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Recruitment
Wordswell are actively recruiting please read our Press Release for more information.
Wordswell Business Development Seminars
Wordswell is able to deliver the following seminars for speech and language therapists and other professional colleagues who are looking to maximise the effectiveness, profitability and easy running of their business.
Each speaker has been especially chosen for their area of expertise and their ability to ‘get the message across’ so that you can get the most benefit for your business.
The topics currently available are:
- ‘Advertising And Marketing Your Services’
- ‘Keeping Good Accounts, Setting A Budget, Tax And NIC and Cash Flow Issues’ - for further advice, contact Eden Accounting. More Info...
- ‘Contracts, Invoicing, Chasing Bad Debts, Cash Flow And Terms And Conditions’
- ‘Charging What You Are Worth’ - More Info...
- ‘Business Planning and Action Planning’
- ‘Managing Money And Wealth And Success’ - More Info...
- ‘Handling Difficult People’
- ‘Networking And Mentoring’
- ‘Banks, Brokers, Insurance and Pensions’
- ‘E-Mail, Websites And IT’ - contact MRB i.s. Ltd
If you have any comments or suggestions about other topics you would like covered or any suggestions we would love to hear from you by phone, e-mail or in person. You simply organise a venue and invite 10-20 delegates and we will come to you to provide the seminar.
“Don’t Miss Out, Find Out How You Can Get The Most From Your Business Now…”
Opportunities for Professional Colleagues
If you would like to join Wordswell and are committed to providing a high quality service for children and their families please contact us for an informal discussion with Janet O’Keefe on 01353 698156 or email using the contact us page. We can offer you a supportive team, time and support for preparation and writing up case notes, designated time for personal study, mentorship, clinical supervision, continual professional development and regular in service training directly related to the needs of the client.
Website Development
If you need a new website, or need to revamp your existing website, or just want a general chat about domain names, hosting, search engines etc, then you may contact the WordsWell website developer on 01362 697471. His own website is at www.mrbis.com.
Playdough - Fun for Kids!
| Janet has put this great idea into a PDF - click the icon to view! |
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Free to download, fun and educational activities for children
Sparklebox is a free website full of games, activites and educational activties for children at Key Stage 1 and 2, which can be downloaded and printed off to use. Click the link below to have a look
Links to External Support Resources
Links from within this website to other websites are provided for convenience only, and should in no way be construed as our endorsement or recommendation of those sites. Such external sites are entirely beyond our control and we accept no reponsibility for them. We acknowledge the ownership and copyright of all external sites we link to.
Blankees.comUseful information regarding your childs development
Caroline Bowenis an Australian Speech and Language Therapist who has produced a website containing speech and language developmental milestones.
AFASIC Parents Forumgreat message board for parents to chat to each other about their children's speech and language impairments.
BabycentreUseful information regarding your childs development
GPNotebookUseful information regarding your childs developmental milestones
IvillageParenting information, from development tracker to food, it's all here
Nursing NurtureIndependent Health Visiting and Breast Feeding Support Service
Gite in South West France welcomes families with special needsThis holiday home is located in the countryside and is very peaceful and quiet. The gîte is equipped to a very high standard and a new 10m x 5m heated swimming pool has been installed for 2008.
Parent Line PlusHelp & information for parents "... because children come without instructions". Has helpline 0808 800 2222
B&BPet Friendly Accommodation for those visiting the area for assesments and therapy
AFASICis the Association For All Speech Impaired Children
Learning SolutionsBrain Gym - The Listening Program - Accelerated Learning - Neuro Linguistics
Little Hearts MatterDiscover a wealth of information on diagnosis, treatment and lifestyle issues that affect children with a diagnosis of a single ventricle heart condition such as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
moneysavingexpert.comSave Money! Get all the instant tips on how to save money from the popular moneysavingexpert.com website.
SNAP Childcareis the leading recruitment agency for special needs nannies and care workers who wish to work with babies, children and young adults with additional needs - and their siblings!
is a website for parents and professionals developed by I CAN and AFASIC with the RCSLT to provide quick and accessible information on the needs of children with speech and language difficulties.
Books Relevant to Therapists
Below is a list books from Amazon which are particuarly relevant to Therapists
Events Relevant to Therapists
Below is a list of events from our calendar which are particuarly relevant to Therapists
Click an event heading to hide or unhide the event detail...
