EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY GROUP NEWSLETTER
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In this Issue:

Forthcoming Events

DECPsy dates for your diaries

On Wednesday 16th June the summer Stakeholders Committee will be held here at 26 Bedford Way (3.30-5.00pm). 

Supervisor Training Days will take place on 30 June (08-11 cohort), 5 July (09-12 cohort) and 16 July (07-10 cohort), again here at Bedford Way.

celebrateAnd to keep all our hardworking year 3 trainees going...! The end of doctorate event and meal for the 07-10 cohort will take place on Friday 16th July starting at 5pm.


DEdPsy Events

leading edge day programme imageThe next Leading Edge Day will be held on Wednesday 8th September 2010. The central aim of this exciting conference is to support psychologists who work in education and children's services to reflect on the contribution they can and should make in the area of Mental Health in Schools. Norah Frederickson will present an overview of recent evidence on the assessment of children’s mental health and psychological wellbeing in school settings and on whole school approaches in this field. Sandra Dunsmuir will examine the growing involvement of educational psychologists in cognitive behaviour therapy and will analyse the training and supervision needs associated with this development. A leading member of the team involved in the DCSF-funded national evaluation of the TAMHS project (due to be completed in 2011) will outline its unique randomized controlled trial design and report on progress to date. Michael Annan and Stacy Moore of the Learning Trust Educational Psychology Service in Hackney will describe the TAMHS project in their area and reflect on its broader significance. We are especially pleased to have a contribution from Stacy as a member of the DEdPsy Class 08.

Please check back for a programme and booking details, which will be published on the CPD website nearer the time.


Puzzle Corner

Why not take a quick break from your busy schedules and have a try at our Educational Psychology themed crossword puzzle, formulated by tutors and course members. Click here, or on the image below to access the clues and puzzle. 

crossword


To reveal the answers, click on this link.

Your News and Views are always welcome - please send us your comments

Spring 2010

Welcome to the second edition of the UCL Educational Psychology Group newsletter!

Every term we will bring you news and forthcoming events from the Group. We hope this will keep our graduates, DECPsy and DEdPsy course members, tutors, Supervisors, Research Advisors and other affiliates in touch and will prove an enjoyable and informative read.


New Faces and Graduations on the DEdPsy programme

In January 2010 we were joined by our twelfth cohort of CPD Doctorate course members. A warm welcome to Su Batuwitage, Kirsty Brown, Dawn Collard, Linda Delmar, Stephanie Fitzgerald, Beverley Graham, Rachael Green, Shirley Mawer, Klair Norman, Claire Phillips, Sarah Phillips, Elizabeth Taylor, Leonie Thomas, Leanne Toon, Daniel Tunbridge and Jane Williams.

graduationAnd many congratulations to our latest group of CPD Doctoral graduates, who recently completed and will be graduating with the DECPsy 06-09 graduates in September 2010.  Many congratulations to Dr Despina Hadjigeorgiou, Dr Sangeeta Silva, Dr Louise Tuersley-Dixon, Dr Laura Warren and Dr Carole Wilding on behalf of the whole team – we trust you are celebrating in style and hope you will stay in touch.


UCL Symposium...and 'yet another gong'

There was much involvement, acclaim and yet another prize for the group at the annual DECP conference, on Evidence for Effectiveness, held in a cold and (to Jess' disappointment!) surf-free Bournemouth on 13-15 January 2010. DECPsy Co-Director Dr Sandra Dunsmuir set the scene with a keynote speech at the conference, entitled “Evidence Delivery and Evaluation: to Boldly Go".

seanprizeA symposium organized by DEdPsy Course Directors Dr Sean Cameron and Prof Tony Cline on 15th January, entitled “Challenges that many pupils face: EP practice beyond individuals and small groups”, went down a storm - so much so that it required extra chairs! Presentations were given by DEdPsy graduates and DECPsy tutors Dr Michelle Sancho (Psychological processes during primary-secondary school transition) and Dr Jess Dewey (Activating Children’s Thinking Skills), plus DEdPsy 2007 graduate Dr Maureen Liepins (Children’s perceptions of loneliness – delivered by Tony). The compliments flowed and the group even got an 'exciting psychology research in UCL' mention by the closing speaker, Prof Kathy Sylva. Sean also added yet another glittering prize to his collection, when he was presented with the Division’s National Award for Distinguished Contributions to Child Psychology. He is pictured here with Dr Harriot Martin, the chair of the BPS Division of Educational Psychology.
In his acceptance speech, Sean not only expressed his personal and professional appreciation of this honour, but (with typical modesty) also congratulated the awarding committee on their excellent choice of recipient!!

