3d Annual Conference
Focus on Education & Development: The Future for
International Adoptees
September 30 & October 1, 2005
Boston Marriott Newton Hotel, Newton, Massachusetts

Who should attend:

Parents of international adoptees: Whether you have already brought home your child, are waiting to do so, or just beginning to consider adoption, you will leave this conference feeling better equipped to deal with the challenges that come and, consequently, more able to celebrate the joys.

Parents of children adopted domestically: From attachment to learning disabilities and the challenges of adopted adolescents, many of the issues facing inter- national adoptees are the same ones you may be concerned about. You'll glean valuable insights and recommendations for dealing with challenges that don't discriminate by birth country.

Adoption caseworkers, medical professionals, social workers, and therapists: You'll interact with colleagues and parents to learn about current concerns and new solutions.

School personnel: You will come away with a better understanding of the children in your classrooms. Learn about parents' concerns, why some approaches work and others don't with these children, and how to build a closer relationship with parents and children to fuel real progress in school.

This presentation will focus on: the specifics and dynamic of English-language acquisition by internationally adopted children; the causes, therapeutic value, and negative consequences of rapid loss of their native language; language acquisition and academic issues; symptoms of Cumulative Cognitive Deficit (CCD); the role of an initial psycho-educational assessment in detecting language disorders and CCD; and possible approaches to language remediation in school and at home.

1:00 - 2:15 p.m. Saturday, October 1, 2005
Workshop #3: How to Identify and Address School Related Issues in Internationally Adopted Older Children

This workshop will address how an orphanage experience relates to your child's school performance; what in pre-adoption documentation is significant for school progress; how to prepare for schooling before actual adoption, including a pre-adoption school visit, questions to ask, and arrangements to make; how to determine the "school readiness" of a newly adopted child; how to make the beginning of the school experience most productive and least traumatic for a child; and the best practices in evaluation of internationally adopted children, including what parents should know about the types of school-related assessments, tests, and clinical procedures.

845-694-8496
systemadministrator@bgcenter.com