Courses in package

Autism, Learning Style, and Visual Teaching Methods

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Scoil na gCailíní, Castleblayney, Monaghan

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Autism, Learning Styles, and Visual Teaching Methods
This training session will provide information on supportive practices in the functional use of visual supports. 
The focus of this course is in understanding the learning style, strengths, interests and needs of the autistic child and how these can be facilitated using visuals. This will assist those who support the child in the teaching of life skills, emotional regulation, and daily planning, creating opportunities for communication and independence.
Expected Outcomes
Understand how the use of visuals can support the thinking and learning style of autistic child.
Understand how the use of visuals can be generalised across all environments and can build on the learning experience in school, home, and the wider community.
Learn how to develop visual supports in a practical manner to maximise the child’s strengths and provide support if necessary.
How to develop visuals and implement visual strategies.

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Scoil na gCailíní

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Edel Quinn

Edel Quinn

Edel Quinn is an Autism Trainer/Advisor in Middletown Centre for Autism. Before taking up this post, Edel worked in the National Health Service, Northern Ireland (NHS), developing and delivering home programmes for autistic children and young people, and their families. Edel holds a Psychology degree and an MSc in Autism from Queen’s University, Belfast and a Post Graduate Diploma in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.

Edel's main specialisms are in early intervention and delivering training in the implementation of visual strategies and behaviour. Edel is a Certified TEACCH Trainer with Division TEACCH, North Carolina. Edel has developed and delivered anxiety trainings and anxiety research projects to parents and professionals across Ireland. She has delivered at Autism and Mental Health Conference, NAS and the Autism Congress. Edel is an associate lecturer on the Post Graduate Autism Certificate with Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Edel is working towards accreditation with BACP as a Cognitive Behaviour Therapist.

Autism and Communication

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Scoil na gCailíní, Castleblayney, Monaghan

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Autism and Communication.

This session explores the differences in neurotypical vs autistic communication styles. It provides delegates with an understanding of how to appreciate communication differences and adapt their communication style to better support autistic children and young people at home and school.

Delegates will:

· Explore current relevant theories related to communication differences

· Develop an understanding of their own communication preferences and how these might hinder or support the autistic communicator

· Explore a range of supportive practices in receptive (understanding) and expressive communication

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Majella Nugent

Majella Nugent

Majella Nugent is an Autism Trainer/Advisor in Middletown Centre for Autism. Majella has experience teaching and supporting autistic children and young people in schools. Majella’s experiences include Pre-school, Mainstream Primary and Post-Primary and Special Schools across Ireland. Majella also has experience teaching autistic students in Further Education. She has lectured and assessed modules on the Early Childhood Foundation Degree and the Level Three Autism qualification, as professional development for parents and professionals.

Majella’s training specialism is Relationship and Sexuality Education, Transitions and Special Education Needs. Majella has contributed to the development of the curriculum as a Professional Associate with CCEA for learners with MLD and co-ordinated specialist trainings including Transition to Higher Education (Ulster University and Trinity College Dublin), 16+ Education and Employment, and Sibling trainings. Majella is an Associate Lecturer on the Post Graduate Certificate with Mary Immaculate College Limerick.

Autism and Sensory Processing

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Scoil na gCailíní, Castleblayney, Monaghan

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Autism and Sensory Processing Sensory processing refers to the ability of a child to register, interpret and respond to sensory information. This is a complex process involving all the sensory systems, auditory, gustatory, visual, olfactory, tactile, proprioceptive, vestibular, and interoception. When sensory processing is working well, a child can engage in daily functional activities and social interaction. Sensory processing differences are prevalent in autistic children and can affect every aspect of life and development. This session examines the sensory processing differences experienced by many autistic children and will demonstrate how such differences impact on learning, play, social interactions, and behaviour for the primary school aged child. Participants will: • Develop an understanding of the sensory processing differences. • Appreciate how sensory processing differences can affect the child’s experience at school. • Understand how sensory processing differences can influence the child’s participation in daily activities. • Develop an understanding of general intervention strategies to accommodate sensory processing differences in daily activities at school and beyond. • How sensory processing differences can present in an autistic child. • Intervention strategies to address sensory processing differences in school or the family home.

