Workshops & Training Programs

Upcoming Events

Dynamic Assessment of Social Communication through social interaction and play

Fri 1 Dec 2023, 9am - 4.30pm (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

  • Understand the relationship between Social communication and language competence
  • What is Dynamic assessment and why it is important in social communication
  • The place for standardized testing – when and what?
  • The role of parents in assessment
  • Assess social-emotional functioning through observation of interaction
  • Explore how dynamic assessment leads to tailoring meaningful intervention – ‘frame’ the child and decide directions (programming and goal setting)

Learn More Testimonials

Deciding Intervention for special needs kids with different Social Communication Profiles across the lifespan

Sat 2 Dec 2023, 9am - 12pm (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

Both ‘high’ and ‘low’ functioning kids will continue to need different kinds of support at different stages of their development and life. How do we decide what, when, how much?

  • Teaching to functioning vs diagnostic labels
  • A continuum of social-emotional functioning through a DIR® Floortime and Social Thinking® lens - NDRC types and ST-SCP types
  • Understanding individuals functioning at different levels of the social mind
  • Exploring a continuum of common intervention approaches- what makes a good program?
  • What’s the best program for a child? Tailoring the intervention program to the individual and family

Learn More

Past Events

Developing Executive Functioning - The 360 Thinking Model

21-22 Nov 2023, 9am - 4.30pm (in-person)

Speaker: Sarah Ward, M.S., CCC-SLP

Come supercharge your skills with the award winning 360 Thinking Model to developing Executive Functions (EF). The 360 Thinking Program combines concepts that are at the core of EF: situational and intention awareness, visual future thinking, time awareness and task visualization to promote efficient and accurate completion of tasks.

This is a practical and effective approach to use with students from preschool to high school. Don’t miss this opportunity to walk away with an unbeatable toolbox of strategies to implement at home and at school!

Learn More Testimonials

“Do you get me?”: Promoting ‘true’ social comprehension

Tue 24 Oct 2023, 9am - 12pm (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

From listening to understanding: What is ‘true’ or social comprehension?

  • How does this impact social and academic functioning?
  • Support ‘tuning-in’ and understanding what was ‘meant’ not just what was said.
  • Help students ‘Read between the lines’ and develop understanding and inferencing (theory of mind)

Learn More Testimonials

“Do you see what I see?”: Promoting Social Attention and Understanding

10 Oct 2023, 9am - 12pm (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

  • Move students from ‘Looking’ to ‘Thinking with their Eyes’
  • Understand the active role our eyes play in communication. Eye contact is NOT shared attention.
  • Promote social attention and awareness using eyes to,
    - ‘Check IN’ and monitor self and others
    - Understand and signal expectations and intentions
    - ‘Read the room’ and the hidden rules
  • Help students move from seeing to knowing to thinking.

Learn More Testimonials

Help students with special needs manage emotions: Support Strengths, Celebrate Differences

Fri 22 Sep 2023, 9am - 12pm (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

  • Understand individual differences and how we interpret 'affect’/ emotions.
  • How do we help students ‘scale their feeling’ to match the moment?
  • Match your affect to the child to support regulation, sustain engagement and expand ideas.
  • Learn visual tools and in-the-moment strategies to help organize emotions, so students can better problem solve and adapt

Learn More Testimonials

Support Regulation and Behaviour at home and in the classroom, through ‘Use of Self’

Wed 13 Sep 2023, 9am - 4.30pm (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

  • What is (emotional) regulation vs behaviour?
  • Look beyond behaviours: reframe behaviour as communication
  • Embrace and enhance unconventional and non-verbal communication
  • Don’t just manage behaviours but support regulation
  • Regulation through Relationships – learn Co-regulation which leads to Self-regulation

Learn More Testimonials

Fundamentals of DIR® Floortime

17-18 August 2023, 9am - 4.30pm days (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

How does a child develop the miraculous ability to love, think, communicate, and create, as well as to have self- control and feel compassion for others? Many child-development theories focus on only one part of this puzzle. This social-pragmatic approach develops a child’s spontaneous interactions, empathic relationships, thinking, creative play and problem solving. These are foundations for all social interactions and mastery of academic skills.

