Early Years International Conference and AGM 2008

Welcome to the Early Years International Conference and AGM 2008.

Theme: Eager and Able Learners

Dates: Wednesday 11th to Friday 13th June 2008

Venue: City Hotel Derry
Queen's Quay
Derry
Co. Londonderry
BT48 7AS
www.cityhotelderry.com

Speaker Presentations

The Speaker Presentations are now available for you to download. This link will take you to the login screen where you can enter the password you were provided with at the conference. Please Note: All presentations have been saved in pdf format.

Conference Overview

Wednesday 11th June 2008

The first day of the Conference consists of a series of in-depth Master Class sessions. These sessions are targeted at those who support teachers and practitioners – that is early childhood advisers, specialists, trainers, registration and inspection staff.

Beyond Words – how children make meanings with interactive media
Facilitators: Brian McHenry and Janet Preston supported by the Cross Border Training Programme Part 2.

Supporting Boys through Active Learning: the "crisis" for boys in education
Facilitators: Sandy Slack and Gerin Martin

Ingredients of Highly Effective Pre-school Programmes
Facilitator: Dr Larry Schweinhart

Like Bees, not Butterflies – child-initiated learning in the early years
Facilitator: Sally Featherstone

Thursday 12th June 2008

A number of field visits will be arranged to take place on the morning of 12th June to early year’s settings in the local area.

Park Community Playgroup

St. Mary's Pre-School Centre

Pennyburn Community Playgroup

The final Master Class of the conference held in the morning of 12th June is as follows:

'The Playful Brain: what neuroscience can tell us about how to develop powerful learners'
Facilitator: Professor Guy Glaxton

The Annual General Meeting will also take place and we encourage all Early Years members to attend.

Friday 13th June 2008

The closing day of the Conference will consist of keynote speakers and seminar sessions.

The keynotes are as follows:

Powerful Little Learners: growing characters fit for the times
Speaker: Professor Guy Claxton

Designing Highly Effective Pre-school Programmes
Speaker: Dr Larry Schweinhart

The Seminar Sessions, which will take place in the morning and again in the afternoon, are as follows:

'What "Building Learning Power" looks like in practice'
Facilitator: Professor Guy Claxton

How to be a Highly Effective Pre-school Teacher
Facilitators: Dr Larry Schweinhart and Margaret Fullerton

Like Bees, not Butterflies – child initiated learning in the early years
Facilitator: Sally Featherstone

Supporting Boys through Active Learning: the "crisis" for boys in education
Facilitators: Sandy Slack and Gerin Martin

Supporting Traveller Children's Eagerness to Learn
Facilitator: Kathleen O'Kane

Beyond Words – how children make meanings with Interactive Media
Facilitators: Brian McHenry and Janet Preston supported by the Cross Border Training Programme Part 2

Promoting Language Enrichment
Facilitator: Little Hands Sure Start

Transitions – the Sure Start way
Facilitators: Joanne Morgan and Mia Murray

Visit to Playtrail
Facilitator: Mark Roberts