Conductors (Specialists trained in Conductive Education)

The Conductor leads and guides the group, constantly observing each person's performance and modifying the programme and timetable accordingly. The Conductor ensures that individuals strive to achieve their full potential. The positive experience of success is crucial in the creation of orthofunction (Hari and Akos, 1988).

The Conductors:

- Teach parents/caregivers how to assist a child with a motor disorder, how to develop the child's daily routine, how to look after the child and how to communicate with the child.

- Help to set attainable objectives and expectations appropriate to the child's developmental level.

- Help to increase the effectiveness of the family's educational role by supporting the parents/caregivers.

- Promote the child's advancement to higher levels of Conductive Education in school units and mainstreaming in regular school classes where appropriate.

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The Conductor's expectation that the individual will make progress has a very encouraging effect on that person and their parents/caregivers. Eventually the expectations of the children and adults become a powerful motivator, as they begin to realise that they can learn to accomplish and begin to take responsibility for solving their individual problems.

Conductor training was established at the Peto Institute in Hungary, to a degree standard, where study encompasses theoretical aspects such as neurology, anatomy, physiology, psychology and Conductive Education theory. In addition Conductors are trained in practical skills working with a large range and number of people with motor disorders. All graduates qualify in Hungary as both teachers and Conductors. Other degree qualification courses are now offered in England. Conductors practising in New Zealand often liaise and work alongside other professionals working with individuals with a motor impairment.

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