IPPN Deputy Principals’ Conference Tuesday 12 th May 2009 Special Education: Implementing Best Practice Dr Anita Prunty

Outline ‘Best practice’ in teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs Management and organisation of special education in schools

What is ‘best practice’ ‘Special education is effective only to the extent that students with disabilities acquire and subsequently use knowledge and skills they did not have prior to instruction’ (Heward, 2003)

Individualised planning and instruction Assessment Planning: individual and group Teaching methods/approaches Curriculum and Differentiation Monitoring of progress Motivation

Assessment Two principal approaches to assessment (NCCA, 2007) 1. Assessment for Learning (AfL): The teacher uses evidence on an ongoing basis to inform teaching and learning. 2. Assessment of Learning (AoL): The teacher periodically records children’s progress and achievement for the purpose of reporting to parents, teachers and other relevant persons.

Assessment Diagnostic assessment to inform planning and teaching Zone of proximal development

Planning for teaching Individual Education Plans (IEPs) - collaboration - integration of IEP - working documents - participation of pupil - learning outcomes Group planning

Learner Characteristics Memory Attention Maintenance and generalisation of new learning Communication and language Social/emotional development Self-management Self-regulation

Teaching methods and approaches Memory: Explicit teaching with smaller steps Guided and independent practice and feedback Spiral approach Overlearning/rehearsal Link with prior learning Individual differences Intensity and pace of teaching

Teaching methods and approaches Attention: Attending to a task is crucial for learning Many students with SEN learn best in a structured, predictable classroom environment, with shorter, focused tasks Visual and concrete materials

Teaching methods/approaches Generalisation: Can the student maintain new skills and concepts and apply learning to new situations?

Teaching methods/approaches Communication and language Students with SEN learn best when simpler language structures are used, simpler words for difficult terms are used, new vocabulary is pre-taught, visual cues are used when presenting information and giving instructions

Teaching methods/approaches Social development: Social development affects capacity to learn Peers Learning in different contexts Co-operative learning Explicit teaching

Teaching methods/approaches Self-management: Can the student function independently in any given learning environment?

Teaching methods/approaches Self-regulation: Can students with SEN monitor their own approach to learning? Can they modify their strategies as necessary? Self-talk

Motivation Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation Praise Teacher expectations Self-esteem

Teaching methods/approaches Specialised approaches? Eclectic approach? Evidence based teaching methods and approaches Single dogmatic approaches to teaching and learning are illusory, particularly for students with special educational needs

Curriculum Aims of Education (NCCA, 2002) Enabling the student to live a full life and to realise his or her potential as a unique individual through access to an appropriate broad and balanced curriculum Enabling the student to function as independently as possible in society through the provision of such educational supports as are necessary to realise that potential Guidelines for Teachers of Students with General learning Disabilities

Differentiation The term differentiation ‘refers to the method whereby the teacher varies content, activities, methodology and resources when taking into account the range of abilities, interests, needs and experiences of students …………to ensure that learning experiences are appropriate for all students’ (NCCA, 2002, p. 20)

Differentiation A response to diverse needs of students Removes barriers to learning Facilitates learning by adapting approaches, methods, content, materials, lesson output, use of technology Keep adaptations simple and easy Fade out when appropriate Not a watered-down curriculum

Monitoring of progress Ongoing assessment and evaluation Recording of progress Modification of programmes/targets

Management and organisation of special education in schools Inclusion Models of support Collaboration - with other teachers - with parents and pupils - with special needs assistants - with other professionals Continuing professional development

Inclusion ‘A child with special eduational needs shall be educated in an inclusive environment with children who do not have such needs unless the nature or degree of those needs of the child is such that to do so would be inconsistent with- a) The best interests of the child….. b) The effective provision of education for children with whom the child is to be educated’ (EPSEN, 2004, Section 2)

Inclusion Transition programmes Informed decisions re educational placement by parents in the ‘best interests of the child’ Continuum of educational provision to match the continuum of special educational need Flexibility (eg. dual enrolment)

Models of support in schools Withdrawal (individual/small group) In-class support (individual/small group) Team teaching or co-teaching (models) Co-operative learning Peer tutoring Importance of planning

Collaboration ‘…..a process that enables groups of people with diverse expertise to combine their resources to generate solutions to problems over a period of time’ (Mitchell, 2008) Sharing the wisdom

Collaboration - other teachers - parents and students - special needs assistants - other professionals School-wide team Learning communities in schools

Continuing professional development (examples) Graduate Certificate in ASD Diploma in special educational needs MSEN/MEd EdD/PhD Special and Inclusive Education (SIE) online courses (St Patrick’s College and ICEP) Induction courses Special Education Support Service (SESS) NEPS PPDS Summer courses for teachers

Quality of teaching for students with special educational needs ‘Teachers must get back to the business of teaching. To do so they must increase their knowledge and skills about effective instructional strategies.It may be more exciting to learn and debate about the policy ssues of education …..but knowledge about any of those topics is no substitute for having skills and knowledge of sound instruction’ (Heward, 2003)