September 22nd - Introduction to Non Professional Counselling
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £95.00
Course suitable for: All professionals who work with children with cochlear implants
Outside speakers/collaboration: Dr. David Luterman and Dr. Kristina English for their resources
Course Description:
A high degree of specialist technical knowledge is essential nowadays when supporting children with hearing losses. However professionals also need emotional intelligence to support the families as they come to terms with the identification of deafness in their child. And this often means that we are called upon to use non professional counselling skills on an almost daily basis.
This one day course does not claim to train you to be a counsellor; instead we aim to explore the skills and strengths needed for non-professional counselling. Using resources developed with The Ear Foundation by some of the world’s leading experts in the field.
This course will give you:
~ An overview of the issues faced by course delegates in their current practice
~ Discussions and thoughts about the issues raised by Dr. David Luterman in his DVD
~ Approaches to non professional counselling as laid out by Dr. Kristina English and the relationship between professional and child, adult or family.
~ An explanations of the difference between professional and non professional counselling
~ Time for self reflection to possibly change or finely tune your current practice.
~ Opportunities for discussion of case studies and how to apply principles of non professional counselling to these everyday situations
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £65.00
Course suitable for: Learning Support Assistants, Teaching assistants and Communication Support Workers who have little or no experience of working with deaf children
Course Description:
Deaf children are increasingly being educated in mainstream settings and supported by a Learning Support Assistant, Teaching Assistant or Communication support worker. This course is for those who havelittle or no experience of working with a deaf child. It aims to provide an understanding of deafness and how this impacts on a child’s learning and social development and begins to explore some of the ways in which to support them. Ways which will enable them to enjoy school and achieve well.
This course will give you:
~ An introduction to the impact of deafness on learning and language development
~ A brief history of deaf education
~ Information about the technology available to assist deaf children
~ Discussion about different communication methods
~ Practical suggestions as to how to support a child in school
~ Opportunities to consider the role of the LSA
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £85.00
Course suitable for:Teachers of the Deaf, Speech & Language Therapists, Audiologists and all professionals working with young, deaf children
Course Description:
Although the outcomes for cochlear implantation in terms of speech perception, production and spoken language development have surpassed expectations, there are significant numbers of children who do not do as well as expected. Research indicates that up to 40% of these children will have additional needs. With increasingly early implantation these may well not be identified or indeed become apparent until after implantation. This day will consider the needs of this group in terms of monitoring and assessment look at some of the possible causes of slow progress and suggest practical strategies for working with these children.
This course will give you:
~ An outline of expected progress after implantation
~ Consideration of the role and type of assessments that will help identify difficulties at the earliest opportunity
~ An exploration of some of the possible causes of slow progress
~ Practical strategies for working with these children
~ Case studies.
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £85.00
Course suitable for: All professionals working with deaf children
Course Description:
Bilateral implantation is increasingly becoming the routine audiologic management for severe to profoundly deaf children. There is a growth in both simultaneous and sequential bilateral implantation. This one day course will consider and explore the benefits of binaural hearing.
This course will give you:
~ An overview of the current research and expectations for children receiving bilateral implantation.
~ Opportunities to consider the issues involved in assessment, tuning and balancing the two systems being worn.
~ Opportunities to think about the practical support and management of children with bilateral cochlear implants.
~ Time for group discussion to consider the long term implications of having a bilateral cochlear implant
~ Insights into the experience of parents who have a child with bilateral cochlear implants
~ An overview of the current practice in Sweden and Belgium and the outcomes they have obtained with regards to bilateral implantation.
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education
Cost : £85.00
Course suitable for: Teachers of the Deaf, Learning Support Assistants, Speech & Language Therapists
Course Description:
There is an abundance of research to show that young children with cochlear implants are learning to listen and talk. But, as schooling progresses, language requirements become more and more complex. How can we help children with cochlear implants cope with the level of abstract language and reasoning that is needed as they grow up? This workshop will look at how to increase the opportunities for developing these skills within the curriculum, including time for group discussions. and video feed back.
This course will give you:
~ An update on the current cochlear implantation research, including expectations and limitations
~ Information on managing the listening environment and the technology in the classroom.
~ Discussions about language development within the whole school curriculum
~ Practical suggestions for how to support language in the curriculum.
~ Discussion about supporting social and emotional development
~ Case studies
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £85.00
Course suitable for: Teachers of the Deaf, Speech & Language Therapists, Parents, LSAs and other professionals working with deaf children
Course Description:
Does deafness change behaviour and our options for managing it? This day will focus on the issues for parents and professionals concerned with behaviour management in children aged 11 and under at home and in school. It will consider some of the reasons for different behaviours and possible strategies for managing them. There will be the opportunity for discussing specific cases within a solution based framework.
