Q&A
What is dyslexia?
There is some variability in the definition of dyslexia. Some sources, such as the U.S. National Institutes of Health, define it specifically as a learning disorder. Other sources, however, define it simply as an inability to read in the context of normal intelligence, and distinguish between developmental dyslexia (a learning disorder) and acquired dyslexia (loss of the ability to read caused by brain damage). ICD 10, the manual of medical diagnosis used in much of the world, includes separate diagnoses for “developmental dyslexia” and for “dyslexia and alexia”. DSM 5, the manual of psychiatric diagnosis used in the United States, does not specifically define dyslexia, justifying this decision by stating that “the many definitions of dyslexia and dyscalculia meant those terms would not be useful as disorder names or in the diagnostic criteria. Instead it includes dyslexia in a category called specific learning disorders.
What is dysgraphia?
Inability to write coherently, as a symptom of brain disease or damage.
What is dyscalculia?
Dyscalculia is difficulty in learning or comprehending arithmetic, such as difficulty in understanding numbers, learning how to manipulate numbers, and learning facts in mathematics. It is generally seen as the mathematical equivalent to dyslexia.
What is ADHD?
ADHD is a chronic condition marked by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and sometimes impulsivity. ADHD begins in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. As many as 2 out of every 3 children with ADHD continue to have symptoms as adults.
What is asperger?
Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger’s, is a developmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests.
What is OCD?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), and behaviors that drive them to do something over and over (compulsions). Often the person carries out the behaviors to get rid of the obsessive thoughts.
What is autism?
A mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by great difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts.
What is specific learning disorder?
A heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning or mathematical abilities. These disorders are intrinsic to the individual and presumed to be due to Central Nervous System Dysfunction. Even though a learning disability may occur concomitantly with other handicapping conditions (e.g. sensory impairment, intellectual disability, social and emotional disturbance) or environmental influences (e.g. cultural differences, insufficient/inappropriate instruction, psychogenic factors) it is not the direct result of those conditions or influences.
What are the most relevant topics addressed by your project?
- Disabilities – special needs
- Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education
- New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses
How you will select and involve participants in the different activities of your project?
The selection & involvement of participants in the different activities of the ‘SENpower’ project will be as follows:
1. Conference on Entrepreneurship & SEN (Cyprus, Month 12) & final Conference on Entrepreneurship & SEN (Portugal, Month 24).
These two conferences target young entrepreneurs, SEN experts and professionals and the aim is to raise awareness about the importance of Entrepreneurship Education for SEN pupils, to share the work and latest developments of the project, and more specifically on the findings and conclusions of the ‘Entrepreneurship Education and Development Guide for SEN pupils’. Moreover, it will be an opportunity for other experts and professionals to share their views and experience with the expertise gained from the implementation of the project by the project partners.
Target Groups:
a. Young entrepreneurs
b. SEN experts and professionals (clinical & educational psychologists, experts in disrupt & start up, experts in social & education entrepreneurship)
2. Training courses (Lithuania – Month 14, Cyprus – Month 17, Spain – Month 20 & Italy- Month 23)
There will be four (4) training courses throughout the implementation of the SENpower. In each one of the training courses there will be thirty (30) young adult & VET learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN), five (5) accompanying persons and ten (10) staff members from the SENpower consortium, that is, two (2) staff members from each one of the SENpower participating organisations. Therefore, the total number of participants, in each one of the training courses, will be forty five (45) participants.
Target Groups/participants:
a. Teachers at secondary level of education
b. Adult education & VET trainers
c. Experts in educational & social entrepreneurship
d. Experts in Special Educational Needs (educational psychologists, clinical psychologists, therapists)
e. Young adult & VET learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN)
f. Young entrepreneurs
3. Transnational project meetings (Portugal – Month 1, Cyprus – Month 6, Spain – Month 11, Lithuania – Month 16 & Italy – Month 22)
Participants:
a) Staff members of SENpower partners responsible for the technical progress (project officers)
b) Staff members of SENpower partners responsible for the financial progress (financial officers)
c) Staff members of SENpower partners responsible for the communication & dissemination activities
How many participants would fall into this category?
370
How will you support these participants so that they will fully engage in the planned activities?
There will be no need of financial support for those participants with educational difficulties who will attend the various events organised by ‘SENpower’ partners. SEN pupils will attend local events and trainings courses,/workshops which will be organised by ‘SENpower’ partners, and therefore they will be held in a familiar environment and under the supervision of accompanying personnel. Those SEN pupils who will participate in the official training courses scheduled within ‘SENpower’ project will receive financial support (grant) for their expenses and they will be accompanied by qualified personnel (trainers/experts).
How and in which activities these persons will be involved?
‘SENpower’ project aims to bring substantial benefit to thousands of young adult learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN), through the improvement of educational curricula as well as designing and delivery of tailor made courses for SEN pupils. During the implementation of the project there will be distinct activities in which participants outside the consortium will have the chance to participate. Some of these events will be in addition to the official ones scheduled during the ‘SENpower’ project.
The events which will give the chance for participants for whom a specific grant is not foreseen to be involved are as follows:
1. The two conferences scheduled in Portugal and Cyprus in which SEN pupils as well a experts in relevant fields of study will have the chance to attend and participate in discussions with the experts within the ”SENpower’ consortium. It is expected that at least 200 local participants (75 teachers/experts/trainer & 25 SEN young adult & VET learners on each conference) will attend these two conferences in Cyprus & Portugal.
