special education

The Case Against Restraint and Seclusion: Perspectives from Lived Experience and the Neurodivergent Community

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The Case Against Restraint and Seclusion: Perspectives from Lived Experience and the Neurodivergent Community 1

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 … Read more

Teaching Interview Question: “How do you ensure your classroom is inclusive?”

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Teaching Interview Question: “How do you ensure your classroom is inclusive?” 2

How do you ensure your classroom is inclusive? We continue our recruitment and interview tips guide for SEN teachers with a post looking at how to answer the question – How do you ensure your classroom is inclusive?There are many challenges that come with teaching diverse learners in an inclusive classroom. As teachers of SEN, … Read more

Metacognition & Autism: Cognitive Load & Metacognitive Strategies

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Metacognition & Autism: Cognitive Load & Metacognitive Strategies 3

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 … Read more

Getting Pupils to Maintain Attention on Non-Preferred Tasks

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Getting Pupils to Maintain Attention on Non-Preferred Tasks 4

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 … Read more

Teaching Joint Attention to Children: Evidence-Informed Best Practices

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Teaching Joint Attention to Children: Evidence-Informed Best Practices 5

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 … Read more

Psychological Restraint: A Violation of Human Rights?

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Psychological Restraint: A Violation of Human Rights? 6

The Use of Psychological Restraint with People With Learning Difficulties 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 … Read more

The Power of Co-Regulation: A Letter from a Parent of an Autistic Child

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The Power of Co-Regulation: A Letter from a Parent of an Autistic Child 7

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 … Read more

The Joys and Educational Benefits of Messy Play for Children’s Development

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The Joys and Educational Benefits of Messy Play for Children's Development 8

The Benefits of Messy Play Messy play is an essential part of childhood that encourages creativity, exploration, and effective engagement in learning. As parents, we might be tempted to keep our children clean, tidy and presentable, but there is a world of benefits to embracing the mess. From fostering cognitive development to nurturing social skills, messy play has … Read more

Understanding Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder: A Guide for Teachers

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Understanding Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder: A Guide for Teachers 9

Understanding Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder. As a teacher, it is important to recognise that every child is unique. While there are certain commonalities in the needs of autistic individuals. Reactions to sensory stimuli can play a significant role in how engaged in learning a child will be. Reducing sensory overload can improve a child’s … Read more

SEN Teacher: Dual Coding

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SEN Teacher: Dual Coding 10

The Impact of Dual Coding for Autistic Pupils 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 is often overlooked in ITT … Read more

Developing Teacher Expertise in Inclusive Education

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Developing Teacher Expertise in Inclusive Education 11

The Importance of Inclusive Education In today’s diverse classrooms, inclusive education has become a critical component of effective teaching. Inclusive practice refers to the educational strategies, interventions, and adaptations that enable all students, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, to actively participate and succeed in the learning environment. As educators, it is essential to develop … Read more

Best Practice for Communicating with Autistic Children

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Best Practice for Communicating with Autistic Children 12

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 … Read more

Early Learning Goals, Inclusion and Neurodiversity

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Early Learning Goals, Inclusion and Neurodiversity 13

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 … Read more

Sensory Sound Buttons in EYFS: Communication and Engaging play

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Sensory Sound Buttons in EYFS: Communication and Engaging play 14

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 … Read more

Flow State: Applying the Theory in the SEN Classroom

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Flow State: Applying the Theory in the SEN Classroom 15

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 … Read more

Noise Sensitivity: Ear Defenders and Noise Cancelling Headphones for Kids

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Noise Sensitivity: Ear Defenders and Noise Cancelling Headphones for Kids 18

The Best Noise Cancelling Headphones for Autistic Children. Kids ear protection is vital. This post is a follow-up to our main post on Noise Sensitivity. I work with many children with noise sensitivity who use some sort of ear defenders to reduce the noise in the school environment. There are two types of noise-cancelling earplugs: … Read more

Sensory Processing: Noise Sensitivity, Causes and Solutions

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Sensory Processing: Noise Sensitivity, Causes and Solutions 19

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 … Read more

A Quick Guide to Completing a School Leadership Application & Personal Statement

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A Quick Guide to Completing a School Leadership Application & Personal Statement 22

Writing a School Leadership Application that will get you an Interview Completing a school leadership personal statement and application form can be a daunting task. With time invested in preparation and attention to detail, you can increase your chances of being selected for the role. I recommend signing up to the Key for School Leaders … Read more

Preparing for an Interview in a School

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Preparing for an Interview in a School 23

Preparing for an interview for a school can be a daunting experience, but by following these steps, you can ensure that you present yourself in the best possible light to secure the job you want. One of the things we are not good at in schools is facilitating candidates to give the best possible answers. … Read more

Play Your Way to Better Self-Regulation: Tips and Strategies

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Play Your Way to Better Self-Regulation: Tips and Strategies 24

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 … Read more