We offer a range of professional development opportunities to encourage good practice in the education and inclusion of children and young people who are blind and partially sighted, including those with complex needs. In addition to these we also support the work of specialist professional networks operating within the visual impairment field.
These will be of interest to school and college teaching staff, learning support assistants, visiting specialist teachers and associated professionals from health and social care teams.
National Conferences
RNIB conference: Independent learning - Skills for life in a modern world - 14 November 2013, Central London
A one-day conference featuring leading practitioners, students and industry specialists on how new technology is transforming the lives and learning of children and young people with visual impairment and challenging established attitudes and practices in educational support. The conference will also consider how transferring control from adult to learner can promote the emotional well-being of children and their successful transition to adulthood.
Themes:
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The changing role of technology in education - tablets, ebooks, accessible document creation, electronic magnifiers
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Access to learning - tools that support an inclusive curriculum
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Learning to access - skills that promote independent learning
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Emotional competence - strategies that enable social inclusion
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Breaking the mould - developing new support structures that encourage successful transition.
Key speakers:
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Sarah Herrlinger, Senior Manager Special Markets, Apple Inc
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Robin Spinks, Principal Manager, Digital Accessibility, RNIB
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Dr Gail Bailey, Child Psychology Consultant and author of 'Emotional Well-being for Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities'
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Dr Graeme Douglas, Senior Research Fellow, Visual Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research, University of Birmingham
Price: £95
Booking information:
To book your place please download and complete the application form above and email to cypf@rnib.org.uk
Vision UK 2013 Conference - 11 June 2013, Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London
This year's conference focuses on ''Progress through partnership'' and will feature the launch of the refreshed UK Vision Strategy.
Delegates will have the opportunity to hear from experts in public health and eye care and participate in workshops about implementing the Strategy.
Find out more about the UKVS conference and book your place on the UK Vision Strategy website.
Accredited and certificated courses for professionals
Partners in Learning course for teachers and support staff
Partners in Learning is a modular BTEC course developed between RNIB and the Open University, using a blended learning approach of face-to-face training with online study and discussion activities. The course is designed to increase your understanding of visual impairment and its impact on learning. It encourages you to identify key factors in effective inclusion and to reflect on how to promote these in the educational context in which you work.
Understanding visual impairment in children and young people (UVIC)
Understanding visual impairment in children and young people, is a new online course, designed to support the training needs of professionals and parents in order to improve the quality of learning opportunities available to children and young people with visual impairment. The course looks at how visual impairment affects children and young people, issues of growing up and learning with a visual impairment and what provision is available to support them. This course is available on demand and leads to an RNIB certificate.
RNIB Certificate in Contracted (grade 2) English Braille
The RNIB Certificate in Contracted (grade 2) English Braille is a distance learning course aimed at any sighted learner who supports individuals using braille, such as parents, teachers, teaching assistants and support workers. It provides tuition in how to read and write contracted English braille. For more information on this course and more visit our Braille courses for adults section.
Professional Network Meetings
Braille Network Days - London and Leeds
What: The focus of these days will be on the assessment of braille reading and using the tactile graphic images available in Load2Learn.
Download the full programme below:
Who: Education professionals with an interest in braille.
When: 17 June 2013 (London) and 12 July 2013 (Leeds)
Where: London and Leeds
Cost: The all day event costs £40 per person and includes lunch.
Booking information:
To book a place at one of the above seminars please complete the relevent application forms above and email to cypf@rnib.org.uk
Braille Network Day - Birmingham
What: This is an additional day to the January series, run by UKAAF and focusing on the introduction of Unified English Braille into education and how to produce accessible documents in braille. There will also be a session on using the tactile images available in Load2Learn.
Download the full programme below:
Who: Education professionals with an interest in braille.
When: 25 June 2013
Where: Birmingham
Cost: The all day event costs £40 per person and includes lunch.
Booking information:
To book a place at the above seminar please complete the application form above and email to cypf@rnib.org.uk
VITAL (Visual Impairment Touches All Learning) Network
VITAL is a network of professionals working with children with complex needs and visual impairment. VITAL is facilitated by RNIB but is mainly comprised of teaching and associated professionals working in schools, services, early years and health settings. We have four regional VITAL groups operating in the following regions:
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London and the South East
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The South West
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The West Midlands
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South Wales
Each group meets twice a year, the next round of meetings will be in the sprint term of 2013.
For more information or to be put on the regular email distribution list email vital@rnib.org.uk
Professional Networks Framework
RNIB is currently involved in bringing together a national framework of professional networks within the visual impairment field, with the aim of providing information about their activities in one place. This network directory forms a key part of our role in promoting effective practice in the education and development of blind and partially sighted children and young people.
For further information on professional networks and forums visit our Education networks and forum section or contact the RNIB Children, Young People and Families Team at cypf@rnib.org.uk.
RNIB short courses
Understanding the needs of children with vision impairment course
What: A two day introductory course run by NatSIP and RNIB for teaching assistants and other education professionals new to working with learners with vision impairment.
The programme includes:
Day 1:
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Understanding the population of learners with visual impairment
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How vision works, the main types of visual impairment and their functional effects
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How vision is assessed
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How vision impairment impacts on development and learning
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Key principles and policies influencing provision for learners with vision impairment
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Roles and responsibilities in supporting learners with vision impairment
Day 2:
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The impact of vision impairment on communication
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Communication methods used by learners with vision impairment
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Strategies and resources for providing access to the curriculum
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Access to tests and exams
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Promoting social interaction, mobility and independence
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The importance of the educational environment
Who: Teaching Assistants and other educational professionals wanting to gain awareness and a basic understanding of the issues and strategies required for working with children with vision impairment.
When: Monday 1 and Monday 8 July 2013, 10.00am - 3.30pm
Where: Central London
Cost: £100 (includes refreshments and lunch)
Booking information:
To book your place please download and complete the application form above and email to cypf@rnib.org.uk
Practitioner Workshops
What: A two day workshop run by RNIB Sunshine House and Residence and The Eden Academy, covering topics such as mobility, communication, creative therapies within an SEN context and managing challenging behaviours.
Who: Education and therapy professionals supporting children with learning difficulties and disabilities including sight problems
When: Thursday 20 and Friday 21 June 2013, 9.30am to 4.30pm. Option to attend for one day only.
Where: Park Inn Hotel Watford, 30-40 St Albans Road, Watford, WD17 1RN
Booking information: Visit our RNIB Sunshine House school web pages for more information on the course and to book your place.
Introduction to visual impairment and autism
What: A one-day course exploring effective strategies for supporting children and young people with visual impairment and autism.
Who: Professionals including teachers, teaching assistants, care workers, habilitation / mobility officers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, and educational psychologists.
When: Wednesday 12 June 2013, 10am-3.30pm
Where: RNIB Pears Centre for Specialist Learning, Coventry
Booking information: To find out more about the course and to book your place visit the RNIB Pears Centre events web page.
Visual awareness and learning disability
What: A one day course focusing on practical skills for supporting patients with learning disability and sight loss.
Who: All professionals that support people with a learning disability, or manage a team who supports this patient group.
When: There is a choice of dates on 23 and 24 July 2013. 10.00am - 4.30pm.
Where: Kilmore Suite, Thistle Atlantic Tower Hotel, Liverpool
Booking information: To find out more about the course and how to book your place please visit the RNIB Learning disability training and consultancy services web page.