining key expectations, routines and rituals
• Flexibility in terms of classroom management and accessing the curriculum
• Rapport in terms of effective communication and dealing with distraction, inflexibility and frustration.
• Relationships in socialisation issues and developing positive partnerships with parents
• Resilience in terms of transition points and happiness and wellbeing

This session uses questions that build a picture of your classroom by considering boundary judgements, multiple perspectives and interrelationships; the critical ideas from systems thinking.

It will build from you as the practitioner into an action plan which you can take away and implement. It will focus on:

1. Your knowledge and experience
2. Your classroom environment
3. Your learners
4. Your school
5. Your community

You will leave with a set of questions which will shape an approach to addressing literacy needs in your classroom that is inclusive and student-centred.

It will be dyslexia friendly but also be sensitive to co-occurring needs, both diagnosed and suspected.

"The Power of Assistive Technology" #PowerOfAT is a ground-breaking set of films that demonstrates assistive technology can change and transform the lives of dyslexic learners. Having interviewed over 25 + pupils we found that they were as passionate as we are in embracing new technologies! Come and find out how you can get hold of these films

Establishing a genuinely neuro-inclusive school environment for staff is paramount to the overall success of creating an inclusive educational setting for students. The claim of a neuro-inclusive school must encompass all members of the school community, including the well-being and support of educators.

In this overview, Frances Akinde, a former special school headteacher, will share the essential elements required to cultivate a truly inclusive school environment.

Firstly, acknowledging and understanding diverse neurological needs among staff is foundational. This involves recognising that educators, like students, possess unique cognitive profiles and preferred ways of working.

Providing tailored support and resources can significantly enhance their professional experience and therefore improve their wellbeing.

This fosters a sense of trust and enables educators to express their needs and concerns openly.
Therefore, not only benefiting neurodiverse students but also creating a more inclusive and supportive teaching community.

In summary, for schools to authentically claim neuro-inclusivity, prioritising the well-being and support of educators is imperative.
The provided tips, drawing from professional and lived experiences, offer a roadmap for fostering a truly neuro-inclusive school environment.

Dyslexia screeners have an important role to play in early identification especially given that schools increasingly don't have the funds to pay for a full diagnostic assessment. Standardised scores can be used to benchmark pupils based on their chronological age and key recommendations can be given to support quality first teaching in the classroom.

This session aims to unpick what is assessed in a typical screener and why this is important. It will also look at how best to administer these screeners and interpret the results. Finally it will consider what the next steps will look like and when a referral for a full diagnostic assessment should be made.

Just how feasible is it to use technology in the classroom when you are dealing with 30 different individuals? We will explore different technology available, how you can embed when you have a class of diverse needs and the requisite skills needed to ensure effective use. (Hint: You have to be able to use them effectively yourself!)

Despite the long history of dyslexia in research and practice, there remain significant debates about how dyslexia should be defined. Some have argued that the term lacks a scientific basis, while others argue that the term has significantly broadened in recent years. We used a Delphi study to establish areas of consensus in the field.
A Delphi study asks expert panel members to review several key statements on a topic and state to what extent they agree with them, and how the statements could be improved. Crucially, all responses are anonymous and participants can read each other's responses. We carried out a Delphi study of dyslexia with a group of 71 professionals working in the field of dyslexia, with a range of disciplinary backgrounds including education, research, psychology and occupational support.
Fifty-eight participants responded to the statements. Two rounds of review were used to achieve consensus for 41 statements. These statements are used as the basis for an updated definition of dyslexia which takes account of recent research findings. There are some remaining areas of controversy, particularly with regard to the role of intellectual abilities in dyslexia and the extent to which reading impairment can be separated for dyslexia.

This collaborative talk by Anne Sheppee, Neurodiversity consultant and Dyslexia specialist, and Fee Kempton an EdTech consultant specialising in the application of AI in the classroom, delves into the exciting possibilities of AI in supporting neurodivergent students.

Join them as they explore:
Understanding Executive Functioning: Gain a deeper understanding of the core executive functioning skills crucial for academic success and the challenges faced by neurodivergent students.
The Power of Prompt Engineering: Discover how carefully crafted prompts can scaffold learning, enhance focus, and encourage independent thinking in students.
How to integrate AI-powered Apps: Explore a range of AI-powered applications designed to support specific executive functioning needs, such as time management, organisation, and task initiation.

This session is specifically designed for teachers, SENCOs, senior educational leaders and parents seeking innovative and practical strategies to empower neurodivergent students in their learning journeys.

