Simone

General Special Educational Needs experience: With over 20 years experience, I have taught many children between the ages of 3-17 in mainstream, specialist settings, independent schools and private tuition.  As a former Assistant Head for teaching and learning, EYFS Specialist and Lead Practitioner, I coached and mentored teachers to improve their teaching practice throughout the EYFS, key stage one and key stage two.  As an SEN teacher, I have enjoyed working with children with diverse needs including; speech and communication needs, ASD at all levels (autism spectrum disorder), ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), PDA (pathological demand avoidance) SEMH (social, emotional and mental health) ERSA (emotional related school avoidance), anxiety, selective mutism, and medical needs. I am able to deliver bespoke, fun learning sessions, active learning in the wider community and topic-based learning that incorporate the pupil’s interests. This can also involve support with homework.

ASD (Autism), including high-functioning ASD: I have worked with many nursery, primary and secondary aged children with ASD.  I begin by forming positive relationships with both child and parent to enable trust. I take the time to find out as much as possible about the child especially their likes and dislikes. I then incorporate interests into topic-based learning. I use short, clear sentences allowing for processing and response. As abstract concepts can be very difficult for ASD children, I have found that the use of concrete materials and use of literal language is greatly beneficial. Presenting tasks visually, verbally and physically is also extremely useful for these learners. Visual timetables with a now-next frame can help to alleviate stress and anxiety. I break down learning into short chunks to allow for full focus and concentration. I also like to reward learners with a free choice activity after each task. This also allows for a brain break and helps to boost self-esteem. For non-verbal pupils, the use of PECS can aid with language and communication. Understanding that all children are different, I carefully differentiate and tailor activities to suit the learner. At times, children may struggle with managing their behaviour. In this instance, I aid with self-calming techniques, give positive reinforcement, support with the zones of regulation, communicate clearly and allow the child time in their safe place. I am consistent in my approach and stick to routines which works well with many children with ASD.

ADHD: I have taught children with ADHD both on a 1:1 basis and within mainstream and specialist provisions.  I have learnt that positive relationships must be made early on to establish trust. It is also important to allow children with ADHD time to explore topics of their own interest. This can be enabled through topic-based learning or giving short breaks within sessions to focus on chosen areas of interest. I am clear and concise and use simple, direct language.

Speech, Language and Communication Needs (including non-verbal and limited speech): I have taught many children with speech, language and communication needs in mainstream, private tuition and specialist settings. I have also taught a number of non-verbal students and those with very limited speech as well as students who require support with both expressive and receptive language. The use of visual aids (PECS, Colourful Semantics, Communicate in Print and Teacch) are useful communication aids which greatly support children who struggle in this area. I also use concrete materials, pictures, gestures and facial expressions where possible, to help engage learners. I have worked closely with both occupational and speech therapists both as a SENCO and class teacher. The strategies I use to support children with a language and communication need, resemble those used by therapists in this field. I am very clear with spoken language ensuring that I do not use idioms or phrases with double meanings (unless we are learning about using them) as they are very confusing for children. I begin with checking that the child understands what is being asked of them before moving on. I then speak slowly and clearly model the required speech, repeating where necessary. When modelling, I do so within context so that it is much more meaningful and easier to understand. Although I do ask questions, I try to limit them and comment on what is happening instead to aid in developing new vocabulary and confidence when speaking. Offering choices to a child is a useful strategy I use to give the child the appropriate language to use and relieve any anxiety. As always, I build up a positive, friendly rapport and aim to deliver fun, engaging sessions with brain/movement breaks throughout.

Maths: Over the last 19 years, I have helped children to improve their maths skills as a class teacher and as intervention/booster support in EYFS, KS1 and KS2.  I have also tutored children privately to help them to further develop in this area. Maths can be very tricky especially when the foundations have not been built. In my maths sessions, we use tangible objects (objects that can be moved around to help them comprehend the concept of number), number lines, numicon, songs, online resources and games. Rapid recall and repetition are used to help children to learn number facts, times tables etc.  I also link maths to real life situations such as shopping, designing/junk modelling, timetables, budgeting, estimating, money, checking change to name a few. Above all, I aim to ensure that the sessions are fun with no pressure on the child.

English: As an EYFS lead and English lead, I enjoyed creating a creative curriculum for the whole school and have extensive experience in teaching phonics, reading and creative writing. I have ran interventions particularly in reception, year 1,  year 2 and year 6, successfully preparing children for the year 1 phonics screen, KS1 and KS2 SAT’s. Over the years I have supported many reluctant writers. Children often find it difficult to formulate ideas, write creatively, know where to start or find writing boring. I support children through allowing them to choose their own topics, verbal discussions, share good examples, provide scaffolds (key word lists, fronted adverbials, sentence starters etc), allow children to communicate via art, comic strips, PowerPoints and touch type. Above all, I aim to make writing sessions fun, engaging and enjoyable.

Working Memory and Processing: I support children in this area through playing repetitive games, questioning, reinforcing and consolidating.  I give short, clear instructions repeating as necessary. As children are kinaesthetic learners, I ensure that sessions are delivered using different learning styles. I enjoy teaching through, song, rhyme, games and humour. I also give frequent movement breaks to help learners re-focus.

