AI For Educators: Simplify, Create, and Engage with the Power of AI

Join us for a full-day conference 'Building Resilient Classrooms: Mental Health and Student Engagement' on Thursday 14th November. This conference will cover topics such as literacy and mental health and effective classroom management to ensure student engagement.Date and TimeThursday 14th November 9:30 am to 3 pm AEDT (Melbourne Time)**This webinar will be recorded and available for one month after the event**CostLDA Member: $160LDA Student Member - $125Non-Member - $180PresentationsUsing tiered supports to improve school attendance - Dr Lisa Mc-Kay BrownSchool attendance has been identified as a national concern since the return to school after Covid-19. A comprehensive and integrated approach is required to address the factors underlying non-attendance. This presentation will discuss a multi-tiered approach to school attendance with relevant examples for implementation within schools.Supporting mental health in the context of language and literacy difficulties - Prof Mark Boyes & Dr Elizabeth HillChildren who struggle with language and literacy are at elevated risk of mental health difficulties, yet why this is the case is unclear and current psychological therapies are generally not accessible for this population. Prof Mark Boyes and Dr Elizabeth Hill will provide an overview of the research from Curtin University's 'Language and Literacy in Young People' research group (www.lalyp.com). They will present work investigating risk and protective factors associated with mental health in the context of language and literacy difficulties. They will also discuss ongoing projects aiming to develop accessible interventions and build the capacity of mental health professionals to support mental health needs of these children. Along with other members of 'Language and Literacy in Young People', they are keen to explore opportunities for future collaboration.Creating engaged classrooms through effective classroom management - Cate WhitingThe Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) is developing practical guidance for teachers and school leaders to create safe and supportive learning environments through effective classroom management. Explore the evidence base and how the resources support teachers to refine their practice and support school leaders to lead a whole school approach to classroom management. Plans for further resources to be released next year will also be shared, including guidance on supporting students with additional learning needs.Opportunities to Respond (OTRs) and the Instructional Hierarchy (IH) to support student engagement and learningIn this presentation, Karina will discuss the research and logic behind Opportunities to Respond (OTR) and the Instructional Hierarchy (IH). Practical information will be shared on how teachers can increase the rate, and vary the type, of OTR in their classroom. Links will be made between the implementation of high rates of OTR with appropriate behaviour specific praise and effective error correction procedures to support both engagement and learning, in line with understandings from the Instructional Hierarchy.SpeakersDr Lisa McKay BrownAssociate Professor Lisa McKay-Brown is the Associate Dean of Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Education. With over 25 years in teaching and leadership, she specialises in the inclusion of students with disability. Recognised internationally for her research on school attendance, she serves on the Executive Board of the International Network for School Attendance. Lisa leads the Faculty of Education Disability Research Collaboration, focusing on projects like In2School and Pathways2Participation, and engages in international inclusive education initiatives in India and Latin America. Her work addresses the marginalisation of students with mental health disorders and other disabilities.Prof Mark Boyes & Dr Elizabeth (Lizz) HillProf Mark Boyes is a Professor in the School of Population Health at Curtin University, Co-Lead of the Mental Health Research Domain within the Curtin enAble Institute, and an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow. He co-leads Curtin University's 'Language and Literacy in Young People' research group (www.lalyp.com). Dr Elizabeth (Lizz) Hill is a speech pathologist and teaching/research academic at Curtin University. Lizz completed her PhD in September 2020, for which she explored language skills of adolescents with acquired brain injury and links with social and emotional wellbeing. Currently, Lizz’s research explores the intersection of mental health and language, with a particular focus on accessible mental health services for people with language and literacy difficulties. She is passionate about working in collaboration with people with lived experience of language and communication challenges, and their supporters, to co-develop solutions to support social and emotional wellbeing. Lizz has published 15 peer-reviewed journal articles and is a co-or lead investigator on over $1.8 million in research funding.Cate WhitingCate Whiting is an experienced school leader and has led school improvement by applying evidence-based practices in student engagement and behaviour, pedagogy, literacy and multi-tiered systems of support. Cate is currently the Principal Teaching and Learning Specialist leading the Engaged Classrooms Through Effective Classroom Management project at AERO.Karina StockerKarina is an experienced classroom teacher, school leader, and consultant. She is currently working as an instructional coach and head of behaviour support at Docklands Primary School. Karina is passionate about the use of evidence-based literacy instruction and evidence-based behaviour support practices in Australian schools. She has a particular interest in implementing Multi- Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to ensure equitable access to effective instruction and intervention in both literacy and behaviour, so all students can succeed. Karina is currently a PhD candidate at Monash University, researching the implementation of learning sciences within an MTSS framework to support improved reading outcomes in Australian schools.

In this webinar, Andy will provide a comprehensive overview of ADHD and the often unexplored related behaviours in children, including how it may present differently in girls. He’ll present a broad selection of insights, practical tips and strategies for teachers and any professionals who regularly work with and support children.**This webinar will be recorded and available for two weeks after the event**Date: Monday 31st March 2025Time: 7:30 pm - 9 pm AEST (Melbourne Time)Cost:Member: $40Student Member: $30Non Member: $60About Andrew HayesAndy Hayes brings a unique skill set and lived experience to his role as an ADHD coach, backed by a Master of Education from the University of Notre Dame and a Graduate Certificate in Instructional Leadership from the University of Melbourne. A qualified teacher and accredited ADHD coach from ADDCA in New York, Andy is also a former Director of Teaching and Learning at an all-boys private school in Perth. In addition to coaching children and adults, he also works with teachers and schools and is a sought-after presenter on ADHD.

The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT III) is a the most reliable and comprehensive assessment tool used to evaluate a person’s academic skills and knowledge. In this session, learn why you might like to use it, what it doesn't test (and what you might use to supplement your data), and how you can use the data to choose evidence-informed interventions. Attendees will be provided with an intervention guide created for the Learning Difficulties Clinic at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne.**This webinar will be recorded and available for two weeks after the event**Date: Monday 31st March 2025Time: 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm AEST (Melbourne Time)Cost:LDA Member: $30LDA Student Member: $15LDA Non-Member: $50About Melinda de HaanMelinda de Haan is a Learning Intervention Specialist focusing on students with Specific Learning Difficulties and ADHD. She earned her Master's in Learning Intervention from the University of Melbourne in 2019. Since then, she has helped teachers use evidence-based practices to support students with diverse learning needs in a range of primary and secondary schools. In 2024, she joined a philanthropy-funded project between the Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne, and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute as part of multi-disciplinary care team for children with complex learning difficulties. Currently, she is the Educational Coordinator in the Learning Difficulties Clinic at the Royal Children's Hospital, and she works as a Learning Difficulties Consultant and Literacy Intervention Specialist at Papillon Paediatrics.