26TRA166 Beyond Edmark: Literacy Support for Children with Additional Educational Needs (AEN)

 

 

 

 

 

Date:     Tuesday 6th January 2026
Time:     7.00 - 8.15 pm
Venue:  Online via Zoom

Target Audience: Primary School Teachers working in special classes and special schools & Special Education Teachers

This webinar was developed in response to feedback from our Edmark webinar, with participants requesting further guidance on literacy programmes and strategies for students with additional needs.

Beyond Edmark provides an overview of a range of evidence-based programmes and practical strategies to support literacy development, including phonics, comprehension, and spelling. These approaches can be used in several ways:

• Alongside Edmark to strengthen overall literacy development
• As an alternative for students who may not benefit from the Edmark approach
• As a follow-on for students who have completed Edmark and require further literacy progression
• As standalone strategies for literacy instruction

No prior Edmark training is required to attend this webinar, and it does not include Edmark-specific content. Participants will also receive access to a shared drive containing a variety of literacy and AEN support resources — including materials linked to the programmes discussed and supplementary Edmark resources.

Bio of Presenter: Nicola O' Lone

Nicola O’Lone has many years experience in SET at various class levels throughout her 2 decades of teaching and is currently in her second year teaching in an autism class in Scoil na Naomh Uilig. She has used Edmark extensively and supported colleagues in its use, in addition to developing her own resources to support the teaching of Edmark. Nicola is passionate about inclusive, neurodiversity affirming practice and has done extensive professional development in the areas of literacy and AEN, which she has brought to her own teaching practice.