Furthermore, at the preceding One Day Trainee Event on Tuesday 12th January 2010, “Building the professional knowledge-base”, two of our 06-09 DECPsy graduates presented on their research findings – Dr Clare Knowler (Bullying: The Effectiveness of a Direct Emotional Literacy Intervention in the Primary Phase) and Dr Rebecca Williamson (Anger management related needs of pupils in key stage 3: Effectiveness of group cognitive behavioural therapy intervention). 3 further DECPsy grads (Dr.s Carol Hall, Sonia Shah and Jennifer Singleton) presented on their research posters, available to view on our website.


Alumni on the Equator and 'Down Under'

jumboseafoodThis photo shows a recent UCL Educational Psychology alumni gathering in Singapore. The January visit to Singapore of Professor Norah Frederickson and Jane Turner, Acting Principal Educational Psychologist, Buckinghamshire County Council and Honorary Research Fellow, UCL, to deliver the 6th Course Unit in the Associate Psychologist CPD programme provided the opportunity for a number of the many UCL alumni to meet for a chili crab dinner (a Singapore speciality). Pictured are: Back Row: Dr Suet Ling Chong (UCL MSc, 1994-5) Hil May Ho-Leung (UCL MSc, 2002-3), Norah Frederickson, Vi Vien Yang (DECPsy 2008-11); Front row: Dr Mariam Aljunied (UCL MSc, 1994-5), Jane Turner, Lian Thomas Payamal (UCL MSc, 2001-2). Buon appetit! (Or in Mandarin - "Mànmàn chi"! ("Eat slowly") - and in Malay "Selamat menjamu selera!" ("Please treat your appetite")!)

mike nessOn the travel leg of her 6-month sabbatical, Norah caught up with UCL alumnus Mike Ness (MSc Educational Psychology 2004-5) in his new home of Wellington, New Zealand. Having survived the training year and "proudly clutching his MSc and his new bride" (Vanessa, pictured with Mike, Norah and Jim Frederickson), Mike decided to take up an opportunity as an EP in New Zealand about 3 years ago. Following a promotion he is now the Service Manager, Ministry of Education, Special Education, Wanganui. Wanganui is part of a larger district that covers a large chunk of the central North Island.

Within the team Mike manages there are practitioners including Educational Psychologists, Speech Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists. There are also Early Intervention Teachers who work in the early years (0-5) and Special Education Advisors who work ostensibly with school aged children (up to 14 years of age) presenting with severe behaviour. There are approximately 15 practitioners in Mike’s inter-disciplinary team.

Mike has found New Zealand “a welcome change from a terraced house in Watford!”, with some great opportunities for Educational Psychologists from the UK and a very similar skills base/scope of work. Anybody interested in New Zealand as a short term adventure working on a 2 to 3 year contract, or on a more permanent basis, is welcome to drop Mike a line (mike.ness@minedu.govt.nz). He is happy to share information on recruitment opportunities in his district and/or general information about what to expect about working as an EP in New Zealand. He would also love to hear from anyone who remembers him from his time at UCL.


Family/Personal news

rachel with baby josephThe past few months have seen a flurry of new arrivals across both courses, starting with a rush for the coveted ‘first DECPsy baby’ position during November 2009. Winner by less than a fortnight was DECPsy 06-09 graduate Rachel Cole’s baby boy Joseph William Johnson, who was born on 18th November 2009 weighing in at a considerable 9lb 9oz! As confirmed by mum and can be seen from the photo, Joseph is a very happy little chap - partly perhaps as a result of his coveted prize?!

rosie with baby jonahHot on the heels was DEPCPsy 07 trainee Rosie Thomasson’s little boy Jonah Benjamin Thomasson, who was born (or rather ‘swam into the world’!) on 29th November 2009, weighing a healthy 7lbs 9oz. Mum and baby have been in to UCL on a couple of occasions already to meet both the 07-10 cohort, and the 08-11s whom Rosie will be joining for her final year on the course in September 2010. Pictured: baby Jonah sleeps during one such visit, blissfully unaware of the enthusiastic chorus of oohs and aahs around him!

