Brenda

I started my Teaching career as a SEN Class Teacher, when I first arrived in London and an opportunity to work with a class of children with an ASD diagnosis arose. In the two years I worked as a Special Needs Teacher at my next school, I worked with students whose understanding and ability to access the curriculum was impacted by dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, ADHD, anxiety disorders, PDA and ASD.

I supported those students on a 1:1 basis and in group interventions, and I assisted Class Teachers in curriculum adaptations, behaviour and motivation strategies and emotional education. I also tailored lesson contents and resources to SpLD requirements, to optimise learning potential and significantly built students’ positive attitude towards learning.

My teamwork skills helped me build positive and supportive relationships with the Class Teachers, STL, parents and carers and, as a consequence, this allowed me to develop feelings of confidence, self-esteem and independence in my students. I also effectively managed students’ anxieties and worries derived from attending 1:1 or small groups lessons.

Seeking personal and professional development, I manifested my interest in a SEN School for children with language and communication difficulties.

I worked very closely with the Class Speech and Language Therapist and I developed both personally and professionally: having to assess students, set targets and plan lessons together with another professional based in the classroom, at the same time than managing a group of Learning Support Assistants, required organisational skills and team work. Due to the continuous cooperation with the team, and more specifically with the SaLT, I learnt a range of strategies to deal with students whose daily lives were affected by poor communication, concentration and language skills.

I gained experience with a wide variety of tasks, including assessing students’ needs and academic levels, planning and adapting the curriculum to meet children’s social, academic, physical and emotional needs, amending EHCPs and behaviour plans.

I also became familiar with adaptive technologies - such as ACC devices - and softwares such as ActivInspire, SeeSaw, SnapType, IDL, Clicker 8 and Google Classroom.

In my current role as a SENCo, I am proud of the effective, working relationships that I have formed with teachers, parents and students.

I believe that establishing a meaningful and trusting relationship with the student, family and other professionals involved is the key to success.

Focusing on each student’s strengths and planning fun, personalised lessons have been key to successfully engage students in my sessions, develop feelings of confidence, self-esteem and independence.