Initiatives
VAF Learning Academy
Short courses for parents, teachers and shadow teachers.
Planned
Why this matters
Most adults around a child who learns differently were never taught how to help. A little learning, in the right hands, changes a child's whole day.
What it is
Short, practical courses on supporting children who learn differently: for parents at home, for classroom teachers, and for shadow teachers who support one child in class. Free modules first, with deeper programmes later.
Who it serves
Parents, classroom teachers, shadow teachers and teacher trainees.
How it could work
Ten-minute modules that work on a phone
Each module ends with one thing to try this week
Live question-and-answer sessions with a special educator
Deeper programmes with practice and feedback for teachers
Things to get right
- Shadow teachers are a large and mostly untrained workforce; they may gain the most
- Courses must teach noticing and support, never how to label a child
- Practice and feedback change teaching more than video lectures do
- If some courses are paid, the free ones must stay genuinely useful
Open questions
- Who comes first: parents, teachers or shadow teachers?
- Could courses carry recognised professional credit?
- Who teaches, and who certifies?
Your next step
A seed needs hands. Yours could be the next.