Instructional Strategies for Students Who Struggle with Word Mapping

Writing is a complex and cognitively demanding skill, yet it is often one of the most challenging areas to teach and assess effectively. This conference brings together leading research and classroom practice to explore what truly makes a difference in writing instruction. Grounded in evidence, sessions will examine high-impact approaches including explicit instruction, structured writing frameworks, and the role of Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) in supporting students to plan, organise, and regulate their writing. Participants will gain practical, classroom-ready strategies to improve student outcomes across year levels, with a focus on supporting struggling writers and ensuring all learners can develop as confident, capable communicators. **This webinar will be recorded and available for 30 days after the event** Dates: Wednesday 17th June 10 am - 3 pm AEST (30 min lunch break provided) Thursday 18th June 10 am - 1 pm AEST Cost: LDA Member: $250 LDA Student Member - $200 Non-Member - $300 Course Program Day 1: Wednesday 17th June, 2026 Session 1: 10 am -11:30 am High Impact Writing Instruction: The SRSD Approach Effective writing instruction requires more than teaching text structures—it involves explicitly supporting students to plan, organise, and regulate their thinking throughout the writing process. This session explores how Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) provides a structured, evidence-based approach to improving writing outcomes for all students across Grades 1–12. We will follow students as they learn how Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) instruction gives them power for writing and learning. How students use reading to learn and then to write across genres in grade levels 1-12 will be illustrated. Powerful reading, writing, peer collaboration, and self-regulation strategies will be explored. Examples of student learning and writing will be provided, as will sources, many free, that teachers and others can use to learn more about SRSD instruction and use this powerful approach in their classrooms. Designed for educators and school leaders, this session will provide practical insights into implementing high-impact writing instruction that is both systematic and responsive to diverse learner needs. Session 2: 11:30 am - 1 pm Closing Writing Gaps in Small Group Settings with SRSD Self Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) is a genre level framework for teaching writing with the highest effect size of any writing approach researched to date. With over 200 research studies worldwide, and based on the research of Dr Karen Harris, the SRSD framework has enabled teachers to transform the writing trajectory of students all over the world. Consisting of six stages of instruction in a gradual release of responsibility model, the cornerstone of SRSD lies with the self regulatory strategies that students are taught to mastery. The impact of this is a reduction in cognitive load, increased motivation and self efficacy and a significant increase in students becoming skilled independent writers. With text level writing being an incredibly complex and cognitively demanding process for students, SRSD is a largely a missing piece of the puzzle in writing instruction and intervention. Join Julie Scali as she provides a top level overview of how teachers can feel confident in supporting students to be effective writers at the whole class level but also in how to close writing gaps in small group intervention settings where writing is otherwise challenging for students.  Learning intentions To be familiar with the Not so simple View of Writing (Berninger et al) and understand the complexity of writing for all students; and consider the added complexities for students with EALD, ADHD and other diverse backgrounds. To be able to recall the components of SRSD strategy mnemonics of TREE, TIDE, WWW, POWRE, ARMS and COPS with some accuracy by the end of the session To have an understanding on how whole class text level instruction with SRSD can be adapted to small group or 1:1 intervention To view a demo mini lesson on how to identify the structural parts of a persuasive text, to backward map taking notes onto a graphic organiser To have an understanding of the research base of SRSD in tier 2 instruction and how we can adapt whole class instruction to a small group intervention setting To understand how a writing sample can be analysed against curriculum and NAPLAN marking guide rubric to determine next steps for small group writing instruction or intervention To see an example Tier 2 Group Education Plan with SMART targets for text and sentence level writing  To see a snapshot of an SRSD planning unit that can be used with fidelity in implementing small group text level writing intervention through SRSD  Session 3: 1:30 pm - 3 pm Developing Structured Literacy Units that Integrate Word-, Sentence-, and Text-Level Instruction (Jacinta Conway) This session explores how to design Structured Literacy units that integrate word-, sentence-, and text-level instruction to improve writing outcomes in the middle years. It focuses on the role of explicit, systematic teaching in connecting spelling, vocabulary, and syntax to support sentence construction and overall text development. Participants will gain a clear, practical framework for moving beyond isolated skill instruction to a cohesive approach that builds both content knowledge and literacy skills. The session will demonstrate how structured routines, sentence-level teaching, and retrieval practice can be embedded within units of work to develop accuracy, fluency, and control in writing. This approach supports all learners, particularly those who require more explicit and integrated instruction to succeed. Day 2: Thursday 18th June, 2026 Session 1: 10 am - 11:30 am Let’s Write: Using Think Alouds to Elevate Writing Instruction in the Classroom (Barbara Friedlander) Writing is a critical life skill, and students need explicit tools to become confident, independent writers. Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) is an evidence-based approach that supports students through planning, drafting, and revising while building metacognitive awareness and self-regulation. In this session, we will focus on the powerful modeling and think-aloud stage of SRSD, where teachers make the invisible thinking of writers visible—helping students understand not just what to write, but how to think as writers. Let’s elevate writing instruction together! Session 2: 11:30 am to 1 pm Understanding and assessing handwriting fluency to support literacy (Karen Ray) In this presentation, Karen will explore the link between early handwriting skills and literacy development, including impacts on writing. This session introduces an...

