SEND- Adapt strategies for teacher training

Training on the importance of adapting lessons

1. 18 th October 2022 'Inclusion is mainly just good teaching‘ (Sobel: 2021) ‘Every teacher is a teacher of special educational needs.’ (The SEND Code of Practice) SEND- Supporting inclusion for all. Sunday, 06 October 2024

2. Behaviour is a form of Commnication  

3. Cognition and Learning Difficulties Specific Learning difficulties (SPLD) – e.g.Dyslexia , Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia Moderate learning difficulties (MLD) Severe learning difficulties (SLD) Profound and Multiple learning difficulties (PMLD) Communication and Interaction Needs Speech language and Communication Needs (SLCN/ SpLC ) Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Social, Emotional and/or Mental health Needs Mental Health Issues Depression Eating disorders Anxiety Disorders Disorders such as ADHD, ADD. ODD or Attachment Disorder. Sensory and/or Physical Needs Vision impaired Multi sensory impairment Hearing impairment Physical disabilities

4. Cognition and Learning Difficulties Specific Learning difficulties (SPLD) – e.g.Dyslexia , Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia Moderate learning difficulties (MLD) Severe learning difficulties (SLD) Profound and Multiple learning difficulties (PMLD)

5. Sensory and/or Physical Needs Sensory and/or Physical Needs Vision impaired Multi sensory impairment Hearing impairment Physical disabilities

6. Inclusion doesn’t have to equal extra workload The EEF's Special Education Needs in Mainstream Schools Guidance report sets out in its foreword: ‘It is tempting to talk about the challenge of SEND as a specific and distinct issue. Yet, far from creating new programmes, the evidence tells us that teachers should instead prioritise familiar but powerful strategies, like scaffolding and explicit instruction, to support their pupils with SEND (EEF, 2020).’

7. 06/10/2024 9 Importance of processing time

8. How difficult very basic tasks are for some students Tracking from the board to the page Replicating a task Reading independently Reading aloud Following multiple instructions Starting a task

9. What can we do? Print out relevant slides for students. Provide model examples / scribe, where possible. Read WITH the students. Check for understanding. Provide ‘safe’ reading opportunities for reading aloud – pairs / small groups / choral reading. Liaise with the TAs. Task boards Sentence starters SOLUTIONS

10. How difficult very basic tasks are for some students Vestibular difficulties – balance and movement Proprioceptive difficulties - the awareness of the body in space

11. Task Follow my instructions How easy was it?

12. Body awareness sitting at a classroom desk- Now think about the child who is sitting at their desk and is required to write a journal entry. For the child with proprioceptive challenges, this can be a task with many “self-checks”: They need to look at their feet to make sure they are under their desk so they don’t get in trouble for almost tripping someone between the desk aisles. They need to make sure they are sitting upright in their chair and that their back is touching the chair’s backrest. They need to hold the paper and the pencil like they were taught. They need to align the paper and the words and then think about how hard to press on the paper, how to make the lines for individual letters, and how to string together letters to make words. What a workout it is just to get settled in and started on a writing task! By now they might have lost several minutes of the writing time and they still don’t know what they are even writing about! Both of these situations happen on an every day basis. For the child with proprioception difficulties, the ability to be aware of their body in space and plan out motor actions is very much a struggle. These kids might appear fidgety, unsure, overwhelmed, clumsy, awkward, uncoordinated, or lazy.

13. What can we do? The proprioceptive system is alerted through heavy work activities that involve heavy pressure, firm sensations, large, forceful motor movements, and pushing or pulling activities. These actions can be calming and organizing. Provide opportunities for students to: Carry piles of books Rearrange furniture Be aware! Allow comfort breaks for those who need them. SOLUTIONS

14. How many students NEED movement breaks A child’s processing skills reduce with tiredness or stress. The more instructions the child needs to process the more difficult the activities are to complete. Stress amplifies sensory issues. The higher the level of stress or tiredness the longer it will take the child to return to baseline. Reducing stress throughout the day can help avoid issues at home in the evening.

15. How many students NEED movement breaks Structured movement breaks have been proven to increase student’s time on task and lead to improved scores in math, reading, and spelling (Dinkel, Lee & Schaffer, 2016). For students with ASD, many of the interventions outlined in literature suggest various forms of structured movement for addressing symptoms (Srinivasan & Baht, 2013; Case-Smith & Arbesman , 2008). Additional literature concludes that regular physical activity breaks improve on-task behaviour during times of instruction (Mahar, Murphy, Rowe, Golden, Shields & Raedeke ; 2006).

