Offaly Branch of DAI are currently looking for new Tutors for the coming academic year Sept 2010 – Apr 2011 for our workshops which will run in Tullamore this year on Monday nights from 5 – 7pm. Tutors are required to have the relevant DAI course or be intending to attend the next available Course. Cvs can be emailed to info@offalydyslexiagroup.org or posted to our address Offaly Branch of DAI C/o D & F Walsh, Ballyduff, Geashill, Co Offaly.
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From time to time Offaly Dyslexia Group will be holding Fund-raising activities, please feel free to contact us with your suggestions or indeed make a donation:
Visit www.lyonscharitygiveaway.ie and find out how to nominate our charity to win €10,000 |
A big thank you to all who took part in the Flora Womens Mini Marathon in Dublin on Monday 7th June. A great day was had by all despite the terrible weather and all money raised will go a long way to helping provide workshops for our children. For all those people who have been asking about the availability of sponsorship forms, please collect one from the workshop committee members or download one here. Forms may be used to support people entering into the Flora Women’s Mini-Marathon on 7th June 2010 or to gather sponsorship in aid of the Offaly Branch DAI if you intend to complete the course yourself. The course consists of a ten kilometre walk, jog or run from Fitzwilliam Square all the way around the corner to St Stephen’s Green taking in the sights of Dublin along the way. For more information please head over to the Flora Women’s Mini-Marathon website, but don’t delay as the closing date is just around the corner on April 27th… This time last year a group of nervous parents from County Offaly embarked upon a journey of discovery. Each having a child recently diagnosed with dyslexia (a specific learning disability affecting literacy skills), parents set about providing a support service for families in and around the Tullamore area. Following consultation with the Dyslexia Association of Ireland and several months of preparation, The Offaly Dyslexia Group were able to appoint three tutors and open a series of workshops. The workshops, ran for a trial period seven weeks provided tuition for seven local children proving to be a great success. Parents and tutors alike reported a dramatic improvement in several areas, most noticeably in terms of application and interest in school work and self esteem. Since then the group has grown and changed its name. When it affiliated with the Dyslexia Association of Ireland it became the Offaly Branch of the DAI. Regardless, the group has continued providing workshops and support for parents whose children have been diagnosed with dyslexia. Since September 2009 the group, presently located in Geashill National School, has provided twenty-five weeks of tuition for up to twenty-nine children from counties Offaly, Laois and Westmeath. Now employing eight tutors the group looks forward to September 2010 at a new location, a secondary school programme and further successes… After an exhilarating first year the Offaly Branch DAI (aka the Offaly Dyslexia Group) celebrates its first birthday Thursday 22nd April at the Tullamore Court Hotel at 8pm. If you would like to know more about this please contact the Offaly Branch DAI on 086 2309009 or visit their website www.offalydyslexiagroup.org Enable Ireland are holding an Assistive Technology Open Day on Wednesday 14th April from 10 am to 3 pm at 1 Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2. Assistive Technology (AT) can revolutionise the lives of individuals with disabilities. Alternative keyboards and mice, voice recognition software and screen reading software are just some of the technologies that make the work and home environment more accessible. Enable Ireland’s AT Training Service runs both certified and customized AT courses, ranging in duration from a half day to nine days (with accreditation from Dublin Institute of Technology). Enable Ireland also run employer seminars and provide a workplace assessment service. If you’d like to find out more about what assistive technology might have to offer you, or one of your colleagues, you can attend their open day. To confirm your attendance, please tel: (01) 6363600 or email Shirley sdeakin@enableireland.ie DAI Course for ParentsVenue: Radisson Hotel, Cork Airport, Cork.
Fee per parent: €60 (DAI Members) €85 (Non-Members). The detailed course information and booking form can be downloaded below: DAI’s 2010 Annual Conference and AGMDate: Saturday 17th April 2010. This year the Annual Conference will focus on ‘Practical Strategies’. There will be talks for parents and teachers and talks for adults with dyslexia. Information has been posted to all current members. The full Conference Programme and booking form can be downloaded below:
Pre-booking for the Conference is essential as places are limited. The Offaly Branch of the Dyslexia Association of Ireland welcomes the opportunity for parents of sixth class pupils to attend a talk on making the transition from primary to secondary school. A joint venture, between the Offaly Branch of the DAI and Geashill National School the talk will start at 5.30pm this evening, Monday 12th April 2010. Like all children making this transition, children with dyslexia face some interesting challenges. The aim of this talk, given by Insight Occupational Therapist is to help parents facilitate the changes and lessen the impact of these challenges. In the simplest of terms, just getting up in the morning and going to bed on time in the evening are two of the biggest challenges faced by transition students. School starts earlier and finishes later, it often involves long journeys on the school bus. In addition to this more subjects, increased workload, homework every night and just getting used to a new way of life can all conspire to making life challenging to say the least! Organisation is the key to success. The old adage “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail…” has never been truer than at this stage of your child’s life. Our speaker tonight is an expert at planning to succeed, so why not come along and take the first steps toward a brighter future for your child? Non members are welcome to attend this talk… Parents & Supporters of the Offaly Branch of the DAI are reminded that with Spring finally here(?) the days are lengthening and so are opportunities to raise funds… Formerly known as the Offaly Dyslexia Group, we ran an information/flag day in July of last year and have been collecting unused/unwanted stamps for resale. These are only two of our activities, which include the submission of application for grants and bursaries from various organisations. Since our inaugural workshop series in April 2009 we have gone from strength to strength. Our numbers have more than doubled in almost all senses of the word. We now have 24 children and seven tutors. On the administration side we still have our original four officers, but we are delighted to welcome three more parents to participate at committee level. Now is the time for us to start thinking about raising much needed funding. In order to sustain the remarkable success of our group and our workshops, please put on your thinking caps and come up with some suggestions on how we can raise the public profile of the group and raise some funds. Applications for church gate collections and a flag day will be submitted again this year. However, if your interest is in greyhound racing, perhaps you could help us organise a night at the dogs? Maybe ballroom dancing is your forte, in which case perhaps you could help us organise a dance or a disco? What about a coffee morning or a bake sale, or even what our American cousins call a yard sale – remember one man’s junk is another man’s treasure… Do you remember the days of the American Supper or Tea Party, when everyone brought one dish to add to the buffet and entertainment was provided for a small fee – they were fun, weren’t they? And what about the fancy, smancy garden party that coincides with Wimbledon – word has it that this year we’re going to have a proper Summer!? Maybe you are a whizz kid at answering sporting questions, if so, do you have a few mates that you could round up to form a team for a pub quizz? And what about the card players amongst you, how do you fancy a round or two of poker, kaluki or twenty-fives? Whatever your idea, no matter how daft it may be please give it some serious thought and let us know what we can do to make it happen… Good will and energy levels only go so far on their own. We need your help to continue making this happen, so please help us help the children conquer their battle with dyslexia and achieve their ambitions by becoming actively involved… Please contact us for more information. | |||||
