[Karen Wisely]

My plan is for an 8 year old girl with Dyslexia, going into 3rd Class in September. I believe that using the School Development Planning section in the Inclusive Education Framework supports me in making sure the needs of this particular child are met. I will use the SETT framework to decide on appropriate assistive technologies to meet her needs.
Literacy:
I will use both Microsoft Office and Immersive Reader to support her with reading and comprehension. I will activate and also teach her how to activate the accessibility features on her laptop and iPad so she can read independently. I will bookmark websites for her to access easily, such as ‘Learn With Homer’ and ‘Light Sail.’ I will introduce her to websites such as ‘Articulation Station’ and ‘Learning Alley Audiobook Reader.’
Numeracy:
I will use the Math Assistant in One Note to help her see the step by step approach to solving equations. I will also use Math Duel to bring a fun element to maths and encourage her to use this at home too.

[Karen Wisely]

The SETT framework is an excellent tool to support teachers in creating a comprehensive support plan. It encourages teachers to look at so many aspects of the child’s learning and focuses on incorporating IT in the best ways possible. I will definitely use this in my planning going forward and introduce it to other teachers too.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSVqbt0YzxZiVh7u4-Am7fWZPpZnKFBa6eydVuXr3X7nYx6zmiz7qYhNr4d6DK7q1vszFb0Yh_sUUXc/pub

This plan helped me to reflect on the children I taught this year and what ways I could support them going forward with the knowledge I now have. I feel passionate about giving children the right tools as this changes their whole school experience. It enables them to vision a future for themselves that they may not have been able to before. It gives them confidence and helps them understand that learning happens in different ways. I feel IT opens doors for these children and SETT planning plays a huge role in this.

[Karen Wisely]

Part 1: I work with so many children with Dyslexia and is one of the reasons I chose to do this course. As a teacher it can often be overwhelming trying to find the right tools to support a child’s specific needs. In order to support the children I work with, I would copy the reading we do, e.g. short novels into Microsoft Office. This will support both their independence and confidence as readers and allow them to work at their own pace.
Part 2: I think it is natural in any job to have to upskill and move with the times, which is why the cosán framework for teachers learning is very important. The problem is, in teaching it can be difficult to get teachers to get on board with this concept of lifelong learning. In ways I can understand it – people want to be able to do their jobs without constantly feeling like they should know more. We should be allowed to work and feel at the end of each day like we’ve done enough. But there needs to be a balance between what we know we are doing well, and continue to do, but also what the gaps are that we need to work on. I think ICT and IT itself is underdeveloped in a lot of schools because people see it as something of an option. i.e. if you like IT you’ll bring it into your classroom, if you don’t like it then you won’t. But times have changed and SEN needs are such a huge priority that IT support can no longer be an option. Each school needs a plan that considers the UDL and DLF, that corresponds with the school’s SSE and individual plans for SEN children. Continued CPD needs to happen in order for teachers to not only have training in this, but to also realise its importance.

[Karen Wisely]

Immersive Reader is such a useful tool, and one I didn’t know about until this course. It makes learning so accessible for struggling readers and children with Dyslexia. The line focus and text spacing is such a great tool for children who find it hard to focus when reading and removes distractions. Changing the page colour is helpful too, which is often something I’ve had to do with children in my class when writing. I love the breaks between syllables feature to help children develop word recognition, pronunciation and better fluency. The read aloud is excellent to help children hear reading modelled to them, and also to understand the text.

I think for children with reading difficulties, a laptop is essential as the tools to support them are all there with programs such as Immersive Reader. It is also essential for teachers to have prepped the work on the laptop for children. These aspects are all linked with the standards of the DLF.

[Karen Wisely]

Using the SETT model is definitely something I want to use in my planning for SEN children in September. It forces you to think about every aspect of a child’s needs and support them on so many levels. It encourages you to be very specific, particularly with things like the environment, which I think is often overlooked. Using the SETT model, my plan is to sit down with the team involved in the child’s learning plan for the year (SSP/SSPP) and evaluate what the child’s strengths are, where the learning is taking place, what the tasks involved are and what tools will be needed.

[Karen Wisely]

The area of assisted technology is very underdeveloped in my school. We have a lot of access to no/low tech resources, but overall it is definitely something that needs more attention for our SEN children. If I’m completely honest, the UDL framework and DLF are never mentioned in my school. This is my third course to do this summer with a focus on IT, and obviously the these are mentioned over and over. I feel that ICT and IT are still something of an option for people in their teaching and for schools in their planning, as opposed to something that’s actually supposed to be done as part of the curriculum. It’s such a huge part of what we should be focusing on going forward.
There are many children I’ve worked with over the last year with Dyslexia and other learning difficulties. I know laptop support would have benefited these children hugely as taking work down from the board or even writing by hand can be very challenging for them. In our DEIS plan, which is essentially our SSE plan, it is important that we have this as a goal for all our SEN children. It is a huge part of our commitment to provide an inclusive environment for all.
In relation to the DLF standards, I chose two from each domain to focus on as part of a two year plan in my own school setting. They are:
• Pupils enjoy their learning, are motivated to learn and expect to achieve as learners
• Pupils have the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes required to understand themselves and their relationships
• Pupils engage purposefully in meaningful learning activities
• Pupils grow as learners through respectful interactions and experiences that are challenging and supportive
• The teacher has the requisite subject knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and classroom management skills
• The teacher selects and uses planning, preparation and assessment practices that progress pupils’ learning
• Teachers value and engage in professional development and professional collaboration
• Teachers work together to devise learning opportunities for pupils across and beyond the curriculum

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