During my time teaching at an SEN school, I was fortunate to work with many amazing students. Their learning difficulties ranged from: differences in visual and auditory processing, receptive and expressive language skills, as well as their ability to maintain focus.
SEN students often require small-group teaching so that their specific learning needs can first be identified and subsequently addressed through ways that are appropriate for them as individuals. I wouldn’t dream of offering advice on specific students without first observing them in their regular learning environment.
However, there are some general methods that have proved beneficial to all students and particularly those with SEN. Below are a selection of things I offer but if there are areas of teaching and learning you want support in that are not mentioned here, please let me know and I will assess if I am qualified to meet your requirements
Professional development for teaching staff
Bespoke individual and group training. This might include observations with feedback and mentoring to help support members of staff in their professional growth.
Professional development for teaching assistants
How and when to offer support that will be effective for the learner. Using meta-cognitive methods to encourage deeper thinking.
Curriculum support
The three I’s – intent, implementation, and impact. Intelligent curriculum progression, deliberately designed to build on students’ previous knowledge and support them to make deeper conceptual links and improve fluency.
Planning support
Working one to one, or as a planning group, to identify key learning objectives and the different ways these can be addressed through lesson design and teaching.
Strategies to promote deeper thinking in maths
Practical strategies for how teachers can use meta-cognitive methods to support learners to think more deeply.
Variation Theory
While many people associate Variation Theory with the teaching for mastery approach, it is an elegant theory that has been used in a variety of educational fields. My teaching experience has demonstrated to me time and again that it can be an incredibly power tool when working with SEN students. Crucially, if a teacher uses it as an analytical lens to interpret student comments, it can provide them with invaluable information on how that student is thinking.
Learning study
A learning study takes the same format as a lesson study but is theoretically underpinned by Variation Theory. This training involves a series of visits spanning several weeks and offers a great opportunity for teachers to gain valuable experience using Variation Theory to plan, analyse, and refine lessons.
Manipulatives
Manipulatives are not only helpful for kinesthietic learners. Many students, in both mainstream and special educational settings, benefit from being able to ‘see’ the maths and physically interact with it. Visual representations, particularly dynamic ones, can scaffold learning, reduce cognitive load and help embed learning in the long term memory. Various maths concepts ranging from fundamental arithmetic to higher order skills can elegantly be worked on using manipulatives.
Challenging gifted students
Strategies for how the content can be handled to develop and deepen the thinking skills necessary to stretch the most gifted students.
Supporting students
Strategies for supporting students who have traditionally found maths challenging. Making the maths more accessible to them so they enjoy success and achieve their potential.