Workshops

:: UPCOMING WORKSHOPS ::

Half-Day Workshop

Seminar: The Thinking Side of Social: The Role of Mental State Verbs in Development

Mental state verbs (MSV) describe processes of cognition, and thereby aren’t visible. While we can see someone “running”, we can’t see the internal process of “hoping”. However, understanding and use of MSV are a critical reflection of cognitive development, and play an important role in academic success, language, social understanding, conversational competence, regulation, and sense of self.

We will begin by exploring the term, drawing from the fields of theory of mind, cognition, linguistics, and attachment. The research exploring how students with language and social challenges differ in their understanding and use of mental state verbs will be reviewed. Then we will explore how to develop MSV in our students, covering a wide range of structured and semi-structured activities. We will conclude with a discussion of how self-advocacy, planning one’s future, and our degree of life appreciation require facility with MSV. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of the critical role that MSV play, as well as engaging activities to incorporate into their homes, classrooms, and therapy sessions.

Speaker: Anna Vagin, PhD

Anna Vagin, PhD, is a licensed speech/language pathologist with over 30 years of experience. In her private practice in Marin County, California, she provides individual sessions and social learning groups to children, young adults, and their families. Her particular interests are using media and gaming, including Therapeutically Applied Role-Playing Games, to support students with social cognition and language differences. She provides consultation to parents and schools, is a frequent US and International speaker, and a prolific writer/contributor on topics related to social cognition.

Providing innovative materials to parents and clinicians working in social cognition, Anna is the author of Movie Time Social Learning (2013) and YouCue Feelings: Using Online Videos for Social Learning (2015), and the developer of the Conversation Paths Pack Expanded Version2.0 (2021.)

Course Objectives

• explain what mental state verbs are and why they are so important.
• demonstrate how to use an animated video to teach mental state verbs.
• define a hierarchical sequence to teach MSV.
• explain how to use mental state verbs to build inference abilities.
• discuss the role of MSV in managing uncomfortable feelings such as anxiety.
• present an activity that incorporates MSV into work on conversation.
• discuss how to use a rubric to write a goal for the development of MSV.

Who Can Benefit?

Parents, family members, healthcare and educational professionals who see children and/or adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1, Social Pragmatic Disorder, Social Anxiety, and/or Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder as part of their practice, including psychologists, teachers, teacher’s assistants, speech pathologists, speech pathology aids, occupational therapists and counselors.

Course Fees & Closing Dates

Registration Type	Closing Date	Fees (S$) /pax
	31 May 2023	180
Normal	Till Full	220