Working with children and young adults within a SEN setting is hugely rewarding. There is nothing more gratifying than knowing we have made a difference in someone’s life or seeing a learner progress, not to mention the meaningful relationships that are built along the way.
But it is no secret that the implications and challenges that arise are just as huge, particularly within an inclusive setting. Why?
The reasons are many. Naturally, there are a number of professionals working with the children’s psycho-social development and wellbeing. The aim is one – getting the child to reach their full potential. Each of us plays an important role, but do we all have the same goals and targets? It is here that we need to pause, think and reflect a little.
The goals of a speech therapist would naturally be different to those of the reading specialist, and those of the teacher would be different still. Behind those goals and targets lie many strengths, though. Would our individual work be more aligned in a collective way if we focused more on those strengths in order to develop the gaps?
Our way of doing things is not necessarily the learner’s way
We all have our own way of working with the children entrusted to us. Yet our way of doing things is not necessarily the learner’s way. Taking the time to find out how a child learns best or what interests and motivates them could go a long way.
Adapting our way of working to suit their needs will go even further. Before you walk down the ‘I already have enough on my plate’ path, think of the effort that neurodivergent learners constantly have to put in. If that is not enough, think of the impact this would have on their progress. Having said that, it is easier to implement than you think.
It is hard to believe that we live in the 21st century, with 21st century tools, and are still, most of the time, working in isolation. Finding the time in which the whole team working with a child can meet to discuss the progress, provisions and plan the next steps is extremely difficult. We usually just about manage an IEP at the beginning of a scholastic year, followed by a review towards the end. But this is far from ideal.
Collaboration is key to the success of every neurodivergent learner
Yes, collaboration is key to the success of every neurodivergent learner. Imagine having the possibility to not only have everyone working together to assess the learners’ needs, but also have tailor-made targets, together with teaching suggestions, made available at the touch of a button. What if we had the possibility of measuring and tracking a child’s progress, with all the information and evidence being updated and shared among all the stakeholders, in real time? It would definitely allow for better time management, enable us to work in a more efficient and effective manner, ultimately reaching more children who need our support.
The good news is that such a tool already exists and is waiting for more educational bodies to exploit it. Collaboration is key to the success of every neurodivergent learner and definitely the way forward.
Feliciea Jibson
Feliciea Jibson is Chief Science Officer at PAGS SRL and founder of PAGS (Profile, Assessment and Goal Setting), an online profiling and progress monitoring tool that boosts children’s learning and psycho-social development.
PAGS is a transformative tool that democratizes neurodiversity expertise and tools. Neurodiversity includes autism, ADHD and dyslexia and related conditions such as dyscalculia, dyspraxia, global developmental delay.
Parents, teachers and psychologists working with neurodiverse children fill out our proprietary questionnaires, which builds a rich and detailed developmental profile of the child. Based on this profile, the platform is then able to assist these adults in (1) setting the right learning goals for the child and (2) recommending appropriate tools to help achieve these learning goals.
Feliciea is a qualified teacher with years of experience in teaching autistic children in schools, residential settings, and working directly with parents, care givers and families. She has completed her Masters degree in Autism at University of Birmingham. Before embarking on PAGS development, Feliciea worked for four years as a Head of Department for learners of 16 to 25 years old with severe learning difficulties and complex needs.
Find out how PAGS can provide you with strategies for inclusive lessons: www.pagsprofile.com
Josianne Pisani
Josianne Pisani is a teacher, teacher trainer and materials writer at Executive Training Institute (ETI) in Malta, with years of experience in teaching English as a second language to learners of all ages and abilities. She has written and runs various methodology courses and has been training teachers from around the world for the past 10 years. She is also a SEN coach and a PAGS professional
Josianne has recently launched her own website, a platform that provides interactive and engaging material as well as lesson ideas for educators.