Inclusion: Introduction to Additional Support Needs (ASN) for Classroom Teachers (Scotland)

Spae

This course will be invaluable to all teachers when addressing the needs of pupils with additional needs on a daily basis in their classrooms. It provides information on relevant legislation, and explores specific conditions that affect learning such as dyslexia and ADHD, considers barriers to learning in the curriculum and provides details of outside agencies that can offer additional support. This highly practical course offers strategies that can be used by teachers to become more inclusive and examines the role of ICT in helping pupils to become independent learners.

The course has been developed from the Scottish SEN Training Coordination Project Introduction to Support for Learning National Training Course for Teachers – a 10-week course that has in the past been delivered within education authorities as first level training for those teachers who have an interest in this area. The CPD Bytes online version of this course has been extended to focus on inclusion in the mainstream classroom. It has been updated to fit into the context of both Disability and Additional Support for Learning legislation and new course materials include the most recent versions of both Codes of Practice.

The aim of the course is to raise the awareness of classroom teachers of the wide range of pupils’ additional needs and to help them support these in a mainstream setting.

Introduction to Additional Support Needs (Scotland) for classroom teachers

Tutors:     Maggie MacLardie and Moira Thomson
Sector:     Primary and Secondary Schools in Scotland
CPD:        15 hours (including practical activities)
Cost:        £150

Code: IN109 Order this course >

Course Aims:

to raise classroom teachers’ awareness of the wide range of pupils’ additional needs
to help classroom teachers support these in a mainstream setting

The course offers some optional practical activities that will help classroom teachers with the identification of individual pupils’ additional support needs.

Learning outcomes
In this 10-hour course, a classroom teacher will develop a knowledge and understanding of:

legislation over the past 10 years that has impacted on provision for learners who may have additional (special) educational needs
a number of factors that may lead to a pupil experiencing barriers to learning
some common strategies (including ICT) that might reduce barriers to learning in the mainstream classroom
the various methods and instruments in use in many schools to identify pupils’ additional needs
a range of support for pupils and their learning provided in schools
the role of partner agencies in meeting pupils’ additional needs
the different planning frameworks used to support pupils’ needs

Course content
This 10-hour course is presented in 7 sections, with some sections broken into smaller parts each of which may be completed in about 20–30 minutes online. Each part contains links to websites and provides extensive course materials, which enable the user to explore topics in greater depth. There is a brief quiz at the end of each section to help course participants review progress and a longer quiz at the end of the course to enable users to reflect on what they have learned and to plan next steps. An interactive forum allows direct contact with the course tutors and other course members and there is a useful glossary where terminology may be checked.

Section 1 Course Overview

This short section provides a brief overview of the whole course to enable participants to plan their time and prepare for Section 2.

Section 2 Legislation and Implementation

This section introduces the recent legislation and national initiatives relevant to Inclusion, Disability and Additional Support for Learning.

Section 3 Barriers to learning

This section, in 7 short parts with a short introduction to barriers to learning, explores the impact on learning of:

dyslexia
ADHD
dyscalculia
autism
physical and sensory impairments

Each short part also considers some strategies to support these conditions in the classroom. Part 7 concludes with a review of other barriers to learning and considers delivery of the curriculum in an inclusive way – including the use of ICT.

Section 4 Assessment

This 4-part section, which reviews assessment in terms of the Journey to Excellence and Assessment is for Learning (AifL) explores the purpose of assessment and considers different types of assessment. Separate parts provide a closer look at:

standardised testing
diagnostic testing
classroom observation

Some classroom observation instruments that may be used to help identify barriers to learning within the curriculum and additional needs in the classroom are provided.

Section 5 Working together within the school

This section is in 5 parts and explores arrangements commonly in place for working together within the school to support pupils who have additional needs.

the 5 roles of Support for Learning teachers
considering Support for Learning staff as part of a wider team
strategies and structures for supporting behaviour
partnerships – with pupils, parents/carers
arrangements for assessment – based on SQA guidelines

Provision within recent legislation for resolving disagreements is reviewed briefly.

Section 6 The Roles of Partner Agencies

The main focus of this 4 part section is the roles of partner agencies within the local authority, particularly the role of Educational Psychologists – consideration is also give to the roles of:

bilingual or EAL services/interpretive services
specialist teachers including specialists in sensory impairments
visiting and outreach teaching services
healthcare providers
advisory services/voluntary agencies

Course members are encouraged to explore provision in the context of their own schools and authorities and to identify regional differences.

Section 7 Planning Frameworks to Support Learning

This 3 part section explores the different planning frameworks available for pupils who have additional support needs, the criteria which help to inform the choice of support plan and the typical content of some plans. Frameworks covered include:

Coordinated Support Plans
Individualised Educational Programmes
other plans, including the proposed Integrated Children’s Plan

There are examples of good practice for sharing and reviewing plans with pupils, parents and other professionals. Course members are asked to identify provision with their own schools and authorities.

For those who wish to apply the knowledge they have gained in this course, the follow up course Developing a Pupil Profile (5+ hours CPD) is recommended. This course includes practical classroom activities and offers the opportunity for course members to submit the profiles they have developed to course tutors for comment.

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Sample Course

Login as a guest to our training site to view a free sample of this course. Once you have logged in, then click on the Inclusion course outline on the right hand side.

CPD Bytes is a registered
CPD provider with
Learning & Teaching Scotland