Areas of Expertise
Working on underlying skills, such as auditory memory, attention, listening. Psychological aspects of communication such as self-directed learning, increasing motivation for communication. Changing the language environment and aspects of interaction. Direct work on aspects of psycholinguistic processing -phonological, semantic, syntactic.
Strengthening cognitive skills e.g. sequencing, categorizing organizing language. Teaching social communication skills through games and the use of rules. e.g. The Social Detective. Using cues and visual supports to enhance understanding and expression such as visual schedules, personal planners and more specifically cued articulation Systematically mapping language and curriculum vocabulary into visual presentations
Direct teaching and generalizing of vocabulary and concepts through character creation and storytelling for abstract maths and science vocabulary and concepts. Using error identification to increase awareness. Using imagery to teach and make explicit aspects of speech e.g. visualising and verbalizing.
Professional Testimonial
Vanessa has a number of strengths. She is extremely passionate about her work with students with SEN. One of her greatest strengths is her ability to form excellent relationships with the students that she works with. She has a very open and honest manner and is able to address the most difficult of topics with students, particularly adolescents, in a very professional and productive way. Vanessa was able to get alongside even the most challenging students and enable them to make progress.
Vanessa developed knowledge and experience working with students with social communication difficulties and challenging behaviour and developed expertise working with students to manage difficult issues related to sexuality and relationships. Vanessa is a clear communicator, both verbally and in her written work. Her reports were always of a very high standard; clearly written and understandable for all audiences. Vanessa is a very dynamic practitioner and is always eager to learn new skills.
Nicki Ward
Educational Psychologist