This course will give you:
~ An understanding of behaviour issues involved in deafness and its links to language
~ An overview of some of the differences in behaviour between deaf and hearing children.
~ An opportunity to explore and review the course developed by the NDCS for parenting a deaf child including research outcomes
~ A practical understanding of the techniques for behaviour management
~ An open forum in which delegates may raise specific behaviour management issues that they have experienced with the opportunity for exploring possible strategies
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Howardian Centre, Cardiff
Cost : £85.00
Course suitable for: Teachers of the Deaf, Speech & Language Therapists, Audiologists and all professionals working with young, deaf children. Parents also welcome
Course Description:
Increasingly deaf children with a range of additional and complex needs are being considered for, and receiving, cochlear implants. The benefits and assessment criteria for this particular group need careful consideration. A number of experts in the field will explore different issues around assessment, monitoring and working with this special group of children
This course will give you:
~ An update on assessments used in this population for cochlear implantation.
~ Opportunities for group discussion about the issues of assessment
~ An overview of current research and practice involved in assessment and measuring outcomes in complex children with cochlear implants
~ Insights into the experience of parents who have a child with complex needs and an implant: what outcomes are important for them?
~ Examples of how to use music when working with these children.
~ Practical suggestions for communication development
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £85.00
Course suitable for: Medics, Audiologists and Clinical Scientists working with children with ANSD
Outside speakers/collaboration: Kaukab Rajput (Great Ormond Street Hospital),
Steve Mason (Nottingham Cochlear Implant
Programme) and Martin Driscoll (Manchester
Cochlear Implant Team)
Course Description:
Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD) is the new term recently adopted t cover a range of difficulties previously described as Auditory Neuropathy and Auditory dis-synchrony, and reflects the growing understanding of the condition. This one day course will draw on specialist expertise in this area and explore the most recent thinking about the condition, what we know and how to manage it. The course will outline in particular the complex issues when assessing these children for cochlear implantation and the implications for future management
This course will give you:
~ An update on the current knowledge and understanding of ANSD
~ An update on current research to recent research
~ Discussion around the issues relating to and cochlear implantation ANSD and assessment
~ Outcomes of CI and ANSD
~ Electrophysiology and ANSD
~ Detailed case studies presented by practitioner in the field
~ Panel discussion of delegate questions
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £85.00
Course suitable for: Teachers of the Deaf, Speech & Language Therapists, Learning Support Assistants
Course Description:
Young deaf children in primary school have access to the latest technologies including cochlear implants which enable them to access the full range of speech. This has significantly improved their opportunities to acquire phonological awareness and improved literacy skills. In order to maximize their potential it is necessary to give careful consideration to how phonics and literacy programmes are implemented both at school and supported at home. This day will give an overview of current research as well as exploring practical solutions for enhancing literacy skills across the curriculum. There will also be a focus on how using phonics in the developing literacy skills of deaf children.
This course will give you:
~ An overview of the implications of cochlear implantation for literacy development.
~ Information about phonics and resources available
~ An opportunity to explore how to plan effective literacy programmes within the curriculum for deaf children, including principles and practice.
~ Time to discuss the practical implications of encouraging literacy skills with ideas to implement.
~ Opportunities to think about how to link with parents to help support their child’s literacy development at home.
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £85.00
Course suitable for: Teachers of the Deaf, Speech & Language Therapists
Outside speakers/collaboration: Sue Lewis
Course Description:
In order to effectively provide for deaf children’s needs we must be clear as to their functioning across a range of language areas and as to how these levels will impact on their access and inclusion. This course explores a range of procedures currently in use with deaf children at primary level and suggests ways in which linguistic progress should be tracked so that progress and achievement can be meaningfully analysed and priorities identified
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £65.00
Course suitable for: Learning Support Assistants, Teaching Assistants, Communication Support Workers
Course Description:
This course is suitable for Learning Support Assistants who work with Deaf children in the early years, either in the home or in the Foundation stage. With more and more deaf children entering mainstream school, learning support assistants play a vital role in helping these children to flourish and enjoy their early school experiences.
