An Interview with Karen Goulden

Karen Goulden – CPT3A and DPRW

Karen Goulden currently works as a Specialist Teacher for the Dyslexia Outreach Service, her main area of interest is Dyslexia. Currently based at a secondary school, Karen’s role entails devising support plans for pupils aged 5 to 18 from across Norfolk.

Karen has completed Certificate in Psychometric Testing, Assessment, and Access Arrangements and Dyslexia Professional Report Writing with us, so we caught up with her to see what she had to say about both courses.
 

What made you choose Real Training over other options?

I have completed a range of courses over the last five years, but I find the Real Training courses the most practical and accessible. The layout of their online platform, Campus Online, is easy to navigate. Relevant support materials were available at every stage, and the information was always up-to-date. I also found it easy to monitor my own progress throughout the course, seeing what work had been completed and what was left to finish. This kept me focused and motivated.

What was your experience of learning with Real Training? 

The courses have been very practical and completely related to my line of work. All tasks and assignments were relevant. My tutor was very responsive, and I loved the access to the library and chat forums. It was also helpful to be able to refer to the work of previous delegates for guidance.

How do you think the course will impact your school?

Obtaining my APC will give schools and parents confidence in the reports that they receive. Thanks to my time on both courses, I will also feel more confident about those reports. Furthermore, I have been able to share lots of information from the course with my colleagues, for example; the most relevant tests to use, the length of time we should spend on an assessment, and creating our own assessment framework.

How has the course helped developed you as an educational professional and what do you hope to achieve with the new knowledge/skills in the future?

Completing the course has improved my confidence in the work I do. Secondly, being able to share information with colleagues has led to greater consistency in the team’s report writing. It has certainly made me a more reflective practitioner. I look forward to obtaining my APC, but irrespective of this, my overall understanding in putting together all the elements involved in diagnosing Dyslexia has been improved.