NASP Summer Conferences

Denver, CO: July 12–14, 2010

Full-Day Preconference Workshops

Presenter biographies are available here.

Monday, July 12, 2010
8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Neuropsychology of Emotional Disorders: Assessment and Intervention (6 credit hours)
Steven G. Feifer, DEd, NCSP, ABSNP, Frederick County Public Schools, MD

Children with emotional disorders are the single most challenging special education population to educate successfully. This workshop will explore:

• The neural architecture of emotional behavior by examining specific biological factors related to social competence and emotional self-regulation skills.
• The neurobiological correlates of mood and anxiety disorders, psychopathology and violence.
• The neural basis of empathy and altruistic behavior.

There is compelling evidence that emotional wellness can be enhanced through early prevention efforts, appropriate assessment strategies, and an improved school climate to foster both social–emotional functioning and academic performance. Therefore, it is crucial for schools to promote character education programs, peer mediation techniques, bullying prevention methods, and conflict resolution skills. In summary, effective school performance requires, in part, successful social and emotional management through a milieu of interpersonal encounters and challenges, where frustration and anger must be tempered for the pursuit of goal attainment.

By attending this workshop, participants will learn:

• The neural architecture of emotion by detailing key brain regions responsible for the development of empathy and temperament in children.
• Specific emotional conditions from a brain-behavioral perspective as well as the relationship between learning disabilities and emotional disorders.
• The pitfalls of overrelying on behavior management plans or solely using psychopharmacology to address mental health conditions in children.
• The merits of utilizing school-wide positive behavior support systems, as well as seven key strategies to promote emotional wellness in children.

Response to Instruction/Response to Intervention (RTI)2 at the School and District Levels: Integrating Functional Assessment, Data-Based Problem Solving, and Academic and Behavioral Interventions Into an Effective Schools Model (6 credit hours)
Howard M. Knoff, PhD, NCSP, Project ACHIEVE, Little Rock, AR

Response to instruction/intervention (RTI)2 involves evaluating the degree to which students: (a) master academic material in response to effective instruction, and (b) demonstrate appropriate, prosocial behavior in response to effective classroom management. When students are not “responding” to these effective conditions, (RTI)2 includes a functional assessment/problem solving process to determine the reason(s) for the lack of success and the implementation of strategic-through-intensive instruction or intervention approaches to help them progress more successfully. This presentation presents a number of functional, field-tested, evidence-based blueprints relative to implementing comprehensive (RTI)2 processes. Integrated into an effective schools and strategic planning process (with school and district implementation blueprints), the presentation describes: (a) a positive academic supports and services (PASS) continuum, (b) a positive behavioral support system (PBSS) continuum, and (c) a data-based problem solving process linking functional assessment to needed academic and behavioral interventions.

Using numerous case studies to demonstrate the different blueprints, participants will be involved, engaged, and encouraged to discuss and share.

By attending this workshop, participants will learn:

• An explicit step-by-step understanding of how to implement an (RTI)2 system into a school or district.
• The linkages between academic and behavioral instruction and intervention.
• The importance of and how to utilize a data-based problem solving process to determine the essential intervention directions.