This course will give you:
~ An update on the process of cochlear implantation and the opportunity to look at the various systems that are available
~ An opportunity to discuss their child’s specific needs and the challenges they face in supporting the child in the classroom
~ Opportunities to hear about and discuss communication development and expectations in pre-school deaf children
~ Information and discussion around supporting the family
~ General tips and guidance around managing children’s behaviour in nursery
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £85.00
Course suitable for:Teachers of the Deaf, Speech & Language Therapists, Parents, LSAs and other professionals working with deaf children
Outside speakers/collaboration: Dirk Flower (Educational Psychologist)
Course Description:
Does deafness change behaviour and our options for managing it? This day will focus on the issues for parents and professionals concerned with behaviour management in teenage children at home and in school. It will consider some of the reasons for different behaviours and possible strategies for managing them. There will be the opportunity for discussing specific cases within a solution based framework.
This course will give you:
~ An understanding of the general issues involved with teenagers
~ An exploration of specific issues for deaf teenagers linking language and behaviour.
~ An overview of some of the differences in behaviour between deaf and hearing teenagers
~ Case studies, including strategies for managing different behaviours
~ A understanding of a range of techniques for behaviour management
~ An open forum in which delegates may raise specific behaviour management issues that they have experienced with the opportunity for exploring possible strategies
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The National College for School Leadership
Cost : £140.00
The Ear Foundation’s fifth annual State of the Art conference, the day will provide a unique forum where the current issues in all the areas involved in paediatric implantation will be explained. In one day you will receive the most up to date information given by international experts.
For all those working with deaf children and needing to be up-to-speed with the latest thinking in cochlear implantation, parents
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £65.00
Course suitable for: Learning Support Assistants, Teaching assistants and Communication Support Workers who work with deaf children at the school age.
Course Description:
This day will explore issues of behavior which concern parents and support assistants, both at home and at school, the impact of deafness on behavior and practical ways of dealing with deaf children
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £65.00
Course suitable for:Learning Support Assistants, Teaching assistants and Communication Support Workers who work with deaf children within the Primary School environment
Course Description:
The majority of deaf children are now educated within a mainstream setting and many will have the support of a learning or communication assistant. The children will be using the latest hearing technologies and learning alongside their hearing peers with a range of outcomes. The technology, however, does not replace normal hearing and a range of issues will arise that make it more difficult for the deaf children to access what is happening within the classroom. This course aims to raise particular issues that may arise and consider how a support assistant may address them.
This course will give you:
~ An update on cochlear implants and other technologies exploring expectations and limitations
~ Practical ideas for managing the classroom environment and technology
~ A discussion about language development for the deaf child
~ Practical suggestions to support language development
~ Opportunities to consider how to continue to provide the flexible support they need within the classroom
~ Consideration of the role of the LSA
~ Case Studies
~ Time to consider the particular needs of your child/children
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £65.00
Course suitable for: Learning Support Assistants, Teaching assistants and Communication Support Workers who work with deaf children within the Secondary School environment
Course Description:
The majority of deaf youngsters are now educated within a mainstream setting and many will have the support of a learning or communication assistant. The students will be using the latest hearing technologies and learning alongside their hearing peers with a range of outcomes. The technology, however, does not replace normal hearing and a range of issues will arise that make it more difficult for the deaf student to access what is happening within the classroom. This course aims to raise particular issues that arise within the secondary school setting and consider how a support assistant may address them.
This course will give you:
~ An update on cochlear implants and other technologies exploring expectations and limitations
~ Practical ideas for managing the classroom environment and technology
~ A discussion about language development for the deaf student
~ Practical suggestions to support language development
~ Research outcomes from a study exploring students views of the support they receive
~ Opportunities to discuss social and emotional issues
~ Consideration of how to provide the flexible support they need within the classroom.
~ Case Studies
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £85.00
Course suitable for: Teachers of the Deaf, Speech & Language Therapists, Audiologists and all professionals working with young, deaf children. Parents also welcome
Outside speakers/collaboration: Wendy McCracken, Manchester University, Chris Rocca, Advanced Bionics and Mary Hare School
Course Description:
Increasingly deaf children with a range of additional and complex needs are being considered for, and receiving, cochlear implants. The benefits and assessment criteria for this particular group need careful consideration. A number of experts in the field will explore different issues around assessment, monitoring and working with this special group of children
This course will give you:
~ An update on assessments used in this population for cochlear implantation.
~ Opportunities for group discussion about the issues of assessment
~ An overview of current research and practice involved in assessment and measuring outcomes in complex children with cochlear implants
~ Insights into the experience of parents who have a child with complex needs and an implant: what outcomes are important for them?
