Boosting VCAA Student Special Provision Outcomes

How well are schools supporting students with dyslexia—and what needs to change? This presentation explores new research on best practice and system-level gaps in dyslexia provision across Victorian schools. The research has implications for schools in Australia and beyond. It identifies what’s working, where challenges remain, and how teachers and principals can drive change to create more equitable, inclusive, and effective learning environments for all students. **This webinar will be recorded and available for two weeks after the event** Date: Tuesday 17th February 2026 Time: 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm AEDT (Melbourne Time) Cost LDA Member: $30 LDA Student Member - $15 Non-Member - $50 About Dr Bec Marland Dr Bec Marland is a course chair, lecturer, and researcher in inclusive education at Victoria University, where she leads courses in initial teacher education. Her doctoral research focused on dyslexia in school contexts, with implications for policy and practice. An alumna of University College London with postgraduate qualifications in dyslexia, Bec brings a rich background as a former teacher in both the UK and Australia. She is a strong advocate for dyslexia reform in education and employment. She was the recipient of the 2025 Learning Difficulties Australia Tertiary Student Award.

Twice-exceptional students (those with gifted ability alongside ADHD or Autism) often generate sophisticated ideas but struggle to get them onto the page. This session explores the factors that shape writing performance, including working-memory load, organisation, and transcription barriers. Practical strategies will be shared for scaffolding text-level writing, leveraging strengths, and reducing barriers so students can express their knowledge with confidence. ** This webinar will be recorded and available for 24 months to LDA Consultants** Date: Wednesday 3rd December 2025 Time: 7pm to 8:30pm AEDT 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 Melinda de Haan is an Educational Coordinator at the Royal Children’s Hospital Learning Difficulties Clinic and former Head of Learning Diversity at Camberwell Girls Grammar School. She specialises in assessing and supporting students with learning differences and twice-exceptionality, drawing on experience across schools, clinics, and university settings. Melinda’s work bridges research and practice, helping educators translate cognitive and academic data into effective, strengths-based instruction.

In 2025, Learning Difficulties Australia celebrates 60 years of supporting students with learning difficulties through science-based, effective teaching. Join us to celebrate this milestone with an afternoon of professional development, exhibitions, networking, wine, and canapes. https://vimeo.com/1098085610?share=copy#t=0 Date: Saturday 22nd November, 2025 Time: 2 pm - 6.30 pm Where: Treacy Centre Address: 126 The Avenue, Parkville Cost The ticket price is $60 Sponsorship Be a part of our milestone celebration. This event will provide a platform for organisations to showcase their products and services as well as connect with educators and allied health professionals. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please click here for more information or contact our Education Manager (ed.manager@ldaustralia.org) Event Schedule TimeProgram 2:00 pm Arrival/Coffee/Exhibitions 2:20 pm President's Welcome 2:30 pm History of LDA 2:40 pm Keynote Speaker 1- Dr Robyn WheldallEnsuring all children can learnPlease note that our original presenter, Laura Glisson, has notified us that she is unwell and unable to present. 3:40 pm Coffee Break/Exhibitions 4:00 pm Keynote Speaker 2 - Professor Sarah Powell (recorded session) Best Practices for Maths Intervention4:45 pm Award Lifetime members4:55 pm Close5:00 pm Drinks/Canapes/Exhibitions6:30 pm Event Concludes Presentations Ensuring all children can learn (Dr Robyn Wheldall - Director MultiLit Research Unit This talk will explore what educational and instructional psychology tells us about optimising learning environments for students of all ages. Factors such as attention and the pivotal role of interactions between teachers and students have animportant part to play in ensuring success for students and teachers alike. Guidance on making the classroom a successful place for students with diverse learning needs will also be shared. Best Practices for Maths Intervention (Professor Sarah Powell) In this session, we will discuss five evidence-based practices to use in your maths intervention. We will focus on why it's important to help students with maths vocabulary and use multiple representations. We will share the importance of being systematic with instruction. We will also talk about building fluency and word-problem solving. Come learn about essential components of maths intervention for students who experience difficulty with maths! Please note this is not a live session - Sarah has recorded this session specifically for our 60th anniversary. About the Speakers Dr Robyn Wheldall Dr Robyn Wheldall has worked in the areas of learning difficulties, special education, behaviour management and literacy instruction and interventions for struggling readers for more than 30 years. For much of her career, she worked at Macquarie University Special Education Centre (MUSEC) and is a founding Director of MultiLit Pty Ltd, a university spin-off company established in 2006. In addition to her continuing role as a Director of MultiLit, Robyn is the Director of the MultiLit Research Unit and is a Vice-President of Learning Difficulties Australia. She is also a founding director of the Institute of Special Educators, is the Chair of the Industry Advisory Board for the Masters of Speech Pathology at the University of Technology Sydney, is a University Associate of Curtin University, and is a Research Fellow at Macquarie University. Professor Sarah Powell Sarah Powell is a Professor in the College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin and Associate Director of the Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk. Her research, teaching, and service focus on mathematics, particularly for students who experience mathematics differently. Sarah is also the 2025 recipient of the Eminent Researcher Award of the Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties. Raffle Prizes Thank you to our supporters who have kindly donated raffle prizes which will be drawn at the event. These include: iPad donated by Training 24/7 All Access Pass donated by Training 24/7 PLD's decodable reading books Sets 4, 5 and 6 Phonic Dictation Full Set donated by PLD Effective Instruction in reading and spelling donated by MultiLit Mad Maths visual resources

This presentation will provide participants with a practical introduction to AI, focusing on both text-based tools and image generation. After a brief overview of what AI is and how it's being used in teaching, we’ll dive into actionable ways the audience can utilise AI to in their day-to-day work, followed by creative applications of AI-generated imagery to enhance engagement with visual content. By the end, attendees will leave with a solid understanding of AI tools and practical strategies they can implement immediately to improve efficiency and creativity in their work. ** This webinar will be recorded and available for two weeks after the event** Date: Tuesday 25th February 2025 Time: 12 pm - 1:00 pm AEST (Melbourne Time) Cost: LDA Member: $40 LDA Student Member: $30 Non-Member: $60 Bookings The live course has concluded but the recording is available on our on-demand learning shop. About Chantelle Elbadaoui Chantelle is the Founder of Attain Education, specialising in online tutoring for primary-aged children. She is an experienced teacher and mentor with 14 years of experience in primary education across Australia and UK. She has previously presented on how modern teaching benefits from technology, including AI. She has also appeared as a guest on Podcasts such as Classroom to Tutor and Alpha Bites.