From February 9

INCLUSIVE TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION DAYS

Special needs educators and therapists are invited to free one-day sessions to find out about access devices and software, including switch skills, communication devices and making the computer accessible to different learners. Venues include: Belfast, February 9; Liverpool, March 9; London, April 29; Glasgow, May 4; Swindon, May 11; Cardiff, June 29; Leicester, September 29; Middlesbrough, October 12; and Colchester, November 16.

Contact: www.inclusive.co.ukeventsinfodays.shtml; 01457 819790

February 28

IDEAS FOR LIFE IN THE REAL WORLD

Conference promoted by Scope, at the Royal Society of Medicine, London, that looks at issues facing children and adults with cerebral palsy. Topics include medication and management of children with challenging behaviour, and sex and relationships. The fee is pound;35.

Contact: 020 7290 3934; www.rsm.ac.ukacademmacmeet.htm

March 5, March 19, July 9

SEN CONFERENCES

The pound;90pound;100 cost of these conferences at University College, Chichester, includes lunch.

Essential play: an introduction to therapeutic play with play and drama therapist Dr Sue Jennings.

The Vygotskian approach: speakers will be Professor Alex Kozulin, translator of Vygotsky, and Galina Dolya, a nursery head.

Strategies for the inclusion of pupils with autistic spectrum disorder in mainstream schools, with Professor Rita Jordan of Birmingham University, and Ros Blackburn, who is autistic.

Contact: Helen Wignall on 01243 812141; h.wignall@ucc.ac.uk

March 8-10

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP OF ICT FOR SPECIAL SCHOOLS

Heads of special schools are invited to apply for a place on this programme, which is offered by the National College of School Leadership and the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency. It will be held in Southampton.

Contact: www.ncsl.org.ukslict

March 8

RACE AND MENTAL HEALTH: TACKLING INEQUALITIES

Rosie Winterton, Department of Health minister, is the keynote speaker at this conference, to be held in association with the Commission for Racial Equality and The Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health. Fee: pound;179 plus VAT.

Contact: www.neilstewartassociates.comsh173; 020 7324 4330

March 10-16

SUPPORTING DEAF PEOPLE

This online conference will look at educational interpreting, perceptions of sign language, and the working practices of language tutors with deaf students.

Contact: www.online-conference.netsdp3index.htm

March 12, 13, April 15, 16

NLP FOUNDATION DIPLOMA

Teachers who work with challenging students have another chance to apply for this Achieve neuro-linguistic programming course being held at Barton Grange, near Preston, originally planned for last autumn.

Contact: Carol Hargreaves on 01772 860050; www.achieve4u.org

March 17-19

THE EDUCATION SHOW

This annual show takes place at the NEC, Birmingham. Entry is free.

Seminars offered in the Special Needs Theatre will include: partnership with parents; involving students with special needs and disabilities in key stage 3 classes; teaching the brain to read.

Free registration at www.education-show.com or call 0870 429 4580

March 18, 9am-12.30pm

THE END OF DYSLEXIA

Recent research findings, interventions and a computerised system for assessment of reading difficulty will be explored at this conference at Durham University. Speakers are Professors Joe Elliott and Peter Tymms of Durham University. Tickets are free, but booking is advisable.

Contact: Sheena Smith on 0191 334 8403; sheena.smith@durham.ac.uk

March 19-20

SPEECH, LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION NEEDS

Current trends will be explored at this conference organised by the National Association of Professionals concerned with Language Impairment in Children at Warwick University. Speakers include: Professor Dorothy Bishop, Oxford University; and Professor Julie Dockrell, London Institute of Education. Residential fee: pound;315; pound;255 members. Non-residential rates are available.

Contact: Carol Lingwood on 01273 381009; www.naplic.org.uk

March 23-28

CANDOCO INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF DANCE

This course run by the CandoCo Dance Company is for all kinds of dancers.

Participants can either join the first time explorers or the risk takers.

Venue: Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Buckinghamshire.

Contact: Kate Houlden on 020 7704 6845; www.candoco.co.uk

EVENT

March 20

RASPBERRY RIPPLE ALL STAR COMEDY BENEFIT

Johnny Vegas, Jenny Eclair and Lee Mack are among the stars helping to raise funds for Disability Equality in Education, which enables disabled children to attend their local mainstream schools. Venue: Hackney Empire, London E8, 7.30pm. Tickets from pound;15.

Contact: 020 8985 2424; www.hackneyempire.co.uk

INFORMATION

TOURETTE SCOTLAND

(see page 6, December 2004 newsletter) has moved to: Support Base, 17 Hospital Street, Perth PH2 8HN. The charity provides advice and support for those with Tourette syndrome and associated disorders and a DVD, John’s Not Mad (Pounds 6.97).

Contact: 01738 622008; www.tourettescotland.org

TELEVISION

EMOTIONAL LITERACY

“Managing conflict”: Mon Feb 7, 10.40-10.50am, repeated 12.40-12.50pm; and “Coping with anger”: 10.30-10.40am, repeated 12.30-12.40pm CBBC Class TV The first programme follows children training to be peer mediators and the second offers various strategies on managing anger. They are suitable for ages nine to 11.

SOMETHING SPECIAL

“Toys”: Thurs Feb 24, 10.45-11am; “Clothes”: Thurs March 3, 10.45-11am BBC2 Introduces children with learning difficulties aged four to seven to basic concepts, including everyday nouns, social language and expressing their likes and dislikes. Helps them to communicate using Makaton to support their language.

LIFE STUFF

This Channel 4 series for ages 14 to 19 includes “Losing it”, February 24, 10.25-10.50am; and “Winning the mind game”, March 8, 10.45-11.10am. Both are dramas about young people with mental health problems. They aim to encourage sufferers to talk more openly about their feelings, suggest ways in which they can help themselves and demonstrate how friends can provide support. More information is available at www.channel4.comlosingit and www.channel4.comlifestuff

TEACHERS’ TV

Teachers’ TV launches on February 8 on digital cable and satellite with a range of programmes of interest to special needs teachers: for example, speech and language strategies; signing; and inclusion at Sackville community college in East Grinstead. Further details on www.teachers.tv

Contributions to the diary should be sent to SNExtra@tes.co.uk