Speakers
Description
An important goal when working with children in an inclusive setting is to maximise communication and social interaction. This workshop is based on research project consisting of a series of collaborative drawing sessions between children with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) and their teachers and/or peers. The findings of the project suggest that collaborative drawing can facilitate interaction and communication between children with ASC and their partners on a cognitive and emotional level. It also helps them develop their drawing skills and enrich their visual vocabulary without any formal instruction. In this workshop we will present Collaborative Drawing Method (CDM), an interactive method of drawing where two individuals draw together on the same surface. The objective of this workshop is to provide the participants the opportunity to apply the CDM with one another, with an ultimate goal to enhance their educational approaches rendering them suitable for all students.
CV
Nefi Charalambous Darden
is a special education teacher working with students with Autism Spectrum Condition for the last 23 years. She is a research fellow and a PhD candidate at the University of Northampton. She was a liaison officer (SENCO) of special education, training associate at the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute and research associate at the Cyprus University of Technology. She is a Project Development Manager and founding member of Autism Praxis Infinity Solutions (APIS) - Non-Profit Organization. Both her doctoral dissertation and her research interests and publications revolve around autism.
Phivi Antoniou
is an artist and educator based in Cyprus. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education Sciences (University of Cyprus) and Fine Arts (University of Nicosia), as well as an MPhil and a PhD in Arts, Culture and Education (University of Cambridge). For the last 12 years she works as an elementary school art teacher and as a part-time faculty member at the University of Nicosia. Since 2016, Phivi Antoniou is the president of the Cyprus Society for Education through the Arts (CySEA).
