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Month: June 2013
The Promise of Neuroscience
We have so much more to understand about how the brain functions. As our knowledge increases, so our insights into the new generation of children with disabilities will grow, and we will better understand how they learn , and how we , as teachers , can better match our teaching styles. Indeed some creative and innovative pedagogy may be required!
A great leader in the area of Neuroscience is Professor Colin Blakemore. As a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine , I commend to you this lecture he gave recently at the RSM.
http://www.rsmvideos.com/videoPlayer/?vid=393&class=videoThumb
Through the National Forum for Neuroscience in Special Education, we endeavour to stimulate a dialogue between Neuroscientists and Teachers working with children and young people with SEND.
There are two forthcoming events which may be of interest.
On November 7th , there will be a Seminar on the Neuroscience of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders .
On February 6th, 2014, the Annual Conference will focus on Mental Health, and the insights neuroscience can bring to this most co occurring of Complex Needs.
Both events will be held in London , and further details can be obtained from Natalie Eccles,
Presentations from FASD Conference in Scotland
Presentations from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Scotland conference on FASD.
http://www.rcpch.ac.uk/what-we-do/college/rcpch-scotland/news/scotland-news
New Autism Research Report Launched
A Future Made Together
A Future Made Together: Shaping Autism Research in the UK
Autism research has taken great strides toward understanding autism, its causes and its consequences. This research has the potential to transform the everyday lives of those with autism and their families. Yet there is still a huge gap between knowledge and practice, which means that, for the most part, the advances in research fail to impact upon those who need them most: autistic people, their parents and carers and those who help support them.
Commissioned by the charity Research Autism, this project aimed to describe the current landscape of autism research in the UK, embedded within an international context, and to compare the nature of the research being conducted with the views and perspectives of key stakeholders.
The resulting Report is the most comprehensive review of autism research in the UK ever undertaken. It also sits alongside a large-scale consultation of autistic people, their families, practitioners and researchers about what the research agenda means to them.
The Report highlights the many strengths of UK autism research. It also suggests that, for the UK to maintain its position as one of the world’s leaders in autism research, it needs greater investment in under-researched areas and in under-served populations, new strategic oversight and coordination and the involvement of autistic people and the broader autism community in decisions about research.
The Report was written by Liz Pellicano, Adam Dinsmore and Tony Charman, supported by members of an Advisory Group: Chris Atkins, Virginia Bovell, Baroness Angela Browning, Barry Carpenter, James Cusack, David Ellis, The Goth,Sarah Shenow, Helen Pearce and Simon Wallace.
http://newsletters.ioe.ac.uk/A_Future_Made_Together_2013.pdf
Information on FASD presented in Parliament
A post on the All Party Parliamentary Group for Education website summarising the recent presentation on FSAD
‘Narrow the Gap’ for Preterm Children
An article from ‘Children and Young People Now’ about the changes needed to teaching to support premature babies.
Fetal Alcohol Forum (Issue 9)
FASD in the Early Years
Practitioners may be interested in the wealth of ideas in this excellent piece written by Carolyn Blackburn.