Looking back and going
forward: materials to support
the teaching of pupils with
SEN and/or disabilities
Glendra Read,
Institute of Education,
University of London
Need for national
consistency across ITE
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Validation of practice in effective institutions
Improvement to the practice of less effective
institutions
Progression in training – a unified
strategy/staged model
Linked to the revision of the professional
standards
TDA commissioned IoE to trial pilot projects
Aims of the projects
• To drive forward knowledge, skills and
understanding of trainees in inclusive
practice for SEN and disability
• To help trainees develop inclusive
teaching skills to remove barriers to
learning and participation for pupils with
a wide range of needs
• To devise approaches and materials to
support the fulfilment of these aims
Does the pupil with SEN and/or a
disability need a special pedagogy?
• Davis and Florian
(2004) reported that
‘the more important
agenda is how to
develop a pedagogy
that is inclusive to all
learners’
• Norwich and Lewis
(2007) reported that
only pupils with
autism spectrum
condition and ADHD
were seen as
requiring a
pedagogy that is
specific to their
group needs
The research also tells us…
• Listen to the individuals (we know from research that
teachers still talk through 60-75% of most lessons)
• Poor acoustics damages the attainment of all,
particularly pupils with SEN (Shield and Dockrell
2002)
• English building regulations for schools have been
tightened - future generations will benefit
• Look at the evidence of ‘what works’ for pupils with
SEN
• Build what we learn into our education systems
Resources – the elements
E1
E2
E3
E4
E5
E8
E9
E10
E11
18 primary undergraduate sessions
4 week placements in special schools
Taught sessions for NQTs for LAs
Electronic portal
Assessment/exemplars for trainees/NQTs
18 secondary undergraduate sessions
PGCE taught sessions
Personalised learning task
14 subject booklets and 17 SSTs
Results from the pilot of E1
• Trialled successfully in 9 institutions
with 700 trainees
• Very positive responses:
comprehensive coverage, quality and
relevance
• Tutors reviewed their programmes and
brought the materials into them
• Wide variation in approaches
Results from the pilot of E2
• Trialled successfully in 17 universities with
250 trainees
• Very positive across all universities and
schools
• Trainees enthused about the experience, the
commitment of staff and the effects on the
way they felt about their teaching careers
• On balance, the data suggested a preference
for a four week model, because of the
powerful impact it could have on trainees’
development as teachers
• The experience worked best in Y3 of a 4 year
course
The Ofsted review
• All PGCE courses were at least satisfactory in
preparing trainees to teach pupils with LDD
• Variation in practice and quality throughout
• Heavy reliance on school placement: worked well in
some schools, less well in others
• Planning of other adults’ work was good, the
monitoring of it weaker
• Insufficient co-ordination of quality assurance
procedures between providers and schools
(Ofsted, 2008, How well new teachers are prepared to
teach pupils with learning difficulties and/or
disabilities) HMI: 070223.
The aims of E5
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To encourage professional dialogue
between trainees and their tutors/mentors
about effective practice in teaching pupils
with SEN and/or disabilities
To relate that dialogue to the professional
standards – and thereby help to promote
consistency of assessment against the
standards
Results from the pilot of E5
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Trialled in 5 universities and 12 LAs
Welcomed as innovative and helpful
Improved dialogue between schools/universities
and schools/LAs
Strengthened role of SENCO/Inclusion manager in
supporting NQTs
Involved mentors more robustly in SEN issues
Gave trainees a broader view of SEN and
disability issues
The Ofsted view: the journey
• The best NQTs were: ‘grounded in LDD
pedagogy; skilled communicators;
reflective practitioners; identified what
worked and what didn’t; accepted
responsibility for the good progress of
all’.
Thank you