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How to help children who learn differently succeed at school:A Neuro-developmental Model of Assessment and Interventions

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Agenda

Housekeeping

Introduction of Rudolf Stockling

Presentation

Discussion

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1. Introduction of Rudolf Stockling

EDUCATION / MEMBERSHIP Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) UNE Austr. Dip. in Education (Dip. Ed.) UNE Grad. Dip. School Couns. (Western Sydney) MSc (Psych) Wollongong Member Australian Psychological Society (APS) Registered Psychologist NSW Australia

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EXPERIENCE Secondary Teacher (4 Years) Educational Psychologist (12 Years) Psychologist in Private Practice (8 Years) Director of Assessment Lexicon Reading

Centre Dubai (at present)

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Aim of Presentation

introduce participants to the Neuro-developmental Model of

Assessment and Interventions that will

measurably improve their children's success in school and life

by providing interventions that integrate

educational, scientific, and clinical expertise. are based on sound evidence

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Objectives of Presentation

Participants will be introduced to eight neuro-developmental functions

(processes involved in learning) that make up a person’s learning profile

indicators of strengths and weaknesses in their children’s neuro-developmental (learning) profile

strategies for some of the more common profiles leading to difficulties at school

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Objectives of Presentation (cont.)

Participants will be able to discuss some individual issues relating to

their children discuss the next steps in supporting their

children at home and school

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Introduction

“Too many children struggle and fail needlessly simply because the way in which they learn is incompatible with they way they’re being taught.”

Dr Mel Levine

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Introduction (cont.)

Each student has an unique “neuro-developmental profile.”

A neuro-developmental profile is a balance sheet of individual strengths

and weaknesses in the various processes involved in

learning

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The Neuro-developmental Model of Learning

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Important Elements of the Neuro-developmental Model

1. Positive View of Learning Diversity 2. Stress on Individual Learning

Profiles: 3. Quest for Specificity and Individuality A Desire to Strengthen the Strengths

and Affinities of Children

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The Eight Neuro-developmental Constructs (systems) are:

1. The Attention Control System

2. The Spatial Ordering System

3. Temporal-sequential Ordering

4. The Memory System

5. The Language System

6. The Neuro-motor Control System

7. The Social Cognition System

8. The Higher Order Cognition System15


1 Attention:

The ability to concentrate, to focus on one thing rather than the

other, to finish tasks one begins, to control what one says and does.

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2 Spatial Ordering:

The ability to distinguish between a circle and a

square, to use images to remember related

information, to visualize steps in a process, to understand tables, graphs etc.

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3. Temporal-sequential Ordering:

The ability to understand and use time and

sequence of events

and pieces of information

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4. Memory:

The ability to to keep information in the mind long

enough to perform an operation to store the transformed information and to recall that information when needed

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Memory

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5. Language:

The ability to understand and articulate language

involves many separate kinds of abilities: awareness of different sounds pronouncing words comprehending written symbols understanding syntax telling stories.

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Decoding Activity: Recognizing Phonemes

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Passage

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We begin our trip at a familiar place, a body like yours and mine.It contains a hundred trillion cells that work together by design.And within each one of these many cells, each one that has DNA,The DNA code is exactly the same, a mass-produced resume.So the code in each cell is identical, a remarkable but valid claim.This means that the cells are nearly alike, but not exactly the same.Take, for instance, the cells of the intestines; that they're vital is certainly plain.Now think about the way you would think if those cells were the cells in your brain.

Excerpt from NOVA Online "Cracking the Code“ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/genome/


6. Neuro-motor Functions:

The ability toto coordinate motor or muscle functionsto match brain processes with motor

activity

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7. Social Cognition:

The ability to succeed in social relationships with peers, parents, and teachers

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8.Higher Order Cognition:

The ability to understand and implement the steps

necessary to

solve problems, attack new areas of learning think creatively.

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The Process of Identification

How do we identify a child’s neuro-

developmental strengths and

weaknesses to develop a learning

profile?

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Step 1: Profile Development

Look carefully at each of the functions of the brain that can affect a student’s learning and performance.

Involves: Student Teacher Parents Clinician

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Step 2: Demystification

Demystification means providing children (and parents) with

the language and insights to understand their strengths and weaknesses

making children part of the solution team

encourage communication between clinician, children, teachers and parents

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Step 3: Interventions by Profile

Create an action plan for School / HomeIt might include Accommodations Personalized Instruction Tutoring Remediation Speech Therapy Occupational Therapy Counselling, Medication,

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Strategies

Bypass Strategies (Accommodations)

how to work around a weakness

One such strategy might allow a student to do extra work in an area of strength, while reducing demands in an area of weakness

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Strategies (cont)

Interventions at the Breakdown Points – (Remediation)

IInterventions specifically designed to

strengthen an area of weakness.

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Strategies (cont)

Strengthening of Strengths – (Tutoring)

Strategies that allow children to keep on using and improving the parts of their minds that work especially well for them.

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Strategies (cont)

Affinity Development – (Motivation)

This is a process of helping children discover and deepen

their natural interest in particular areas (such as cars, horses, or nature). and

use these interests to increase motivation to attack difficulties

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Step 4: Follow-Up

The child’s profile and plan are reviewed periodically, in order to

monitor progress refine interventions make adjustments re-assess if interventions have limited

success

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Assessment and Intervention Process

1. Data Gathering Teacher observation (questionnaires) Parent observation (questionnaires) Clinician’s Testing data

2. Data Consolidation Evaluation Report

3. Intervention Plan Case Conference

4. Demystification Discussion with student

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Assessment and Intervention Process (cont.)

5. Implementation interventions are implemented accommodations are implemented

6. Follow-Up student progress is assessed accommodations/interventions are adapted

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References

Levine Mel (2003): The Myth of Laziness. New York: Simon and Schuster

Fletcher, J. M., Lyon, G. R., Fuchs, L. S., & Barnes, M. A. (2007). Learning disabilities: From identification to intervention. New York: Guilford

Sattler J(2006): Assessment Of Children: Behavioral, Social, And Clinical Foundations Fifth Edition. La Mesa: Sattler Publications

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Resources for Parents

Professional OrganizationsAmerican Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: http://www.aacap.org/ Provides information fact sheets for parents and caregivers, current research etc.

American Academy of Pediatrics: http://www.aap.org/ Contains general information for parents of children from birth through age 21.American Psychological Association: http://www.apa.org/ The scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States.

Websites All Kinds of Minds: http://www.allkindsofminds.org/

Provides resources to help parents, educators, and clinicians Learning Disabilities Association of America: http://ldaamerica.org/ Provides a wealth of information on understanding learning disabilities

National Center for Learning Disabilities: http://www.ncld.org/ An online guide to l information about learning, early literacy and learning resources,

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www.lexiconreadingcenter.org how to help children who learn differently succeed at school: a...

Documents

neurodevelopmental profile

neuromotor control system

individual learning

memory system

language system

attention control system

social cognition system

spatial ordering system