Have you ever wondered why some children struggle with handwriting?

In this session, Sue will share her knowledge and research to help you understand why some children struggle with handwriting. Drawing on her experience of teaching handwriting to tens of thousands of children in primary and secondary schools, Sue will explore the root cause of poor handwriting. In addition, she will demonstrate how you can quickly unpick poor handwriting habits.

Handwriting is a skill that requires specific teaching. However, unpicking illegible handwriting is an incredibly difficult task. Teachers are not given specific training on handwriting or given instruction on what to do when things go wrong.

Sue will help you identify the developmental problems and root causes that can affect a child’s ability to write by hand.

As a handwriting expert, consultant and advisor with over 18 years of experience teaching handwriting to children in schools, Sue will share her knowledge on how to support the human development required for handwriting and how to teach handwriting correctly.

This informative session will be a real eye opener for anyone who teaches handwriting.

I will delve into the science of reading, to support our understanding of how we learn to read. The "Reading Rope", a metaphorical framework that illustrates the multifaceted nature of reading, will also be explored. This visual representation will help participants understand the various intertwined skills and processes involved in reading, including decoding, language comprehension, and vocabulary acquisition.
Key takeaways will include insights into the challenges posed by dyslexia and other reading difficulties, as well as evidence-based strategies for effective reading instruction. Participants will learn how systematic and explicit phonics instruction, coupled with multisensory approaches, can make a profound difference in literacy outcomes, especially when introduced early. We will also explore the evolving role of technology in promoting literacy offering innovative tools and resources for both educators and learners.
We will explore practical strategies for creating a literacy-rich environment at home and in educational settings, emphasising the importance of fostering a love for reading. By the end of the session, attendees will leave with a toolkit of resources and ideas to promote literacy in their communities and a renewed commitment to empowering minds through reading. Expect to be inspired with a renewed enthusiasm for making literacy accessible to all.

This session will focus upon how your pupil's sensory needs can be a help and/or a hindrance to being available and regulated for learning. We will explore eight of our senses, sensory processing and avoiding/seeking related needs. Lots of practical strategies will be shared, including how to set up a personalised and accessible sensory diet.

Growth mindset was a ‘buzz’ word in education for quite a while. Many people were working on improving student grown mindset. However, we know that positive staff attitudes towards neurodiversity and inclusion are crucial for the success of all students, not just SEN students. Join Sam Garner to look at the impact of a negative staff mindset and, the simple, low cost, ways that educational settings can help staff develop their own growth mindset. Let’s work together in partnership for the benefit of all students.

The Issue:
How might we support pupils who are finding being in mainstream classroom challenging, to practice and develop learning behavior and strategies, for being in class successfully, so they can learn and stay in school?

Intent:
To primarily address social, emotional and mental health need in order to support pupils to be ready to learn. Without emotional intelligence and skills we cannot be ready to learn.

Core Aims:
To ensure pupils know that they belong and are part of the Trust family of schools
To remain within the trust
Early intervention (while it can still work)
Therapeutic environment (filling in the gaps in development)
Different and innovative approach to learning
Facilitation and project model (building team work and collaboration)
Preparation for life in 21st century

What it looks like:
An Alternative Provision placement that last 12 weeks. Pupils will attend their main schools 3 days a week as normal and then the other 2 day at the SoS where they learn and practice appropriate interaction as part of a range of structured tasks.

Recent TES article: https://www.tes.com/magazine/analysis/secondary/behaviour-attendance-alternative-provision

Join Paloma Forde a leading expert in the field of special educational needs education where she will be talking all things multi-sensory learning!

During the session, Paloma will explore the what and why of multi-sensory learning, explaining why it benefits most dyslexic learners.

The rest of the session will be a fun and interactive/engaging demo where Paloma will be show casing her EXACT method that she uses to successfully teach reading, writing and spellings to all her dyslexic learners. The demo will also include ideas for resources and tech which you can adapt to support your own students.

This session is perfect for teachers, teaching assistants, learning support assistants, SENCOs and parents wanting to learn how to BEST support their students learning needs.

There will be time for Q and A at the end, so do come along with questions.

This talk aims to give up to date information to the newly qualified assessor, the returning assessor or those working currently as assessors. It discusses what is new in terms of tests, SASC guidance as well as putting together your CPD log for AMBDA/APC. It will aim to encourage and update those assessors who feel a little 'rusty'.