Special Education and Inclusive Learning
Teaching Resources, Sensory Stories and SEND Information
Selecting the ideal nursery for your little one is a crucial decision in your child's early education journey. As a parent, you want to feel confident that your chosen nursery will provide a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment for your child. With numerous options available, it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. This… Continue reading Choosing the Right Nursery for Your Child: Key Considerations
I think I may have found my new favourite book. I have written a lot about the importance of play in learning. I hadn't come across anyone putting forward the arguament as passionately as Peter Gray in his book Free To Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant,… Continue reading Free To Learn: A Child’s Instinct To Play
This post will look at how we can create inclusive activities linked to the communication early learning goals (ELGs). As a passionate advocate for play, inclusion, and neurodiversity in Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), I firmly believe that every child has the right to learn and develop in an environment that values unique strengths and… Continue reading Early Learning Goals, Inclusion and Neurodiversity
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
Heuristic Play and EYFS The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework sets standards for the learning and development of children from birth to five in the United Kingdom. It aims to ensure that children receive high-quality education and care that helps them achieve their full potential. One of the key components of EYFS is play… Continue reading Heuristic Play: Enhancing Physical Development in the EYFS and beyond
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
What is Play? While there are various definitions of play, there is no consensus on its characteristics. Some commonly cited characteristics include enjoyment, focus on process over product, and freedom from external rules. However, even heavily theorized definitions can draw on completely different characteristics. The elusiveness of play's definition has been attributed to its ambiguity… Continue reading Unlock the Potential of Play: Maximising Joy, Learning Outcomes & Play Types
Who doesn't love sensory play to keep their children occupied, off screens and having fun? We have been trying out a range of sensory play activities this year as with 5 children in the house days out can quickly get expensive. This year we have had a few behavioural challenges that we felt were driven… Continue reading Sensory Play With Gelli Bath
A Spooky Sensory Experience. Are You A Monster? Halloween Sensory Story is similar to Are You An Elf? and Am I a Pirate? These are "Dressing Up" Sensory Stories. The idea is that each element of the story will be revealed from a bag or box and worn by the learner, this means these sensory… Continue reading Halloween Sensory Story: Are You A Monster?
How doesn't love a chance to dress up! This pirate themed sensory story is a little different to our others. I have tried to make it accessible to learners who need minimal language and repetition. I have tried to write for the earlier stages of our sensory story progression stages. Pirate Themed Sensory Story This… Continue reading Am I a Pirate? Sensory Story
Shopping for good-quality educational toys can be difficult. There are so many to choose from and the quality varies hugely. We have 5 children between us so have got a pretty good idea of what they have enjoyed at different ages. Working in A special school I am also always on the lookout for toys… Continue reading Magnetic Bird Educational Toy Review
Our Charles Darwin: Voyage of the Beagle multi-sensory story was Written for a Key Stage 4 class. To link with the cornerstones topic “Darwin’s Delight”. There is some quite complex vocabulary so this story fits into our stage 5 immersive storytelling band. I wrote this more for SLD pupils than PMLD but you can adapt… Continue reading Darwin: Voyage of the Beagle Multi-Sensory Story
Easter Activities for SEND Children Easter games and resources are great for use in a number of SEND focused activities. I would use this with a wider age range than they are designed for. This raises questions about how age appropriate each resource an I discuss this issue in this blog. Context in choosing resources… Continue reading Easter Games: 3 Great Toys
Multi-Sensory Stories For Key Vocabulary These two super simple sensory stories cover just one concept each. Hot and Cold. This vocabulary is reinforced by everyday objects that are cold and hot. You shouldn't need any expensive resources and can adapt each line to fit what you have available. Please visit our main sensory story page for our… Continue reading Hot and Cold Multi-Sensory Stories
A Traditional Easter Sensory Story This is my attempt to capture the key themes of the traditional Easter story in the format of a sensory story. Being relatively complex I have had to remove a few elements and reduce some situations to single lines. I have not shied away from the more violent sections but… Continue reading An Easter Sensory Story
Why Developing Child Voice in SEND is a safeguarding priority it is essential you ensure child voice is a top priority in the inclusive classroom. You cannot overstate the importance of providing children with opportunities to demonstrate choices throughout their education. In early years education, this is acknowledged through EYFS documents (Early Years Foundation Stage).… Continue reading Child Voice, AAC, and Safeguarding
Here we have 24 suggested Advent picture books to use in a literacy based advent calendar this Christmas. I like using this level of book as you can easily adapt them for a range of special educational needs. I have used all of these Christmas books either at home or with my classes at school.… Continue reading Awesome Advent Books For Christmas
These multi-sensory Christmas songs take the concept of sensory stories and apply them to traditional Christmas songs. Using a range of sensory stimuli we reinforce the key elements of the songs and bring them to life! To aim is to enthuse our sensory learners and enrich the experience for all those taking part. These sensory… Continue reading Sensory Christmas Songs
A collection of resources to support the transition of children back to school during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. As with all inclusiveteach resources these are free to use and designed for pupils with SEN. I primarily work with autistic pupils and need engaging, simple visuals to aid their understanding. This will be added to over… Continue reading Covid-19: Back To School Resources
Our Spitfire VE Day sensory story forms the third of a collection of sensory stories written to be delivered during the week of the VE day celebrations in May 2020. These have been written with a broader range of needs than some of our other stories. The vocabulary is a little more complex and the… Continue reading Spitfire: A VE Day Sensory Story
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