Transcript planning for special needs students (powerpoint presentation)
School Development Planning Initiative Planning for Special Needs Students as Part of School Development Planning Regional Seminar
Purpose of School Planning
The fundamental purpose of School Development Planning is to ensure that all students experience a quality education appropriate to their needs in a changing world. Its key focus is the enhancement of student learning.
(SDP Draft Guidelines Unit 9)
PROGRAMME
Special Needs – Links with whole school planning First steps in planning for Special Needs Inclusion Special Needs Categories The Legislative Background Workshop – organising a special needs planning session in the school Developing a Special Needs policy
Key Questions
How do you put Special Needs on the planning agenda?
How do you promote effective strategies for teaching students with special educational needs at second level?
How do you develop a policy on special needs?
The School Plan: Two Parts
Part 1: Relatively Permanent Features
School’s mission, vision, aims
School profile
School policies, curricular & non-curricular
School practices re review & evaluation Part 2: Development Section
Factors governing development needs List of school’s development priorities
Set of Action Plans to address priorities
School Improvement – SDP Process
EVALUATE self
Adopt / adapt
–
Monitor
REVIEW
Prioritise
MISSION VISION AIMS DESIGN IMPLEMENT
Action Plans / Policies
Desired Outcome of SDP
School Improvement
Government policy Human rights Belief in equality Parental rights
Lack of resources Desire to help Lack of knowledge Concern for majority Feeling put upon Lack of time
How do you put special needs on the planning agenda?
May emerge as a priority during school review Board of Management may wish to respond to recent legislation Differentiation may arise as an issue in subject department planning Subject inspection may highlight the need to plan for students with special needs within ordinary classes
Mission Statement
“Adaptable, well prepared teaching is all that is required to teach my child.”
“Special needs students should attend a special school” “I teach honours classes. I don’t have any special needs students” “Inclusion of students with special needs is government policy” “ Special needs students are the Learning Support Teacher’s responsibility.”
“The school is here to serve all students whether or not they have special needs.”
What can you do to advance planning for special needs?
Acknowledge the challenge that this poses for subject teachers Identify current best practice in the school Raise awareness and provide information Explore legislation and the implications for schools Explore strategies that can be used by subject teachers Encourage teachers to plan at subject department level Establish a task group to develop a whole school policy Ensure that the school has a staff member trained in learning support/resource
Identify Existing Good Practice
Explore the school’s tradition of support for students with special educational needs Existence of Learning Support teacher/ Resource teacher Number of resource hours available Number of students who receive individual support (small group + individual) Financial support from the BOM +Parents Association Facilities for Learning Support Record of acquiring Special Consideration in State Exams Links with NEPS psychologist Links with Primary Schools Exam results for students with special needs Pastoral Support/Counselling
WHAT IS WORKING WELL EVIDENCE WHAT IS NOT YET WORKING WELL EVIDENCE
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Raise Awareness and Provide Information on…
Integration V Inclusion Categories of Special Needs Legislative Context Strategies for effective teaching Resources
Integration Inclusion
Supporting the child so that s/he can take part in the unchanged programmes and environment Student adapts to suit the school: A willingness to restructure their programmes and environments in response to the diverse needs of the pupils who attend School adapts to suit the student (McCauley ‘04)
Inclusion What is it?
Inclusive education means all children and young people with and without disabilities or other special needs, learning together in ordinary mainstream schools, with appropriate networks of support.
(Profexcel, 2001)
Inclusion
Inclusion may take different forms:
Full-time placement in mainstream class
Placement in mainstream class with learning support/resource services
Part-time placement in special class and part time in mainstream
Full-time placement in a special class in a mainstream school (Profexcel, 2001)
Categories of Special Needs 1
Physical disability
Hearing impairment
Visual impairment
Emotional or behaviour disorder e.g ADD/ ADHD
Categories of Special Needs 2
General Learning Disability
(Average IQ = 100)
Borderline Mild GLD
Mild GLD Moderate GLD Severe/profound GLD IQ 70-79 IQ 50-69 IQ 35- 49 IQ >35 Specific Learning Disability IQ average but RA/MA/SA @ 2%
Categories of Special Needs 3
Autism/Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Including Asperger Syndrome Assessed Syndromes Specific Speech /Language Disorder
The Legislative Background
Inclusion
and
equity
are the values driving Irish social policy, including educational legislation
Legislative Context
Education Act 1998
Section 9:
A recognised school shall provide education to students which is appropriate to their abilities and needs … it shall as far as resources permit ensure that the educational needs of all students , including those with special needs, are identified and provided for .
