Articles linked to SEN (Special Educational Needs) in education and parenting
Transport, Cars and Vehicles Free teaching resources. Here are some of the free teaching resources I have made and used so far for our new Transport and Journeys topic. The Second Transport printable teaching resources post is here. These are the tried and tested ones. Many use widget software symbols. Some are designed as worksheets … Read more
The interactive whiteboard may well be the greatest ICT resource available to teachers today. It can also be the biggest waste of money possible. If used as a display device just buy a cheap flat-screen TV. However, for students with SEN the whiteboard can provide some fantastic opportunities for interaction and motivating activities. There are … Read more
Christmas and the holidays can be a trying time for our young people. Lights and decorations have been up since mid November, Mince pies and decorations were in the shops before halloween and the Coca-cola truck is already on tour.
n my role as behaviour lead at my school I am increasingly interested in the impact of sensory processing on learning, engagement and what we perceive as challenging behaviour. I wanted to find out more so asked some questions of the twitterverse. This is a breakdown of some of the things I was able to take away from the chat.
Research SEN Teachers Should be Using. During an online Special Education discussion I asked: What Research/Journals should those interested in SEND be reading? Here are the top 6 answers for recommended SEND research into special education. Some of these are free to access, others require a subscription. Since this post was originally written the EEF … Read more
The more you get to know the children in your class the better you will become at picking up the signs that something isn’t right. That sentence was easy to write but hard to put into practice because…
What Are The Best SEN Teaching Resources We asked a number of experienced SEN teachers to share the Best Special Education Resources they use in their classrooms. There is a range of high-tech ideas mixed with a good helping of classic hands-on teaching resources. During the discussion, educators shared their innovative approaches towards using various … Read more
I have discussed on many occasions the importance of positive relationships when working with young people. I work with vulnerable student groups, mainly autistic young people, and those who communicate and see the world differently. This relationship dynamic can shape their view of adult to adult and adult to child interactions for their entire lives.
Overwhelmed and Stressed The terminology used for an intense episode of challenging behaviour that may be displayed by Autistic children and young people with learning difficulties can vary wildly according to the ethos and values of those witnessing it. An accepted term seems to be Meltdown (but please correct me if I’m wrong). At school we … Read more
Improved Communication Through Alternative Behaviours Many young people I have taught have found efficient and effective ways of communicating a need or a want at some point in the past. That then becomes their primary way of communicating. Unfortunately, as they grow and develop into young adults, this communicative behavior becomes a barrier to so … Read more
This blog is, and I will say it now – a bit of a ramble, a shambolic collection of half-baked ideas. It was triggered by a recent change in my life that has left me carting carloads of stuff to the tip. Moving boxes to one room to tidy another then back & years’ worth … Read more
Online Safety is essential. This is not up for argument. But what are the risks for children with special educational needs?
Tips for SEN Teachers on Staying Positive. Updated July 2023. This post collates our Top Tips for staying positive, given the current state of the education system Post-Covid these ideas are needed more than ever. Maintaining a Positive Attitude as an SEN Teacher If you work in Special Education (or Education as it should be … Read more
Early Career Teachers (ECTs) – Consider Special Schools when you are Job Hunting. If you are a recently qualified ECT and looking for a teaching post I would urge you to consider working in a specialist provision, whether that be a PRU, special school, specialist unit or residential school. The children deserve your energy and … Read more
Lynn McCann writes this post about developing an effective model for delivering continuing professional development courses. She supports a range of schools and other educational organisations with students with additional needs. Lynn runs a consultancy business, she is definitely concerned about the outcomes of her support on the children. She supplies a lot of free … Read more
When you are a teacher of autistic children, you have a really important role in their lives, you are in a position with responsibility to carry out a task that can impact their wellbeing for life. How often do we question our ability to do this? I don’t mean write a lesson plan. I mean educate a child who processes the world differently to you.
Tips for managing your emotions. Challenging Behaviour: Managing The Emotional Impact on Yourself Part of my current role involves training the new PBS instructors for the county special schools. This is a great opportunity to ensure a consistent approach and ethos towards challenging behaviour between schools. It is also a chance to collaborate and learn … Read more
This is a follow up to part 1 there are a huge number of great SEN blogs with ideas, resources, and inspiration for you to read and engage with. These are just some I have enjoyed reading and wanted to share them with you. Tracey Lawrence – Tweets as @behaviourteach Assistant head, and host of … Read more
The TEACCH Approach: Personalisation not Normalisation One of the main issues I have with labels is the group children with a huge array of skills, interests, and talents together and that leads to approaches to their education that try to suggest it will work with anyone who has that label. I have used the TEACCH … Read more
These blogs are those that I have visited often and found great ideas, positivity or inspiration for my own writing from. Due to the nature of the blogosphere there are likely to be many great blogs I have missed, some great bloggers are reticent to promote their writing. If you know of a great blog please add it to the comments I will be doing a second post later this month.
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