Ayanna

My experience teaching young people with PDA : My reflective and intuitive approach has led me to understand some core needs and strategies to help children and young people with PDA thrive. I have a flexible approach and am able to adapt constantly within my practice to offer a balance of boundaries, choice and control. The foundation is built upon developing rapport, trust and confidence and this allows for needed collaboration and communication to take place. I remain calm and controlled in my manner and communication and offer space and understanding during emotional dysregulation. Careful use of visuals support processing needs and reduction of language use when necessary. It is very important for children and young people to have their expressed needs recognised. The need for autonomy is communicated in a variety of ways. In my continually developing practice, I aim to respond sensitively and proactively.

My approach to working with children with SEN including ADHD, ASD (autism), speech and language needs, DCD and other needs: My approach is centred around nurturing and developing their self-esteem and confidence, to realise their full potential. As a fully qualified teacher, with over 13 years of experience teaching children from the ages of 3 to 13, I have a proven track record for raising standards in Reading, Spelling, Writing and Maths, through the use of innovative and interactive teaching methods. I am currently in role as a SENCO and am responsible for mapping, guiding and facilitating an accessible curriculum and bespoke provision for a range of needs across a growing Primary school. I am also preparing to undertake the National Award for SEN Coordination, as well as a lead practitioner for Mental Health and wellbeing. I advocate for children and their families, to ensure that they receive the resources and support they require and the opportunities to succeed that they deserve. My subject specialisms are Phonics, English and Maths, as well as having further expertise in supporting mental and emotional health needs.

My specialist experience teaching students on the autism spectrum ASD and or ADHD: I have worked with students on the autism spectrum and with ADHD for over a decade, across a range of settings. Each experience has naturally been unique and added to my knowledge, understanding and skills in delivering specialised teaching. I believe that the greatest of these is undoubtedly my natural ability to build rapport and relationship, taking special notice of small details, so that my approach can be truly student centred. During this time, I have also supported the development of numerous EHCP and Individual Education Plans, utilising my understanding of identifying key targets to maximise student development. My job remit as SENCo includes leading a designated SEND team, who I work closely alongside to support the wider teaching staff in identifying the most effective approaches to making the learning within their classrooms inclusive and accessible to neurodivergent students. I also advise and advocate for parents in developing their tools and approaches outside of school as a bridge to support the home-school transition, appreciating the need for a balance of separation and parity between the two.

My specialist experience providing fun sessions to help students engage in learning: Student engagement is at the heart of my teaching style. I pride myself on making learning an experience that is fun and memorable. My approach is creative, personable, charismatic and adaptive, with a focus on meeting each student exactly ‘where they are at’. Conventions in learning can be so limiting. I believe that learning can take place in many forms and embrace alternative approaches to the learning process.

My experience developing social interaction/ friendship skills: Social skills are transferable. The key is clear modelling and opportunities for practice and exploration. In a real-life context, interactions will not always happen in the way that is desired or expected. Social stories help with the processing of expected and unexpected outcomes. I like to use play and games to explore turn-taking, rules, fairness, resilience and emotional regulation. This is managed carefully and developed gradually as the trust and familiarity with the relationship grows.

My specialist experience teaching Maths: I have a wealth of experience teaching maths to children from the EYFS stage through to KS3. I am passionate about demystifying the subject of mathematics and providing my students with the tools, guidance and practice to excel, through correcting mathematical misconceptions and miscommunications. I teach children a concrete understanding of key number concepts and recall of key number facts, which equips them to overcome many pre-existing barriers with confidence. I strongly believe in the use of visuals, manipulatives and interactive learning aids when solving mathematical calculations and problems, as well as to scaffold the development of reasoning skills and problem-solving strategies. Mathematical ideas are fixed, whilst the ways that they are perceived remain very individual. For this reason my teaching remains fundamentally child-led and this approach has impacted the progress of my students with SEN significantly.

My specialist experience teaching English comprehension, writing, spelling, and working with reluctant writers: I have always had a passion for the art of literacy and enjoy sharing this with those I teach. Reading is a life skill and the most integral aspect of learning across all subjects. Most importantly, reading skills are far more than decoding words on paper (or screens in 2023). I love to share my enjoyment of reading by exploring a range of text types with my students. There is a wealth to explore and enjoy and identifying those that resonate is a magical key that can be used to unlock all aspects, including phonetic understanding, spelling skills and oracy, as well as reading comprehension. In addition, the parallels to writing cannot be overlooked. I am a strong advocate for the use of talk and visuals in the development of reading and writing. I am experienced in utilising a range of creative stimuli from student’s main interests to Lego, images and video, music and video games. I am also trained in delivering both the Read Write Inc. and Monster Phonics reading programs and have used these skills alongside my wider experience to teach and develop reading, writing and spelling skills to children from the ages of 3 to 11. Through these methods, I have successfully developed interest and enjoyment within the subject of English for both reluctant readers and writers.

My specialist experience teaching students with memory processing difficulties, anxiety and of building self-esteem, confidence, and independence: I believe that confidence is at the heart of academic progress and attainment. I have witnessed so many examples where mindset overrides ability. By pouring belief, motivation and unwavering confidence into the students that I teach, I have a unique ability to unlock hidden, undiscovered and unrecognised potential. Activities are carefully planned to offer a combination of tasks that are broken down carefully using a scaffolded approach, whilst gradually introducing ever increasing levels of challenge. In addition, all planning revolves around the concept of the spiral curriculum, allowing for regular review and revisitation of key ideas within subjects and topics – with the aim to gradually build upon and so deepen their understanding. This method and approach has been proven to be effective as it reflects the natural learning process. This has been particularly successful for students with memory processing difficulties.

My skills and experience supporting students in collaboration with their schools: Multi-agency support is essential in effectively and adequately meeting the needs of learners. My program of support and teaching will always aim to further develop and reinforce strategies and approaches that are already in place within schools. In my experience, the most effective provision is collaborative practice. Specialists will provide specific guidance, training and strategies to support learners within their particular area of need. Teachers are experts in adapting and incorporating these strategies to meet individual needs, but feedback and information develops this practice. Clear and consistent lines of communication between all parties, including specialist external agencies, is essential when working to achieve the best outcomes for children.

My specialist experience supporting students with transitions (e.g. to new schools and environments): I feel passionate about the importance of the transition process, whether at the end of the academic year; from primary to secondary education; part-time to full-time timetables; alternative provision; and also mainstream to home education and vice versa. It is important for learners to be prepared adequately in order to continue in their progress and accomplishments. Working as SENCo and Teacher within school, I have visited various settings and worked alongside other educational professionals to support learners and their families in transitioning successfully between learning environments. I have experience in implementing numerous tools and strategies to support the transition process, including the development of emotional literacy and regulation techniques.

My specialist experience teaching EAL students: The process of acquiring a new language is universal. Children learning English as an additional language have the benefit of already knowing what words are, conceptually. Exposure, modelling and practice are key. I focus on the development of vocabulary within familiar contexts as a bridge to expanding language acquisition.