DS Achieve is pleased to offer a full-day training event for both professionals and parents/carers. The course is for Teaching Assistants, Classroom Teachers, SENCOs, Support Teachers and Speech and Language Therapists working with children with Down Syndrome. Parents/carers will find the content useful in supporting their child at home and when working alongside school staff. The training will be delivered by Leela Baksi, Speech and Language Therapist, Symbol UK Ltd.

This course enables staff to review and update strategies used in school. It offers essential information about Down Syndrome and effective strategies. The course content is adapted to meet participants’ needs, and provides opportunities to share experiences and discuss solutions to any difficulties encountered. The course covers:

• The communication and learning profile associated with Down syndrome

• Supporting speech and language in the classroom

• Differentiating curriculum topics

• Alternative strategies for recording

• Strategies for addressing numeracy

While the focus of the day is on supporting children with Down Syndrome, the strategies discussed are applicable for children with a range of special needs and communication problems.

We will check practice against the recommendations of Down syndrome: good practice guidelines for education published by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Down Syndrome (see www.councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/resources/our-partners-resources/down-syndrome-good-practice-guidelines-for-education).

This session is led by Leela Baksi. Leela has worked with Symbol UK Ltd since 1997 providing specialist services for people who have Down Syndrome, including preschool children, pupils at mainstream and special schools, and adults in a range of situations. As well as locally based services, we also offer assessments, consultations and intensive therapy weeks which are attended by families from throughout the UK and beyond. Symbol has provided speech and language therapy groups in conjunction with the Sarah Duffen Centre at the University of Portsmouth, and works with the Down’s Syndrome Association as Speech and Language Therapy Advisor.

As well as keeping up to date with research findings and experts’ recommendations regarding support in mainstream settings, Leela has worked with many teachers, teaching assistants, SENCOs, families and pupils to develop individualised programmes that take account of the profile of skills and learning style associated with Down Syndrome. Leela was part of the working group that produced the APPG on DS good practice guidelines for education.

Venue: The International Suite, University of Hertfordshire Sports Village, de Havilland Campus, Hatfield Business Park, Hatfield AL10 9EU.

Cost: £10 for parents/carers, £15 for professionals

If you have any questions, please contact us on info@dsachieve.org.

To book a place, please CLICK HERE.