This document announces a two-day introductory workshop on Pragmatic Organization Dynamic Display (PODD) communication books presented by Melissa Riepsamen, a speech pathologist from Australia, and Laura Taylor, an education consultant from the United States. The workshop will teach participants how to develop and implement PODD communication books to help people with significant communication challenges. PODD books allow users to communicate spontaneously using organized vocabulary. The objectives are to provide practical solutions, hands-on practice creating PODD books, and ways to customize the books to individual needs.

1. PRAGMATIC ORGANIZATION DYNAMIC DISPLAY
(PODD) INTRODUCTORY
2 DAY WORKSHOP
Presented By:
Melissa Riepsamen (Speech Pathologist) from CPEC,
Melbourne, Australia and
Laura Taylor, Education Consultant from Charlevoix,
Michigan with
Step By Step Early Intervention Society, Calgary Alberta
WORKSHOP
INFO
Location:
The long term aim for all children is to:
“Be able to say what I want to say, to whoever I want to
say it to, whenever I want to say it.”
Gayle Porter – PODD Creator
Registration link available at
www.StepByStepEIP.ca/training
Phone: (587) 893 – 7429
Email: info@StepByStepEIP.ca
Mon Aug 24th &
Tues 25th 2015
9.00 a.m. to 5 p.m.
About the Course
This PODD Introductory Workshop teaches theory and
practice related to the development and implementation of
PODD communication books. PODD communication books
can assist people with significant communication challenges
to support their understanding of language and their use of
expressive language. PODD is a tool providing organized
vocabulary that enables users to communicate
spontaneous and unpredicted messages. PODD
communication books are designed for varying language,
communication, sensory and physical access needs.
This workshop is for speech pathologists, teachers, parents
and professionals specialising in Augmentative and
Alternative Communication.
Early Bird: $400 + GST +
Service Fees
Regular: $450 + GST +
Service Fees
Cost:
Dates:
Ambrose University
150 Ambrose Circle SW
Calgary AB

2. Workshop Objectives
• Creative and practical solutions through videos and case examples.
• Hands on supported practice using PODD communication books.
• Ways to use PODD communication books for initial language learning.
• Ways to customize PODD generic templates to suit individual needs.
• Ways to enable genuine communication in all daily environments.
Learner Outcomes
• Discuss the evidence base for using aided language stimulation interventions.
• Describe the features of effective aided language learning.
• Evaluate how different AAC interventions and types of communication aides support children’s
development of autonomous communication.
• Discuss the features of PODD communication systems in terms of vocabulary organization, layout, design,
range of access strategies and customizing for individual requirements.
• Use PODD generic template resources to produce customized communication books.
• Discuss the teaching and learning strategies for implementing PODD communication systems with students
and team members.
• Use PODD communication books to express frequently used messages.
About the Presenters
With the support of
The Calgary Foundation &
Cerebral Palsy Association in Alberta
PRAGMATIC ORGANIZATION DYNAMIC DISPLAY
(PODD) INTRODUCTORY 2 DAY WORKSHOP
Melissa Riepsamen (B. Speech Pathology
Hons.) is a Speech Language Pathologist
who works for the Cerebral Palsy Education
Centre (CPEC) in Melbourne, Australia and
she is a certified PODD presenter. She is a
team leader in a trans disciplinary, family
centered early childhood team in a
dynamic ‘active teaching - active learning’ model at
CPEC. This is the center where Gayle Porter created and
developed the PODD communication system. Melissa also
has a private practice working with clients with complex
communication needs - from preschool children through
to adulthood. She has more than 10 years experience
implementing Augmentative and Alternative
Communication (AAC) in the home, early childhood and
school environments. She has worked extensively with
people with motor impairments and sensory processing
challenges as well as children with hearing and/or vision
impairments.
Melissa has experience implementing the Pragmatic
Organization Dynamic Display (PODD) system across a
wide range of different service delivery models and
includes customizing PODD communication books and
page sets for speech generating devices to
accommodate for individual requirements.
Laura Taylor is an educational
consultant with Taylor Educational
Consultants, specializing in
accessible environments and
PODD communication. Laura has
been an early childhood special
education teacher and assistive
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technology consultant for over 30 years. While
teaching, Laura worked closely with families and
teams to support the learning of her students
both at school and at home. Laura is passionate
about given children a voice! She completed
certification to be a PODD trainer in the fall of
2014 and has conducted introductory trainings
throughout the State of Michigan and California.
She has conducted presentations throughout
the United States at local, state and international
conferences on low-tech strategies to support
learning, considering the educational
environment for all learners, and PODD. Laura
holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education from
Michigan State University and two Master of Arts
Degrees from Grand Valley State University.
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