2. Local events in the schools, the adult education centres (AEC) & VET organisations within the ‘SENpower’ consortium in which all those with genuine interest to the outcomes of the project may participate and have the chance to keep updated with the latest developments and outcomes of the project. It is expected that at least 120 pupils with SEN will attend these local events as well as 30 experts in entrepreneurship and SEN.
3. Official training courses scheduled within the ”SENpower’ project in Month 14, Month 17, Month 20 & Month 23 are expected to have in total 120 youths with SEN and 60 experts/teachers/trainers/accompanying people, that is, 30 youths & 15 experts/teachers/accompanying people in each training course (see more details in the relevant section).
4. Training courses/workshops organised by the partners in the consortium which are based on the training manuals developed within the ‘SENpower’ project. These training courses will be extra to the official ones scheduled within the implementation period of the project. It is expected that at least 100 participants (experts, teachers (20) & SEN young adults (80)) will attend these extra training courses.
Which methodology you intend to apply in your project?
SENpower’ will apply a distinct and comprehensive methodology which is well suited to the objectives and outputs of the project. More specifically, ‘Entrepreneurship Education and Development Guide for SEN pupils’, which is Intellectual Output 1, will be developed through a systematic search on the literature as well as feedback from experts (clinical & educational psychologists, trainers, coaches, mentors, among others) and key stakeholders, such as policy makers.
Moreover, the development of training manuals, Intellectual outputs O2 to O5, will be based on the collective expertise of experts within the consortium, taking into consideration the findings/conclusions from Intellectual output 1. Equally important, these trainings will give the opportunity to get valuable feedback from the participants (SEN young adult & VET learners), which will allow further improvement of the training manuals from the experts.
We have developed the project methodology in a way that the project is fully responsive to feedback from key stakeholders. In this respect, a range of sources of evaluation and feedback have been built into this project.
These include:
– feedback from trainers and other experts, such as clinical & educational psychologists, teachers & coaches/mentors
– the formal evaluation tools administered by the partners
– feedback via the web portal & digital media
– informal feedback from participants (young adult learners) during training events
– feedback from stakeholder conferences
– feedback from all communication/dissemination activities
What results are expected during the project and on its competition?
SENpower’ project will deliver a series of intellectual results, such as course training materials and important Intellectual outputs, that are described in details in the relevant sections. However, these ‘intellectual results’ will only be the foundation in which more profound and sustainable changes/improvements are expected to arise from the implementation of ‘SENpower’ project.
In this respect, it is expected that ‘SENpower’ project will instigate a profound change for both individuals (young adult & VET learners, SEN experts & professionals) as well as organisations involved in the project. This is due to the fact that ‘SENpower’ aims to bring at the forefront the needs and special skills and competences of young adult learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN) through the concept of entrepreneurship.
Moreover, it is expected that will improve the curricula as well as the VET methods used for SEN pupils. Furthermore, it is envisaged that the development of training courses, suitable and tailor made for the needs of SEN pupils, will bring a fundamental improvement in the designing and delivery of courses for specific groups.
More specifically, ‘SENpower’ aims to develop the ‘Entrepreneurship Education and Development Guide for SEN pupils’, a valuable tool for teachers and educators, as well as a series of training manuals on the concept of entrepreneurship, focusing on young adult & VET learners with SEN. These training manuals are as follows:
1. ‘Opportunities available to the Entrepreneur’ training manual
2. ‘Entrepreneurial Competencies and types of Entrepreneurship’ training manual
3. ‘Productivity, Developing Creative thinking and Problem Solving’ training manual
4. ‘Teamwork, Experimentation, Risk, and Competitiveness’ training manual
Moreover, a ‘web portal & virtual support centre’ will be developed which aims to be a virtual hub for all those involved in Special Education and with genuine interest on issues related to entrepreneurship in education. More specifically, the web portal & virtual support centre to be developed will serve the following functions:
a) A hub with the latest information, research projects, initiatives and developments on entrepreneurship for youths and pupils with Special Education Needs (SEN).
b) A forum in which young entrepreneurs as well as teachers/trainers/mentors in special education will exchange information & views on issues relevant to entrepreneurship & SEN.
c) A hub which will connect all digital media resources related to SEN and entrepreneurship
d) Contain information with the latest developments & results of ‘SENpower’ project.
e) A hub in which all trainings manuals developed during the implementation of ‘SENpower’ project will be made publicly available.
The results expected by SENpower during the project and on its completion are as follows:
1. ‘Extending and Developing educators’ competences’, that is, all those involved in the education and training of young adults with Special Educational Needs (SEN), such as secondary teachers, VET teachers, trainers, coaches, clinical & educational psycologists, among others.
2. ‘Improving and extending the supply of high quality learning opportunities tailored to the needs of individuals’ due to the tailor made training manuals to be developed during the implementation of the SENpower project and the trainings to be delivered after the official end of the project by the project partners as well as from training partners & institutions outside the SENpower consortium.
3. ‘Social inclusion’ of young adult & VET learners with SEN
4. ‘Promotion of entrepreneurship education and social entrepreneurship among young people’
5. ‘Promotion of empowerment and active citizenship of young people’
From all of the above, it is clear that ‘SENpower’ aims to have a significant impact for more than15.4% of population with Special Educational Needs (SEN) since it will bring the concept of entrepreneurship closer to young adult learners with SEN. In other words, young adult learners with SEN will be empowered with new skills and competences. This will have a significant impact when it comes to active citizenship for these young people. The overall impact of ‘SENpower’ project will be described in detail in the impact section.