SEN in mainstream schools: A guide for the beginner teacher

SEN in mainstream schools

As a beginner teacher you have specific responsibilities in relation to meeting the needs of children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities. Developing understanding of this core aspect of professional knowledge is crucial during your first years of teaching which is why there is a specific focus on SEN and disability in the induction standards for qualified teachers.

Every learner is different. Where teaching styles are responsive to a wide range of individual needs then it is much more likely that all learners will achieve their full potential.

The leaflet available below is designed to support your transition from training to induction by summarising the key issues. You should follow the weblinks at the end of this leaflet to find further resources and to access more information to support your early professional development.

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You will find that many of these strategies help you in your planning for the whole class.

You should:

• encourage all your pupils to ask questions and to work in pairs and small groups as well as on their own; develop a classroom climate in which asking for help is viewed positively and not as an indication of failure

• be clear about your praise and reward strategy for a class and for individual pupils. It is much better to give specific praise than simply to say “good”

• use all forms of data available in your school to check and plan for the progress of your pupils

• think carefully about the kinds of question you ask pupils and the way you ask them

• allow pupils plenty of time to make their response to a question.

• speak calmly and evenly, and make sure that your face is clearly visible

• make sure that pupils are appropriately placed to hear and see

• use visual aids and cues for the topics being discussed

• explain a point in different ways

• give feedback in a positive, constructive way if a pupil makes a mistake or misunderstands, for example by re-framing your question or the pupil’s response

• make sure pupils have direct experience of a concept before you use it, whenever possible

• ensure that pupils understand the criteria by which their work is judged. A good way of doing this is by sharing and discussing examples of completed work and work in progress

• know the whereabouts of all the pupils for whom you are responsible at all times. If another adult asks to remove a pupil from your lesson you must check their authorisation to do so.

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