INSTRUCTORS:
Kit Malia & Anne Brannagan
'Of all the myriad tasks that the brain has to perform, perhaps none is as crucial to the performance of other tasks as attention. For when the brain attends it also perceives. When the brain attends and perceives, it learns. What is learned is sometimes spontaneously recalled in the absence of attention, but voluntary recollection requires an attentive brain'.

AIMS:

• To extend skills and knowledge about attention and information processing
• To develop assessment knowledge and skills
• To develop treatment knowledge and skills
• To develop analysis skills in defining patient problems
• To develop reporting techniques

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This two day interactive workshop is suitable for professionals working with adults who have cognitive problems following brain injury. Attendees should ideally have completed the basic cognitive rehabilitation workshop.

The course focuses on developing clinical expertise in the rehabilitation of attention and information processing deficits.

Programme Day 1:

ATTENTION

WHY IS ATTENTION IMPORTANT? 10:00am
Simulations to illustrate what it is like to have attention deficits. What is attention? The link to Working Memory & Executive Functions. Review of Sohlberg & Mateer basic levels of attention. Internal and external attention.

Coffee 11:00am

NEURAL NETWORKS THEORY OF ATTENTION 11:30am
The importance of attention. Neural networks theory of attention: Alerting system, Orienting system & Control system

Lunch 12.30pm

ASSESSING ATTENTION 1:30pm 
Recognising attention problems. The 3 approaches to assessment. Rules for assessment. Assessing the attention networks. Attention tests correlated with the 3 neural networks. Group work with case studies.

Coffee 2:30pm

TREATING ATTENTION 3:00pm 
The 4 components of treatment. Treating the whole person. Does it work? Best practice guidelines. Group work with case studies. Reflective practice

Finish 4:00pm

Programme Day 2 :

INFORMATION PROCESSING 

WHY IS INFORMATION PROCESSING IMPORTANT? 10:00am
Simulations to illustrate what it is like to have information processing deficits. How this impacts upon behaviour and emotions. What is information processing? The model of information processing. Controlled vs Automatic processing. Capacity, Speed and Control.

Coffee 11:00am

THE MODEL OF INFORMATION PROCESSING IN DETAIL 11:30am
The relationship between Attention and Information Processing. Overload. Organisation Skills. Memory. Assimilation & Accommodation. Schema. Association Networks. Redundancy. Hemispheric differences. The role of Effort. 

Lunch 12.30pm

THE MODEL CONTINUED. ASSESSING INFORMATION PROCESSING 1:30pm 
The 4 modes of expression. Recognising attention problems. Role in motor tasks. Group work with Case Studies.

Coffee 2:30pm

TREATING INFORMATION PROCESSING 3:00pm 
The 4 components of treatment. Plasticity. What we can learn from studying child development of information processing skills. Group work with case studies. Reflective practice

Finish 4:00pm