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RETURNING TO SCHOOL AFTER DISTANCE LEARNING: IMPLICATIONS FOR PUPILS WITH ADDITIONAL LEARNING NEEDS BY: GINETTE MOORE
a long time at home. After spending a lot of additional time with their parents and caregivers, pupils of all ages may experience separation anxiety.
Access to therapists and other professionals
During the distance learning period, pupils who usually accessed ABA, psychotherapy, physiotherapy, occupational and speech and language therapies, may have had these provisions severely reduced, stopped altogether or only available online. Pupils who had been identified as needing an assessment to establish whether there are any additional learning needs may not have had that assessment.
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020 brought unexpected challenges for families across the world as they suddenly found themselves effectively home-schooling their children for many months due to school closures. Some families relished the extra time together that working from home and home-schooling provided; however, for those with children who have additional learning needs, there were further difficulties. What do school leaders and teachers need to consider as they prepare for the return to school in the new academic year? Each child and family are unique. Their experiences over recent months vary according to many factors, including their domestic and financial situation, quality of distance learning provision and their child’s ability to access the specialist teaching and therapies that enable them to reach their potential. For many, it has been a period of extensive isolation, curtailed freedom and cancelled travel plans. While at first, a brief period of distance learning was envisaged, for schools in many areas, this quickly became the remainder of the academic year. This has brought both benefits and disadvantages, which differ for each family and student. Some families
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Term 1 Sep - Dec 2020
found that the situation gave them an insight into their child’s difficulties in learning that they wouldn’t otherwise have had. As we have recently returned to school, there are many points to consider, as school leaders, teachers, parents and pupils.
Transition
Pupils have missed out on the inschool transition process, which could lead to worries about their new teacher, class, classmates or school. Even schools that tried to negate this may have found that the goalposts have since been moved as local regulations changed, leading to revised allocations of staff and rooms and fewer pupils per class.
Anxiety and school refusal
There are many reasons for pupils to be anxious. They may have lost loved ones to COVID-19, as well as being fearful of catching it themselves. Couple this with impending transition, unfamiliarity with new processes and staff and the possibility of a second wave and/or a return to distance learning. Pupils who already found it difficult to attend school may struggle with the return to campus after such
Class Time
Sensory needs
Pupils with autism, sensory processing disorder or other sensory needs will be exempt from wearing face coverings, but may still wish to do so, or it may be parental preference. They may dislike using hand sanitising gel. For those who experience sensory overload in a school setting, distance learning may have provided welcome relief and leading to dread at returning to the classroom.
Medical needs
Pupils with medical needs may require continuation of distance learning rather than returning to school. If they also have additional learning needs, it is imperative that their needs are fully met despite them not attending school.
Has the gap narrowed or widened?
Some pupils with additional learning needs have flourished during distance learning due to the individual attention from parents/caregivers and specialised, differentiated teaching from their class teacher and inclusion department. Some will have learned new IT skills, improved their ability to manage their workload, organise tasks and gather resources. This is not the case for all, and others may have had
