Rachel

Teaching Experience:

As an Early Years Teacher, I taught many young people with different disabilities. Teaching taught me how to move children on in their progress and find which phonics approach works best for each young person i.e. formal approach, games and interactive activities, songs and rhymes. I am trained in traditional Jolly phonics but also Sounds~ Write. I have found that using Numicon as a maths approach gives structured imagery for visual learners. I also teach everyday maths in areas such as cooking, shopping and problem-solving.

Intervention Specialist:

My role as an Intervention Specialist within small groups taught me how to use personal goals to keep us on track and learn to break these down into smaller goals where we are always achieving and heading in the right direction. Chunking is pivotal in my approach. I find that using the method of chunking is knowing that there needs to be stages of regression to support integration of new knowledge. I recognise and utilise this pattern and believe this can relieve pressure for a student and their parents. I understand that individuals learn at a different pace and in different ways.

AutPlay and Play Therapy:

I am a qualified Autplay Therapist (Autistic Play Therapist) and a Therapeutic Play Skills Practitioner. Autplay focuses on the connection between child and primary care giver. It believes that this relationship above all others, with the right activities, can enhance the level of interaction for the young person. I have the skills to plan how I can present information so that a young person wants to unpick it, understand it or receive it.

 I feel that Play therapy can be complementary to supporting those with Autism. Play therapy is holistic, integrative and uses a non-directive approach that believe the young person can guide the journey, it uses the arts and sensory play within a therapeutic relationship. I use it to focus on building social and communication skills and to develop emotional regulation. I bring the skills of intense play, mirroring and sensory play to my tutor role to increase engagement.

I facilitate messy play activities, sensory experiences, problem-solving activities, and projects. I use personal interests as a point of engagement. I feel that stimmers are paramount indicators of a child’s pace, their regulation/disregulation, and an expression of emotions. It’s their language.

My experience working with children and young people with PDA:

My approach with PDA is to navigate tutoring so that I let my student feel in charge of their learning but also follow pre-agreements. I understand trust and independence needs to be valued and built upon to increase collaborative learning. I answer questions like; What are the stressors? What language am I using? What does the student want to achieve? Am I giving low demands that are achievable?

A previous student of mine struggled to engage or follow the steps given so I resolved to use their favourite toy to help us. I aimed instructions and questions at the toy and soon the student responded by acting on behalf of the toy and the pressure was lifted from feeling they had to comply.