Professional Development Programme 2009-2010
Bright Start Course Coming Soon! Thinking Skiils for 3 - 7 Year Olds Click here for more information.
Click here to download the Professional Development Programme.
INSTRUMENTAL ENRICHMENT
What is Instrumental Enrichment?
Instrumental Enrichment (IE) was developed by Professor Reuven Feuerstein, originally as an outcome of his work with immigrant populations regarded as ‘retarded’. IE is a thinking skills programme, which remediates cognitive difficulties through a structured course, based on 14 ‘Instruments’. The programme is built up systematically so that it is easy for the student to experience success and motivation. An essential aspect of IE is that it develops links to situations in everyday life and teaches the learner how to learn more effectively. This means learning to generate new information for oneself from existing information, taking decisions, learning to organise, plan and anticipate future events, learning to take responsibility and finding solutions to a range of problems.
To find out more about the next Hope course, starting in January 2010, Developing Children's Thinking Skills - Learning How to Learn, which incorporates Instrumental Enrichment, please click here.
Who is the Programme suitable for?
Because IE focuses on the process of thinking and not on the learning of content (facts and information), it is suitable for a wide range of learners, from upper primary children, adolescents and adults who have learning difficulties for whatever reasons, including:
Children and adults with congenital or acquired learning disabilities
Children and adults who do not achieve their potential due to unfavourable family, social or cultural circumstances
Children and adolescents who are able or gifted underachievers
Children, adolescents and adults who have difficulty learning and working because of emotional problems.
Who can apply for the training?
Teachers, learning support assistants, psychologists, therapists, parents and others working with children, adolescents and adults whose manifest intellectual functioning gives cause for concern.
Who is the trainer?
Ruth Deutsch is lead UK an accredited trainer for Feuerstein’s International Centre for the Enhancement of Learning Potential (ICELP). Ruth teaches at The Institute of Education (London University) and trains psychologists, therapists and teachers across the U.K.
What qualifications will be gained?
Successful completion of the course will count as the first level of IE training. Participants completing Level 1 training will receive a certificate of accreditation as a Level 1 practitioner from ICELP and will be registered on the ICELP database.
What does the training cover?
As well as instruction in the use of the first seven ‘Instruments’ (paper and pencil exercises, which are largely content free and require minimal literacy skills), the course will include:
An introduction to cognitive development
The theory of Structural Cognitive Modifiability
Deficient cognitive functions
The cognitive map
Mediated learning experiences
Categories of mediated interaction
Application to National Curriculum and to daily life skills
AN INTRODUCTION TO THINKING SKILLS
Who is this programme designed for?
The course comprises of a series of practical six half-day workshops for teachers, LSAs and SENCOs.
You will develop an understanding of how a child thinks and build on the National Curriculum, framework for learning and thinking skills. By the end of the course, you will be more confident to expand your students' classroom thinking abilities and skills.
Who are the trainers?
Hope Centre mediators, speech and language therapists, occupational therapist and psychologist. All workshop trainers have extensive training in the Feuerstein methodology.
How long is the programme?
The programme will take place over 6 weeks. Participants will be required one morning per week. Each session will run for between 2 -3 hours.
The course dates and times are:
13, 20 & 27 November 9.30am - 12.30 pm and 4, 11 & 18th December 9.30am - 12.30 pm
What is required from participants?
In order to complete the full course participants will be required to attend every session. On completion of the course a course attendance certificate will be issued.
Each week participants will be set homework to complete for the following week. This is an essential part of the training. Schools and classroom teachers must enable participants to complete any homework that is set.
Where does the training take place?
Unless otherwise requested the training will take place at The Hope Centre, 228 Walm Lane, Cricklewood, London, NW2 3BS.
How much does the course cost?
£135 per participant (Discount available for group bookings and students)
1. WHAT IS THINKING (COGNITION)?
This session will cover thinking skills needed for curriculum learning in the classroom.
Homework – Cognitive Functions observed; what was needed for the task, what did the child find particularly difficult?
2. WHAT IS MEDIATED LEARNING? Part 1
In this session participants will learn what mediated learning is and useful mediational phrases and techniques. There will be video analysis and comparison of models of mediation Homework – observe a lesson at school. Note down any mediational strategies used by the teacher.
3. WHAT IS MEDIATED LEARNING? Part 2
This session will cover mediation in practice – participants will learn how to mediate through schools tasks, games and through activities in the playground.
Homework – a) Mediate through a chosen activity, b) Complete language assessment on child
4. LANGUAGE AND MEDIATED LEARNING (session lead by SALT)
Participants will learn about expressive, receptive and social use of language. Why hasn’t the child understood? Noticing breakdowns in communication.
Levels of language and phrases to use.
Homework – complete OT assessment on child
5. BUILDING BLOCKS FOR LEARNING (session lead by OT)
The focus this week will be on the child’s visual, physical, spatial and sensory needs.
Homework – To be set
6. SUMMARY AND QUESTIONS
NB Course content subject to change
Click here to download the Professional Development Programme and application form.
