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Released: 18.03.10

Dr. Sean MacBlain, Reader in Child Development and Disability at UCP Marjon, was invited to give the Keynote Address at the recent Dyslexia, Literacy and Inclusion Research Conference held on 12th March at St. Mary’s University College, in Belfast, a college of Queen’s University. Dr. MacBlain’s presentation, entitled: “Dyslexia: the Ethics of Assessment” was well received by a large audience, which included government inspectors, academics, and senior practitioners from both the South and North of Ireland.

Funded by the Standing Conference on Teacher Education North and South (SCOTENS), the conference sought to provide a dynamic, multi-agency approach for policy-makers, practitioners, school leaders and researchers to share their expertise and ideas on the provision of high quality, child-centred educational experiences to pupils who have dyslexia. The over-arching aim for the day was to complement the Every Child Matters Agenda in terms of identifying best practice in safe-guarding and promoting the well-being of learners with dyslexia so that ultimately they fulfil their potential and embrace adulthood with high levels of academic, social and emotional self-efficacy.

Dr. MacBlain delivered a challenging and poignant keynote speech on the ethics of assessing for dyslexia, which was followed by seminars on relevant topics including early screening and intervention; effective pedagogies and instructional packages at both primary and post-primary level; ICT paradigms in reading instruction; enabling pupil voice in learners with dyslexia; and early literacy development in Irish-medium education.

The conference was organised by Ms. Louise Long, Senior Lecturer and Damian Knipe, Research Assistant (St. Mary’s University College, Belfast) in association with Trinity College Dublin and St. Patrick’s College, The University of Dublin.

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