The student was born with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), which can disrupt thinking processes, concentration, and memory. Typically, a FASD child will also present with social and emotional difficulties, including difficulties with impulse control, hyperactivity, and social interaction. These may coalesce to make learning in a social learning situation challenging to the student, other learners, and teachers.
He began his secondary education at a large, comprehensive school in Hackney. His parents became concerned about his increasingly erratic behaviours at home, while there was little evidence of successful learning taking place at school. There were also concerns about safeguarding. Parents and the school, supported by an educational psychologist who observed and assessed the young man in situ, came to the view that the school was unable to meet his needs.
SENsational Tutors was asked to provide tuition until a more appropriate educational setting could be found. Tutor John worked with the lad for six months, for six hours per week, focusing on literacy skills, as part of a specialist tutoring team.
The student’s academic, social and emotional development had been negatively impacted by his experiences at mainstream school. To counter this, John devised a bespoke and highly-detailed scheme of work to address the young man’s language difficulties – including reading, spelling and ‘coding’ and ‘decoding’ words, among many other things. They also worked on matching sounds and symbols, word-building and syllables.
John allowed the student some control over what was studied and the pace at which he proceeded, taking the boy’s interests into account. Because the texts they studied were tailored to the young man’s interests and capabilities, John was able to ‘stretch’ him beyond his comfort-zone, expanding his social skills and critical thinking at the same time. Together, they also worked on improving executive function, cognitive flexibility, retrieval practice, and processing information.
John found that the student did want to learn, and that he responded positively in a one-to-one situation when the work he was given was presented in a way that was manageable and appropriate.
The youngster responded well to a multi-sensory approach and was prepared to try some strategies beyond his strengths. When looking at the work he’d completed during his last session, the student remarked that when he’d been at mainstream school, the only thing he’d done was to write the date at the top of the page.
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FASD Awareness Day is next week on the 9th of September. This neurobiological condition is caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol. FASD, (Foetal Alcohol Spectrum
Young people with FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) may encounter a range of challenges, such as: Difficulties with learning Delays in speech Excessive energy Concentration
Even if you haven’t heard of the term ‘FASD’ – Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder – you’re probably aware that drinking alcohol while pregnant isn’t good
