LEARN
UPPORT RESOURCES WORKSHOPS CONFERENCES
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RESOUR
CONFERENCES
NG
EARLY YEARS IN EDUCATION SOCI
ENTS
COMMUNITY
ADVOCACY
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
FO R
TH E
FUTURE
Registration Brochure
May 15th-16th 2015, Pan Pacific Hotel Perth
Trover Learning
The Early Learning Specialists
Organised by:
events wa
EVENTS CO
Welcome to the 2015 EYES Conference
Coping with the challenges of change
Helping each other
Accepting the challenge
Learning new and innovating ideas for best practice
Living with multiple curricula
Entering the dates for EYES conference 15th and 16th May, 2015
Needing to support each other
Growing in influence in the school (K-3)
Energizing your practice by being part of the conference
Sustaining your Early Childhood Education belief
At our 31st Conference we will assist you to manage the many challenges you are facing.
Michelle, Shirley, Lynda, Jodie, Jenny, Cheryl and Vanessa
Conference Conveners
Pre-Conference Workshop
The Pre-conference workshop provides delegates with an opportunity to extend their conference experience by
engaging in additional professional learning identified as most needed, following consultation between EYES and
school staff. This workshop represents excellent value for special interests within early childhood education and for
delegates travelling from country and remote schools to Perth for the conference. The program will be interactive
and features specific sessions on play, child development, the Australian Curriculum and much more.
The Venue
The EYES Conference will be held on May 15th and 16th at the Pan Pacific Hotel on Adelaide Tce, Perth.
Parking & Transport
Parking is limited close to the Pan Pacific Hotel. Public transport along Adelaide Terrace is recommended or, if selfdriving, that you allow yourself plenty of time to locate a parking space. If you are interested in public transport
details please contact Events WA.
Trade Exhibition
Throughout the Conference, delegates will have excellent opportunities at morning tea, afternoon tea and lunch to
meet EYES Business Partners and event sponsors at the Trade Show. Dedicated time slots have also been scheduled
from 4:00pm Friday 15th, 8:00am and 1:00pm Saturday 16th to view the latest products and ideas, make purchases or
orders, and check out services that may be of use in your school.
Networking
The Conference program includes lunch, morning tea and afternoon tea breaks to enable delegates to meet with
colleagues and expand professional networks.
Pre-Conference Program
Friday Program
Conference Program
Saturday Program
7:45 Pre-Conference Registration. Coffee on Arrival
8:45 Pre-Conference Welcome
9:00 Pre-Conference Session 1: Dr Lennie Barblett - The Politics Of Play
10:00 Morning Tea
10:30 Pre-Conference Session 2: Dr Tim McDonald - It is not about approaches to early childhood education but the universal needs of all children: moving
past ideology to resilient environments
11:30 Building Confidence: Identifying what you feel confident about in teaching and what will increase your confidence as teachers
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Pre-Conference Session 3: Peter Lippman - Thinking Outside & Inside the Box as well as the Space in Between
2:00 Afternoon Tea
2:15 Pre-Conference Session 4: Maree Whitely - AC History and AC Geography in the Early Years
4:00 Conference Registration
6:00 Conference Dinner and Welcome to Country
6:10 Official Conference Opening & President’s Address - Michelle Sullivan
7:30 Delegate Address: Modern Teaching Aids
6:30 Keynote Address: Kathy Walker - Future Proofing our Children
8:30 Keynote Address: Macolm Dix - A Matter of Laugh or Death
7:45 Registration with Coffee on Arrival
8:30 Conference Welcome and Welcome to Country
8:45 Keynote Address: Kathy Walker - Being Intentional and Mindful in our Work with Children
9:35 Delegate Address: Teachers Mutual Bank
9:40 Keynote Address: Greg Mitchell - Resilience: the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape
10:40 Delegate Address: RIC Publications
B4: Shirley Houston
A4: Caryn Mincherton
& Penny Melsom
C5: Daniella Cicerello
B5: Chantelle Daniels
A5: Cheryl Schoch
C6: Peta Collins
B6: Vanessa Alaniz
A6: Sue Vincent
B7: Rosemary Simpson
A7: Heather Kerr
B8: Daniella Cicerello
A8: Kathy Walker
A3: Kelly Fullarton
B3: Leonie Cecich
C4: Tara Hannent &
Kirsteen McCrory
10:45 Morning Tea presented by RIC Publications
A2: Vanessa Alaniz
11:30 Concurrent Session A
A1: Kelly Norris
