This course will be invaluable to all mainstream classroom teachers who are addressing the needs of pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) on a daily basis.  It provides information on relevant legislation as it affects schools and individuals, explores specific conditions that affect learning such as dyslexia and ADHD, reviews barriers to learning in the curriculum and considers the impact of challenging behaviour on all learners.  Information about planning frameworks and in-school support provision is provided as well as details of outside agencies who can offer additional support for learning.

SPAc

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

• legislation over the past 10 years that has impacted on provision for learners who may have special educational needs (SEN)
• 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 the additional learning needs of pupils with SEN
• 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
• access arrangements for assessments and examinations

Course content 
This 15-hour course is presented in 8 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

(i) course papers that expand the topics covered in the presentations

(ii) information sheets about issues and conditions discussed throughout the course and

(iii) materials to be used in the classroom by teachers who wish to explore their pupils’ support needs in more 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 Overview
Thisshort 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 Barriers to learning
This 8 part section introduces barriers to learning and explores some of the factors that may impact on learning and underlie a learner’s SEN such as:

• dyslexia
• ADHD
• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD and ADHD)
• dyspraxia/developmental coordination disorder (DCD)
• dyscalculia
• autistic spectrum disorders (ASD)
  
• challenging behaviour
• physical/sensory impairment

Each short part considers the likely impact of each factor on learning and introduces some strategies to support children with these conditions in the classroom.

Part 8 concludes with a review of barriers to learning and considers delivery of the curriculum in an inclusive way – including the use of ICT.

Section 4 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.  When these are undertaken, details of how long was spent on each should be e-mailed to the course tutor.  Comments/ queries about activities undertaken should be posted on the interactive course forum where the course tutor and other participants may respond.

Section 5 Working together within the school
This 6 part section explores arrangements commonly in place within schools to support learners who have SEN.  It includes:

• social and pastoral support for pupils with SEN and disabilities 
  
• roles of the SENCO and SEN/learning support teachers 
  
• roles of teaching/learning support assistant teams  
• partnership with parents

Provision within recent legislation for resolving disagreements is reviewed briefly in this section.

Section 6 The Roles of Partner Agencies
The main focus of this 5 part section is the support provided by partner agencies - taking account of national/regional variations - in the context of National Strategies and the Inclusion Development Programme (IDP).  Partner Agencies include those provided by Education and Children’s Services that are not based within all schools, and those provided by another local authority department as well as those from other sectors, including voluntary agencies.  These include:

• Educational Psychologists
• bilingual or EAL services
• specialist SEN 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.  NB – remember to e-mail the course tutor (or use the course forum) to report how long you spent on this activity.

Section 7 Planning Frameworks to Support Learning
This 4 part section explores the different planning frameworks available for pupils who have SEN, the criteria that inform the type of plan required and information about the SEN planning process. Planning/support frameworks include:

• personalised learning and the graduated approach to meeting SEN
• School Action and School Action Plus
• Individual Education Plans
• Statements of SEN and statutory assessments
• Health Care Plans and Pastoral Support Programmes

Examples of good practice across the country are identified.  Course members are asked to find out about provision with their own schools and authorities.  NB – remember to tell the course tutor about the time spent on these activities.

Section 8 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.)

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  

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