Learn More Testimonials

Nurturing Emotional Development and Social Communication at home and school through DIR® Floortime

Fri 28 Jul 2023, 9am - 4.30pm (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

This introductory 1- day seminar examines how emotions are integral to the natural development of relating, regulation, spontaneous meaningful communication, and learning. This seminar is meant for parents, teachers and educators, who are seeking a relationship-based methodology that goes beyond teaching kids to behave or talk, to helping them to relate and think! It will provide the premise of DIR-Floortime and share basic strategies to enhance social communication.

Learn More

Social Thinking® Workshops 2023 (in-person)

  • March 27 - 28, 2023
  • Venue: Raffles Town Club (Singapore)

After 3 long years, we are thrilled to have Michelle Garcia Winner and Dr. Pamela Crooke back in Singapore, live and in-person!

DAY 1: Using the Social Thinking® Dynamic Assessment to Guide Teaching Strategies
DAY 2: Individualizing Social Emotional Learning and Treatment Decision Making

Learn More

Dynamic Assessment of Social Communication through social interaction and play

7 Jan 2023, 9am - 12pm (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

  • Understand the relationship between Social communication and language competence
  • What is Dynamic assessment and why it is important in social communication
  • The place for standardized testing – when and what?
  • The role of parents in assessment
  • Assess social-emotional functioning through observation of interaction
  • Explore how dynamic assessment leads to tailoring meaningful intervention – ‘frame’ the child and decide directions (programming and goal setting)

“Do you get me?”: Promoting ‘true’ social comprehension

4 Nov 2022, 2pm - 5pm (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

From listening to understanding: What is ‘true’ or social comprehension?

  • How does this impact social and academic functioning?
  • Support ‘tuning-in’ and understanding what was ‘meant’ not just what was said.
  • Help students ‘Read between the lines’ and develop understanding and inferencing (theory of mind)

“Do you see what I see?”: Promoting Social Attention and Understanding

12 Oct 2022, 9am - 12pm (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

  • Move students from ‘Looking’ to ‘Thinking with their Eyes’
  • Understand the active role our eyes play in communication. Eye contact is NOT shared attention.
  • Promote social attention and awareness using eyes to,
    - ‘Check IN’ and monitor self and others
    - Understand and signal expectations and intentions
    - ‘Read the room’ and the hidden rules
  • Help students move from seeing to knowing to thinking.

Help students with special needs manage emotions: Support Strengths, Celebrate Differences

14 Sep 2022, 9am - 12pm (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

  • Understand individual differences and how we interpret 'affect’/ emotions.
  • How do we help students ‘scale their feeling’ to match the moment?
  • Match your affect to the child to support regulation, sustain engagement and expand ideas.
  • Learn visual tools and in-the-moment strategies to help organize emotions, so students can better problem solve and adapt

Support Regulation and Behaviour at home and in the classroom, through ‘Use of Self’

17 Aug 2022, 9am - 4.30pm (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

  • What is (emotional) regulation vs behaviour?
  • Look beyond behaviours: reframe behaviour as communication
  • Embrace and enhance unconventional and non-verbal communication
  • Don’t just manage behaviours but support regulation
  • Regulation through Relationships – learn Co-regulation which leads to Self-regulation

Deciding Intervention for special needs kids with different Social Communication Profiles across the lifespan

29 July 2022, 9am - 12pm (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

Both ‘high’ and ‘low’ functioning kids will continue to need different kinds of support at different stages of their development and life. How do we decide what, when, how much?

  • Teaching to functioning vs diagnostic labels
  • A continuum of social-emotional functioning through a DIR® Floortime and Social Thinking® lens - NDRC types and ST-SCP types
  • Understanding individuals functioning at different levels of the social mind
  • Exploring a continuum of common intervention approaches- what makes a good program?
  • What’s the best program for a child? Tailoring the intervention program to the individual and family

Fundamentals of DIR® Floortime

23 - 24 May 2022 (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

How does a child develop the miraculous ability to love, think, communicate, and create, as well as to have self- control and feel compassion for others? Many child-development theories focus on only one part of this puzzle. This social-pragmatic approach develops a child’s spontaneous interactions, empathic relationships, thinking, creative play and problem solving. These are foundations for all social interactions and mastery of academic skills.

