RCT Sponsors Special Education Workshop for Teachers
The Rotary Club of Tortola in partnership with the Department of Education conducted a workshop to train approximately 90 teachers from public and private daycares, pre schools and primary schools within the territory from April 4-6, 2011. The 3-day workshop was facilitated by Kerri-Ann de Castro, MS CCC-SLP and Melanie Okadigwe, MS ED of Therapy Servicesâ€"the BVI's leading rehabilitation centre. The main objective of the workshop was to increase the academic achievement of children with special needs in mainstream classrooms by providing professional development training for early education teachers.
After attending the workshop the teachers would be more equipped to:
1. Effectively observe children in their classrooms who may have special needs
2. Identify children with learning disabilities in their classes, and refer children to receive early intervention services
3. Use strategies to teach children with special needs
4. Use strategies to decrease undesired behaviours in the classroom
After attending the workshop the teachers would be more equipped to:
1. Effectively observe children in their classrooms who may have special needs
2. Identify children with learning disabilities in their classes, and refer children to receive early intervention services
3. Use strategies to teach children with special needs
4. Use strategies to decrease undesired behaviours in the classroom
Funding for the Workshop was provided by the Rotary Club of Tortola through funds raised at the annual Grand Affair. Lorna Smith current President of the Rotary Club of Tortola said that she was pleased to see funds raised from the community has been applied towards such an important project. She continued that ' I am delighted that the Rotary Club of Tortola could partner with the Education Department to deliver this important workshop and trust that there will be lots of follow-up as so many of our precious kids are left behind because of failure to detect their unique challenges. The Club is grateful to Therapy Services for putting this together as well as to the Department of Education and all those who contributed to its success'.