A Quest delivered training event in partnership with ADEK March 15th 2021
On Monday we were delighted to partner with ADEK to deliver a complimentary one hour training event to support the benefits of inclusive practice for all children and their families to Principals and managers working in nurseries in Dubai. This successful event featured three presentations which gave an introduction to how important inclusion is and how to support staff with the tools they need to successfully include all children allowing them to reach their full potential.
The first speaker was Dr. Sarah who gave a passionate talk about the benefits for inclusion for all children. Sarah’s talk ‘ The importance of increasing access and inclusion in the early years’ highlighted the benefits of a diverse community and how all children have their own unique story and the first chapter of their lives is before they come into nursery. All stories are different but equally important and valid. Every child needs a chance to continue the next chapter in their life in the best way and the learning and care they receive in the early years is vital for their future success. Sarah went on to explain how it is important not to label young children or restrict their future by focusing on their past. By treating all young children as able and accept them for who they are, we can support them to become more accepting of others.
Pavla continue this theme with a passionate plea to practitioners to look at the strengths of every child and at ways that we can overcome their barriers that stop them participating in nursery life. Pavla’s talk ‘The importance of early identification and action in the early year’ emphasized the need to give children the opportunities to feel valued and included. Pavla discussed the need to allow children to be liberated which only happens when we are aware of and positively overcome the barriers to meet a child’s needs. Pavla described how inclusive practice is the active stance of not leaving anyone out in regard to opportunities, their circumstances and their rights to good quality education. She explained that equality speaks to every person; man, woman or child being a member of the human race and therefore equal in that sense, and diversity respects children and families as individuals and works with the uniqueness of each and every one of them. Pavla gave attendees a lot to reflect on including their obligations in relation to early identification and action.
The last speak of the event joined from the UK. Karen Soehnle, who gave a brief introduction to the highly successful Makaton courses that she has been running online for Quest. Karen is an accredited Makaton trainer and explained how Makaton benefits all children. She is passionate about the needs of effective communication as a basis of wellbeing and learning for all children. Karen advocated the use of Makaton to unlock the potential of all children and support successful inclusion. Explaining that Makaton is a unique language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate and how it supports the development of essential communication skills such as attention and listening, comprehension, memory, recall and organisation of language and expression, Karen showed the relevance of this form of communication.
To event finished with some questions that showed how committed to making positive changes to their practice. To find out more about our SEND course and the Makaton courses please see our Courses page on this website or call Pam on 04 4766737.
