FREE Online Training for Members
Autumn Term 2022
20th September – MAPP with Mike Sissons
Mapping & Assessing Personal Progress (MAPP) is a suite of materials to facilitate the planning, assessment
and recording of progress in relation to personal learning intentions.
29th September – The Engagement Model with James Waller
This session will recap the main principles from the statutory approach as well as offer some practical ideas around how you might use the model in school for pupils not yet fully accessing subject specific learning or the content of the national curriculum.
3rd October – An Introduction to Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) with Peter Imray
An exploration of the key learning characteristics, particularly concentrating on difficulties with abstract concepts and working memory. These are especially pertinent given the lack of research to demonstrate that either of these difficulties are open to remediation for learners with SLD, highlighting the need to work with what learners can do, rather than trying to mend what they can’t do.
6th October – Logically Illogical – Information and insight into Autism* by Ros Blackburn
12th October – An Introduction to Profound & Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) with Peter Imray
An exploration of the key learning characteristics, noting the barriers which will affect the ability of those with PMLD to assimilate certain types of teaching, particularly those which are linguistically based.
18th October – An Introduction to Autism with Dr Lila Kossyvaki
The audience will be introduced to some facts and myths about autism, the main areas of difficulties autistic individuals are likely to face as well as ideas for school provision and teaching strategies.
20th October – An Introduction to the EQUALS 14+ Moving On Curriculum with John Hartley
A flexible 14+ curriculum for pupils with PMLD/SLD/MLD with optional accreditation which includes links to Personal Progress units.
1st November – Formal Curriculum with Peter Imray
Attempts to answer the problems facing learners and the teachers of those learners who are working consistently and over time below age related expectations in the primary phase. There is a special (but time bound) emphasis on teaching Mathematics and English to those who struggle enormously with both, as well as an in-depth analysis of why this is so.
10th November – 14+ Moving On Independent Living with John Hartley
A flexible 14+ curriculum for pupils with PMLD/SLD/MLD with optional accreditation which includes links to Personal Progress units.
14th November – Semi-Formal Curriculum with Peter Imray
Addresses the issues facing teachers and learners who are unable to master literacy and numeracy to a degree that will enable them to succeed within the National Curriculum. This is not a differentiated model, this is different model, because it recognises that those with SLD learn differently, and if they learn differently, we ought to be teaching them differently and teaching them different things.
21st November – Informal Curriculum with Peter Imray
Recognises that there are those at the very complex end of the SLD spectrum who are still ‘learning to be’ rather than ‘learning to do’. Such learners are very likely to have an autism diagnosis, have fixed and limited areas of interest and be behavioural communicators, that is, they will not readily use language as their main means of communication. The depth and complexity of their learning difficulties calls for a separate, though related, curriculum model that is the Informal Curriculum.
24th November – Teaching Play & Leisure with Peter Imray
One of the four core subjects within the Equals Semi-Formal Curriculum, assumes its importance by nature of the fact that children, young people and adults with SLD find Play (with a capital P) so very, very challenging and therefore universally struggle with learning it naturally as neuro-typical conventionally developing children do. This is a subject that has to be taught, but in a particular way that recognises the need for each learner to maintain control, engagement and motivation, all key components of effective learning.
28th November – Pre-Formal PMLD Curriculum with Peter Imray
Has been written specifically for learners of all ages (that is, 2 to 92) with PMLD, recognising that such learners may be the very hardest to reach and teach, and therefore require a highly specialised and individualised curriculum model. It is entirely process based, concerning itself with the process of communication, cognition, sensory awareness, self-determination, physical well-being and creative exploration.
6th December – An Introduction to Sherborne Development Movement with Steve Cullingford-Agnew
The online CPD will introduce Sherborne Developmental Movement (SDM) and explain the basics of SDM. It will also contain accompanying photo galleries and movies illustrating how various developmental stages can be applied in practice. This will be followed up by the opportunity to undertake a certificated course in SDM. Steve Cullingford-Agnew worked closely with Veronica Sherborne and is an international course leader in SDM.
8th December – Sensory Engagement – Why Bother?* with Joanna Grace
We have all heard that sensory stimulation is great for children with special educational needs, sensory toys and resources are heavily marketed to us and our classrooms are bursting at the seams with sensory gadgets, but what is it all for? Why is it so important? And are we getting the most out of these resources? This session will give you the WHY of sensory engagement, and help you consider ways in which you can use what you already have to hand to better support your learners (even if what you already have to hand is just a bit of scrap paper).
To book on to any of these sessions please email admin@equalsoffice.co.uk
and state the delegates name and email address so they can be sent the joining instructions.
