Jane

Autism expertise

I understand that an autistic young person’s view of the world can be very different to other people; their world can be seen very literally by comparison, and that a learning activity needs to be delivered in smaller sections as it is not always easy to recall a given sequence of tasks. Such children frequently socially interact in a specific way, and require a lot of empathy regarding their emotional needs.  I have gathered a lot of experience in teaching autistic children, particularly in English, focusing on their functional, communication and social skills.  Lessons have been geared towards helping pupils easily access tasks, whilst gathering confidence and independence, alongside learning all areas of the language as set out by the national curriculum. Lessons can be a mix of fun, interactive, hands-on, indoor/outdoor or academic, depending on the specific bespoke timetable designed for the child.

Learning with Anxiety

In today’s culture especially, learning with anxiety is increasing. I have the most experience in this field of SEMH. To give a case study of one child with whom I work, initially they were so anxious I could not go in the same room as them. Sessions began as a 10 minute interactive period with me sitting in the hallway adjacent to the room where the child was, with the door closed. A month later the young person was able to come downstairs where I was in the lounge and the child stood my the doorway to talk to me. After another 2 weeks, the student was able to sit on one sofa with me on another and we began the learning process. I still teach this student and have done for 2 years. They are progressing exceptionally well. Anxiety remains a part of their life but it is reduced and manageable.

I have taught many children who have concentration issues whilst working,  and have used many effective strategies that would lift, encourage and motivate them whilst keep them on task. I currently work with children with these challenges. Such difficulties need to be targeted continually, but with empathy and understanding, using variable approaches, that are appropriate for the particular child. Through working in this style I find I have the opportunity to learn about the child I am with and what works for them. This in allows a solid, trusting relationship to grow as they grasp I am on their page and am working specifically with their individual needs.

Working with students with a PDA profile

I have worked with children with a PDA behavioural pattern, and understand the necessity to paraphrase questions and ensure language is directed appropriately so that it does trigger any anxiety.  Before an initial lesson, I would hope to find out as much as possible about how a child’s PDA impacts on them, as every situation is different. Adaptability is very important for the role of tutor with a PDA student, and I would be mindful of not setting up a rigid structure during lessons. I know that autonomy for them is crucial so it would be my intention to provide that as fully as possible.

Working with a diagnosis of ADHD

I am acutely aware that learners with such a diagnosis have a shorter concentration span. As such I would create a plan with short achievable targets at each stage, allowing for any longer-term projects to be split into manageable segments. I would take care not to overload a student with information, and build a timetable with regular changes to ensure variation and the opportunity for relaxation and/or “down” time when needed.   I would seek to discover a student’s strengths, and the way in which they can best access information, and build a curriculum from that point. I would always continually liaise with the parent/carer to ascertain their view of how things are progressing with the plans I have created, and tune into their advice re where to go next.

Teaching Primary English

Teaching English is my passion. I have worked as an SEN English teacher both in and out of school for 30 years. I know every key stage of the curriculum and have a complete awareness of all skills that should be acquired.  I have vast English Lang and Lit teaching experience to both mainstream and SEN children and have endless options of lessons that I can deliver that can all be tailored to suit a child’s needs. I am confident to adapt all work schemes and teach English  to those with ADHD, Autism, PDA, working memory challenges, organisational difficulties,  anxiety, self esteem issues, and sensory processing difficulties. My approach is to adapt to the pupil’s needs, modify lesson plans as I gather an understanding of the young person and structure the curriculum according to what I feel is required in order to create a bespoke plan for that particular student.

My experience teaching maths

I have taught maths to Functional Level 1, working towards different exam boards including City & Guilds, Open Awards and  NCFE. I have an entire programme of maths Functional Skills that are based on the current past papers available online.

My experience teaching maths to primary school pupils is extensive, having worked with many children in primary school with maths challenges. I would always use scaffolding techniques with every task set, ensuring that activities are modified and broken down into smaller sections, initially with no time limit placed on the completion of a task. Once I became more familiar with a student’s skill set, I would slowly build in a time expectation for the completion of work. I would aim to use hand held maths resources in every lesson to assist use of motor skills. I also feel that the familiarity with the use of mathematical equipment would assist the development of overall maths skills and maths language.

Ability to work with students with trauma and social and emotional mental health challenges

Having experienced many SEN settings I have a great empathy with pupils who are experiencing differing levels of mental health issues. I have spent time working with traumatised children and teenagers and realise that sometimes deep, distressing experiences can overwhelms a student, impacting on their mental, physical, and emotional well-being. I fully appreciate that it takes time to build trust and create an environment that ensure they feel completely safe with me. I know to anticipate differing symptoms that could arise with a student with a traumatic past; my pace would need to be adjusted to suit their needs, in addition to my communication skills that would create a calm and peaceful setting. Through private tutoring together with my experience in SEND educational settings I have spent the past 3 decades on a continual learning curve understanding the challenges a child with mental health issues faces, and have as such found excellent strategies to help them progress. My patience is exceptional and my skills put me in an excellent position to create a reassuring place for a student to learn within a completely non-judgemental place that shows empathy and an appreciation of what they need.

