Special Education: Life beyond school
f teaching is a vocation then working in the field of special needs is a calling.
Top Tips for an SEN NQT
It is that time of year when trainee teachers are finishing their placements and looking for a school to begin their teaching career in. I hope some of you consider moving into the SEN sector. It is a great opportunity to build so many essential skills. It is also a great way to get to know the child behind the label, behind the stereotypes and textbook generalisations.
NPQSL: Final Project
I want to share my project. Examples online are few and far between. I have had to redact some parts and evidence for obvious reasons and being an SEN provision my focus is unlikely to be the same but I hope the content and style should give you some pointers. All I ask is that you take the time to share Inclusiveteach.com with your colleagues.
An Aspie Author’s Journey into Sharing her Imagination with the World.
I want to thank Elizabeth Jade for contributing this post on her journey into publishing her first book to Inclusiveteach.com. Please support Elizabeth by sharing her story widely and consider buying a copy of Akea – The power of destiny.
Essential Sensory Resources
Many “Sensory” resources can be created from free or existing material, bubble wrap, packaging foam, a little dot of oil on a radiator. Food is easy and usually cheap, rainbow rice or spaghetti. I am a fan of getting outside, feel the breeze, listen to the waves (my school is just above the beach). Sometimes you want something a bit different. These can be used in a sensory room or individually to encourage calming or even concentration. I would love to hear your ideas as well.
Engaging the failed Autistic Learner.
this post is specifically focused on strategies that may be effective for autistic children. This post draws heavily on the work of Damian Milton from who’s writing I have learnt so much from over the last year or two. This booklet has particularly shaped my approach to teaching. Most of these strategies are really just aimed at reducing stressors throughout the day. I would like to stress these are interpreted through by teaching experience and context is very important.
Why is Inclusive Education Essential?
Inclusive education is at the heart of education thinking in the UK but seems constantly challenged by policies such as Zero Tolerance behaviour and spending cuts that remove the support so important for our children to thrive in school.
Inclusive teacher: Engaging the failed child.
I am aware this blog is quite niche to special education settings but I hope teachers from all settings will be able to find use for these suggestions.
6 Awesome ways to engage reluctant learners.
In this post I am classing reluctant learners as those who often do not finish tasks, they may do the minimum to get by or even flat out refuse to take part. As inclusive teachers we constantly have to be mindful of the drivers of the child’s behaviour. The key to creating engaged learners is to know the child and the barriers they face. Some issues may go deeper and require additional specialist support. A class teacher dedicated to engaging their students can have a huge impact on the students experience of education and their outcome in life. Engaging learners is as much about emotional confidence as intellectual propensity so make that bond and enable all to achieve
Making your classroom Inclusive for all learners: Approach
This is part two of our post on making sure your classroom is accessible to all learners. Part one looks at making the environment right for all learners. This post looks at the essential human aspect that changes a room into a learning space that your children want to be in. Remember the biggest influence […]
Making your classroom better for all learners: Environment
The importance of an inclusive school learning environment Every student, whether in special schools, an alternative provision or general education classrooms has a dream inclusive classroom. This utopian learning environment will be different for every learner. Some learners may need wide-ranging adaptations requiring specialist input. There are some common environmental adaptations we can all make […]
Stranger Things quotes for teachers.
Sometimes things in the world get a little too much. Time for another quote based post This time from Stranger Things.
Sibling relationships in Neurodiverse families
The interactions, bonds and relationships of a family unit are so diverse that what may help one family will insult another.
13 Questions to ask to ensure you are an inclusive school.
This is blog post is primarily school-based and SEND focused, but can any education or care setting that strives to be truly inclusive should be able to use this as an environmental and relational approach based checklist or simple inclusion audit tool. Before you start looking at strategies or labeling a child’s actions as challenging […]
The Mental Health crisis facing our most vulnerable children.
There are many many children out there who are crying out for help. There are many dedicated, enthusiastic, creative and compassionate people who are desperate to help. These people need help, we are increasingly facing highly complex issues that very few educational professionals are equipped to deal with. I am writing this as a teacher but I know there are CAMHS workers, social workers and support staff throughout the country who are feeling like this.
Creating an inclusive recruitment process.
If you have a recruitment crisis in your sector you work to encourage people to join that industry not make excuses for why the barriers exist.
Recruitment: 100 SLT/Headteacher Interview Questions.
These are purely a bank of questions you might face in interviews for leadership positions in schools and colleges. You may also like to use them if you are about to interview. Good luck!
Essential Star Wars Toys for Inclusive Teachers
Seeing as my most popular post is Star Wars quotes I thought why not tap into the force and write a post on Using star wars toys, games and lightsabers in the classroom. All these have links to the products but my favourite way to gather resources is to ask fellow Jedi teachers/friends to remember my little rebel alliance when having a pre-Christmas clear out.
Inclusive Teacher: My Little Worry Book
I needed something quick and simple to support a young student through a difficult time. She was very reliant on staff to support her with very little idea ways she could help herself without getting overwhelmed. Her actions suggested she needed some prompts to think of ways to ask for help.
People that help us: Printable Resources.
Free Printable SEN teaching resources focusing on firefighters and people who help us.