An open lecture by
Maya Alivisatos, PhD

When: Friday, January 29, 18:00-20:00

Where: Center for the Arts Auditorium, Aghia Paraskevi Campus – 6 Gravias Street

Organized by: The Graduate Master Class Series, School of Graduate and Professional Education

To reserve your place, please contact Ms Maria Kritikou via email: [email protected] or telephone: 210 6009800 ext. 1210.

Workshop Description

Learning Disabilities are a range of difficulties that affect many individuals who despite their average or above average intelligence are not able to achieve to their potential. Estimates of the percentage of school-age children who have specific learning disabilities, range from 5% to 15%.

The lecture will briefly introduce the different types of Learning Disabilities such as dyslexia, ADHD, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia and how they can affect students both academically and emotionally.

Emphasis will be given on the role of the teacher and the school. What kind of prevention programs can be used? How should the teachers act if they suspect that a student may have a learning disability? What are the difficulties that a teacher may experience when having a student with a learning disability in the classroom? How should the teachers communicate their concerns to the students’ parents? When should a child be evaluated? What are the needs of students with learning disabilities in a school setting and what kind of support can the school provide?  What kind of intervention programs can the school use? What kind of assessment can be used in order to motivate the student and increase learning?

The audience will be introduced to different case studies and will follow the students’ development from elementary on to high school in order to get a better understanding of the students’ different needs and the support that can be provided by the school (depending on their age, diagnosis and school level).

Maya Alivisatos, PhD

Dr. Maya Alivisatos is a child and adolescent psychologist. After graduating from Athens College, she attended Boston University, USA, where she pursued a BA in Psychology. She then received her MA in Child Development from Tufts University, USA. She completed her Doctorate in Psychology from Sheffield University, UK.

While in the United States, she conducted research and worked in the field of learning disabilities. Since 1999 she has been working in Greece in school settings and private practice. From 2000 up to today she has been working as a school psychologist at the Hellenic-American Foundation (Athens College-Psychico College), where, since, 2011, she has been the Head of the Psycho-educational Department.

In 2008 she co-founded “My Playce”, Centers for Creative Play for pre-school children.

Her main areas of interest are parent counseling, educating educators, evaluation of emotional and learning difficulties in children and adolescence.