My knowledge of English Functional Skills, English Language and Literature

I have taught Functional English to Level 2 in English and have a full understanding of the skills required for all levels, as well as my own schemes of work that I have created over the years, based on the exam board past papers online.  for 30 years alongside SEN and have an excellent knowledge of the exam boards , including City and Guilds, Open Awards and NCFE and tam very familiar with the structure of the papers.

I teach GCSE English language and literature and am familiar with many of the texts and poetry anthologies that are covered and have an extensive knowledge of the themes, characters and plots.  I know the structure of AQA, Educas and Edexcel exam boards and what comprises each paper,

Supporting Working Memory Challenges

I always aim to deliver information in a simple and clear format. Lessons would have a clear structure to them and objectives would be clearly stated at the start. I encourage students to highlight more relevant details in their work when answering questions, and use colours to present information on flow charts or mind maps, to help with their recall. A helpful technique is to encourage pupils to inform me about a topic, so they get the opportunity to revisit information verbally. Repetition is key, so any opportunity to repeat or recap on work is important.

Teaching Study Skills & Executive Function Skills

Planning and organisation can be extremely difficult for some SEN students. In addition to this their ability to process and memorise information can be challenging. Emotions can become fraught with some young people as their executive function skills seem, at times, chaotic. My approach would be to take everything at a slower pace, using scaffolding skills to break tasks into smaller sections and stop regularly to ensure information has been understood. I would additionally ensure a student kept their notes concise and uncomplicated, to make sure that when they revisit the work it would make sense. The way a pupil would approach their study skills in all areas (classwork, homework, exams) needs to be structured and managed at all times. The use of different timetabled templates can be very helpful to these students as they can visualise what needs to be done and what has been completed. In addition, topic timetables are a great tool to help students see a list of skills required within a subject area. When they can see the skills they can identify which ones are difficult and focus on them one by one.

Techniques for pupils with speech difficulties, communication, language and behavioural challenges

For children with communication problems, I would keep my language “stripped back”, repetitive, and slow paced. I would pause regularly to ensure everything is understood. I have developed many social stories and time out strategies for children who may suffer with emotional, language, communication and behavioural difficulties, and can help them to adapt to different situations. I have worked with many speech therapists throughout my career which has given me invaluable skills regarding how to assist students with speech difficulties. Learning through play is a great help for children with speech and language challenges, as while playing, children learn without having to focus so much; they can find out and experience their world in a more relaxing situation and at the same time allow their language to grow.

Working with Pupils with Dyspraxia

Children with dyspraxia can experience many executive function challenges such as organisation, focus and physical tasks. A variety of strategies can help a dyspraxic child feel more at ease. Some of those approaches include adaptation of resources so that pupils have less tasks to complete. Modification of a task will take away some of the pressure, and a more enjoya allow them a more productive learning experience. Slow, methodical instructions should be given; patience and support should be a constant, although any opportunity to encourage independent learning should be taken. Time limits should not be set on a task, and prompts should be given as and when required. A learner’s confidence can be impacted by dyspraxia, as they may feel a little different from their peers, especially with regard to physicality, speech and social interaction. Reminders that a pupil should always reach out for help is important; a tutor can also alleviate a lot of that worry by ensuring there is plenty of space for questions and making errors. Writing aids should be discussed; tools such as writing slant options and pencil aids can be useful.

Social and Friendship Skills

My first approach would be to discover my student’s interests in life and their strengths. I would encourage them to think in terms of small steps forward towards engaging with people socially and building friendships. Initially I would want to gently find out what they may be fearful of, or alternatively what they would most like to do socially if there were no barriers, hoping that this would lead to the identification of, and then the challenging of some of their core beliefs. I would encourage my student to write a positive affirmation daily, for example “I am resilient”, and then have goals that link to the affirmation such as  “This week I will …” or “Next week I will go to the….”, which could be goals that they may be avoiding yet wanting to experience.

Talking during sessions would be very important, including the debate of various topics that they were interested in. My intentio would be to support my student to project their voice and talk with more confidence. A diary of goals and achievements is a good strategy to help people with social/friendship challenges focus on their aims and steps forward. In addition, colourful posters that they have themselves created are excellent ways to continually reinforce positivity throughout the week.

