Talking Mats – Me and My Senses Foundation Training

A training pathway for people who want to achieve Talking Mats Certification with a central focus on sensory issues. Me and My Senses is available regardless of your level of sensory integration training. It will help you gain an individual’s voice of their ‘lived’ sensory experiences, needs and challenges.

Providing an alternative route to becoming Talking Mats Trained for those whose primary interest is sensory processing. The level of certification gained is exactly the same as for the ‘standard’ Foundation training. It is the first of many planned adaptations to Talking Mats training to cater for specific interests. Course delegates will receive a ‘Me and My Senses’ set of resources as part of the course fee.

Talking Mats’ framework supports holistic, person-centred planning and practice by ensuring an individual’s voice is heard. Above all, the approach helps a person’s understanding, reflection, and expression while providing a framework that supports decision-making. This can be used in line with legislative and policy frameworks.

People working across a wide variety of sectors, (e.g. health, education, social care, and justice), use Talking Mats to support the children, young people, and adults they work with to talk about their experiences, views, and feelings.

Delegates attending this course receive a downloadable manual and example resources to support their learning on the course. There are options to purchase card resource packs and bundles, mats, and the digital Talking Mat as required. Resources are available to purchase at a significantly reduced rate for people who have completed their Talking Mats Foundation Training.  As registered Talking Mat’s users, people who have completed this course will also gain the ability to access Talking Mats advanced resource packs and training options.

Course Times

For a list of course dates and times please go to the Booking page

Please book your place here or alternatively, you can contact us if you are you would like to:

• Book four or more courses (we can offer you a discount)
• Make a block booking for a group
• Book a closed course

Session 1 (2.5 hr Zoom)

• What is a Talking Mat?
• The Talking Mats Process
• Research Evidence
• Who Can Use Talking Mats?
• Impact of Talking Mats
• Preparation for Session 2 Assignment

Session 2 (2.5 hr Zoom)

• Session 2 Assignment – Reflection
• Thinking about Topscales​
• Digital Talking Mats​
• ​Planning your own Mats​​
• Preparation for Video Assignment

Session 3 – reflection session (1 hr Zoom)

• Video presentations
• Supportive reflection with your tutor and peers
• Next steps: Registration, Licensing, and Network opportunities

This course is suitable for: Learning Support Teachers, Local Area IASS, Occupational Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Students, Physiotherapist Assistants, Physiotherapists, Physiotherapy Students, Returners to Speech and Language Therapy, SEND Professionals, Specialist and Advisory Teachers, Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs), Speech and Language Therapy Assistants, Speech Pathologists, Teaching Assistants

This course is presented Virtual Live – Online over Zoom

This course is available on various dates throughout the year. To view available course dates and book your place click here.

During the booking process, you can select to reserve a place instead (while you confirm you can attend or to organise payment through your employer for example). We can hold your place for up to four weeks, if we have not heard from you after this time, we may need to cancel your reservation so other people can attend the training.

Course Beetle is an approved supplier for NHS Trusts, Local Authorities and Schools.