Assess and Assist Joint Conference 2007

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD COMPLETE COPY OF CONFERENCE PAPERS 2007  (ZIP FILE)

(A Cycle of Support) (LDA/RSTAQ/SPELD)
21 – 22 September 2007

The Biennial 2007 Joint Conference for Learning Difficulties hosted by SPELD, RSTAQ and LDA was held on 21 – 22 September 2007. This conference was held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.Click for a full copy of the conference's program

For 2007, the theme for the conference was “Assess and Assist”. The conference consisted of both formal presentations and a series of interactive workshops.

Two keynote speakers introduced the conference themes. Dr Ken Rowe provided the Conference Keynote address. The Assess and Assist theme commenced with the topic of Capacity building for ALL teachers of students with and without learning difficulties. It drew from emerging findings from evidence based research and state of the art practice in assessment and reporting of students’ developmental and learning progress.

On Day 2, Ms Rhondda Kretschmann (Manager Analysis and Testing QSA) focused on the educational use of test data to support learning improvement and curriculum planning. She explored the parameters of the test program, its relationship with the school assessment program and gave some insights into how students learn and the implications on curriculum development.

Other speakers provided valuable information covering awide range of areas:
• The results of a statewide study of learning difficulties of mainstream secondary students.
• Reconceptualising learning support.
• Facilitating children’s early literacy development using language strategies.
• Thinking differently about assessment.
• Uncovering phonological awareness in the high school sector.
• Numeracy based learning disabilities.
• Computer based learning

Some of the conference papers will be available on the websites of each association in November.