Lesson 4

• Mathematics
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)

Element 11

Special Educational needs and Disabilities

Session 4 

[e-mail] 

T - Level in Education and Early Years 

ZE230801

Learning objectives

By the end of the session all learners will be able to:

1. Understand the roles of professionals when supporting Special educational needs.  
   
2.  Explore the importance of ensuring reasonable adjustments are in place for children with disabilities. 
   
3.  Understand the principles of integration, equity and inclusion. 
4. Explore the importance of augmentative speech and alternative communication. 

The Children and Families Act 2014 & SEND Code of practice 2014 influenced the creation of what documents?

1. EHCP'S & Local Offer
2. EHCP's & EYFS 2023
3. EYFS 2023 & Local offer

Supporting different age ranges (0 - 5 years)

• A 2 year old health check with the parent's local health visitor.
  
• A 2 year old progress review completed by the child's nursery educator.
• The reception baseline assessment (RBA)
• The Early Years profile.

All of the above are important health and developmental checks between the ages of 0 -5 years. 

Why are these important?

Supporting different age ranges (5 - 15 years)

• A special learning plan - where support is discussed with NOK. 
  
• Extra support from the welfare team and learning support. 
  
• Opportunities to work in smaller groups if required. 
  
• Observations may be carried out in class by school staff to observe the best support that can be provided. 
  
• Support in class to provide extra help with participating in classroom based activities and tasks. 
• Support using augmentative and alternative communication (facial expression, body posture, gesture, sign language, communication books, tablets). 

Augmentative speech and alternative communication.

(AAC)

AAC means all of the ways that someone communicates besides talking. People of all ages can use AAC if they have trouble with speech or language skills. Augmentative means to add to someone’s speech. Alternative means to be used instead of speech. Some people use AAC throughout their life. Others may use AAC only for a short time, like when they have surgery and can’t talk.

Gestures and facial expressions, writing, drawing, spelling words by pointing to letters, and pointing to photos, pictures, or written words.

High-tech options include things like:

Using an app on an iPad or tablet to communicate and

Using a computer with a “voice," sometimes called a speech-generating device.

A person may use different types of AAC because there are many ways that we all communicate. 

An AAC system means all of the tools of this type that a person uses.

5 minute research task 

In this 5 minute research task I would like you to research:

• What is a Early Health Assessment (EHA)
  
• Why is the EHA beneficial for children and young people?
  
• How will this assessment help professionals to make an assessment together with the child and their family?
  

Principles of SEND integration

Over the years in line with legislation there has been many changes that have occurred to better support children with SEND in education.

The principles of SEND looks at ensuring all children and young people have a positive educational experiences, this includes the importance of making reasonable adjustments.

Principles of integration - Successfully including children with SEND in their environment, considering extra adaptions. 

Principles of inclusion - A curriculum that should offer equal access to curriculum to include an adapted learning environment.

Principles of equity - The curriculum teaching is fair to support holistic development, partnership working with parents and professionals. Following the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

Reasonable adjustments

In line with the Equality Act 2010 it is essential for all educational provisions to have knowledge of how to consider and make a reasonable adjustment for someone with SEND. 

For example: providing staff training on SEND and ensuring they are aware of legislation requirements.

The common misconception with the term 'reasonable adjustment' is educators assume they are eligible to for example: restructure buildings. 

This is not a reasonable adjustment. 

A reasonable adjustment is a change an education provision can accommodate and make. Such as: 1 - 1 support or use of coloured paper.

Example 1

A child has a congenital heart condition and is just starting nursery. 

The nursery along with the child's parents will provide the following: 

• Training to all staff / educators on how to mentor and manage the condition. 
• How to support the child during spurts & intervals of visits to the hospital.

Example 2

A child or young person who has sensory processing difficulties may be given ear defenders too keep out the noise rather than be taken away from his peers to a quite area to work.

• Training to staff is crucial regarding how to include and integrate the child or young person in question. 
  
• Managing the classroom environment tasks to prevent the child becoming over whelmed.

Small groups presentation

We will present next week.

In small groups, I would like you to research the the roles of 4 different professionals who may work with SEND children 

1. SENDco, 2. Teachers, 3. Educational psychologists, 4. Medical practitioners. 

For each of the above research the following: 

1. What is their professional role?
   
2. How can they support children with SEND?
   
3. Involvement in the completion of an EHCP. 
   
4. What legal documents / requirements do they need to be aware of?
   

3 references minimum