Series of Research and Practice-based Seminars

Series of Research and Practice-based Seminars:
1. Music & Movements for Children with Severe Disabilities
2. Leadership Development and Leadership Activity 

Presentation 1
Using Music and Movements for Second Language Development in Pre-schoolers with Severe Disabilities
By Heah Suee In (MA Special Needs, UNMC)

Can music & movement facilitate the learning of English as a second language in pre-schoolers with severe disabilities who have had limited exposure to the language? In this presentation, I will share my experiences in working with pre-schoolers with severe disabilities from a community based rehabilitation centre. More specifically, I will share the outcomes of seven music and movement sessions I conducted with these children and their impact on the children’s communication skills and use of English. Results will be discussed within the context of the children’s abilities and backgrounds and within the context of the centre. 

Presenter’s profile
Heah Suee In graduated with an MA in Special Needs from UNMC, a BA in Education (Early Childhood Education) from Edith Cowan University, Australia, and a Diploma in Music. She has had extensive experience working with young children as a preschool principal and educator for more than 15 years. She is also involved in mentoring preservice teachers. Working with young children and sharing knowledge of teaching young children to future young educators is her passion. She identifies strongly in the belief that Every Child is Unique, Every Child is Teachable.  

Presentation 2
Leadership Development and Leadership Activity within the ‘Cinderella’ Sector: the Perceptions of Further Education (FE) College Principals 
By Philip Whitehead (Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership and Management, UNMC) 

Few studies have looked in detail at FE leadership development in England, although a small number of studies have investigated leadership within FE. College principals are an important group in the further education sector in England – KPMG in a research report in 2009 stated that many college principals have as much responsibility as chief executives running multi-million pound businesses (K{PMG, 2009). This research project sought to ameliorate this deficiency by addressing the following research questions: 

• What types of leadership development have FE principals experienced, prior to appointment and once in post?
• What types of leadership development do FE principals consider to be the most effective in terms of organisational performance?
• To what extent are FE [principals able to devote sufficient time to the things that they deem most important?

This paper reports on the preliminary results from this research project and suggests areas for further research.

Presenter’s profile
Philip Whitehead is currently an Assistant Professor in Educational Leadership and Management at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. He is a trained teacher with over forty years' experience in education, training and research. He has worked in four FE colleges leading on Staff Development and ITE, and at six UK universities.  

Since 2011, he has been involved in educational research projects in Tanzania and South Africa, and has taught MA programmes in Abu Dhabi.

He co-authored Educational Policy (2013) with Ian Abbott and Mike Rathbone, and has recently completed a BELMAS funded project: Leadership Development for College Principals in the FE Sector. He is a member of the international editorial board for the journal Research in Post-Compulsory Education. 

Details: 
Date: 12 April 2017, Wednesday
Time: 16:00 to 17:00
Venue: EA28  
             The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
             Jalan Broga 43500 Semenyih

This event is free and open to all.