C3: Danica Trollo &
Vanessa Winoneak
12:20 Lunch presented by Modern Teaching Aids
B1: Kelly Norris
B2: Holly-Ann Martin
1:40 Concurrent Session B
C2: Leonie Cecich
2:40 Concurrent Session C
C1: Jo Howitt
3:30 Afternoon Tea
3:40 Reflection
3:50 Conference Close and Prize Draw
Pre-Conference Workshop
7:45 Pre-Conference Registration. Coffee on Arrival
8:45 Pre-Conference Welcome
9:00 Pre-Conference Session 1: Dr Lennie Barblett - The Politics Of Play
The early childhood space in the early years of school has become a focus of policy makers and administrators. Quite rightly! However, the
national agenda has raised the profile of early childhood and the pedagogy of practise in the early years is being fiercely contested. Educators
report the effects of a push down, more ‘formalised’ curriculum in which play is relegated to an inconsequential role or disappearing altogether.
This session considers the evidence of effective early childhood pedagogy and explores the arguments world-wide and nationally as to why play
is still considered an essential pedagogical tool in an early childhood educator’s repertoire. Clear articulation of the place of play in the early
childhood curriculum and educator advocacy is paramount to the maintenance of effective early childhood pedagogy in the early years of school.
10:00 Morning Tea
10:30 Pre-Conference Session 2: Dr Tim McDonald - It is Not About Approaches to Early Childhood Education But the Universal
Needs of All Children: Moving past ideology to resilient environments
Early years education has been hijacked by an artificial ideological war that pits theory and approaches against each other. The call to
“lively culture of professional inquiry” in the EYLF has been killed off by program zealots who spruik the latest program or one preferred
approach. The casualties of this war are the needs of the child. This keynote will explore the universal needs of children. In this exploration
we will see how powerful environments are curative and how the emerging field of epigenetics can inform quality early years pedagogy.
11:30 Building Confidence: Identifying what you feel confident about in teaching and what will increase your confidence as teachers
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Pre-Conference Session 3: Peter Lippman - Thinking Outside & Inside the Box as well as the Space in Between
Early Childhood Education (ECE) has had a remarkably long history internationally beginning in the early 19th Century. Furthermore, the
research around ECE continues to show the value of these programs in the development of the whole child. These programs, however, are
limited. Internationally, they are not available for all, and where they are available, the facilities are typically prototypes that can be
reproduced with the presumption that it can be located on any site. The prototype model assumes that learning is the same for everyone.
This approach negates the learning community, context, and culture. This policy driven approach for producing learning environments
contradicts the 21st Century learning policies. Given this:
• Is this approach acceptable for creating the future generations of learners?
• Does this approach extend the learning process where learners can appropriate knowledge for themselves?
• Knowing what we understand developmentally and neuro-scientifically, are these design approach best for our children and teachers?
The purpose of this presentation is to examine the drawbacks of this fragmented approach in the formative years of children’s long-term
prospects. We will evaluate the learning environment as a sociopolitical proclamation and offer an alternative approach grounded in
environmental, neuroscience, developmental and educational theory and research. This alternative approach is grounded in participatory
action research and practice theory. Furthermore, the presentation will provide international case studies for the design of learning
environments. These case studies will not only consider the buildings, but also examine opportunities for learning beyond the confines of
the classroom. The learning objectives of the workshop are:
• Understanding the situated nature of learning as transactional, transformative and transferrable
• Defining practice theory in the context of creating environment for the active learner
• Evaluating participatory action research in the context of early childhood education
• Showcasing international precedents of ECE environments that are grounded in the situated nature of learning.
