Eliciting the perspectives of young people with ABI Cath Bate Specialist Teacher SHIPS conference 2018 cbate@tadworthcourt.surrey.sch.uk

Introduction Outreach for mainstream schools in Surrey

Aims To share two practical activities for eliciting the perspectives of young people with ABI Rationale and challenges Examples – Year 6 girl Model the activities

Why? “Pupil voice” Changed and changing life experience Systematic Review of studies of student and parent experiences: not feeling listened to strongly affected overall experience of education (Hartman et al 2015)

Fundamentally… Genuine engagement and communication with the child about their life

Tricky Generating ideas Holding multiple ideas in your mind Language

Approach must be Visual Practical Positive experience

1. Visual conversation about enjoyment Reduces language More thinking time Shared focus – can be shared use of pencil Supports memory Could be done using post-its

Drawing it (not pre-printed) gives thinking time – less stress Can probe.. Acknowledge but don’t problem solve “I notice……. “I wonder….. “I notice……. “I wonder…..

2. Talking Mats – style sorting activity Adapted to the age and needs of the pupil Adapted around school-based skills Used to communicate about choices and plans with people with communication difficulties. Mats because it uses mats. https://www.talkingmats.com/

Model Introduce the mats and cards Sort cards – 2 step process

The cards Age appropriate Base on what you may already know about strengths and difficulties something you may want to explore…..? Load the cards with skills the pupil can do comfortably to start off on a big positive

Hanging my coat up neatly Understanding and answering questions about what I have read Listening when one person is talking Keeping calm when things are going wrong Taking home the right things to do my homework Colouring in charts

Model Introduce mats and cards Sort cards – 2 step process 1. “ok” vs “tricky”

“Katie”: Year 6 “OK, comfortable” “Tricky”

“Katie”: OK, comfortable

“Katie”: tricky, need some help

Insight This is about the student’s perspective May not be the same as yours or the teachers’ Feed back on what you have understood, just to check for errors “I notice….” Don’t disagree with the child

Model Introduce cards Sort cards – 2 step process “OK” vs “tricky” Sort “tricky” cards only into “I don’t mind” and “it bothers me”

Katie: sorting of “tricky”cards “I don’t mind much” “It bothers me”

Katie: “I don’t mind much”

Katie: “it bothers me”

Bringing to a close.. Is it ok to share your thoughts with….? I’ll have a chat with Mrs Wilson and then let’s see what we sort out to help you Is it ok to share your thoughts with….? I’ll have a chat with Mrs Wilson and then let’s all get together to work out how to organise this Let’s get together again next Tuesday and work out a plan

Further reflection Applicable to any child or young person with language difficulties and high anxiety Highlights what is important to the student – which can be enlightening Engages the student actively in their learning and rehabilitation process

Any questions?