Nurturing Emotional Development and Social Communication at home and school through DIR® Floortime

18 May 2022 (online)

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan, DIR® Floortime Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA.

This introductory 1- day seminar examines how emotions are integral to the natural development of relating, regulation, spontaneous meaningful communication, and learning. This seminar is meant for parents, teachers and educators, who are seeking a relationship-based methodology that goes beyond teaching kids to behave or talk, to helping them to relate and think! It will provide the premise of DIR-Floortime and share basic strategies to enhance social communication.

Social Thinking® Workshops

  • September 9-11, 2019
  • Speakers: Michelle Garcia Winner and Chithra Kathiresan

DAY 1 - Implementing Social Thinking Concepts and Vocabulary: A Day to Develop Team Creativity
DAY 2 - Emotions Part 1: More Than We Think and All That We Feel
DAY 3 - Emotions Part 2: More Than We Think and All That We Feel

More Than Words Parent Program

  • July - October 2019, Weekly sessions

Build your child’s language and social communication through this Hanen parent program. Turn everyday routines into learning opportunities for your child.

You will learn how to engage your child better around games, books, pretend play and peer play. Become a better play partner and coach!

DIR® Floortime Seminar & Workshop

Don’t miss this opportunity! Meet and listen to the co-creator of the DIR® Floortime™ Model, Dr. Serena Wieder, for the first time in Singapore!observation skills and learn to work with fellow 'agents' in teams to accomplish your mission!

  • Seminar (6-7 May 2019) - Embrace the Complexity of Autism and Redefine Potential Across the Lifespan (Speaker: Dr Serena Wieder)
  • Pre-seminar workshop (3-4 May 2019) - Fundamentals of DIR® Floortime™ – ‘A Gleam in the Eye’ (Speaker: Chithra Kathiresan)

Fundamentals of DIR® Floortime

3-4 May, 2019

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan DIR® Floortime Associate Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA

How does a child develop the miraculous ability to love, think, communicate, and create, as well as to have self- control and feel compassion for others? Many child-development theories focus on only one part of this puzzle. This social-pragmatic approach develops a child’s spontaneous interactions, empathic relationships, thinking, creative play and problem solving. These are foundations for all social interactions and mastery of academic skills.

Social Thinking® Workshops

This two-day workshop will help you understand in-depth Social Thinking concepts and frameworks, and implement key strategies and tools at school, center, home, individually or in groups. The workshop promises to be functional and infused with practical take-aways that you can apply immediately. Be prepared for interactive discussions to make learning come to life.

DAY 1 - Social Thinking Across the Home and School Day: The ILAUGH Model
DAY 2 - ZOOMING IN: Strategies for Concrete Learners

Speaker: Chithra Kathiresan

Fundamentals of DIR® Floortime

May 11-12, 2018

Trainer: Chithra Kathiresan DIR® Floortime Associate Faculty and Trainer with Profectum, USA

How does a child develop the miraculous ability to love, think, communicate, and create, as well as to have self- control and feel compassion for others? Many child-development theories focus on only one part of this puzzle. This social-pragmatic approach develops a child’s spontaneous interactions, empathic relationships, thinking, creative play and problem solving. These are foundations for all social interactions and mastery of academic skills.

Play to Narrative Development

January 5-6, 2018

Speaker: Dr Carol Westby

DAY 1 (half day) - Playing to Learn: Evaluating Play in Young Children.
Learn how play develops, how to evaluate play skills, and the reasons for promoting play in education.

DAY 2 (full day) - Telling Tales: Stories in our Social and Academic Lives
Understand the roles of memories, narratives, and life stories in social interactions, self-regulation, and academic performance. Acquire a variety of assessment tools and intervention methods for narratives in children from preschool through adolescence.