Adaptive Learning AUTUMN TERM 2021 ISSUE 2
Symptoms of Dyslexia www.dyslexiagold.co.uk
Understanding and supporting SEMH pupils By Sarah Barlow www.headteacher-update.com Drawing on the outstanding work of Adelaide School, a special provision in Cheshire catering for pupils aged nine and upwards, Sarah Barlow offers advice to mainstream schools on supporting students who face social, emotional and mental health challenges.
Click on the below link to view a larger version online. https://dyslexiagold.co.uk/Dyslexia/Symptoms Children with dyslexia have difficulties with some or all of the following: reading, writing, spelling, punctuation, grammar and handwriting. They may also have problems with slow processing, poor working memory, organisation and planning. The most likely reason why children in your class are behind with their reading is due to dyslexia or an eye tracking problem. Failing the UK Year 1 phonics check is also a red flag for dyslexia. Normally dyslexia exists alongside other problems. A lot of children with dyslexia also have dyspraxia (problems with fine or gross motor skills and spatial awareness) or ADHD / ADD (problems with paying attention). However these problems aren’t due to dyslexia, and should be investigated separately. While some dyslexics are very articulate, some also have word finding problems which makes it hard for them to tell you what they’ve learnt. Children with dyslexia are often very bright, and it’s very important both not to judge their ability on their written work, nor to inadvertently patronise and talk down to them because their reading and writing is not what you’d expect from someone of their age.
I moved to Adelaide, an outstanding SEMH (social, emotional mental health) special school, 10 years ago. Concerned that I did not have a “special” skill-set, I set out on a learning journey to discover the secrets behind working with these challenging individuals. In truth, so many of the key elements to working with these pupils are the core principles of all teaching. However, we do need to reflect on some of the things we do...
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Relationships are at the core of all we
do in SEMH education. As opposed to discipline, caring and respecting is what changes the behaviour of pupils. Pupils with SEMH will have experienced challenging relationships at home or in school and learning to trust others is key to supporting pupils to be positive citizens with a desire to improve. Showing pupils that they matter and genuinely emotionally investing in their development makes the most significant difference for them. I believe that SEMH behaviour is mostly about seeking a relationship with adults through attention – so let us make it positive attention! Many pupils with SEMH cannot see beyond the classroom, where they struggle with learning, or the space in the corridor where they work on a one-to-one basis with their teaching assistant. Supporting pupils to embrace different learning experiences, whether that be gardening, creating a sculpture or visiting a local place of employment, helps pupils to see that there is a life beyond their school. It builds the cultural capital of pupils, but also encourages them to develop the belief that there are things “out there” that they can access and that there is a reason to behave today. There can be, at times, little to celebrate for our most disaffected pupils, so noticing the small things is key – that one time we notice that a child did not swear when they wanted to. We celebrate with them and this teaches them that they can get attention for positive behaviour as well as negative. Many SEMH pupils find accepting praise very challenging, so finding quiet ways to praise at first can be key. Giving SEMH children a job to do can be a useful strategy so that you have a way to notice when they get it right.
SEMH is a vast spectrum of need and pupils are very different. We need to understand our pupils and then meet their needs in a responsive, reflective and flexible way. The provision we offer pupils daily has to change to meet the needs of the children in our care. In my experience, sticking to a plan is rarely positive for the pupil or the staff involved. Many of the pupils we work with have rigidity of thought, so modelling a flexible approach teaches pupils that there are other ways to be. If staff battle with pupils with hard and fast rules, the result is often detrimental to all. Much of the work we do in school is about
mental health and emotional wellbeing. For pupils who have coped with chal-
lenging life experiences, it is important for them to understand that their feelings and emotions are normal and valid. There are many more boys in the SEMH population than girls and we are all aware of the statistics around young male suicide and the issues with gangs and knife crime. Improving pupils’ understanding of themselves is key to developing their intrinsic desire to be the best they can be and to make positive life choices.
