Effective IWB use in SEN

Free SEN teaching transport topic resources

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

7 Tips for an Autism Friendly Christmas

7 Tips for an Autism Friendly Christmas 1

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.

Questions about Sensory Processing Disorder and Behaviour

5 Questions about Sensory Processing disorder SPD

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.

Reflections of Bullying

bullying bully

“These word are real, the students are real and the situation is real” Thoughts and Reflections of a School Bully “Look at him, sat there thinking he’s clever!” These were my thoughts about the boy who sat in front of me. “Watch this” I whispered. I picked up my ruler, which for some reason said … Read more

15 Lesson Planning Myths.

free teaching resources

In some schools there seems to be some rules teachers feel they need to follow. No one knows where these rules came from. The dusty typewritten rule sheet lies on an unreachable shelf in the geography cupboard with the old over head transparencies. So here are some rules that you have my permission to break.

Building Relationships with your Students: 5 Tried and Tested Strategies

free teaching resources

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…

Top 5 Special Education Teaching Resources

Top 5 Special Education Teaching Resources 2

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

Restraint in Schools: The Last Taboo

free teaching resources

Is there anything more distressing and potentially damaging than the moment an adult places hands on a child?

This is a reality faced by many teachers daily. Many are put in difficult situations having to support vulnerable children through crises with limited support from leadership, external agencies or maybe even parents.

Challenging Behaviour: Teaching Alternative Behaviours

free teaching resources

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

Teacher Blogging: 100 Reasons to blog in 2024

Reasons to start an education blog

Why Education Blogging is worthwhile Celebrating 100 Blog Posts: A Teacher’s Journey in Educational Blogging This is my 100th blog post, a milestone that marks 17 months of sharing, learning, and growing in the educational blogging community. Since my first post in March 2015, I’ve explored a diverse range of topics, from lighthearted musings to … Read more

Cluttered Classroom: Organising Teaching Resources

Cluttered Classroom: Organising Teaching Resources 3

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

Tips for Teachers by Teachers on Staying Positive

top SEN blog posts

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

10 Reasons ECTs Should Work in Specialist Provision.

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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

Guest Blog: Developing a CPD model

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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

Autism: Facial Expressions and Interactions

Autism facial expressions

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.

10 Game Of Thrones Quotes For Teachers

game of thrones quotes for teachers

There are some excellent lessons we educators can take from George RR Martin’s epic tale of the fight for the throne of Westeros. Game Of Thrones has some brilliant quotes about Friendship, the struggle against an adversary, loyalty to name just a few. Here is a selection of quotes that you may find apply to … Read more

7 Tips for unwinding after a Stressful day

Special education blog featured images

7 teacher-approved tips for unwinding after a Stressful day Okay so this is a bit of a cheat blog, I have used a twitter chat to crowdsource – (tweetsource?) these tips for you. So we have advice from a range of connected educators all in one place! Here are 7 teacher-approved tips for unwinding after … Read more

6 Apps for Creative Teachers.

SEN Ipad apps teachers

Graphic Design Apps for Teacher Graphic design for teachers, or at least those of us not blessed with artistic talents used to be limited to choosing Comic Sans or Times New Roman for worksheets. Now thanks to the wonders of modern technology we can use a range of tools to create engaging and interesting visuals. … Read more