Establish and maintain an admissions policy which provides for maximum accessibility Section 15 The BOM shall publish … the policy of the school concerning admission to and participation in the school and ensure that… principles of equality and the choice are respected right of parents to send their children to a school of the parents’
Legislative Context
Equal Status Act 2000
Identifies the school as a service provider
The school cannot discriminate on the grounds of disability (one of nine grounds)
This refers not only to admission but also to access to any course, facility or benefit provided
Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 Key Principles Special Needs students have same rights as their peers School should be an inclusive environment Greater involvement of parents National Council for Special Education
Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs 2004 Special needs child shall be educated in an inclusive environment
Exceptions:
The best interests of the child determined in accordance with any assessment as carried out under this Act , or The effective provision of education for children with whom the child is to be educated
Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004
The Bill lays down clear procedures for
Arrangements for the referral by the school of a student for assessment
Involvement of the parents and the special needs organiser Preparation of an individual educational plan Provision of services to a child to enable him or her to participate in and benefit from education
Planning for Inclusion
Recognition of Individual and collective responsibility Planning needed at every level for inclusion
Individual subject teacher
Subject Department Level
Whole school Level Parental and student involvement
Development of policy Policy areas which need to take cognisance of students with special needs: Curriculum, Assessment, Homework, Transition from Primary, Staff Development, Sports Policy, Field Trips/School Tours
3 Possible Workshops to Use:
Exploration of strategies and structures for communication Whole school response to special needs Subject teacher’s response to special needs
Workshop on Developing Strategies for Effective Communication
What are the current procedures for gathering information on students with special educational needs?
Who should have access to information re. individual students?
What structures should be in place to allow this to happen?
How should links with parents be established and maintained?
Whole School Response to Students with Special Educational Needs
What is your school currently doing to support students with special needs?
What strategies could be developed to enhance current provision?
What structures are needed to support these?
Subject Teacher’s Response to Inclusion of Special Needs Students
Think of a special needs student whom you have taught. How did you support his/her learning?
What can you as an individual subject teacher do to facilitate inclusion of students with special needs in your classroom?
What can be done at subject department level?
What can the school do to support you in this process?
Developing a Special Needs Policy Some Signposts
State the purpose
Link to Mission/ethos
Rationale
Legal Context
Definition of Special Needs
Aims
Objectives
Strategy for Identification of students with Special Needs Learning Support currently available Selection of students for learning support/resource
Roles: BOM, Principal/ D.P/subject teacher/ Learning Support/ Resource teacher/SENO Communication with parents
Provision for staff development
Record Keeping
Strategies for Monitoring and Evaluation Consultation and appeals procedures Developmental priority
Links to other policies
General Principles Re. Policy Development
Comply with legislation Align policy and core values Consider how the policy impacts on teaching and learning Consult stakeholders (Whatever group can be affected by the policy, they, or a representative group, should be consulted about it) Identify and state the reasons for the policy A policy is a guide to practice and is drafted to be implemented. The language used should be understandable to those who read it Don’t just import a policy from another school. Use samples as a guide to the process of developing your own policy Publicise to all concerned stakeholders. Policy documents must be adopted formally by a BOM Review and evaluate regularly
Whole School Supports Needed
Trained personnel + on-going staff development Coordinated approach at subject department level Time needed to facilitate a collaborative process Key person should be nominated to coordinate and monitor the process Procedures re. development of IEPs Procedures re. communication of information among partners On-going evaluation important Development of whole school policy
Courses
Higher Diploma in Special Educational Needs Provided by
UCD CICE St Angela’s Sligo UL
One year full time courses, supported by the DES (i.e. paid substitution; subsistence and travel allowances) The year is divided into 12 weeks university based and remainder is school based
Masters in SEN in UCD
(part time, self funded)