Asher J. Goodenough Teaching History to SEN Students Friday 11 th May 2007

2 Overview First activity – roleplaying students Explaining what ‘SEN’ is Two case studies: Strategies I have found useful and strategies in literature Agree or disagree General points Conclusions

3 Roleplaying Exercise You have all got a particular SEN. Read it, then imagine it is the beginning of our lesson.

4 Questions 1. In what year was the Battle of Hastings? 2. Who was William fighting? 3. Give two examples of William’s skill and two of Harold’s bad luck. 4. Was it William’s skill or Harold’s bad luck that won the Battle of Hastings? Explain your answer

5 What went wrong? This could have been prevented if: Planned activities properly Planned for potential difficulties Knowing different SEN Knowing your pupils Liaison between me (NQT) and other professionals

6 The Four Areas of SEN Cognition and Learning Needs Behavioural, Emotional and Social Development Needs Communication and Interaction Needs Sensory and/or Physical Needs Specific learning difficulties (SpLD) Dyslexia Moderate learning difficulties (MLD) Severe learning difficulties (SLD) Profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD) Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD) Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Speech, language and communication needs Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Asperger’s Syndrome Hearing impairment (HI) Visual impairment (VI) Multi-sensory impairment (MSI) Physical difficulties (PD) OTHER

7 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) “Overactive behaviour and impulsivity and difficulty in paying attention.” Pupil ‘A’ in year 7 at Wyedean: doesn’t listen to instructions, can’t complete longer tasks, talks constantly, interrupts, cries if he doesn’t get his way. Struggled with watching video on Hastings Disrupted others when working quietly on sources Cried when he couldn’t tell the class about going to see Bristol City.

8 Solutions I Had Give him attention at the beginning and end of the lesson Plenty of opportunities to talk e.g. ‘What does the class have to do?” Told him individually when to begin tasks Developed positive image in class through helping out e.g. teacher exposition, typing on board BUT still talked constantly to others

9 Recommendations from Literature Harris and Luff (2004): Simple instructions Short tasks or longer tasks broken down Advanced warning of change Specific praise Lesson objectives and individual objectives Pace

10 Moderate Learning Difficulties “Pupils who find it extremely difficult to achieve expected levels of attainment across the curriculum” Pupil “J” at Wyedean, who has global learning difficulties, cannot transfer skills and understanding easily; tries hard but is immature and lacks organisation and communication skills

11 Solutions I Had Writing frame for assessment on the First World War with key terms and first letters included A simple words and pictures factsheet summarising what we had learnt Lots of encouragement Liaison with Learning Support, his LSW and his mother Results: level 3 response to assessment, genuine interest in history, increased confidence

12 Recommendations from Literature Harris and Luff (2004): Checking pupil data and other opinions Routines and varied tasks Writing frames and shortened text Modelling answers Check they know what to do Instant rewards

13 YOUR TURN… agree or disagree I want to be able to cater for pupils with SEN but I don’t have the expertise required I have enough to do without worrying about kids who can’t read and write Special needs kids are ok in mainstream schools but only to a point It’s the SENCO’s responsibility Teachers can’t pick and choose the pupils they want to teach

14 General Suggestions for Good Practice Alison Stephen (2006): Common starting points: pictures for all e.g. A Court for King Cholera Useful for all pupils especially G&T, SEN, EAL

15 General Suggestions for Good Practice QCA (2001, 2004): Some aspects of the curriculum might be too demanding e.g. evaluating interpretations Develop and deepen understanding of sequences and change Sights, sounds, smells of history Use children in history for empathy and understanding. Personal history from Key Stage 2

16 Learning Support at Wyedean, History and me Every child passes through Learning Support (not SEN) every year Subject specialists liaise regularly Working with SEN pupils inside and outside the classroom Support and differentiation Time-consuming tasks e.g. rewriting text done for you Opportunities to try out small group teaching

17 Conclusions Time management Long-term Planning Short-term reaction planning Speaking and listening Monitoring and assessment

18 Bibliography DfES (2002) Key Stage 3 National Strategy: Literacy in History London, DfES Harris, R. and Luff, I. (2004) Meeting SEN in the Curriculum: History London, David Fulton Hunt, M (2007) A Practical Guide to Teaching History in the Secondary School London, Routledge Phillips, R. (2002) Reflective Teaching of History London, Continuum QCA (2000) History: A Scheme of Work for Key Stage 3 London, QCA QCA (2001, 2004) Planning, teaching and assessing the curriculum for pupils with learning difficulties London, QCA accessed 10 May 2007www.mldalliance.com/executive.htm