Executive function skills help students plan, focus, manage emotions and get things done – yet they are often inconsistent in learners with ADHD. This session explains what executive functions are, how ADHD affects working memory, inhibition and motivation, and what that looks like in the classroom. We will explore practical strategies teachers and school psychologists can use right away: adjusting task design, using visual supports, externalising time and organisation, and coaching students’ self-awareness. You will leave with concrete tools to scaffold teaching and support learning while maintaining realistic expectations and your own wellbeing. **This webinar will be recorded and available for 30 days after the event** Dates: Session 1: Tuesday, 28th July, 7-8:30 pm AEST (Melbourne Time) Session 2: Tuesday, 4th August, 7-8:30 pm AEST (Melbourne Time) Cost LDA Member: $100 LDA Student Member - $70 Non-Member - $130 About Barbara Sheil Dr Barbara Sheil ACC is a health and ADHD coach, executive function specialist, and former medical research scientist with more than 20 years’ experience in clinical research, health education, and community-based coaching. She holds a PhD in Mucosal Immunology from UCC, Ireland, and has worked across gastroenterology, respiratory medicine, endocrinology, and mental health in Ireland and Australia. Barbara is the founder and principal coach at Happy Hippocampus, a Perth-based Health & ADHD Coach Consultancy that provides evidence-based, personalised coaching for children, adolescents, adults, and families. Her work focuses on education and coaching in executive function and ADHD, and on links to mental and physical health. Barbara works with clients to create ADHD – safe environments, building skills for better health and well-being at work, school, and home. Since 2014, Barbara has delivered health and mindfulness workshops and ADHD focused coaching in primary care and community settings, collaborating with GPs and other professionals to translate current research into accessible strategies for families. She is an associate certified coach with the ICF and has completed ADHD-specific coach training through the ADD Coaching Academy. Barbara brings her strong research background to her education work, championing research-informed, people-centred practice—experience she now applies to supporting professionals, organisations and families to understand executive function, ADHD and learning in the classroom and workplace. Her current practice at Happy Hippocampus includes individual ADHD and executive function coaching, family sessions, and professional consultations for schools and workplaces seeking to create more neuro-inclusive environments.

LDA Learning Circle WATCH sessions from our on-demand learning platform DISCUSS practical applications SHARE strategies for classroom and intervention settings **This is an in-person event** Date: Thursday, 25th June, 2026 Time: 10 am - 1 pm Venue: Waterman Chadstone, Level 2, 1341 Dandenong Rd, Chadstone, VIC 3148 New to LDA: In-person collaborative learning sessionsOur Members are telling us they would like more opportunities to network and collaborate with colleagues. These sessions will involve watching a session from our on-demand learning platform together with colleagues so that we can DISCUSS practical applications and SHARE strategies. Participants will also have the opportunity to bring or purchase their lunch and spend a little more time networking at the Waterman cafe.  Course Description A Low Variance Scope and Sequence outlines the “what” and “when” of teaching systematic synthetic phonics. It serves as a precise roadmap for Tier 1 and 2 teaching, ensuring that all students are receiving the same high-quality instruction at the same time. “Low variance” refers to the consistent delivery of content across a cohort; for example, all Year One students will learn the same phoneme-grapheme correspondences on the same day of the same week. A critical component in designing an effective scope and sequence is word selection. The words chosen must act as vehicles for phoneme-grapheme mapping, supporting students in building strong orthographic representations. These words are central to facilitating the self-teaching mechanism, a key driver of reading development. Effective instructional design requires us to consider phonology (how words sound), orthography (how words are spelled), and semantics (what words mean). By integrating these elements, we can select words that highlight the contrasts between different spelling patterns—such as ay, ai, and a-e—and make these distinctions meaningful and memorable for young learners. All phonic instruction must work towards developing instant, automatic and rapid mental graphemic representations of words….in the words of David Kilpatrick, “all words want to be a sight word when they grow up!” We must teach students how to orthographically map words! In this webinar, Jenny will guide participants through the principles of designing a Low Variance Scope and Sequence, with a particular focus on strategic word selection. She will explore how to create optimal entry points into sound-spelling systems and share intervention strategies and assessment approaches to support students with weak orthographic mapping. About Jenny Baker Jenny is the founder of Fremantle Speech Pathology Services, a large private practice in WA. She holds a “Support and Development” role for over 35 Speech Pathologists who are all equipped to assess and treat children with Specific Learning Disorders and Developmental Language Disorders. Jenny has such a wealth of experience and depth of knowledge regarding written language; she iscommitted to employing highly explicit and evidence-based teaching strategies to ensure that workshop participants have their learning goals met. **Note: The recording of this presentation will be played, and time allowed for group discussions* This session will host a maximum of 5 participants to enable group discussions and sharing of ideas, so book your tickets quickly to avoid disappointment. 

LDA Learning Circle: WATCH sessions from our on-demand learning platform DISCUSS practical applications SHARE strategies for classroom and intervention settings **This is an in-person event** Date: Thursday, 28th May, 2026 Time: 10 am - 1 pm Venue: Waterman Chadstone, Level 2, 1341 Dandenong Rd, Chadstone, VIC 3148 New to LDA: In-person collaborative learning sessionsOur Members are telling us they would like more opportunities to network and collaborate with colleagues. These sessions will involve watching a session from our on-demand learning platform together with colleagues so that we can DISCUSS practical applications and SHARE strategies. Participants will also have the opportunity to bring or purchase their lunch and spend a little more time networking at the Waterman cafe.  Course Description Setting up and solving word problems is tricky for many students! In this session, we will review effective word-problem strategies. First, we’ll highlight common attack strategies that provide students with a process for approaching word problems. Then, we’ll provide examples of common schemas featured in many word problems. These schemas represent the conceptual foundation of a word problem. When students use an attack strategy combined with schemas, this approach can make word-problem solving more accessible for students. About 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. **Note: The recording of this presentation will be played, and time allowed for group discussions** This session will host a maximum of 5 participants to enable group discussions and sharing of ideas, so book your tickets quickly to avoid disappointment.