2009 Virginia Workshops

Summer 2009 Institute at Flint Hill

This three-day summer institute offers full-day workshops: Universal Design, Teaching Writing to Students with LD/ADHD, and Improving Reading Comprehension in the Content Areas.

Location: Flint Hill School, East Campus  10409 Academic Drive, Oakton, VA  22124
Date & Time: August 17-19, 2009
Audience: Secondary (grades 6-12) and post-secondary educators, including classroom teachers, department chairs, curriculum coordinators, administrators, educational consultants

August 17: Universal Design

To address the needs of our cognitively diverse society, we should embrace the concept of "universal design," which emphasizes the importance of creating instruction to be optimally useful and effective for the broadest range of individuals. This session will review common learning challenges as the basis for creating a framework of best practices for designing instruction. It will include resources and strategies to promote optimal learning and review a number of emerging technologies that may help close the gap between ability and disability.

August 18: Introduction to Teaching Writing

This workshop addresses academic writing as a complex and challenging cognitive task that places great demands on student language skills, attention, memory, and effort. The presenter will review the latest research in writing instruction related to struggling students and model effective writing instruction and strategies to promote academic success for secondary and postsecondary students with learning disabilities and attention disorders. The session will conclude with a look at analytical writing demanded by high stakes testing.

August 19: Improving Reading in the Content Areas

This workshop will review the latest research in reading processes with a focus on reading comprehension. Participants will receive examples of effective strategies that promote reading comprehension in core content areas, within a framework for effective instructional design. The workshop is designed for general education instructors as well as those who work with students with learning differences.  Participants should bring currently used texts and reading assignments on which to build lessons and activities.

April 2009 Workshop: Meeting the Challenge of Executive Functioning

This one-day workshop explored the theoretical basis for executive functioning challenges at school and home, providing educators and parents with insights for designing effective interventions that promote academic success. Participants developed a repertory of strategies for meeting the challenges of time and task management, with a focus on efficient study routines and coaching approaches for student self management.

Location: Commonwealth Academy, Alexandria Virginia
Date & Time: April 21, 2009
Audience: Secondary and postsecondary educators, parents, counselors, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and others who work with students with learning challenges. This workshop was sponsored by Landmark College and Commonwealth Academy.

Agenda

• What is Executive Functioning?
• How EF difficulties impact:
  • Academics
  • Social relations
  • Self image
• Managing EF difficulties
  • Classroom routines and structure
  • Organizational skills
• Organizing materials
• Organizing to learn
• Organizing time and tasks
• (Working lunch) Sharing issues and ideas
• Coaching for self-management

Presenter: Linda Hecker, M.Ed. Lead Education Specialist, Adjunct Associate Professor

Linda Hecker, M.Ed., Lead Education Specialist

Linda Hecker, M.Ed., has taught at Landmark College since its founding in 1985. Currently a Lead Education Specialist for the Institute, she has overseen teacher training programs, taught English, study skills, and music classes, and served as an academic advisor, Chair of the Tutorial Department, and Academic Dean. She received her M.Ed. from the University of Hartford and her B.A. from Brandeis University. Ms. Hecker has presented workshops, courses, teacher training programs, and/or keynote speeches at dozens of institutions and conferences. Recent talks spotlight venues as diverse as the Smithsonian Museum, George Washington University, Chicago Public Schools, and the American Community School, Athens, Greece. She lives in Guilford, Vermont, and is an avid freelance violinist.

Upcoming Northern Virginia Workshops