Lesson 1,
Topic 1
In Progress
1.3 Who are Special Educational Needs for?
SEN refers to children whose needs cannot be met within the mainstream classroom and therefore need a more individualised and targeted curriculum to address the pupilu2019s areas of difficulty.
Studentsu2019 abilities can vary and encompass sensory impairments such as deafness or blindness. In the case of sensory impairments, it may be that educational adjustments are made to provide access to the curriculum, e.g. the use of braille or sign language interpreters.
Learning Difficulties at a Glance
While there are many kinds of learning difficulties that you may encounter in the classroom, this course will focus on some of the most common types that you may find. They include autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia and dyspraxia. However, it is important to familiarise yourself with the many other kinds of learning difficulties not described in this course, to ensure that you are a well-informed professional.
nYou must be prepared to educate all members of the classroom, regardless of their learning difficulties and differences. Indeed, under the SEND regulations, every classroom teacher is responsible for addressing the special needs of their students, regardless of whether they are specialists in this area.
nThe law instructs that all teachers should make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act in order to meet the individual needs of those they teach.
nYou must be prepared to educate all members of the classroom, regardless of their learning difficulties and differences. Indeed, under the SEND regulations, every classroom teacher is responsible for addressing the special needs of their students, regardless of whether they are specialists in this area.
nThe law instructs that all teachers should make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act in order to meet the individual needs of those they teach.
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism is a condition that people are born with. The National Autistic Society estimates that over 1 in 100 people are autistic. Autism is a life-long condition that affects individuals in different ways.
nAutistic individuals have difficulty forming relationships and communicating with other people. They may have difficulty in using language, forming and understanding abstract concepts, show physical signs of repetitive activities, and may need routines.
nAutism can be detected at a very young age, and early intervention is said to be essential to help autistic people manage their condition.
nAutistic individuals have difficulty forming relationships and communicating with other people. They may have difficulty in using language, forming and understanding abstract concepts, show physical signs of repetitive activities, and may need routines.
nAutism can be detected at a very young age, and early intervention is said to be essential to help autistic people manage their condition.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects the way a personu2019s brain processes information and responds to things occurring in their environment.
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nThis can lead to problems with attention span, impulse control, and hyperactivity. People with ADHD are known to be energetic and impulsive, often acting without thinking. These individuals can also have trouble paying attention or sitting still when they need to focus on something specific.
nADHD is genetic; therefore, it is long-term but can be managed with proper medication and therapy.
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nThis can lead to problems with attention span, impulse control, and hyperactivity. People with ADHD are known to be energetic and impulsive, often acting without thinking. These individuals can also have trouble paying attention or sitting still when they need to focus on something specific.
nADHD is genetic; therefore, it is long-term but can be managed with proper medication and therapy.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty involving the ability to match sounds to letters and it is characterised by difficulties with phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed. Dyslexia can affect reading, writing and/or spelling. A trained dyslexia assessor or educational psychologist is needed to make a diagnosis. It is believed that 10% of the UK population may be dyslexic (British Dyslexia Association).
nDyspraxia, a form of developmental coordination disorder (DCD), is a common life-long condition affecting fine and/or gross motor coordination in children and adults. It may also affect speech.
nDyspraxia, a form of developmental coordination disorder (DCD), is a common life-long condition affecting fine and/or gross motor coordination in children and adults. It may also affect speech.
Varying strengths and weaknesses in all children with SEN mean that you may need to make adjustments to the mainstream curriculum.
Your responsibility is to help SEN children progress and learn at their pace. They will need an individual learning plan (ILP), like any other student. This will help you to identify their personal, social and educational objectives. Above all, SEN children, like all children, are individuals whom you have a responsibility to teach and develop, both on a social and an academic level. It is likely that they will need specific help with literacy and numeracy, and you should adapt all your teaching to favour u2018bite-sizeu2019 teaching, u2018one-at-a-timeu2019 tasks, u2018thinking timeu2019, and multisensory teaching methods. Teaching strategies that work for children with special needs work for all children.
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