he appears to be a bright child...

Press, 24 April 1986, Page 8

he appears to be a bright child...

takes research, testing, and training. SPELD aims to promote awareness and understanding of the problems of specific learning disabilities, to offer a service of assessment and remediation to children and adults with specific needs, and to help the parents of such children with information and support. Dr Seabrook, who has wide training in psychology, education, speech therapy, neurology and emotional disturbance, has developed a battery of perceptual and attainment tests to give what she feels is a good overall assessment of the child’s strengths. She is keen to emphasise SPELD’s professional standards. “We have a professional com-

mittee based at the National Centre. All our teachers are state certificated, non-practising teachers, so we are not treading on the toes of the Education Department. “Three of the four testers at the Centre are registered psychologists.” There are about 400 SPELD teachers throughout the country, with some 3000 pupils. In the early days Dr Seabrook went around the country training SPELD teachers and testers. She then trained directors to take over this role, running courses in their area, and coming to the Christchurch centre for refresher courses. The centre also takes children on intensive three-week courses at their parents’ request.