This is an interactive workshop where participants will be asked to work in groups to unfold and extend the ideas presented. Participants
will then present their work, highlighting the best examples from the entire group.
2:00 Afternoon Tea
2:15 Pre-Conference Session 4: Maree Whitely -AC History and AC Geography in the Early Years
In this session we will explore:
• The Historical Narrative that underpins the P-6 Australian History Curriculum and the scope and sequence of related Geographical
knowledge for early learners
• The progression of conceptual understandings and Inquiry skills
• Suggested task design using the Achievement standards.
3:00 Pre-Conference Program Close
Friday Program
4:00
6:00
6:00
6:10
6:30
Conference Registration
Conference Dinner
Conference Welcome and Welcome to Country
Official Conference Opening & President’s Address and Welcome - Michelle Sullivan
Keynote Address: Kathy Walker - Future Proofing our Children
This keynote is based upon Kathy’s new book due for release this year. So much of life is reactive rather than proactive. Kathy’s latest book
for parents highlights the importance of reclaiming the balance in life for parents and society in what children most need.
7:30 Delegate Address: Modern Teaching Aids
8:20 Keynote Address: Macolm Dix - A Matter of Laugh or Death
Dad tales - skewed observations of a modern day parent.
Saturday Program
7:45 Registration with Coffee on Arrival
8:30 Conference Welcome and Welcome to Country
8:45 Keynote Address: Kathy Walker - Being Intentional and Mindful in our Work with Children
This keynote centres upon being in the moment rather than documenting the moment. It reminds us of the importance of being mindful
in relationship with children and how our work must be with intention, for relationship, for scaffolding skill, learning and development
through play based curriculum. It will look at how we can address our requirements of national standards but not compromise what is best
for children.
9:35 Delegate Address: Teachers Mutual Bank
Keynote Address: Greg Mitchell - Resilience: the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape
The term resilience is a much over used word in today’s education climate that revolves around a complex bunch of emotional abilities that
basically give children enough substance to spring back into shape. The trouble is you can’t teach resilience if you don’t have it yourself.
9:40 Greg Mitchell is a WA based education consultant who helps schools all over Australia develop the three big pillars that make schools
resilience ready institutions: Capable Leadership, Plausible Innovation and Impending Doom.
In this thoroughly entertaining Keynote Greg explores some of the world’s most interesting Early Years resilience based programs, particularly
the work of Iceland’s Margrét Pála Ólafsdóttir and investigates what your school can do to create a program to help you, staff, parents and
children spring back into shape.
10:40 Delegate Address: RIC Publications
10:45 Morning Tea presented by RIC Publications
11:30 Concurrent Session A
A1: Kelly Norris - More than counting: Helping children move from counting to calculating
“1, 2, 3… How hard can it be?” Too many people underestimate the importance of quality early childhood maths experiences, and of the
pivotal role teachers play in helping students make one of the first leaps of abstraction: from counting concrete materials to learning about
the properties of the numbers themselves. This session will examine the development of early counting and the move to calculating, using
engaging activities teachers can use to support students to take the next step.
A2: Vanessa Alaniz - Trusting Your Gut! Programming in the Early Years
Who are you really planning for? Is your program something that is done for admin, the parents or the individual children in your class? Are
you currently catering for the needs and interests of the cherubs in your class? How can you trust your gut instinct to plan for them more
effectively while ensuring you achieve the requirements of the NQS?
A3: Kelly Fullarton - Anxious Kids: Effective Teaching
For many students, the transition to school can be overwhelming and anxiety provoking. Whilst some students are able to adapt and adjust
to formal schooling, there are a large number of students who will have ongoing difficulties with anxiety that extends across their schooling.
This session will look at identifying and assisting students in the classroom who may be experiencing anxiety.
