Gillian Bird
BSc (Hons) Psychology, PGDip (Information systems
Roles
- Director of Education and Information Services
-
Management of Training courses and services
-
Practice Editor, Down Syndrome Research and Practice and
Down Syndrome Online
-
Management of Down Syndrome Topics and Educational resources online
-
Management of AdviceLine and Advice Days
Responsibilities
Gillian's primary responsibilities include
education, training and publishing with editorial
oversight of practice content submitted for
publication in
Down Syndrome Research and Practice and
Down Syndrome Online. Gillian’s areas of
scientific expertise include educational practice
and inclusion, social skills and behaviour, number
and mathematics, and reading, writing and literacy
teaching.
Current project involvement
Education projects
- Down Syndrome Issues and Information
- Down Syndrome Topics
- Down Syndrome Activities
- See and Learn
- Down Syndrome in Practice
- Educational resources online
- Training courses and services
- AdviceLine
- Advice Days
- Early Development Groups
Research projects
Background
Originally from Dorset, Gillian studied
psychology at the University of Reading from 1978 –
1981. She worked in specialist education services
for children with severe learning difficulties and
challenging behaviour in Berkshire, Hertfordshire
and Lancashire from 1981 until she joined the Trust
in 1985.
Gillian first worked with Sue Buckley on a
project teaching reading using computers to children
with Down syndrome as part of a postgraduate diploma
in information systems completed at the University
of Portsmouth in 1984. From 1985 she worked as a
research assistant and later as a research associate
when she investigated the development of language
and reading skills with children aged 5-9 years, at
a time when children with Down syndrome were
typically educated in special schools for children
with severe learning difficulties. This changed
rapidly from 1986 and Gillian became actively
involved in the education of children in fully
inclusive mainstream school placements, including
writing a book on this topic in 1994. She has
continued to work in this field and has contributed
to the development of inclusion and education for
children with Down syndrome through training,
publications and consultancy.
Gillian has been involved in many of the Trust’s
research activities and has acquired knowledge and
expertise about the needs of children, families and
schools through the unique research and practice
opportunities provided by the Trust. She co-wrote
the Trust’s Down Syndrome Issues and Information
education series of books and led the Trust’s Early
Intervention Services for many years. She continues
to lead the Trust’s advisory services. She is
interested in all aspects of the development of
children with Down syndrome, including that of
children with more complex needs and atypical
development.
Gillian lives in Portsmouth. Outside of work she
enjoys family life with her teenage son and
daughter, who are both studying at local colleges of
further education.