Conclusion Working with pupils with SEMH is a challenging job. It is hard not to take some of the things SEMH pupils do personally, but it is important to remember that much of their behaviour is not about us, it is about them and their journey. I believe it takes a team approach to support children with SEMH, as well as a sense of humour and a great deal of resilience. Do not ever be afraid to admit that some days feel like mountains and others like ski slopes! Keep the faith that you will make a difference – even if it is in just a little way. 3
Things that every parent of an ADHD child wishes their teacher could know. By Lisa Gridley www.caddac.ca 1. Having an ADHD child is very challenging and we need all the help we can get. Teachers play a vital role in the way that our child feels about himself and we hope that you will do whatever you can to help our child learn and maintain his self-esteem. 2. Just like a blind person needs to learn coping strategies so that he can lead an independent life, our goal for our ADHD child is that together with his teachers and his medical professionals, we will help him to learn the special ways that he can be successful in all areas of his life. These special strategies include things like developing ways to keep organized, be on time, control behaviour, plan and complete work, make and keep friends. This requires consistent effort on the part of his support team, of which you are vital part. 3. All current research emphatically shows that ADHD is not caused by bad parenting. Please be assured that we are doing everything we can to learn and use effective strategies for managing ADHD at home. Research also shows that the more consistent we are in the ways we manage ADHD in the home and school environment, the greater chances for success. 4. Children with ADHD have many talents and strengths: creative minds, curiosity, boundless energy, humour, courage, leadership abilities, physical abilities, stamina and often show amazing gifts in specialized areas like computers, math, music, etc. Sometimes as parents and teachers we tend to focus on the weaknesses rather than the strengths in our aim to change behaviours. As parents and teachers, we need to seek out these strengths and utilize them to help this child be successful in their own way. 5. Unfortunately, our highly structured, standardized education system which requires all students to sit quietly at a desk, listen and do independent work for several hours a day can be the worst possible environment for ADHD children. Although, we understand that we cannot change the system, from or own experiences we recognize the value of learning to understand this condition and how it effects these children. We would be more than willing to work with you to develop strategies, reward systems and any other problem-solving that is required. 6. Please feel free to contact us as frequently and as often as you need to and don’t wait until issues get to a crisis stage. And remember that we would love to hear about positive developments and not just the negative stuff. 7. In turn, we may need to contact you frequently, but rest assured that we will not take advantage of the situation. Please help us by giving us a way to do that. Email could be very helpful for this. 4
8. Because ADHD children often misunderstand social interactions, they quite regularly report events inaccurately. It’s important for you and us to remember that what he tells us about what happened at school or at home may need to be verified to make sure that it is correct before we take any action. 9. A daily communication tool is often helpful but we need it to record progress towards desired behaviours and not report on negative behaviours. Our children will work very hard for much-needed positive reinforcement but will shut down cooperation and effort if they only receive negative feedback. They will not cooperate with either of us if they feel we are only joining forces to share negative information on their behaviour. 10. ADHD is not an excuse for poor behaviour – but it is an explanation. Our child is expected to act appropriately but will need your help and encouragement to learn and practice it. Immediate feedback is important – positive and constructive. Our child needs specific instruction and modelling in this area. If he acts inappropriately, take him aside and tell him that his behaviour was not appropriate, explain why (tell him how it affected the person it was directed at) and show him what he should do instead. Then make sure that you praise him whenever you notice improvement. 11. Homework is an enormous challenge for our child and also for us because he has challenges with organization. Please work with us to develop strategies to help him learn better organization skills. We expect him to work on improving his organization skills and will not accept his ADHD as an excuse for not doing his homework. https://caddac.ca/document/things-that-parents-of-adhd-children-wished-every-teacher-knew/ 5
How to support a Child with Autism in the classroom By Liz Burton www.highspeedtraining.co.uk Autism can present many challenges to a child’s daily life. In particular, it can impact how they engage with their learning at school. Your position as a teacher gives you the perfect opportunity to help them overcome these barriers and get the most out of their education. This article will discuss some practical, effective ways you can do so.
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Establish a routine with them. The world is often a confusing and anxiety-inducing place for autistic children. This is why they find great comfort in a predictable and stable routine. Fortunately, the structured nature of school is perfect for this, but you need to find a way to make their daily routine clear to them. Placing images and simple words on a timetable, to describe the activities and transitions in the child’s day, provides a visual aid and can give the child a sense of security. 6
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Consider the learning environment. Many children with autism experience what’s known as sensory sensitivity. This may cause them to have intense positive or negative reactions to sensory stimulation. So, a useful and simple step you can take is making the classroom environment less overwhelming for them. As every autistic child is different, you will have to learn what their individual sensitivities are. Observe how they react to hearing certain sounds or touching certain fabrics, and see if their parents or carers can offer input. Then, do what you can to remove or reduce any stimuli in the environment that causes them anxiety. Manage changes and transitions. Because an autistic child’s routine is crucial to their comfort, changes and transitions can be incredibly overwhelming for them. Changes are often unavoidable and even necessary in school, but the good news is that you can alleviate the anxiety they induce by preparing the autistic child beforehand. For example, if you are planning to change classrooms in a week, take the child to view it a few days in advance. Show and give them pictures of it for them to look at until the day of the change. Attaching some predictability to an unexpected task in this way can help it feel less daunting for the child and gives them time to mentally adjust. Communicate clearly. Although it varies from person to person, autism can impact a child’s ability to communicate and interpret meaning. This is why you need to carefully consider all the words you use and how you structure your sentences. Avoid complicating them with metaphors and rhetorical questions. Keep them simple and direct.
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Integrate their interests. One of the many things that make autistic children unique is how they can form highly-focused interests. Whether it’s roller coasters, electronics, unicorns, or a certain period in history, these interests can all be used as gateways to learning. All it takes is some creativity and commitment in your lesson and homework planning. For example, if you know that their interest is unicorns, integrate words and pictures related to them in maths problems and spelling exercises. Work with their parents/ carers. Parents and carers are the true experts on their autistic children. To fully support the child in and out of school, you should therefore coordinate and share knowledge with them. Both of you can suggest interventions that have worked at home or in school for the child and can integrate these into their routine. Not only will building a relationship benefit the autistic child, but it will also help the parents and carers feel at ease about their child’s education. Build your resilience. Even when you think you’re doing everything right, teaching an autistic child can still be testing. Here are some simple things to repeat to yourself daily, particularly when things get tough. Building a relationship with autistic children is not something that happens overnight. It takes time, dedication, and patience. Every mistake you make is valuable feedback for figuring out what works. You won’t always get things right off the bat and, ultimately, autistic children are still children, who can be a handful even at the best of times. Most of all, autistic children are not difficult on purpose. They are doing the best they can with their worldview and the support they have available. 7
KES Curriculum Support Team For more information about anything covered in the magazine, or general information about learning support, please contact: King Edward VI School SENDCO Mrs Ramshaw znr@kes.hants.sch.uk