melanie with baby astonAlso on the DEdPsy course there have been some happy new arrivals…starting with Aston James Adkins who was born to Melanie Adkins (DEdPsy 2008) on 19th December 2009. Aston weighed in at 10lbs 7.5 ozs (!!!) and can be seen here posing with proud mum shortly after his arrival….and more recently, kick starting his own academic career it would appear with a little light reading!!

baby noahAnd on 7th January 2010 DEdPsy course member Yvonne Dorgan’s baby boy Noah arrived, weighing in at 9lbs 2ozs – a little brother for Samuel.  Yvonne is enjoying being full time mum again, but is starting back at her DEdPsy research with impressive speed!

baby BenjaminLast but by no means least, it seems that DECPsy baby boys come in threes! On 16th March 2010 our DECPsy 06-09 graduate Rebecca Williamson became proud and protective mum to 8lb 4oz bundle of goodness Benjamin Christopher, pictured here dressed up to the nines for his 'maiden voyage'!

Don't forget that you can see larger pictures of most of our future junior Ed Psych five aside team by clicking on the images!

owen at daughters wedding
In other family-related news, DECPsy tutor and DEdPsy 08 course member Owen Davis became a father of the bride in December…his daughter Jen tied the knot on 12th December 2009 at St Giles Church, Durham. This picture of the big day shows Owen with bride and groom Jen and Sam, his wife Margaret and his son Chris.


joyce grandson rileyMeanwhile, DEdPsy 08 course member Joyce Monroe had an exciting trip to Australia in December, to meet her first grandson, baby Riley (pictured) – her son Tim’s first child. Riley was born on 6th November on the Gold Coast. Joyce says of her first visit “I had a lovely time and lots of cuddles – I didn’t want to come home!!” She left for her second visit down under in late March, taking her 88 year old mum to see her first great-grandchild.

sarah at the salt flats of uyuniTalking of travel, intreped DECPsy 06-09 graduate Sarah Pryce has been soaking up a plethora of cultures and sights during her extended visit to South America. Her first stop was Brazil, where she saw the Iguassu Falls then travelled along the Bahia coast to Rio for Carnival. Next was Peru for some trekking in the Colca Canyon, a stay with a local family on Lake Titicaca and sandboarding in Huacachina. Then to Bolivia which Sarah found particularly fascinating culturally. After staying in La Paz she crossed the salt flats of Uyuni (where she is pictured) and over the desert to Chile. In Chile she went stargazing in the Atacama Desert which Sarah says "was incredible, I`ve never seen the Milky Way look so spectacular before". From Iquique on the coast, she will go to Santiago and then fly to New Zealand to commence the rest of her travel adventure before re-embracing the world of Educational Psychology here in the UK!

leanne at the taj mahalAnd another amazing trip was had by DEdPsy 2010 course member Leanne Toon, who recently returned from a tour of India, including a visit to the stunning Taj Mahal!

Thanks to Rachel, Rosie, Melanie, Yvonne, Rebecca, Owen, Joyce, Sarah and Leanne for sharing these lovely pictures and pieces of news with us.


Publications and Research

what can you see by Gail BaileyWhat can you see?  Supporting the social development of young people who are blind or partially sighted’ by DEdPsy course member Gail Bailey was recently published by the RNIB. The book is based on the research she did for one of her UCL professional practice assignments and acknowledgement is made of this.  Gail wished to send a heartening message to her colleagues on the course that the time spent on the research has direct application to the real world! Click here for further details.


‘Phonological and visual similarity effects in Chinese and English language users: Implications for the use of cognitive resources in short-term memory' was published by DECPsy 06-09 graduate Rachel Cole in October's version of Bilingualism: Language and Cognition. The article was co-written with Sue Pickering.

Meanwhile, our Research Methods tutor Dr Souhila Galusi-Massoud has guest edited special issues of the British Journal of Developmental Psychology (Developmental disorders of language and literacy) and the Scientific Studies of Reading (The overlap between SLI and dyslexia: the role of phonology in the near future), which are coming out this term. Current trainees/course members and staff can click on the hyperlinks to access the papers direct via UCL’s online library service.

congo mapIn between Research Methods workshops and tutorials, Souhila has also been flying off to Congo where she has set up a national reading assessment in French, in order to measure the impact of a radio instruction program that will take place in the next 5 years. The project also aims at assessing teacher knowledge in French in order to improve the level of instruction. Souhila designed and adapted the reading assessment for children and a teacher content knowledge test and trained local ministry personel to administer the tasks and pretest the instruments.

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