Working with dyslexic students

I believe that a specific learning programme along with emotional support is the best way forward. Different strategies can have a huge effect, including: reading aloud to improve accuracy, explaining a topic to someone else to “teach” them, so reinforcing the topic, create and consistently extend a vocabulary of regular words (for different subjects), using scaffolding techniques to break tasks down and make them more accessible, following a specific learning agenda/plan.

My experience working with students with sensory processing difficulties

I have a lot of work experience with pupils that find sensory processing challenging. This can be extremely hard for a child with ASD. Due to under or over sensitivity at various times of the day, sensory experiences can impact very much on their behaviour, communication and feelings.  It is important not to underestimate this. I have spent a lot of time working with children who may have suffered anxiety due to their sensory experiences.  I have the patience, understanding and skills to deal with such difficulties, and I understand that SEN children will need a more “bespoke” approach. I would be keep a watchful eye on a child to ensure they do not experience “overload” and feel any sense of stress or panic. I would always find out a history of the child before planning any lessons for them, so that I am aware of any potential triggers, and can create an environment that is as conducive to their needs as possible.

Supporting Sensory Issues

I have a lot of work experience with pupils that find sensory processing challenging. Due to under or over sensitivity at various times of the day, sensory experiences can impact very much on their behaviour, communication and feelings. I have spent a lot of time working with children who may have suffered anxiety due to their sensory experiences.  I have the patience, understanding and skills to deal with such difficulties, and I understand that SEN children will need a more “bespoke” approach. I would be keep a watchful eye on a child to ensure they do not experience “overload” and feel any sense of stress or panic. I would always find out a history of the child before planning any lessons for them, so that I am aware of any potential triggers, and can create an environment that is as conducive to their needs as possible. Lesson environments would be kept calm and steady. I would look out for any signs of anxiety or potential sensory overload; if anything were spotted I would encourage a brief period of time out to re-group.

Techniques for pupils post TBI including speech, communication and language difficulties

For post TBI children who are experiencing communication problems, I would keep my language more “stripped back”, repetitive, and slow paced. I would pause regularly to ensure everything is understood. I have developed many social stories and time out strategies for children who may suffer with emotional, language, communication and behavioural difficulties, and can help them to adapt to different situations. I have worked with many speech therapists throughout my career which has given me a lot of invaluable skills regarding how to assist students post TBI with speech difficulties and bespoke learning patterns. Learning through play is a great help for children with such challenges, as while playing, children learn without having to focus so much; they can find out and experience their world in a more relaxing situation and at the same time allow their language to grow.

Assisting with homework, study skills and exam techniques (particularly those facing challenges with executive functioning skills)

Having worked with many pupils who are approaching SATS, 11+ exams, GCSE’s and post 16 exams, I have had a lot of experience in helping students organise their homework and prepare for their exams.  This has been in the following areas: time management, organisation, prioritising, planning ahead, planning long or short-term projects or assignments, modifying notes in preparation for revision, creating study visuals for revisional purposes, setting goals, checking work and establishing good routines and habits.

Teaching children with EAL

Children with EAL benefit from visual techniques such as flashcards, images and translation. Factoring in a student’s culture and experience is very useful as well as not rushing the communication process, allowing it to develop naturally. It is important to get as much knowledge of the child before an initial lesson, and not have a fixed idea of how lessons will progress.

Spelling Strategies

I use specific spelling strategies which are very effective, as the technique allows a spelling to be broken down and then be learnt in stages, before being put together as whole word. Words are separated into groups of letters, grouped by both myself and the child, and then learnt in sections, phonetically. I have found this approach to be very useful, and helps students with spelling challenges not only to learn, but remember spellings.

How I work

When first meeting a new pupil I would always assess exactly what their needs are and evaluate the difficulties being encountered. This would be a 3 way process involving myself, the child and parent/guardian (plus the school if appropriate.) I would decide the best learning approach, factoring in resources, ideas, techniques to help the child move forward. I frequently use mind maps as a tangible way to breakdown a concept. I would aim to give the child as much learning independence as possible to assist their confidence.  I have great interaction skills with young people, as well as an appropriate level of humour when required.  I know that many children do not always respond well to mainstream education and need something different; I have the skills to adapt to different children’s needs, an abundance of patience, understanding and effective communication.  I believe  these factors have been highly instrumental in the success I have had with many SEN pupils. My testimonials from past and present convey my ability to inspire children. I would bring a great energy to any learning situation I was placed into, and am adaptable and versatile to differing situations.

I keep continual assessments to monitor progress and contribute to EHCP reviews. I will write and review  reports and IEPs as and when necessary. I have spent a lot of time working with external agencies that support SEN and have taken a lot of their expertise which has contributed towards a much more sophisticated and skilled approach to my technique.