Confidence, self-esteem and independence: Unfortunately, many children with SEN lack in confidence and self-esteem. I aim to boost children in this area by setting achievable targets which are shared with child, where relevant. I  approach each session with positivity, humour and a ‘can-do’ attitude. I help children to develop their growth mindset and recognise their achievements through meaningful praise, positive reinforcement, encouragement and support. To promote independence, I always offer my pupils choice. This allows them to feel that they have a part in their learning. During sessions, I carefully model using a range of scaffolds (phonics mats, word lists, verbs mats, adjectives mats, counters, number lines etc). Children are encouraged to use these scaffolds before asking for help. To develop cognitive skills, I ask higher order questions which promote thinking and problem solving. I also help children to become independent learners by helping them to improve their metacognitive skills when evaluating their work. They identify what went well and what could be improved as well as  planning next steps. I allow children to speak honestly (and without judgment) about their learning. This encourages them to talk about their emotions and form opinions and attitudes towards learning.

Fun, engaging lessons: I’m all about the fun! Children can develop skills much faster when they’re having fun. Coming from an early years background, I enjoy incorporating learning through play in my sessions. Learning through play is extremely effective for children who find learning a challenge, are reluctant learners, have a fear of a particular subject or simply find learning boring.  When working with any pupil, I take the time to find out as much as I can about them, building a positive, trusting relationship. Children then feel less anxious about making mistakes. I actively listen to the child and incorporate their interests as much as possible to hook the child in and keep them fully engaged.

Early Years: I am a fully trained early years practitioner with a PGCE in Early Years. I have extensive experience teaching in this phase in both mainstream and special schools.  As an Early years lead, I ensured the provision provided high quality education and high standards in all areas, as well as personalised learning for all pupils. I also supported teachers to develop their practice in the early years through a bespoke mentoring and coaching programme.

Sensory Play: As an Early Years teacher, I absolutely love supporting children in this area. Not only is sensory play a huge amount of fun, it is fundamental when stimulating a child’s senses. Sensory play activities engage all of your child’s senses to help them to learn and develop both language and motor skills. It also helps with developing social interactions and encourages experimentation and imagination. Activities include riding a bike, threading, water play, sand play, playdough, slime, listening to music, finger painting, arts and crafts activities, pouring, mixing, exploring materials, zipping, tying laces, putting on shoes, coats etc, cutting up food and eating.

Anxiety including Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA): I am beginning to support more and more children with a PDA profile. As children with this profile are extremely anxious, I aim to alleviate some of their worries by forming a trusting relationship, adopting a low-demand approach and using humour. We complete activities based around their interests before moving on to more academic learning. I ensure that I keep pupils well informed about things that are going to happen as well as any changes. I quickly notice when children are becoming anxious and ease of any demands allowing the child to regulate and show or tell me that they are ready to continue. I use indirect language posing questions, and allow time for the child to process and decide. I have found that using social stories, giving choices and being flexible with a great sense of humour greatly benefits a child with anxiety and PDA. In my experience, the use of arts and crafts, role play/drama, sports activities, talking and playing games often helps a child with anxiety and PDA to build trust and establish relationships before academic learning takes place.

Teaching in the community: I have supported SEN children with learning in the wider community via forest schools, residential trips, going on local walks, taking their dog for a walk, developing photography skills in their local environment, learning how to cross the road, visiting shops, museums, trips to the cinema, visiting prospective new schools, accompanying them with  trips to the dentist, soft play centres, youth centres, eating out and teaching them to understand how to use public transport.

Social interaction skills/Social Thinking: The development of social skills/social thinking is fundamental for all learners. They improve the ability to establish relationships, teach essential life skills, develop self-regulation, become self-aware, increase confidence in social situations and aid in understanding and using non-verbal gestures to communicate thoughts and feelings. I have supported children both in school and through private tuition to develop in this area. Through games, art based activities and talk-time, I have enabled children to become more confident in initiating conversations, actively listen and respond,  read social cues such as gestures facial expressions and body language as well as develop empathy. During my years as a nurture teacher and social inclusion leader, I was able to help children to develop social communication skills through playing turn taking games, charades, emotion games, active listening games, topic games, ball games, Simon says, decision making games, social stories and scenarios. As a private tutor and mentor I have supported children through art therapy, lego therapy and talk therapy. This has helped children to become more confident when having conversations with other people and has aided in developing the ability to read non-verbal communications such as eye-contact and the use of facial expressions.

