Merran Brear
Merran joined the ranks of SPELD teachers following 17 years teaching in Secondary Schools. She went on to become fully qualified as a Level C Tester, conversant with the WJIII batteries and has been assessing children and adults for Dyslexia and learning difficults for 8 or so years. Recently returning from the International Dyslexia Conference, she has had the privilege of listening to a number of well-known researchers and specialists.

Making connections for SLD/Dyslexia. Essential Principles in teaching Dyslexia in Literacy
Technical - Drawing from research around the world, Merran will look at the latest findings concerning SLD and ways to make the most of your teaching time. Areas covered include reading, writing, spelling, working memory, phonological, orthographic and morphologial awareness.

Dr Keith Greaney
Dr Keith Greaney is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Educational Studies at Massey University College of Education where he teaches, supervises and researches in the area of literacy learning difficulties. Before coming to Massey University in 1998 Keith taught for 28 years in primary schools in several areas in New Zealand and was also a Resource Teacher of Reading (now RT:Lits)  for 12 years. Keith is also a trained Reading Recovery teacher.

Analysis and use of assessment data to inform  teaching practice
The assessment of spelling usually involves measuring and recording only the total number of words correctly spelled in tests, with little, if any attention given to the types of errors made. Analyzing the error response patterns that are made when children incorrectly spell words (either in test or regular writing situations), allows the teacher to gain a deeper understanding of the likely impediments that hinder children's abilities to spell correctly. Such an understanding should enable teachers to design more focused spelling instruction.

This will be a part research-informed and part workshop-based presentation where participants will be given the opportunity to analysis their own spelling errors.

Nathan Mikaere-Wallis
X Factor Education was established to facilitate training, professional development and the application of neuroscientific research to practice.
Nathan’s current roles are lecturer at Canterbury University’s College of Education, trustee/ trainer/ presenter for Brainwave, a Child Protection Trainer and he serves on the Board of Cholmondeley Children’s Home, The Champion Centre, and Nurturing the Future Trust. 
Nathan is a father of three, a step-father to another three (all aged from 12-22 years) and has a background as a foster parent.  Nathan’s professional background is in lecturing/teaching, child counseling, and educational systems/social service management.

The Learner's Brain - Follow on from Keynote with time for Q & A
Brain imaging techniques continue to be improved and developed and this is allowing for more and more understanding of exactly how the human brain works and learns.  The majority of discoveries in the last two years relate to the rapid changes taking place in the teenage brain and how this impacts on the ways in which they learn.  An understanding of this research helps to inform our practice and continue to refine what we do to best meet the needs of the leaner.

Rose Blackett
Rose is a registered educational psychologist. She has developed extensive knowledge in working with childen who are challenged by the education system. Rose serves on the international Social Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) Board of Directors, is a member of the Ministry of Education Advisory Panel for Gifted and Talented Education and is the current president of the New Zealand Association for Gifted Children (NZAGC).

"Working Memory - Is it an insurmountable stumbling block on the path to successful literacy development?"
Individuals with dyslexia often present with poor working memory skills. They may take longer to process and sequence information, particularly in reading and spelling. Difficulties when engaging in everyday conversations can also be experienced. This might include incorrectly sequencing words or forgetting key information. One view of dyslexia is that it is caused by 'weak working memory skills'. This workshop will consider the impact and implications poor working memory skills have on literacy development.

Making connections for SLD/Dyslexia. Essential Principles in teaching Dyslexia in Literacy
Practical - mini lesson on different spelling methods and strategies, aspects of writing and reading.

Margi Leech
Margi is a trained classroom teacher with 30 plus years experience in New Zealand and the United States and is passionate about children learning. She has home schooled her daughters for a period of time as well. Her daughters have lead her into this field of education, one is gifted with dyslexia and the other has Down syndrome.
Margi is also involved with the education of students with Down syndrome in New Zealand , participating in national education initiatives and presenting to educators nationally. She also presents at conferences on understanding students with learning needs and supporting them in their education.
Margi Leech is the New Zealand trainer and distributor for Numicon as well as a presenter of courses for educators on dyslexia and Down Syndrome. Margi has always been passionate about using manipulatives as an integral part of a maths programme.

Using Manipulatives - supporting students who do not succeed in Maths
Mathematics is not easy to learn. Most struggling learners are challenged by its abstractness, language, sequential understanding of place value and high requirement of memory in calculating. After failing so much they wonder whether it's worth the effort; they no longer feel included.
Numicon by its very nature provides this for students, but it's the programme that leads students into 'making connections' about number, pattern and applying this to everyday life that makes this numeracy programme unique. Numicon works easily alongside other manipulatives such as Cuisenaire. Teachers find it highly effective because they can 'see' what their students are thinking. The assessment procedure helps teachers see where the student is struggling and the follow-up in the programme meets the students needs very effectively.
The workshop will be highly interactive with many activities from the intervention programme incorporated into the session, as well as researched-based evidence, the philosophy and the outcomes of the programme.

Rose Blackett (Repeat)
Rose is a registered educational psychologist. She has developed extensive knowledge in working with childen who are challenged by the education system. Rose serves on the international Social Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) Board of Directors, is a member of the Ministry of Education Advisory Panel for Gifted and Talented Education and is the current president of the New Zealand Association for Gifted Children (NZAGC).

"Working Memory - Is it an insurmountable stumbling block on the path to successful literacy development?"
Individuals with dyslexia often present with poor working memory skills. They may take longer to process and sequence information, particularly in reading and spelling. Difficulties when engaging in everyday conversations can also be experienced. This might include incorrectly sequencing words or forgetting key information. One view of dyslexia is that it is caused by 'weak working memory skills'. This workshop will consider the impact and implications poor working memory skills have on literacy development.

Margi Leech - This workshop is now full
Margi is a trained classroom teacher with 30 plus years experience in New Zealand and the United States and is passionate about children learning. She has home schooled her daughters for a period of time as well. Her daughters have lead her into this field of education, one is gifted with dyslexia and the other has Down syndrome.
Margi is also involved with the education of students with Down syndrome in New Zealand , participating in national education initiatives and presenting to educators nationally. She also presents at conferences on understanding students with learning needs and supporting them in their education.
Margi Leech is the New Zealand trainer and distributor for Numicon as well as a presenter of courses for educators on dyslexia and Down Syndrome. Margi has always been passionate about using manipulatives as an integral part of a maths programme.

Using Manipulatives - supporting students who do not succeed in Maths
Mathematics is not easy to learn. Most struggling learners are challenged by its abstractness, language, sequential understanding of place value and high requirement of memory in calculating. After failing so much they wonder whether it's worth the effort; they no longer feel included.
Numicon by its very nature provides this for students, but it's the programme that leads students into 'making connections' about number, pattern and applying this to everyday life that makes this numeracy programme unique. Numicon works easily alongside other manipulatives such as Cuisenaire. Teachers find it highly effective because they can 'see' what their students are thinking. The assessment procedure helps teachers see where the student is struggling and the follow-up in the programme meets the students needs very effectively.
The workshop will be highly interactive with many activities from the intervention programme incorporated into the session, as well as researched-based evidence, the philosophy and the outcomes of the programme.