~ Examples of how to use music when working with these children.
~ Practical suggestions for communication development
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £85.00
Trouble-shooting Cochlear Implants including Day to Day Management and FM Systems
Mon 6 Dec
Course suitable for: All professionals working with deaf children and young people
Outside speakers/collaboration: Representatives from the main FM and Cochlear manufacturers
Course Description:
This course will provide hands-on experience with the entire range of processors available, including practical advice about the day- to- day management in the classroom. Using FM radio aid systems in conjunction with these speech processors will be covered. All the major implant and FM system manufacturers will be practical workshops throughout the day.
~ A general overview of how a cochlear implant system works with current research outcomes and future technological developments.
~ Opportunities to consider the challenges of managing and improving classroom acoustics
~ An overview of current sound field and FM systems.
~ Opportunities to hear from each of the three manufacturers of both implant systems and radio aids about their specific devices and current updates.
~ Time to get hands on with all the devices in practical workshops run by the professionals, including time to ask questions.
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £125.00
Course suitable for: Audiologists, Speech & Language Therapists, Medical Doctors with good audiological experience. Expertise in paediatric audiology is an advantage, but it is not a prerequisite.
Outside speakers/collaboration:Paul Govaerts and Kristin Daemers (The Eargroup,
Antwerp)
Course Description:
The Auditory Speech Sound Evaluation (A§E ®) is a psycho-acoustic test suite with supraliminal auditory tests. It is conceived to test children and adults with no or very limited functional speech, but it can also be used for other persons with hearing problems. It is speech- and language independent allowing analytical assessment of the supraliminal auditory capacity. A§E2009 contains 5 modules:
(1) A§E classics: phoneme detection, discrimination and identification
(2) A§E prosodic tests: sentence intonation and word stress pattern
(3) A§E synthetic sounds: harmonic complexes, harmonic intonating sounds and disharmonic intonating sounds
(4) A§E loudness scaling
(5) A§E localization test (13 angles of 10°) with only two-loudspeakers
This course will give you:
~Hands-on training organized by the developers of A§E®
~ Opportunity to use the (A§E ®) is a software package
~ A free trial license for 6 months
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £40.00
Cochlear Europe Workshop - Baha Information Day
Wed 8 Dec
An informative one day seminar for Teachers of the Deaf, Speech & Language Therapists and other professionals working with Baha recipients, both adults and children. Given by Cochlear Europe the day will cover an introduction to Baha technology, current indications and selection criteria for candidates as well as an overview of the product, accessories and FM appliances. With Claire Ratcliffe
To register for this course please contact Sian Jones at Cochlear on 01932 871509, or sjones@cochlear.co.uk
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £85.00
Course suitable for: Teachers of the Deaf, Speech & Language Therapists, Educational Audiologists and Audiological Scientists
Outside speakers/collaboration: Chris Durst (MEDEL)
Course Description:
Do you know what your deaf child is really hearing through their hearing aid or cochlear implant? What can you expect in terms of speech perception, understanding and intelligibility? This popular one day course will explore some of these issues, including the importance of considering classroom acoustics, the implications of developing spoken language and the ever changing issue of assessing the curriculum.
This course will give you:
~ An understanding of what issues are involved in speech acoustics
~ An opportunity to explore how the speech signal is processed in both hearing aids and cochlear implants.
~ An overview of current research trends and outcomes to guide you in what can you expect in terms of speech perception, understanding and intelligibility in children who use hearing aids and cochlear implants.
~ A practical insight into classroom acoustics as well as tips for improving acoustics.
~ Access to information about a range of assistive listening devices
~ Time to explore the consequences of deafness on the development of speech production
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here
Ear Foundation
Venue : The Ear Foundation
Cost : £85.00
Course suitable for: Teachers of the Deaf, Speech & Language Therapists, Learning Support Assistants
Outside speakers/collaboration: Sue Lewis & Roz Pither (Mary Hare School)
Course Description:
This course is focused on strategies for promoting and monitoring the development of higher order and independent thinking and learning skills in deaf children at KS2, 3 and 4. It uses recent research, but also national strategies, to explore the ways in which those supporting deaf children can incorporate such strategies into their lessons and interactions with the children to secure their learning optimally, including the encouragement of the voice of the child and of children taking responsibility for their own learning.
For more details of this and other courses at the Ear Foundation, please click here