Courses

Elizabeth Nadler-Nir runs the following courses for schools, therapists and parents. These courses are arranged at the request of schools or colleagues and can be adjusted to meet the specific needs of schools. Some of the courses for registered professionals are accredited for CPD points

If you wish to be added to our mailing list or to arrange a course for your school, please contact us

The Science of Reading (SOR):

These courses unpack the many language skills that form the foundations for word reading accuracy, sight word reading, reading fluency and reading comprehension. Each course will focus in detail on one or more of the components.

The Science of Reading: Foundations for Reading development: Preparation for word reading: Ages 4 to 6

  • Foundational skills taught at pre-school, for ease of transition to reading and spelling skills (based on the Science of Reading)
  • Clarify terminology related to literacy development
  • The links between phonological awareness, letter knowledge, reading and spelling
  • The developmental of phonemic awareness and scaffolded teaching tips

The Science of Reading: Foundations for Reading development: Word reading and sight words: Grades 1 to 3

  • The complex, interlinked processes involved in reading development, using the ‘Reading Rope’ analogy and evidence from the Science of Reading (SOR)
  • Focus on ONE specific part of the Reading Rope: Word recognition
  • Clarify terminology related to literacy development
  • Clarify what sight words are and how to teach the
  • Scaffold teaching targets based on ability groups
  • The link between theory and practical activities

The Science of Reading: Comprehension

This course unpacks some of the critical language skills necessary for comprehension: Grades 1 to 3

  • Why do we do comprehension exercises at school?
  • What are the skills needed to comprehend?
  • Vocabulary Knowledge
  • Sentences and referencing
  • Background knowledge and inferencing
  • Comprehension monitoring
  • Question types
  • What to do before, during and after reading

The Science of Reading: Comprehension: A Deeper Dive Into

  • Vocabulary across the curriculum
  • Background knowledge
  • Inferencing.

Written Language:

These courses aim to dive into the many areas of language that form the basis of written language, as well as scaffolds to support the development of written language.

 

Foundations for Written Language: Ages 4 to 8 (Grade 2)

  • Oral Language Foundations
  • Narratives
  • Shared Reading/ Dialogics and Vocabulary
  • Foundations for Emergent Spelling: From sounds & letters to emergent spelling
  • What do we mean by phonological awareness and phonemic awareness?
  • The developmental progression of phonological/ phonemic Awareness

Written Language Challenges: Practical Ideas for Grades 3 to 7

  • What are Written Language challenges?
  • Multilingualism
  • Dyslexia and other Specific Learning Disorders involving Written Language
  • Written Language and Working Memory
  • Language Registers
  • Cohesion in Written Language
  • Handwriting
  • Executive functions
  • Areas to note in assessment
  • Ideas for the classroom – from the beginning
  • Oral Language:
    • Language levels for WL (and effects of language transfer)
    • Phonemic awareness
    • Letter knowledge and phonics: The alphabetic code
    • The orthographic system (spelling system)
    • Morphology (word structure)
    • Semantics (word meaning) breadth and depth of word knowledge
    • Syntax (sentence structure)
    • Spoken Narrative: coherence, metalanguage, pragmatics

DYSLEXIA COURSES:

Empowering Dyslexia: in the High School / Primary School / Online Classroom

Elizabeth Nadler-Nir (MSc Speech-Language Therapist) and Jacqui Hurwitz (Educational Psychologist) are beyond excited to share their collaborative workshop: Empowering Dyslexia in the classroom.  As two passionate practitioners and eager lifelong learners, they have united in their efforts to promote dyslexia-empowered learning spaces and to support teachers and other professionals, as key role-players.  Elizabeth teaches on underlying speech and language challenges that result in literacy challenges. Jacqui and Elizabeth offer a refreshing, inter-disciplinary perspective, exploring current theoretical frameworks, core principles for support and practical strategies.  They also share ‘golden nuggets’ during their years in private practice and as visitors within classrooms throughout Cape Town. 

Empowering Dyslexia in the classroom workshop can be tailored to high school and primary school attendees and the online learning space.

Owning Dyslexia Group:

For dyslexic tweens and is run by Jacqueline Hurwitz, Educational Psychologist. For more information and bookings for the next course, contact Jacqueline Hurwitz – empoweringdyslexia@gmail.com

Holding Dyslexia: Elizabeth Nadler-Nir (Speech-Language Therapist) runs this workshop

For parents whose children have received a diagnosis of Dyslexia from an Educational Psychologist. This course aims to

  • Discover what dyslexia is and co-occurring challenges
  • A dive into the underlying language areas involved in dyslexia and complex literacy challenges
  • How to support homework and reading at home