Date: Thursday Nov 4 & Thursday Nov 18 2021 6:30pm-9pm  Cost: $65 Total PD hours: 5 hours Location: ONLINE  Presenters: Heather Bartholomew & Debbie Thompson  

Description: This workshop will explore the value of using visuals within early childhood settings. We will consider who benefits from use of visual supports and the numerous opportunities for a wide variety of visual formats. The fa-cilitators will focus on the many ways these tools can support learning play skills, create smoother transition times, pro-mote positive behaviour and support peer interaction. We will discuss finding the most efficient and effective supports and other considerations such as teaching their meaning, age appropriateness and fading them out over time. 
Three learning outcomes 
1. Understand how visual supports can be used to support individuals and classroom-wide learning
2. Learn variety of formats for visual supports, including many alternatives to printed, laminated visuals
3. Learn support options for various routines throughout the day


 Presenter Biographies: Heather Bartholomew graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Arts (Child and Youth Study) and in the twenty plus years since then, has been working with preschoolers. She has worked as an Early Childhood Educator, one-to-one support staff and as a resource teacher. For five years, she served as Resource Teacher at the Mount’s Child Study Centre, supporting children with identified special needs and, in particular, delivering programming to students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Heather has worked as a Program Implementer in Halifax’s Early Intenisive Behavioural Intervention program for the past sixteen years. She has developed and facilitated workshops on a variety of topics, most frequently relating to Inclusion. Heather is passionate about facilitating positive inclusion experiences and finding effective and efficient strategies to support individual and classroom-wide learning.


Debbie Thompson is a graduate from Mount Saint Vincent University with the Degree in Child & Youth. Debbie started her journey in ECE at Wee Care Developmental centre working as a Developmental teacher in an integrated setting. It was there that she knew she wanted to focus her attention on working with children with special 
needs. Debbie also developed the Resource position at Wee Care & was responsible for developing & implementing plans for children with special needs. Debbie now works at the IWK as a Program Implementer for the Early Intensive Behaviour Intervention program (EIBI) working with children with Autism. Through her job at the IWK she continues to work closely with preschool teachers consulting & providing feedback in various programs. Debbie also teaches regularly at Nova Scotia College of Early Childhood Education & Mount Saint Vincent University on various topics including challenging behaviour & Inclusion.