Learning Disabilities Fall PD Workshop Dates

Below are dates for the fall professional development workshops on learning disabilities. This is the first phase of the professional development strategy resulting from the Learning Disabilities project BYSN undertook this past year.

Workshop #1: Introduction to Learning Disabilities - LD Awareness

2 sessions

• Wed, September 19 - 1:30-4:30
• Wed, September 26 - 1:30-4:30

This session will cover definitions of learning disabilities/ differences, characteristics and types of LD, LD and the law, and the rights and responsibilties of both the LD learner and the program he or she attends. Methods of screening for LD will be presented, and places to refer our LD learners for a more definitie evaluation, should the learner want, will be identified.

Workshop #2: Serving ABE/ESOL LD Learners - Teaching 6th-12th GLE LD Learner

2 sessions

• Wed, October 24 - 1:30-4:30 (Signup now)
• Wed, November 7 - 1:30-4:30 (Signup now)

Methods and materials will be presented that a teacher or volunteer tutor could use to teach decoding, spelling, writing and comprehension. Additional issues with ESOL LD learners will be considered. Participants are urged to bring case studies and pre-formulate questions to pose in the session.

Sylvia Greene from the Cambridge Community Learning Center will be conducting these workshops. There is a maximum of 25 participants in any session, which is why we have scheduled two of each, so I will be asking folks to RSVP for their staff. Location will be confirmed.

Lunch will be provided.

Other Fall PD Activities:

A more advanced workshop on LD Related Strategies will follow in Nov/ Dec with Diane Goss from Curry College. Those dates will be available shortly.

The Trauma Learning and Policy Institute is scheduled do a training on working with traumatized youth at the November 15 BYSN meeting. All staff are invited to attend.