A4: Caryn Mincherton & Penny Melsom - Fiddly Fun and Busy Hands: Ideas from Occupational Therapy
Fine motor skills are essential for performing everyday tasks like feeding, opening a container and fastening/unfastening clothing, as well
as writing and cutting. Without the ability to complete these tasks, a child’s independence, self-esteem and school performance can be
compromised. Skillbuilders runs the very popular Fiddly Fun and Busy Hands program, designed by its Occupational Therapists, for children
in the early years. Children practise their fine motor skills in a fun, exciting way in a relaxed learning environment. In this workshop,
experienced occupational therapists will provide teachers with new techniques and activities for developing fine motor skills and the
opportunity to look at and play with educational resources they can use in their classroom.
A5: Cheryl Schoch & Simone Pogorzelski - Making Multilit Work
This session will offer inspiration for those considering the implementation of Multilit programs at a school level, along with many
effective strategies and ideas to support your school. In line with success for all students, proposed with the FOCUS 2015 document,
Multilit works to deliver age appropriate instruction for low progress readers on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and
comprehension. The aim of the session is to show you how the Multilit and Mini Lit programs could work most effectively within your
school.
A6: Sue Vincent - Practical Ideas to Assist you to Bring out the Best in THAT Child
We all have children in our classrooms who present with behaviours that sit somewhere on the Autism spectrum - but more often than not,
the diagnoses comes after PP. The early childhood teacher is left to “sweat this one” on their own. This session will assist you with some
basic survival strategies and some thoughts and ideas that will challenge your thoughts when dealing with these children.
Greg Mitchell
Kathy Walker
Malcolm Dix
Dr Tim McDonald
Saturday Program
(continued...)
A7: Heather Kerr - Early Childhood: A vintage perspective
Early childhood education has experienced a period of change but there are some aspects that remain unchanged. Join Heather, an early
childhood educator with over 40 years experience, as she leads you through a fun but informative trip into the past whilst keeping the focus
on the present and what the future might look like. There will be lots of resources to view, memories to revisit and lots of fun and sharing.
A8: Kathy Walker - Want your life back?
Documentation that saves time and gives you back to the children. Practical strategies and ideas for planning and documentation.
12:20 Lunch presented by Modern Teaching Aids
1:40 Concurrent Session B
B1: Kelly Norris - Preventing Learning Difficulties in Maths
Participants will work through an exciting new computerised screening tool developed in partnership with Dr Paul Swan, which teachers can
use to efficiently identify children likely to struggle with maths. The significance of each of the key skills tested will be discussed, as will
appropriate intervention to assist students identified as ‘at-risk’.
B2: Holly-Ann Martin - Innovative, Interactive Resources for Abuse Prevention Education in the Early Years
With 14% of all victims of sexual assault reported to law enforcement agencies under the age of 6 (Snyder,H) Abuse Prevention Education
needs to start as young as possible. This informative workshop should not be missed as it will provide you with innovative and effective
ideas and tools for teaching Abuse Prevention Education to all children, including those with special needs. Areas that will be covered are:
teaching Public and Private as a whole concept, Safety, Feelings, Early Warning Signs, Safety Teams, Saying No and Secrets.
The resources being presented have been designed to make teaching Child Protection Education realistic, topical and engaging without
trying to scare children. They have been developed out of a need for having functional, customised tools for delivering the essential
concepts to children of all developmental abilities. These resources also provide a structure or platform which can be easily integrated
into the family home and childcare centre. The intuitive nature of these resources makes them accessible and very easy to implement for
anyone wanting to address Abuse Prevention Education with children, which naturally includes parents and carers. The broad range of
topics covered is intended to teach children multi-faceted strategies for protecting themselves, but also the importance for children to take
risk which is how children learn.
