< Back to Shop

Online Courses

WA Seminars

SA Seminars

QLD Seminars

VIC Seminars

Teaching students unable to read, spell and write within primary school - online course

When educators find themselves with student unable to read, spell and write, it is easy to feel ill-equipped to deal with the specific needs of this particular group of students.

Learning to read, spell and write in foundation - online course

Developing the skills for success: The Foundation school year is incredibly complex to teach. Those working within the Foundation year require strong theoretical knowledge, the ability to deliver their instruction in an explicit and focused manner and time efficient tracking processes to determine the rate of progress and then next elements to introduce.

Pre-literacy in the early years - online course

Developing the skills for success: The EARLY YEARS are a period of significant potential learning. It is essential that balanced within an early childhood framework key skills (for later literacy and learning) are developed. The explicit instruction of phonological awareness, alphabet sounds and oral language is imperative. Within this course ‘age appropriate’ ( i.e. fun, engaging but rich and clear) learning experiences will be demonstrated (with PLD programs and also with general resources.

Raising writing standards through the medium of dictation - online course

Dictation is a time efficient structured option and addition to literacy blocks, which facilitates progress in a relatively short period of time.

Synthetic phonics within the junior primary - online course

This course includes over 2 hours of video content and over 240 slides you can refer to during the course and download so you can refer to them later.

Teaching the alphabet in a manner that supports reading, spelling and writing - online course

This is a short course, which delivers a practical research-based approach to teaching the alphabet. It is essential that people working with children within their early years understand how to skilfully instruct this essential area so that children are equipped for their transition into early reading, spelling and writing.

Synthetic phonics and beyond - online course

This course includes over 2 hours of video content and over 240 slides you can refer to during the course and download so you can refer to them later.

Click the image to download the seminar flyer

Whole School Literacy Strategy (QLD)

Presenter : Diana Rigg

Location : Speld Qld - 141 Merton Road, Woolloongabba Qld 4102

Date: 9:00am to 3:00pm
21st June 2018

Price: $180.00 Members (SPELD members), $225.00 Non-Members

(map)

...see more

Workshop Overview:
This seminar will explore the practical features of high performing schools; and their investment in consistent implementation of research-based programs and time efficient tracking of student performance that informs classroom teaching. The seminar will explore some of the PLD programs, but will also demonstrate how other teaching materials can be implemented. The session will focus on explicit literacy instruction in conjunction with with well designed tracking. Each person registering will receive a free copy of PLD's best seller 'The Phonic Sight Word Sequence' (which provides a scope and sequence for Preparatory to Year 6).The seminar aims to have a broad appeal and is relevant to school leaders, literacy coordinators, Preparatory, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 teachers. The outcomes for the day have been divided into different areas so as to highlight the potential key outcomes for each person registering.*****REGISTER HERE*****
School leaders and Coordinators will gain an:
  • Understanding of the characteristics of high performing primary schools.
  • Understanding of the processes that school leaders can implement so that teachers can operate more effectively within the classroom.
  • Understanding of the specific research based systematic teaching is required within classrooms and across a school, which facilitates a raise student performance.
Preparatory Staff will gain:
  • An understanding of how students typically learn to decode 1st, spell 2nd and write 3rd.
  • Clarity on the 2 core skills that facilitate decoding, the 3 core skills that facilitate early spelling and the range of skills that facilitate writing.
  • Clarity on how pre-literacy skill development should be scheduled early in the school year, so that the foundations for literacy are established.
  • Options for time efficient pre-literacy tracking followed by time efficient and useful early literacy tracking. Both sets of tracking should then culminate into a plan for skill development over this most important school year.
  • A vision of how to introduce reading, spelling and writing in an early childhood manner so that early literacy learning is enjoyable.
Year 1 & 2 Staff will gain:
  • Options for catering for a range in ability within a junior primary classroom.
  • An understanding of how synthetic phonics and repeated reading of quality texts relates to junior primary classes.
  • Phonic dictation as a medium to transfer phonic concepts into written work.
  • Time efficient decoding and spelling assessments designed to identify the range in ability so teachers can be more focused in their instruction.
  • Options for poor readers, spellers and writers.
Year 3, 4 5 & 6 Staff will gain an: 
  • Undoubtedly there will be a significant range in ability in every middle and upper primary class.
  • How to allocate a proportion of the literacy block to the explicit instruction of spelling and decoding ‘word attack’ skills and also how to facilitate the transference of these spelling words (and ever increasing sophisticated vocabulary concepts) into writing.
  • A synthetic phonics approach for the students operating at a junior primary level.
  • For the stronger students, a phonic-based approach that focuses upon word meanings and opportunities to transfer concepts into writing.
Who is this seminar relevant to?
School leaders, literacy coordinators, Preparatory, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6
Presenter:
Diana Rigg Educator and Speech Pathologist and the Director of PLD Promoting Literacy Development. Ba. Arts (Ed), BaEd, CPP-Dyslexia (UK), MaEd, MaSpPath.Diana is a teacher, speech pathologist and a parent. Diana combines postgraduate education and speech pathology qualifications with an understanding of the education system. Diana's work aims is to educate and equip those working with 3-11 year old children with specialised techniques, programs and assessment tools. This provides a platform for an innovative and practical approach to literacy.PLD has been recognised as a recommended SSP (Structured Synthetic Phonics) program nationally by AUSPELD. PLD was also recognised by Professor Louden (2015) in his 'High Performing Schools' research paper for the WA Department of Education.
Show Less

Click the image to download the seminar flyer


Click the image to download the seminar flyer

Literacy and Learning in Kindergarten & Reception (SA)

