Boosting VCAA Student Special Provision Outcomes

Writing is a critical life skill that influences academic success, career readiness, andself-expression. Yet many students struggle to organize their ideas, regulate the writing process, and communicate effectively. Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) is a research-based instructional framework with more than 40 years of evidence demonstrating positive outcomes for students across grade levels and learner profiles, including students with learning difficulties. This professional learning series is designed to provide educators with both the foundational knowledge and practical implementation tools needed to bring SRSD into their classrooms immediately. Participants will learn how to explicitly teach writing strategies while fostering self-regulation, metacognition, independence, and student confidence. This course consists of three half-day virtual workshops at the end of 2026, two follow-up implementation sessions at the beginning of 2027, and the opportunity to book individual office hour appointments with the presenters for additional support. **Attendance at the virtual sessions is mandatory as the course will have a workshop format. Recordings will be available to review for 6 months after the live sessions.** Total CPD Hours: 12.5 hours Dates All participants are also required to purchase the text 'Powerful Writing Strategies For All Students', which is available at. A 20% discount code will be provided to you once you book into the course. Virtual workshop dates (attendance at the virtual sessions is mandatory) Monday, 30th November: 9 am - 12:30 pm (AEDT) Monday, 7th December: 9 am - 12:30 pm (AEDT) Wednesday, 9th December: 9 am - 12: 30 pm (AEDT) Follow-up Implementation Sessions Monday, 8th February: 9 am - 10 am (AEDT) Monday, 19th April: 9 am - 10 am (AEDT) Office Hours - Optional one-hour appointment with presenters Dates TBC Cost LDA Member: $550 LDA Student Member - $450 Non-Member - $650 Please note that the course is restricted to 30 participants to ensure a workshop-style event. Bookings close on 10th November to ensure that participants have time to purchase the textbook required for the course. See above. About the Speakers Barbara Friedlander Barbara Friedlander is a National Board-Certified Special Education Teacher, educational consultant, and adjunct professor at the University of Maryland. Her work focuses on advancing inclusive practices by equipping teachers with the tools to create engaging, scaffolded learning environments where all students can thrive—not just be placed—in general education settings. She is the co-author of Powerful Writing Strategies for All Students and has presented at local, state, and national conferences on topics including Self Regulated Strategy Development, writing instruction, equity and leadership, inclusive practices teacher’s toolbox, school improvement, and co-teaching. Barbara currently serves on the Maryland Council for Exceptional Children Board and the University of Maryland College of Education Alumni Network Board. In 2024, she was honored as the International Learning Disabilities Association’s Sam Kirk Educator of the Year in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field. Ashley Barkel More information coming soon.

We invite you to attend the 2026 LDA AGM, which will be held online on Saturday, 10th October, 2 pm - 2:45 pm AEDT. The AGM will include reports from the LDA President and Treasurer, the announcement of the 2026/2027 LDA Council and 2026 Award winners, as well as short presentations from selected award recipients. This event is open to LDA members and invited guests only. Please remember that only Standard and Consultant Members have voting rights at the AGM. Members need to register for this event. See below.

This course will be run over two sessions. Over these sessions, Julie will: Unpack how Dibels can be used as an effective universal screener for identifying risk in reading Identify steps to follow in interpreting Dibels data to inform action Understand how Dibels data can be used to set SMART targets for students with reading difficulties Identify examples of effective targets for reading difficulties Understand the process for monitoring targets Be familiar with an example ORF decision making tree for knowing next steps for instruction and intervention using the Dibels data Note: This event is for LDA Consultants only as it is funded by the Anne Barton bequest. ** This webinar will be recorded and available for LDA Consultants** Date: Tuesday 18th August 7:00  8:30 pm (Melbourne time) Tuesday 27th October 7:00 - 8:30 pm (Melbourne time) Attendance at both sessions is required to complete the course. The sessions will be recorded so you can access them at your convenience.  Cost: Free (This webinar is funded by the Anne Barton bequest) Bookings LDA Consultants would have received an email with booking details. Please contact enquiries@ldaustralia.org if you need any support. Speaker Julie Scali is a nationally recognised literacy consultant, author, and founder of Literacy Impact™, with more than 25 years of experience in evidence-based literacy instruction, school improvement, and Response to Intervention (RTI/MTSS). In 2025, she received the Learning Difficulties Australia Bruce Wicking (LDA) Award for her outstanding contribution to improving outcomes for students with learning difficulties. Julie has worked across Australia, the United Kingdom, and Northern Ireland as a classroom teacher, Deputy Principal, SENCO, Support Teacher (Learning Difficulties), curriculum leader, and system-level advisor. Through Literacy Impact™, she partners with schools and systems to implement sustainable, research-aligned literacy practices and has led large-scale literacy reform projects across 35 public schools in the Northern Territory. She is the author of High Impact Reading Instruction and Intervention in the Primary Years and is widely respected for her expertise in structured literacy, writing development, data informed practice, learning difficulties. Julie is a passionate advocate for educational equity and is known for translating research into practical, high-impact teaching and leadership practices to ensure sustainable literacy excellence for all students. We look forward to seeing you at the webinar.

Dyscalculia is an under-researched and often misunderstood specific learning difficulty that is estimated to affect approximately 5-7% of the population (Butterworth et al., 2011, Szucs, 2017, Morsanyi et al, 2018). In Australian mainstream school settings, like many across the world, there is very little understanding of the exact nature of dyscalculia. Dyscalculia is often described as ‘Dyslexia with Numbers’. This oversimplified definition, combined with a lack of systematic research into dyscalculia flowing through to schools, and the absence of specialist teachers qualified in this specific learning difficulty, has led to uncertainty in the identification, diagnosis and remediation of dyscalculic learners. In this online series, Dr Ange Rogers will provide teachers, learning support professionals and school leaders with a practical understanding of dyscalculia—from early identification through to evidence-informed intervention. She will combine her extensive research in the assessment, teaching and learning of place value, to provide practical ideas and strategies to support dyscalculic learners in Tier 3 settings. Participants will explore the key characteristics and indicators of dyscalculia, examine how it differs from broader mathematics difficulties, and learn about current protocols for diagnosis. The session will also highlight the cognitive processes involved in numerical understanding, and discuss the educational, social, and emotional impacts that dyscalculic learners may experience. **This webinar will be recorded and available for 30 days after the event** Dates Session 1: Wednesday, 11th November, 7-8:30 pm AEDT (Melbourne Time) Session 2: Wednesday, 18th November 7-8:30 pm AEDT (Melbourne Time) Cost LDA Member: $100 LDA Student Member - $70 Non-Member - $130 About Dr Angela Rogers Dr Angela Rogers is an experienced primary school teacher and former Numeracy Leader. Angela is a passionate presenter who regularly facilitates Professional Development for teachers and schools across Australia. In 2014 she completed her PhD in Mathematics Education focusing on the assessment and teaching of whole number place value in Years 3-6. In her PhD she developed the Place Value Assessment Tool (PVAT) and has since created a suite of teaching resources to support this assessment. Angela has a special interest in Numeracy Intervention and supporting students with Learning Difficulties. She is currently completing a Level 7 Dyscalculia Specialist Teaching Qualification. Angela is an Adjunct Industry Fellow at RMIT University and mentors teachers and leaders through her online website the Numeracy Teachers Academy. Ange has developed a F-6 Number Fluency Program, which is currently running in over 150 schools and has four children ranging from 7-17 that keep her busy