Spring Term 2023
16th January – The World About Me with Peter Imray
Is one of the 12 fully formed subjects which makes up the Equals’ Semi-Formal Curriculum and concerns itself with enabling learners to make connections between everyday events that directly affect their lives. It is a topic-based schema, but the topics are not abstract; rather they all seek to elucidate and elaborate on known events, so that each.
19th January – Why would I tell a sensory story like that?* With Joanna Grace
Sensory stories are an incredible resource for learners of all abilities, but they have particular relevance for learners with profound disabilities. There are many different approaches to creating and sharing sensory stories, some will work brilliantly, others not so much. This session will explore different approaches to sharing sensory stories and focus in on strategies that help to maximise the benefits of sensory stories for learners with profound intellectual disabilities.
26th January – MAPP with Mike Sissons
Mapping & assessing personal progress (MAPP) is a suite of materials to facilitate the planning, assessment and recording of progress in relation to personal learning intentions.
31st January – Play for Children with Autism with Dr Lila Kossyvaki
In this session the audience will be introduced to the importance of play in the life of children with special attention to autistic children, how play is likely to look like in these children and how adults can support it.
2nd February – Teaching Communication with Peter Imray
Explores how we might break away from the enormously complicated subject that is National Curriculum English, so that our learners can concentrate on effective communication. Besides looking at what we should be teaching, there will be an extensive exploration of what is meant by ‘reading’ with an emphasis on phonics, especially synthetic phonics, with a view to questioning those who assert that a synthetic phonics programme is necessary for all. This is very much an evidence-based session, with the strong assertion that there is no evidence for assuming phonics works for all!
7th February – Teaching Thinking & Problem Solving with Peter Imray
Is a classic example of the ‘different not differentiation’ approach which permeates the Equals Semi-Formal Curriculum. For those with SLD, Thinking & Problem Solving cannot be abstracted but must relate to everyday experiences, which can only be generalised once individual solutions have been learned. This then is no longer a small part of Mathematics, but becomes one of the four core subjects of the Equals Semi-Formal Curriculum.
9th February – Autism and Communication with Dr Lila Kossyvaki
In this session the audience will be introduced to some of the main communication difficulties autistic children are likely to face and also be provided with several hands-on ideas on how to support communication in these individuals.
13th February – Play Based Approaches to Semi-Formal/Informal Learning with James Waller & Jonathan Moffatt
In this session James and Jonathan will outline the stages of play in the EQUALS My Play and Leisure Semi Formal Curriculum and share practical information about how play is used to develop learning within Sunningdale School across the school’s semi-formal and informal curriculum pathways, as well as how the Engagement Model is used to support this.
16th February – Attachment Disorders with Peter Imray
May well affect a very high percentage of those with PMLD and SLD, and a basic understanding of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth’s theories are probably essential for effective teaching of these learners. Attachment theory is overwhelmingly concerned with relationships between children and caregivers, why these go wrong and what we might do to repair such breakdowns. The most important tenet is that all young children need to develop a relationship with at least one primary caregiver for normal social and emotional development to flourish.
7th March – Being a Reflective Practitioner and using Video in the Classroom with Dr Lila Kossyvaki
Being a reflective practitioner is easier said than done. The audience of this session will be introduced to what being a reflective practitioner means and they will be provided with ways to achieve this in practice at a busy educational setting.
9th March – 14+ Moving On Literacy, Numeracy and ICT with John Hartley
15th March – Teaching Independence with Peter Imray
Summer Term 2023
4th May – An introduction to 14+ Moving On Curriculum and Accreditation with John Hartley
16th May – Play Based Approaches to Semi-Formal/Informal Learning with James Waller
Lots more will be included for summer 2023 – We also hope to add sessions on
- Physical Education
- Sensory Learning Opportunities
- Intensive Interaction
Attendance certificates can be purchased for a charge of £1.95 per certificate; these can be requested by emailing sarah@equalsoffice.co.uk. The certificates will then be emailed to you so you can print or save them.
NB – Those marked with a * will not be recorded and no certification will be provided.
“We feel the online training delivered by EQUALS has been WONDERFUL. The relevance and depth of the sessions has been fantastic; Peter is a very knowledgeable man. Having training delivered online has enabled all our teachers to attend and have discussions after the event rather than one teacher attending and disseminating which can water down the content. Thank you so much and keep them coming!”
Rodney House School in Manchester.
These sessions take place between 3:45 and 5:15 pm.
As these sessions are 100% FREE for EQUALS members, they are likely to fill up fast, so please register your interest asap, to secure your place/s.
To register your interest please email admin@equalsoffice.co.uk
Not an equals member?
Then please contact paul@equalsoffice.co.uk. to talk about new members offers and to learn
how you can access the free members training sessions.
Would you like some training for a different area? If so please email sarah@equalsoffice.co.uk to put forward any suggestions for future training.