Presenter : Diana Rigg

Location : State Library of South Australia
Corner North Tce & Kintore Ave
Adelaide, SA 5000

9:00am to 3:00pm (map)

The FOUNDATION school year is a complicated year level to teach. Students can achieve within this crucial year, if educators are knowledgeable about how children acquire early literacy skills...see more

The RECEPTION school year is a complicated year level to teach. Students can achieve within this crucial year, if educators are knowledgeable about how children acquire early literacy skills.
For the reception educators this seminar explores:
  • How children typically read first, spell second and write third.
  • The two core skills that enable a child to decode, the three core skills that facilitate early spelling and the range of skills that facilitate writing.
  • Pre-literacy skill development early in the school year, so that the foundations for literacy are established.
  • A time efficient pre-literacy assessment to track skill development and readiness for reading and spelling.
  • How to introduce reading, spelling and writing in an early childhood manner so that early literacy learning is enjoyable.
  • Time efficient decoding and spelling assessments.
  • Short ‘speech pathology’ derived oral language activities which facilitate the ability to speak in grammatically correct sentences.
KINDERGARTEN is a period of huge potential learning. Kindergarten learning is optimised when an ‘early childhood’ approach is balanced with explicit instruction.
For KINDERGARTEN this seminar explores:
  • What the research explains are the most essential pre-literacy skills for 3 & 4 year olds; phonemic awareness, alphabet knowledge and oral language – vocabulary and the ability to speak in grammatically correct sentences.
  • How can these skills be facilitated? Answer:  3-5 minute sessions presented several times in a day.
  • Screening: After 6 weeks of instruction skill acquisition is reviewed by presenting a sub-test on the PLD Pre-Literacy Screen.
  • The tracking of progress will identify the children who require additional attention and will focus staff.
  • Short ‘speech pathology’ derived oral language activities which facilitate the ability to speak in grammatically correct sentences.
  • Researchers consistently advocate for early intervention and preventative programs in the early years.
  • Children receive their best start when an early childhood approach is balanced with explicit systematic instruction.
Check Dates and Register for 2018
Thursday 22 March 2018
Tuesday 11 September 2018
Show Less

Click the image to download the seminar flyer


Click the image to download the seminar flyer

Literacy and Learning in Year 1, 2 & 3 (SA)

Presenter : Diana Rigg

Location : State Library of South Australia, Corner North Tce & Kintore Ave
Adelaide, SA 5000

9:00am to 3:00pm (map)

Researchers consistently express the returns are greatest when children are first learning to read...see more

Researchers consistently express the returns are greatest when children are first learning to read.
This seminar explores:
  • How to implement explicit synthetic phonics.
  • How focused instruction can be delivered to a class with a range in student ability.
  • Repeated reading of texts to increase fluency.
  • Phonic dictation as a medium to transfer phonic concepts into written work.
  • Time efficient decoding and spelling assessments designed to identify the range in ability so teachers can be more focused in their instruction.
  • Assessments and instruction techniques for students not reading and spelling.
  • Techniques to apply for poor or reluctant writers.
  • Oral language instruction which facilitates the ability to speak in complex, grammatically correct sentences.
  •  Narrative retelling and generation to increase comprehension and written expression ability.
 
Check Dates and Register for 2018
Friday 23 March 2018
Wednesday 12 September 2018 
 
Show Less

Click the image to download the seminar flyer


Click the image to download the seminar flyer

Literacy and Learning in the Early Years (VIC)

Presenter : Diana Rigg

Location : Melbourne Multicultural Hub, 506 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, Victoria

Date: 9:00am - 3:00pm, Thursday 14th June 2018

Registration Close Date: Friday 8th June 2018

Price: $125 (map)

...see more

Workshop Overview:
The Early Years are a period of significant potential learning. Early Years learning is optimised when an ‘early childhood’ approach is balanced with some explicit instruction. Throughout this presentation, multiple demonstrations of explicit instruction will be provided.
  • How can explicit instruction be presented within an early childhood setting? Answer: 3-5 minute activities presented at different times in the day.
  • A focused EARLY YEARS program will help you set up children for later literacy success. What the research explains are the most essential pre-literacy skills for 3 & 4 year Old’s Phonemic awareness, alphabet knowledge and oral language – vocabulary and the ability to speak in grammatically correct sentences.
  • How can these skills be facilitated? Answer: 3-5 minute sessions presented several times in a day.
  • Screening: After 6 weeks of instruction skill acquisition is reviewed by presenting a sub-test on the PLD Pre-Literacy Screen.The tracking of progress will identify the children who require additional attention and will focus staff.Short ‘speech pathology’ derived oral language activities which facilitate the ability to speak in grammatically correct sentences.Researchers consistently advocate for early intervention and preventative programs in the early years. Children receive their best start when an early childhood approach is balanced with explicit systematic instruction.
  • Click HERE to view a short summary video.
Tea & Coffee will be provided on the day, lunch is BYO.
*****REGISTER HERE*****
Presenter Name:
Diana Rigg
Presenter Bio: 
Diana is an Educator and Speech Pathologist Ba. Arts (Ed), BaEd, CPP-Dyslexia (UK), MaEd, MaSpPath. 
She is a teacher, speech pathologist and a parent. Diana combines postgraduate education and speech pathology qualifications with an understanding of the education system. Diana's work aims is to educate and equip those working with 3-11 year old children with specialised techniques, programs and assessment tools. This provides a platform for an innovative and practical approach to literacy. This PLD has been recognised as a recommended SSP (Structured Synthetic Phonics) program nationally by AUSPELD. PLD was also recognised by Professor Louden (2015) in his 'High Performing Schools' research paper for the WA Department of Education.
Show Less

Click the image to download the seminar flyer