Self-regulation, mentoring and productivity: As a nurture teacher and social inclusion teacher, I have worked closely with children who struggle with self-regulation. Self regulation helps children to focus their thinking, regulate emotions, be patient, be adaptable and overcome challenges. This can be extremely difficult for many children causing them to become stressed, making it difficult for them to regulate, express emotion, communicate and focus attention. I help children to develop skills to manage this stress, become more focussed, be patient, regulate feelings and bounce back (recover). In order to do this, I observe children carefully to identify possible triggers and secondary responses to understand their behaviours better. I have helped children to recognise when they are becoming stressed, understand why they are becoming stressed and what they can do to alleviate it. Strategies used include the use of social stories, turn-taking games, sharing, role play and zones of regulation/mood monsters, (age dependent. I give children lots of opportunities to talk and express themselves, helping them to understand how they are feeling and recognise the different emotions they have. I use positive reinforcement, patience, remain calm, consistent and non-judgemental all with a great sense of humour! When children become dysregulated and impulsive, I calmly scaffold the desired response and listen carefully to the child to better understand their reaction and explain that I understand how the child is feeling. I allow the child time to calm down either by sitting quietly, listening to music completing a chosen activity (colouring in, building blocks, reading them their favourite story etc) or engaging in a physical activity to let of steam. Once the child is calm and regulated, I help them to reflect on what went wrong, why it went wrong and how we can work on changing their reaction if and when it happens again.

SEBD/SEMH/Behaviour/ Defiance:  I have had the pleasure of working with many primary aged children with social, emotional, behavioural and mental health needs as a nurture and social inclusion teacher. This work enabled me to work closely with both the children and their families. I was able to create a home away from home in the classroom. I supported children with self-regulation, sharing, taking turns, developing kindness and empathy, using manners, managing their behaviour, developing coping mechanisms and making friends. In mainstream settings, I have developed whole school behaviour policies and successfully led behaviour.

Dyslexia: Many children with dyslexia find it difficult to learn how letters and sounds correspond to each other and may not be able to recall the right letters to be able to spell the sounds in words. As a former Early Years Lead and English Lead, I have extensive experience in supporting children in this area. I have successfully taught phonics to children in EYFS, primary and secondary schools. Depending on the age of the child I use a range of strategies to help develop spelling including; magnetic letters, finger painting, flashcards, discreet phonics sessions, wordsearches and mnemonics. Handwriting can often pose difficulties for dyslexic learners. I start sessions using hand gym exercises to strengthen the muscles and get them ready for writing. This may be using playdough, tweezers, pegs, threading, squeezing and pulling. Often learners require the use of pencil grips, slanted writing boards or different coloured paper to assist when writing. There are learners who prefer to touch type for speed (age appropriate). Reading can be difficult for all learners but especially those who are dyslexic. It can become extremely difficult for learners to concentrate on words which may be moving across the page or those who have not yet grasped the phoneme-grapheme correspondence to enable them to read. I support learners by teaching fun based phonics sessions in manageable chunks, songs, games, using texts at the correct level, carefully choosing texts that match as closely as possible to the readers interests and shared reading. I am skilled at differentiating comprehension questions to check for understanding. As an English Lead, I devised a whole school reading programme with comprehension at the core. I trained all staff members to deliver the program ensuring that all reading skills were being taught to develop the skills related to the reading content domains.

Study Skills and Executive Functioning: Study skills are the techniques taught to children to aid them when learning in class, revising for a test and completing homework. I support children in this area by using mind maps, planners, highlighting important information, note-taking, visual timetables, prioritising tasks, positive reinforcement, words of affirmation and calming activities.

Executive function is a set of mental skills that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control. We use these skills every day to learn, work, and manage daily life. Difficulties with executive function can make it hard to focus, follow directions, start and complete activities, plan and organise, pay attention, follow instructions, understand other perspectives, self-monitor, control impulses, handle emotions and respond appropriately to social situations. I have supported children both privately and within a school settings to help them to develop these essential skills. Strategies include the use of visual timetables, breaking activities up into manageable chunks, encouraging active listening, checklists,  sequences of steps to follow, the use of meta-cognitive language to encourage the child to think for themselves, positive reinforcement and the support to develop a growth mindset.

Focus and attention: To support children in this area, I ensure that sessions are personalised, fun and broken up into small chunks. I play games which require attention and listening skills, allow children time to complete activities, focus on one thing at a time, have plenty of brain breaks and movement breaks, as well as using mindfulness activities to develop focus and attention and alleviate any anxiety.

Gross and Fine Motor Skills: As a trained early years specialist, I have supported children with improving these skills for many years. Fun activities such as play-dough, puzzles, sand play, cutting with scissors, folding, pinching, gripping, using tweezers and completing art based activities such as drawing, colouring and painting are excellent in developing fine motor control. For those children who do not enjoy messy play or may be tactile defensive, I use stress balls, stretchy materials and gentle exercises. I have supported children to develop gross motor skills through exercises, stretches, games, getting dressed,

Homework Support: Often children struggle in this area, especially if they have not understood the concept at school. I help in this area by re-teaching, breaking the task up into smaller steps, providing scaffolds and strategies with lots of repetition. As a highly experience primary teacher, I am able to support children working at this level in all subject areas. without any preparation. For secondary aged children, parents often supply me with topics so that I can prepare and have background knowledge prior to the session.

Teaching in the community: I have supported SEN children with learning in the wider community via forest schools, residential trips, going on local walks, taking their dog for a walk, developing photography skills in their local environment, learning how to cross the road, visiting shops, museums, trips to the cinema, visiting prospective new schools, accompanying them with  trips to the dentist, soft play centres, youth centres, eating out and teaching them to understand how to use public transport.