B3: Leonie Cecich - You Gotta Get Up - Fun and Funky Music for Early Intervention
Leonie will present an interactive and ‘hands on’ music session using fun and funky songs from all four books and CDs from her You
Gotta Get Up series. Each song has a therapy focus of speech therapy, occupational therapy or physiotherapy. The workshop will include
percussion playing, singing, movement, props and laughter! A variety of visual and tactile experiences will be presented through the use
of bubbles, scarves, instruments, brushes, squeeze balls, feathers, rainbow rings, tactile rings, hand puppets and more...The session will
leave you motivated and inspired to continue music education with your children! Visit www.kidsnmusic.com.au for more information and
a ‘look and listen’.
B4: Shirley Houston - Developing Auditory Processing Skills and Listening Confidence
Auditory processing is the way in which the brain assigns significance and meaning to sounds in the environment. Difficulty in this processing
is associated with conditions such as dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, autism, specific language impairment, pervasive developmental
disorder and developmental delay. In early childhood, it is commonly associated with ear infection (glue ear/otitis media) that can reduce
sound stimulation to the brain. When children have to spend an inordinate amount of time working out what has been said in the classroom,
they often become frustrated and lose confidence in their ability to succeed. This practical presentation looks at how teachers can use
technology effectively in the classroom to minimize the impact of auditory processing difficulties on learning and to increase listening
confidence.
B5: Chantelle Daniels - A Bright Future in our Past
In addition to providing an overview of the unique historic properties managed by the National Trust of Western Australia, this session
will demonstrate the value of young children experiencing history and valuing our heritage first hand. It will show you how to foster an
understanding of what life was like in the olden days. The National Trust education team develops and delivers Australian Curriculum
programs; works with individual teachers and students and encourages creativity through presentations and hands on experiences to connect
young children with our heritage. This session will provide support for classroom teachers through the provision of high quality heritage
education programmes that are Australian Curriculum driven and which build confidence and enthusiasm for the History component of the
Australian Curriculum.
B6: Vanessa Alaniz - Bringing EYLF Alive in Your Classroom
The EYLF is an inspirational and playful document inciting learning in magical ways…when used with confidence and creativity! In this
spirited session you will be supported to comfortably unpack the EYLF in a FUN and meaningful way that will boost self-esteem and give
ideas on how it can be implemented to bring the magic of learning to life in and out of your classroom.
B7: Rosemary Simpson - Socially Speaking
Social competence contributes to our quality of life, as our lives are built on positive interactions and relationships with the people around
us (Crawford & Goldstein, 2005). It has been repeatedly demonstrated to be a critical variable in predicting success in future life (Denham et
al, 2001). This research demonstrates that improved social skills increase the chances of being employed and increase feelings of self-worth.
Research has shown that between 50-70% of children with emotional and behavioural problems have clinically significant language deficits”
(Benner, Nelson & Epstein 2002) and that 60% of the 7, 000 young children who pass through young offender institutions have communication
difficulties” (Bryan, 2004). ASD, ID, ADHD are disorders that predispose someone to having social skills difficulties. Family life and social
background can contribute to social skills difficulties when they haven’t provided the modeling/teaching required to develop appropriate
social skills. This session will provide participants with the opportunity to consider and practise practical ways of teaching social skills within
a classroom and will include an introduction to the Conflict Resolution steps that are used effectively at the LDC.
Saturday Program
(continued...)
2:40 Concurrent Session C
C1: Jo Howitt - Building Foundations for Successful Mathematicians
This interactive session will give direct experience of the
Numicon materials and approach to establish early mathematical
concepts. Numicon is a research based, multi-sensory teaching
programme which uses structured apparatus to support
students in building strong concept images, leading to a deeper
understanding of number ideas and number relationships.
C2: Leonie Cecich - You Gotta Get Up - Fun and Funky Music for
Early Intervention
Please refer to Session B3.
C3: Vanessa Wintoneak & Danica Trolio - Programming for Joy in
Early Childhood
Join us as we share stories about incorporating the Australian
Curriculum and Early Years Learning Framework in programs
that offer authentic and meaningful learning experiences for
young children. Examples will be shown of how to program using
both documents for long term planning and reflective practice
that highlights children’s learning.
