Professor Amanda Kirby delivered two presentations at the DBS Auditorium during her visit to Singapore. Her first presentation on ADHD and DCD (Dyspraxia) covered implications for school and home and she provided advice to parents, teachers and professionals on how to work effectively around the clock to maximize the child’s skills.
Professor Kirby’s second presentation was focused on professionals working together in the identification of learning differences. She shared with us what executive functioning was and what this meant for children with learning differences. She provided practical intervention approaches that were evidence based to help us better understand children with ADHD and DCD.
Some of the participants who attended the Amanda Kirby talk at DBS auditorium had this to say :
Amanda Kirby’s talk was succinct and insightful. She was able to present her case clearly without the psychobabble. It was also beneficial for both parents and professionals.
Kong Eng
I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the talk by Professor Kirby. She really struck a chord when she related how she had to repeat her “story” every time she met a therapist/ professional to help her son. She gave very practical advice and was generous in sharing her list of useful websites. And most pertinently for me, she highlighted how our children will face new difficulties at different stages of their life, even as adults. This had not occurred to me and while daunting, I feel I can now be better prepared. Please bring her back for more lectures. Thanks again,
J.Goh
Professor Amanda Kirby is an expert in Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD) also known as Dyspraxia and the overlap with other specific learning difficulties.
Amanda founded The Dyscovery Centre in Cardiff in 1997. Since that time The Centre has become internationally recognised for its work in (DCD) and related specific learning difficulties. In 2006, the Dyscovery Centre became part of the School of Education at the University of Wales, Newport. In April 2007 Amanda gained a Chair in Developmental Disorders in Education at the University.
Amanda previously worked as a General Practitioner and has worked in Community Paediatrics and Psychiatry. She has many books published in the field of specific learning difficulties, and has published Mapping SEN – a CD-based programme for schools – and “100 Ideas for Supporting Pupils with Dyspraxia and DCD” as well as academic texts. She has recently launched the ‘Goal Maker’, a goal setting kit with her colleague Lynne Peters.
Amanda has both a professional and personal interest in DCD (Dyspraxia) and related specific learning difficulties as her middle child, her 26-year old son, has co-ordination and some attentional difficulties, and trying to address his difficulties and finding answers to problems first sparked her interest in the area. Her research interests include the effects of nutrition on learning and behaviour, outcomes for students in further and higher education with Dyspraxia and DCD, and executive functioning in school and college students. Recent work has continued to look at the effect of specific learning difficulties in gaining employment.
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Professor Amanda Kirby also lectured at DAS Academy.
