Maximising the Educational
Outcomes for Students with SEN
in Second-level Schools
Patricia M. Daly, Ph.D
Head of Department of Educational Psychology,
Inclusive & Special Education
Education & Training Boards Ireland Conference 2017
Barriers at Post-Primary Level
• Within Control of School vs Outside Control of the School
• Certificate Examination culture
• Number of teachers with responsibility for learning of an
individual student with SEN
• Number of classes per day for individual students
• Basic Skill deficits – critical at this level
Maximising Potential …
• Presence
• Participation
• Achievement (Ainscow, Booth & Dyson, 2006)
What is in the control of Schools?
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Educational Practices?
Level of Acceptance by staff?
Culture of awareness of barriers and exclusionary practices?
Teacher Beliefs?
– Mind set – that things can change for the better at the level of
individual students
– Everyone’s capacity for learning can be Enhanced?
Interrupting Instructional Practices
• Interrupting can be the admission of a new student who is not
learning with existing practices
• Interrupting can be participating in some form of educational
experiment that prompts thinking and rethinking
• Interrupting can be some form of CPD that challenges existing
beliefs
Entrenched Beliefs
• Notion that problems are inherent in students
– He won’t do….
– He can’t do …..
– He is ……
• If change of attitude and practice are not supported to happen,
staff will collaborate to resist change and maintain status quo
• Principal is key here!
To maximise potential of …
• Constantly review our notions of being Inclusive Schools
• Inclusivity is not for the faint-hearted!
– Have to be willing to have views, practices, plans challenged
• Open to connections with other schools
• Notion of ‘hub’ schools – including accessing special schools as
centres of excellence
• Inclusion is neither a destination nor a port of call!
ETB schools
• Have connections with other ETB schools at many levels
• Have alternative exit routes for students not set for college or
university - apprenticeships
• Have collective and local CPD
• Tend to accept more ‘other’ students
• Are politically connected in unique ways
ETB schools ?
• Identity – victim of success
• Status with other ‘local’ schools
To maximise potential …
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Welcome and inclusive mind set for a critical mass of personnel
Qualified special education staff
Positive visibility for all students in school
Co-curricular opportunities to increase opportunities for
positive visibility
• Deep community connections
• Listening ear for students’ views
Research on Effective PP Schools for Students with
SEN
• Major US study (2006, reported in HB of SE 2014) on postprimary environments that were considered ‘effective’
inclusionary schools – two key themes emerged
• Core philosophy of finding solutions to problems rather than
complaining about them or just feeling stressed
• Consistent yet flexible approaches to working with students
with SEN or learning difficulties.
Consistent yet Flexible theme
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Active Learning by students
Participation in class
School Positive Behaviour plans in action
School Teams including SEN teacher(s)
Collaborative Teaching
Technology
Self-advocacy preparation
Active Learning in Class
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Use of Response Boards
Small group work
Structure of desks to facilitate talking
Using on-line platform to provide basic information and
practice so higher level work can take place in classroom.
Participating in Class
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Active Listening
Taking Notes
Strategic Note Taking - see next slide
Graphic organisers – and USING them in teaching
Labs of any sort
Hands – on
Strategic Note-Taking: Worksheet (Boyle, 2013; Boyle & Weishaar, 2001)
First Page #: __1__ Student: ________________ Course/Class: _______________________ Date:
____________
Topic. Write the topic of today's lecture: ___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Background Knowledge. Before the lecture, jot down anything that you already know about this
topic (in sentences, phrases, or keywords):
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Main Points: Record any new important points and related details covered in this part of the lecture:
1. _______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
School Positive Behaviour Plan
• School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (PBIS)
– Notion of earning rewards for the class
Goals
1/5
– TESCO disks
– Self-monitoring
Be respectful
0
1
2
1
2
Be responsible 0
– Taught social skills
Hand &
0
1
2
– Peer support structure Keep
Feet to Self
Follow Directions 0
1
2
– Peer tutoring
Be There –
Be Ready
TOTAL POINTS
0
1
2/6
3/7
HR
4/8
0
1
2
0
1
2
0
1
2
0
1
2
0
1
2
0
1
2
0
1
2
0
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2
0
1
2
0
1
2
0
1
2
0
1
2
0
1
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0
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2
0
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2 0
1
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Students with Individualised Education Plans
• Such plans have focus on academic skills
– Literacy – reading and comprehension
– Literacy for content understanding – specific to subjects
• Strategies for learning
– Using texts, preparing for exams
• Disability specific characteristics – behaviour, tolerance …
– ADHD, ASD, Dyslexia etc.
• ALL need to be monitored!!
To Maximise Outcomes, Outcomes must be considered to be
Broader than Academic!
SESS ASD project finding - …’it really got
me to consider that behaviours need to be
addressed as a priority for the student, why
they engage in the behaviour --- often
there is a lot going on in school that I do
not give this level of consideration to issues
that come up’.
TEAMS
• SEN qualified teachers as a team?
• Year teams
• Subject teams
• Integrate SEN staff into other teams so they are PART of all.
Co-Teaching
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Many models of this –
Very positive research on it
MOST dominant model using SEN teacher as support!
Chance to TRULY co-teach in PP schools
SEN teachers have subjects!
Shared instruction and behaviour management responsibilities
Technology
• How used?
• Who uses it most?
• Using Edmodo
• Content with no technology
• Technology with no content
Self-Advocacy
• Lockers with the main boys
• Teaching steps for Self-Advocacy
– Self-management
– Problem solving
– Setting goals
Considerations
• Smart, deliberate, thoughtful use of CPD for individual teachers
AND for the school as a whole
– Qualified special education personnel
– Cutting edge pedagogies in the disciplines?
• Learning curves get easier with practice – schools get better at
making changes, getting relevant CPD, making places and
spaces for students with learning difficulties and SEN.
Sources
• Dierker, L.A. and Powell, S. (2014) Secondary special education and inclusive
practices: Pitfalls and potential for the success of all. Published in the Sage
Handbook of Special Education, 659-674.
• Crone, D.A., Hawken, L.S., and Horner, R.H. (2010). Responding to probem behaviour
in schools: The behaviour education program (2nd Ed.), Guilford Press.
• Lane, K.L., Kalberg, J.R. and Menzies, H.M. (2009). Developing schoolwide programs
to prevent and manage problem behaviours: A step-by-step approach. Guildford
Press