16. What can we do? Provide opportunities to move in the classroom: Get up and look at each other’s work Hand out worksheets Put post it notes on the board Find a different partner Recognise when a student needs a break and give them a job to do within the classroom SOLUTIONS

17. How SLCN issues affect interactions This can include difficulties with: producing speech sounds accurately understanding language (making sense of what people say) Following and remembering verbal instructions using language understanding the non-verbal rules of communication 18

18. Have you ever? A student will be hyper-aware of: What you look like Your facial expression Your body language Your tone Your volume

19. What can we do? Speak to students in a calm, safe, respectful manner Avoid shouting Use simple language, with minimum content Providing opportunities for discussions in lessons SOLUTIONS

20. How many students experience sensory overload https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgDR_gYk_a8

21. 5 to 16% of children have some form of sensory processing disorder – ‘children who struggle to correctly perceive the sensory world around them’ (Beck, 2018). In children with ADHD, ASC the prevalence of SPD is much higher than in the general population.

22. What can we do? Avoid shouting around these students Be aware of noise levels and the impact of these Think about ‘busy’ displays / environments Smells Temperature SOLUTIONS

23. High Quality teaching jigsaw. Embed the corner stones. Add the rest Resulting in the middle piece slotting into place. 25

24. SEND Common Barriers to Learning Strategies to Overcome Barrier Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia). Moving print/tracking Spelling/reading difficulties Poor visual discrimination Poor memory, organisation & difficulty with processing information Tiredness Use of visual cues Chunking information Focus on content not spelling errors Use of scaffolding, key word banks, sentence starters, highlighting, headings to structure writing Use of colour backgrounds Alternative methods of recording written information Provide handouts to mirror what is on the board Multi-sensory approach to spelling General Learning Difficulties Difficulties understanding and retaining information Problems acquiring skills to be an independent learner Can become distracted if cannot access learning Ensure reading age of text is appropriate Ask students to repeat instructions back to check for understanding Use of concrete materials/visual resources Provide handouts to mirror what is on the board Differentiate your language Pre teach new vocabulary Utilise timed activities & timed check ins 26

25. SEND Common Barriers to Learning Strategies to Overcome Barrier ASC Sensory issues Difficulties with group work/collaboration Literal interpretation of language Require longer processing time Anxiety Difficulties processing verbal information Need to know what is going to happen Consider seating sensitively Routine, routine, routine Advance notice of changes or different expectations Extra time to process information Sensory considerations Sensitive group for collaborative work & provide students with a clear role Simple, clear verbal instructions Use student’s name to direct attention when questioning Model expected classroom expectations Scaffold written work to ensure expectations are clear ADHD Fidgeting/inattention Difficulty following a sequence of instructions Inability to curb immediate reactions (especially verbally in a classroom) Active breaks Short focused activities Chunk information Visual cues May need discreet ‘fiddle toy’ Active learning strategies Model tasks expected to be performed independently Provide support in the form of writing frames, word mats, relevant classroom displays, and prompts such as a card with ideas for ‘Five things to do if you are stuck with your work’ 27

26. SEND Common Barriers to Learning Strategies to Overcome Barrier Speech & Language Difficulties Difficulty following instructions Problems sequencing information Fatigue due to effort put into learning Difficulty with word retrieval Inconsistent use of social cues Visual cues for following instructions Provision of key words Differentiate language used Post-it notes/highlighters to identify key information Keep verbal instructions simple Chunk information Give short step by step instructions Give directions before a task Think time for responding to questions Scaffold answering verbal and written questions Social Emotional & Mental Health Difficulties (SEMH) Anxiety Difficulty coping with stress/pressure Students easily influenced by others Memory difficulties, storing & retrieving information Inconsistent performance Difficulty with abstract learning Inability to predict outcomes Slow auditory pace Unpredictability Often defeatist - thinking they can’t do things Provision of a safe space Grounding/ calming techniques Follow routines & have clear expectations Clear timed tasks Praise Teach resilience Use of emotional literacy 28

27. Inclusive Teaching Inclusive teaching may be challenging, but it's also a chance for growth and betterment. By doing it right, we can make a significant difference in the lives of the children we teach, especially those needing expert attention. Remember, the core reason most of us became teachers is the holidays to positively shape young lives. Let's focus on the opportunities, not just the challenges.

28. What will you do? What changes will you make to your personal practice to support or SEND students? Post it note SOLUTIONS