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Kate Cullen

Kate Cullen

Kate Cullen is an Autism Specialist Occupational Therapist for children and young people. She has Postgraduate qualifications in Sensory Integration, including SIPT registration and is an Advanced Sensory Integration Practitioner. Kate works within a Child and Adolescent Autism diagnostic and intervention Service. She is a tutor and assessor for the graduate Certificate in Autism Studies course delivered in partnership with Middletown Centre for Autism and Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Kate previously worked as an Occupational Therapist for Middletown Centre for Autism and in Special Schools with children and young people with physical disabilities, developmental disorders, and autism, aged 3-19 years, providing assessment, intervention within trans-disciplinary and multiagency teams. She has experience writing and delivering training on autism related topics to parents, professionals, undergraduate and postgraduate students. She has delivered programmes in schools and homes addressing difficulties in engaging in personal care, life skills, leisure, school, and work as result of motor coordination, sensory processing, sensory motor and perception for children and young people with autism. She has training in a variety of therapeutic approaches

Autism and Understanding Anxiety

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Scoil na gCailíní, Castleblayney, Monaghan

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Autism and Understanding Anxiety
This training course will help parents and education professionals understand the stresses autistic children and young people experience, particularly within the Primary School environment.  We will discuss the external environmental demands and stress experienced by many autistic children which can contribute to anxiety experiences.

Participants will understand:
The relationship between autism and anxiety, and how anxiety affects our body and mind.
Fatigue and masking in relation to anxiety from an autistic point of view.
How environmental, communication, sensory, emotional, and cognitive stresses can be supported to reduce anxiety experience within the school environment.

During the course, we will explore a range of supports and resources which can be used to support an autistic child or young person.

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Scoil na gCailíní

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Frances O'Neill

Frances O'Neill

Frances O’Neill is an Autism Trainer/Advisor in Middletown Centre for Autism. Frances has worked in Special, Post Primary and Further Education settings. She holds Post Graduate Certificates and Diplomas in Education and an MSc in Autism.

Autism and Reframing Behaviour

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Scoil na gCailíní, Castleblayney, Monaghan

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Autism and Reframing Behaviour -

This training will introduce participants to the ongoing paradigm shift in understanding behaviour from a physiological perspective, drawing on research from neuroscience, psychology, and interpersonal neurobiology.

It will encourage participants to pause and reflect on their current beliefs and reactions to the behavioural differences presenting within their autistic students. Participants will be supported to consider behavioural differences that are authentic to the autistic child and their invaluable role in maintaining joy in their lives. Furthermore, participants will be supported to understand the underlying factors contributing to distressed behaviours, and how supporting professionals can help.


Specific topics will include:

  • Understanding the ongoing paradigm shift in how we think about behaviour.
  • Factors that contribute to distressed behaviour for an autistic child.
  • The important role of neuroception and sense of ‘felt safety’ in promoting a balanced regulatory state.
  • The importance of professional self-care in the context of supporting an autistic child in distress.


Participants will:

  • Gain an understanding of the ongoing paradigm shift in how we think about ‘behaviour’ presenting in our autistic children and young people.
  • To support participants to recognise their inner biases, judgements and beliefs that may be impacting upon how they support an autistic child in distress.
  • To understand the underlying and environmental factors contributing to distress and overwhelm within the autistic child.
  • Understand their role in managing their own regulation as an essential process to the co-regulatory support they provide their autistic students.

Course Overview

  • Paradigm shift and reframing our perception of behaviour.
  • Underlying and environmental factors contributing to distressed behaviour.
  • Proactive and reactive supports when working with distressed behaviour.
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Notes

Location

Scoil na gCailíní

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Majella Nugent

Majella Nugent

Majella Nugent is an Autism Trainer/Advisor in Middletown Centre for Autism. Majella has experience teaching and supporting autistic children and young people in schools. Majella’s experiences include Pre-school, Mainstream Primary and Post-Primary and Special Schools across Ireland. Majella also has experience teaching autistic students in Further Education. She has lectured and assessed modules on the Early Childhood Foundation Degree and the Level Three Autism qualification, as professional development for parents and professionals.

Majella’s training specialism is Relationship and Sexuality Education, Transitions and Special Education Needs. Majella has contributed to the development of the curriculum as a Professional Associate with CCEA for learners with MLD and co-ordinated specialist trainings including Transition to Higher Education (Ulster University and Trinity College Dublin), 16+ Education and Employment, and Sibling trainings. Majella is an Associate Lecturer on the Post Graduate Certificate with Mary Immaculate College Limerick.