March 14, 2024 at 3:30pm - 5pm
Online
FASD-CAN ran this 10-module course during 2023 and we are now inviting registrations of interest for our 2024 course.
If you would like to be added to our list, please email our training administrator Paige Saxby at [email protected]
We will give you advance notice of when we will be running it in 2024 – likely to be fortnightly on Thursdays from 3.30-5pm, beginning in mid-late March.
Please note: running the course will depend on funding being available for this purpose.
Education is an important part of life for any tamariki or rangitahi, but even more so for vulnerable ākonga/students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), who often struggle in a kura environment.
Research by the University of Auckland has shown that Aotearoa’s kaiako/teachers are looking for more information and training about best practice to support their learners with FASD.
Here are just some of the comments we received from participants in our 2023 training:
"Wow - mind-blowing! What a fantastic presentation. Thank you so, so much for the information, energy and passion of your presentation. Totally jam packed!! I am so keen to continue this training as I have two students on my RTLB roll who have diagnoses of FASD. I have learnt so much from you all and the comments you make as you present slides, your take on things and incidental comments are invaluable!"
"The course is absolutely amazing... thank you."
"I need to use this knowledge so that I can help teachers change their attitudes and ways of dealing with these students and help change their methods of using consequences for these students."
"It was good to be reminded of how many cognitive skills are needed to understand rewards and consequences! This is so hard for our FASD kids to get. We need to support, not punish."
"I have enjoyed the content of this course. The research to explain how the learner learns and sharing of strategies that teachers use in schools has been most beneficial, not only for myself but for my colleagues I share with."
"If only I knew what I know now years ago when I was teaching..."
The aim of this course is to assist all educators engaged in teaching FASD ākonga to feel more confident and better able to address the multiple needs of these neurodiverse learners.
The subtitle of the course, ‘Kete into Practice’ reflects the intention that the course will be very practically-based. While it is relevant for all people in the education sector, it has been particularly designed with teachers and teacher aides in mind.
Many educators have some general knowledge about FASD and its associated symptoms, and of the learning and behavioural challenges these pose. But in a busy classroom/school environment where many neurodiverse learners need support and attention, kaiako have indicated they want practical examples and suggestions of how to realistically implement new strategies in a ‘real-world’ setting of limited resources and competing demands.
The learning objectives for the course are:
The course comprises 10 modules of 1-1.5 hours duration. The course will be delivered to registered participants via Zoom in terms two and three of the school year, and participants will receive a digital copy of the presentation handouts after each course session.
You don't have to attend every module – but you will get the most out of the course if you do. At the end of the course, if you have attended all 10 training sessions you will receive a Certificate of Attendance.
The training course will take place fortnightly on a Thursday between 3:30 pm and 5:00 pm. We arrange the training delivery schedule to avoid school term breaks.Once you have registered for the training you will receive a confirmation email with a Zoom link and a list of training dates (please schedule these into your diaries) – you will use the same link for each session and will receive a reminder email each fortnight.
Timing of the course will be advised by early March 2024.
There are no eligibility criteria to take part in this free training for educators. However, a requirement of registration is that you do not share your Zoom link with other people who have not registered with us for the course.
The Ministry of Health has conservatively estimated that between 3-5% of the population each year is born with FASD in Aotearoa. This makes FASD the most common neurodisability in the world. It is also more prevalent in society than autism, Down syndrome and cerebal palsy – combined.
Ministry of Education data tell us there has been a mean average of 56,600 of age 5 new entrants enrolled in New Zealand schools over the 2020 to 2022 years. Using the Ministry of Health prevalence parameters, this means that educators will be welcoming between 1,698 and 2,830 children with FASD into Aotearoa’s schools each and every year.
This means that whatever your role in the education sector, you are going to come across FASD learners at some point in your career, and you are going to need to know how to best support their learning and involvement in the school environment.
If you have any questions about the course or want to know more, please contact Paige via [email protected]
