Defining and Identifying SEN

It is important that all teachers are aware of the importance of identifying and providing for pupils who have SEN, and that an individual child’s needs are made known to all who are likely to teach him/her. This 5 hour online CPD course reviews recent disability and SEN legislation that impact on inclusive classroom practice, explores how teachers might identify learners’ SEN in the classroom and considers available arrangements for assessments.

SPAceace

Defining and Identifying SEN
Course aims:

• to raise classroom teachers’ awareness of the wide range of pupils’ special educational 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 and support of individual pupils’ special educational needs

Learning outcomes:
In this 5-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 special educational needs (SEN)
• the various methods and instruments in use in many schools to identify the additional learning needs of pupils with SEN
• available arrangements for assessments and examinations

Course content

This 5-hour course is presented in 4 sections, with some sections broken into smaller parts each of which may be completed in about 25–30 minutes online. The course presentations include video clips and web links which have been carefully selected to provide additional information about the topic being considered.

Extensive course materials are provided in the form of

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 Overview

This short section sets the context for the whole course by defining special educational needs and exploring what is meant by Inclusion.  A brief overview of the whole course is provided to enable participants to plan their time and to prepare for Section 2.



Section 2  Legislation
This 2 part section introduces the recent legislation and national initiatives relevant to Inclusion. Disability and Special Educational Needs.
Part 1 looks briefly at disability legislation and guidance as it affects schools while part 2 explores legislation about Special Educational Needs and introduces some of the guidance provided for local education authorities and schools.

Section 3  Identification of SEN
This 3 part section reviews the arrangements often made in schools to identify the additional learning needs of individual pupils who have SEN and explores:

• monitoring lack of individual progress (Assessment for Learning and Assessing Pupils’ Progress)
• classroom observation
• standardised and diagnostic testing

Some classroom observation instruments that may be used to help identify barriers to learning within the curriculum and checklists to help identify an individual’s additional needs in the classroom are provided.  Course participants are offered the opportunity to undertake practical activities in their own establishment.

Section 4   Arrangements for assessments
This short 2 part section explores the arrangements (reasonable adjustments) available for candidates with a disability and/or SEN in assessments and examinations

• Access arrangements
• Reasonable adjustments
• Special circumstances

The criteria to be met for eligibility to access arrangements are reviewed and some examples of reasonable adjustments and available arrangements are explored.  Course members are asked to identify provision within their own schools and authorities. (Note:  Course materials cover National Assessments at KS1 & KS2 and General and Vocational qualifications.)

Next Steps
For those who wish to apply the knowledge they have gained in these courses, the following courses are recommended:

Barriers to Learning

Partnerships with colleagues, parents and other agencies 


Look out for:
Our forthcoming follow up courses Developing a Pupil Profile (5+ hours CPD)
In different versions for teaches and teaching assistants, 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.

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