[senco-forum] Notifications and Announcements

Dear All,

This week's notice includes: 

1. Implementing the Disability Discrimination Act in schools and early years settings A training resource for schools and local authorities (a shortened pack)
2. Request for schools to involved with research to investigate the effects of exam question features on the performance of students with Dyslexia
3. SENCO Update

Full details below. 

If you have any announcements, information about courses, details of conferences, job vacancies that you would like included in future notices please email details to: senco-forum-owner at lists.becta.org.uk

Regards, 

Jason
Becta

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1. Implementing the Disability Discrimination Act in schools and early years settings A training resource for schools and local authorities (a shortened pack)

Alison Thompson from DfES has asked me to bring the following resource to people's attention. The following shortened version of the pack produced last year by DfES is in response to requests from people working in other sectors or in training institutions.

Implementing the Disability Discrimination Act in schools and early years settings A training resource for schools and local authorities (a shortened pack)

The shortened pack (containing the 3 DVDs and CD-ROM) has been put together to provide access to additional copies of the Implementing the Disability Discrimination Act in schools and early years settings training resource. The pack is for schools and local authorities and those working with them to support disabled children and young people.

It will be of interest to professionals working in the early years sector, providers of training for teachers and learning support assistants and their students, disability and parental support and advocacy organisations and health and social service professionals.

Mail: TSO, PO Box 29, Norwich NR3 1GN
Telephone orders and General enquiries: 0870 600 5522 Fax orders: 0870 600 5533 E-mail orders: customer.services at tso.co.uk
Textphone: 0870 240 3701

Published by TSO (The Stationery Office) and available for £15 +VAT per pack from: ISBN 978 0 11 271191 

Terry Waller
Inclusion Adviser, Becta

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2. Request for schools to involved with research to investigate the effects of exam question features on the performance of students with Dyslexia

New research to investigate the effects of exam question features on the performance of students with Dyslexia

The Research Division at Cambridge Assessment  is currently conducting research to investigate whether, and in what ways, students with dyslexia are affected differently from other students by the way that exam questions are written and presented (e.g. wording, layout). The research will involve students with and without dyslexia taking a science test based on questions from past papers so that their respective performances can be compared.

We are currently seeking schools to be involved in the project and would like to hear from schools with students in Year 11 studying the OCR Science Specification B (Staged Assessment): Double Award (1977).

Involvement would mean an equal number of Year 11 students with and without dyslexia taking a 35-minute science test and a computer-based dyslexia screening test (LADS Plus) in March. We would provide the software for the screening test.

If you are interested in assisting us with this research please contact Victoria Crisp on 01223 553805 or at crisp.v at cambridgeassessment.org.uk by Wednesday 28th February.

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3. SENCO Update 

March 2007, Issue 83 

P.1-2 News: DfES moves to enhance the role of the SENCO - feedback form a DfES event/consultation to celebrate the role of the SENCO; Plans for 1 to 1 support -  personalised learning for pupils who are 'falling behind'(KS2/KS3)

P.3 News: Getting into gear: support to implement the new disability equality duty - information about a new DfES resource and training programme

P.4. Research News: . Effective interaction helps inclusion - research review of appraoches to interaction in mainstream classes (7-14 years)

P.5: Research News: Evaluation of the impact of LSUs - summary of a recent Ofsted survey, highlighting successes but also problems in reintegrating pupils

P.6-7 Publications Digest:  Every Child Matters - outline of aspects of the HMCI's annual report that relate to ECM and vulnerable/SEN pupils

P.8-9: Case in Point: Why did no one listen? Mental health in schools; getting better support, feeling better - Mark Prever, author of Mental Health in Schools: A guide to pastoral and curriculum provision discusses the value of school based counselling for pupils

P.10: Professional Update: Latest guidance on school exclusions - summary of recently published DfES guidance, including advice related to pupils with SEN and/or disabilities

P.11: Website of the Month: DDA information and resources on Teachernet; Resources: Books on handwriting difficulties in secondary schools, Asperger's syndrome, bullying

P.12. Conferences and courses 

Christopher Robertson 
School of Education 
The University of Birmingham 
Email: c.m.robertson at bham.ac.uk