C4: Tara Hannent & Kirsteen McCrory - Creating Confident 21st
Century Learners through P4C
We would like to show you how we have created confident and
curious thinkers of the future using the Philosophy for Children
(P4C) approach. Explore and discuss the picture book and other
resources we recommend and have used with students in years
1 to 3 to foster curiosity and encourage critical and creative
thinking.
C5: Daniella Cicerello - Phonological Awareness
Phonological awareness skills are fundamental in the teaching of
literacy. This session provides an introduction to phonological
awareness, focussing on the levels of phonological awareness,
useful classroom strategies and the links between phonological
awareness and later literacy success.
C6: Peta Collins - Talk for Writing
The ‘Talk for Writing’ approach is a unique process to teach
writing that draws on international research into effective
instruction. It is built around three phases – ‘imitation’,
‘innovation’ and ‘invention’.
The approach progresses from creative teacher-led activities, to
carefully structured and scaffolded shared writing experiences,
through to successful, well-crafted independent writing. Schools
implementing the approach have seen dramatic improvements
in their students’ writing and it has proved invaluable in
supporting the language development of students with home
languages other than English.
The presentation will provide an overview of Talk for Writing
and the benefits of this approach for the confidence and
linguistic ability of students, particularly in the early years and
for those students at risk of learning difficulties.
3:30 Afternoon Tea
3:40 Reflection
Conference Close and Prize Draw
3:50
(Delegates must be present at the draw to receive a prize.)
From Little Things Big Things Grow
Picture by Ashlinn
FESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ADVOCACY EVENTS
SU
CONFERENCESEVE
UPPORT LEARNING
NEWSLETTERS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Accommodation
LEARNIN
Events WA will make and confirm all reservations on your behalf via your Registration Form.
For delegates staying overnight, the Hotel has advised that you may check in upon your arrival. Hotel staff will
transfer your luggage to your room as it becomes available. Check out time is by 12 noon.
Shared Accommodation: please contact the person with whom you would prefer to share, to coordinate your intentions
prior to completing the registration process.
Pan Pacific Hotel
Single Room: $220.00
Twin Share: $110.00
Ambassador Hotel
Single Room: $150.00
Twin Share: $75.00
Overlooking the Swan River and foreshore parks, the Pan Pacific
Hotel offers a great location only a short walk from the city’s main
shopping, dining, and entertainment districts.
Beautifully appointed, our 486 guest rooms and suites are a great
place to relax, work, or play. Many offer a postcard view of the
Swan River and thoughtful touches such as high speed internet
access in every room.
The Ambassador Hotel has 24 hour reception and is a five
minute walk from the conference venue. It offers air-conditioned
accommodation with free internet access. The property features a
sauna, a restaurant and a bar.
All rooms include a TV, a refrigerator and tea and coffee making
facilities. The private bathrooms each contain a hair dryer, fluffy
towels and a bathtub and shower.
Registration
TO REGISTER:
STEP 1 Read the Registration Brochure and select your Conference Package, including your session
selections, accommodation and conference options
STEP 2 Register online at eyes.org.au/conferences or via the link sent to you by email
STEP 3 Delegates will receive an email reply to say that your registration has been received successfully
STEP 4 Delegates will receive a Tax Invoice by email from Events WA. Tax Invoices will include details of
payment methods. Registration is not confirmed until payment is received
STEP 5 Delegates will then receive confirmation of their paid registration and further details.
Cancellations will be assessed on a case by case basis. Full refunds will only be granted if replacement
registrations are received. Refunds will exclude accommodation, food and beverage costs once confirmed
due to contractual arrangements with venues and suppliers.
Places for some sessions are limited.
Closing Date is 11th May, 2015 or until SOLD OUT!
Be early to avoid disappointment and to register your session selections.
events wa
Enquiries
(p) 08 6142 1042 (m) 0412 464 371 (f) 08 9272 4262
(e) [email protected] (a) PO BOX 414 Greenwood 6924
(w) eyes.org.au/conferences