Special Education and Inclusive Learning
Teaching Resources, Sensory Stories and SEND Information
Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental difference that is characterised by a spectrum, or fruit salad of different elements. These can include difficulty with social interaction and communication. Increasingly this is looked at through the lens of "Double Empathy". You can read more about this in Pia Hämäläinen's book here. However, autism is not a disorder… Continue reading Autism and Behaviour from a Neurodiversity Affirming Perspective
Pre-Verbal Children: What Might Their Behaviour Be Telling Us? I am using the term pre-verbal to encompass pupils who have may be described as non-verbal. Really any child who does not have a communication system that is easily interpreted by others. Understanding the behaviour, or actions, of pre-verbal children can be a challenging yet rewarding… Continue reading Pre-Verbal Children: Understanding Behaviour and Supporting Early Communication
Enhancing Joy and Wellbeing: The School of Joy! Education is the foundation of personal and societal growth. As teachers, it is crucial to ensure that every child, irrespective of their abilities or disabilities, feels included and happy in the school environment. Pupils with special educational needs, often face challenges that can affect their overall wellbeing.… Continue reading Enhancing Joy and Wellbeing for Pupils with Special Educational Needs: Evidence-Informed Approaches
Micro Transitions and Support Strategies for Students with Special Educational Needs For pupils with special educational needs (SEN), the numerous small or micro-transitions that happen throughout the school day can be particularly challenging to navigate. These micro-transitions involve changes in activity, environment, physical state, emotion, companionship and more - and the lack of control or… Continue reading Micro-Transitions and Support Strategies
The Case Against Restraint and Seclusion Restraint and seclusion are controversial practices in the field of behaviour support. Historically, these tactics have been employed as last-resort measures to manage challenging behaviours in individuals with disabilities, mental health issues, or neurodivergent conditions. There is growing opposition to restraint and seclusion. Based on the point that these… Continue reading The Case Against Restraint and Seclusion: Perspectives from Lived Experience and the Neurodivergent Community
Metacognition, or the ability to think about one's own thinking, holds immense potential in supporting Autistic individuals as they navigate the complexities of our education system. By understanding cognitive load theory and the role of metacognition in managing cognitive load, educators and therapists can harness the power of the EEF favourite - metacognitive strategies to help their pupils overcome… Continue reading Metacognition & Autism: Cognitive Load & Metacognitive Strategies
Many children with autism struggle with executive functioning. For these children, initiating tasks and sustaining attention, especially for non-preferred tasks, can be nearly impossible. Many children I have worked with appear to "freeze" and have trouble taking the first step (Mazefsky et al., 2013). Yet once initiated, they are often able to complete tasks or… Continue reading Getting Pupils to Maintain Attention on Non-Preferred Tasks
What is Joint Attention? Joint attention, the ability to share attention with another person towards an object, activity or event, is a crucial skill for social development and learning. For the pupilI work with it is a crucial skill to teach. For some joint attention skills do not develop naturally and needs to be taught… Continue reading Teaching Joint Attention to Children: Evidence-Informed Best Practices
In recent years, we have seen growing awareness regarding the importance of mental health and its impact on overall well-being. As a result, there is an increasing emphasis on understanding the ethical implications of various psychological interventions. One such area of concern is the use of psychological restraint in healthcare, education and other contexts. In… Continue reading Psychological Restraint: A Violation of Human Rights?
The letter below was written by a parent of an autistic child who read one of our recent posts on the importance of co-regulation. Too often our schools can be aversive places for children. As parents and teachers, as humans, we want our children to be happy and fulfilled at school. It should be a… Continue reading The Power of Co-Regulation: A Letter from a Parent of an Autistic Child
Showing Autistic Pupils that Learning Has Value: A Guide for Special Education Teachers Any new special education teacher faces the unique challenge of catering to the diverse needs of your students. I have spent my career supporting Autistic pupils who will require specialised approaches to learning. One of the most important tasks, and one that… Continue reading SEN Teacher: Proving The Value of Learning
Best Practices for Communicating with Autistic Children for ECTS When it comes to education and early years development for children who have a diagnosis of autism, simple techniques and strategies can be the most effective. In fact, we often overlook the basics because we tend to overcomplicate things when communicating with autistic children. In this… Continue reading Best Practice for Communicating with Autistic Children
Sound and Play Sensory Sound Buttons are a type of sensory toy designed to provide children with a fun and interactive way to explore sounds and textures. These buttons are typically made of durable materials and feature a variety of textures, colours, and shapes that are designed to engage the senses and encourage exploration. When… Continue reading Sensory Sound Buttons in EYFS: Communication and Engaging play
What is Flow State? Flow state, as described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, is a mental state of operation where a person is fully immersed in an activity, characterised by a feeling of energised focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. During the state of flow, individuals experience a sense of control over… Continue reading Flow State: Applying the Theory in the SEN Classroom
This post is a follow up to our bigger post on Noise Sensitivity. I work with many children who use some sort of ear defenders to reduce the noise in the school environment. There are two types of noise cancelling ear plugs: passive and active. Passive ear plugs block out sound by creating a physical… Continue reading Noise Sensitivity: Sound Reduction, Ear Defenders and Headphones
What is Noise Sensitivity? Noise sensitivity is a common issue for many people. Studies suggest that anywhere from 30% to more than 90% of individuals with autism experience some form of sensory hypersensitivity or under-responsiveness, with sound sensitivity being one of the most prevalent. One of the most commonly reported sensory sensitivities is sensitivity to sounds… Continue reading Sensory Processing: Noise Sensitivity, Causes and Solutions
Teaching self-regulation skills to children with SEN is a vital part of their education. It also presents real challenges depending on the complexity of their needs. Pre-Verbal children or those with communication difficulties need our constant focus on this. Many of our children have disorganised nervous systems that are always seeking out sensory stimulation to… Continue reading Play Your Way to Better Self-Regulation: Tips and Strategies
One of the most significant challenges for teachers supporting children with a diagnosis of Autism is the development of language skills. This is not necessarily verbal communication. As teachers we seek to develop communication to a point where the child can intentionally communicate with as wide a range of people as possible. Yes - this… Continue reading Developing Communication Skills For Pupils in The Classroom
Today, we're diving into the topic of why a special school is more than just an educational institution, but a vibrant and supportive community. At my school (SEN), we believe that fostering a sense of community is crucial in creating an inclusive and empowering environment for our students. It's important to first clarify the vision… Continue reading How Can Being Part of a Community Improve Wellbeing?
Biting: Don't Just Look At The Behaviour When a child displays a certain behaviour or action it is highly likely to be a response to an interaction or the environment. It may also be indicative of a medical or physical need. Before asking "How can I stop a pupil biting?" it is essential that you… Continue reading Sensory Processing and Biting Behaviour
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