8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Sheraton Needham
>>Download seminar brochure (pdf)

You will explore, from a neurocognitive perspective, how young children acquire basic mathematical skills in the elementary years. There will be extended discussion of the three primary ways in which numbers are formatted in the brain and the central role of language to expand upon conceptually ordered number sets. Specific brain pathways that assist in recalling basic math facts, ordering numbers into sets, calculating multiplestep equations and tackling word problems will be critical features of the presentation. You will also examine the relationship between anxiety and mathematical performance, as well as two critical constructs, often overlooked when evaluating students with math difficulty: working memory and executive function. You should expect to come away with a better understanding of math disabilities in children along with some critical assessment techniques for these disabilities and more efficient ways to diagnose and remediate math disorders in children.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At this seminar, you will learn information about:

• Introducing a neurocognitive model model of math by identifying three basic neural codes which format numbers in the brain
• Exploring the role of three primary neurocognitive processes: working memory, visual-spatial function, and executive function, with respect to math problem solving ability
• Introducing the 90-minute assessment model of mathematics as well as scores of interventions in order to more efficiently diagnose and remediate math disorders in children
• International trends in mathematics, and reasons why the United States lags behind most industrializednnations in math and science
• Learn about the relationship between anxiety and mathematical performance

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

This seminar will be applicable for special education teachers, elementary education teachers, school psychologists, math instructors, private psychologists, administrators and parents.

WORKSHOP LEADER

Steven G. Feifer, EdD, NCSP, ABSNP, is a nationally renowned speaker and author in the field of learning disabilities, and has conducted nearly 200 professional seminars for educators and psychologists. Dr. Feifer has authored six books on learning, reading and math disorders in children, and is a licensed school psychologist in the state of Maryland. He has 19 years of experience as a school psychologist and is currently director of assessment and neurofeedback at the Monocacy Neurodevelopmental Center in Frederick, MD. Dr. Feifer is also an adjunct professor at both George Washington University and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, as well as a clinical supervisor in the ABSNP school neuropsychology training program. Dr. Feifer was voted the Maryland School Psychologist of the Year in 2008 and awarded the 2009 National School Psychologist of the Year.