Inclusion and Differentiation in the ELT classroom:
introduction to SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities)

 

Let’s be honest. Not many teachers, newly qualified and non, know how to best manage a class with students who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It is often difficult and embarrassing to admit it - Who do you ask for help? Where can you find reliable online information? What immediate actions can you take to make your lessons more accessible for all? Many academies/language schools nowadays are better equipped to support teachers in these circumstances. Some have a SEND coordinator appointed to liaise with students and teachers, so that their classroom experience can be improved. But not all teachers work in this kind of environment. This training session is just the tip of the iceberg, to gently introduce you to a world that you might not be familiar with. 

 

Outcomes  (slide 1-2)

The objectives of this session are:

• to have a better understanding of what SEND means 
• to discover what can be done to better cater for a wide range of students. 

 

But first...read this!

• Here you’ll find only GENERAL advice, as a starting point
• Here we focus mainly on children and young people with SEND
• The definitions and information presented may vary from country to country
• Note that ‘categorising’ SEND is extremely hard, as they often overlap. 
• For some learners with SEND, different learning contexts may present different challenges (e.g. ELT classroom vs non-ELT)
• There is a lot more to discover about SEND - this is just a brief introduction.

 

What is SEND?  (slide 3)

According to the Equality Act 2010, SEND is described as ‘…a physical or mental impairment which has a long-term and substantial adverse effect on their [children and young people] ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’. 

 

For the purpose of this session, it is vital to remember that the definition above includes:

• more children than it is often realised, as its threshold is quite low;
• sensory impairments (e.g. affecting sight or hearing) as well as long-term health conditions (e.g. diabetes, cancer).

Please note:

• children and young people affected by sensory impairments and long-term health conditions might not have SEND, but often disabilities and SEND overlap.

 

Why do we need to know more about SEND?  (slide 4)

There are a number of reasons why teachers need to familiarise themselves with SEND. 

 

• The number of students with SEND is increasing worldwide;
• You might have students with SEND in your classroom, but you are not aware of it;
• Not all TEFL courses offer training on the matter;
• To promote equal learning opportunities;
• To teach ALL students more effectively.

 

SEND  categories  (slide 5)

Identifying each type of SEND isn’t easy: many of them are similar, but with significant differences, while often overlapping. Generally speaking, however, they fall under four different categories.

 

1. Communication and interaction
2. Cognition and learning 
3. Social, emotional and mental health
4. Sensory and/or physical needs.

 

 

Classifying SEND  (slide 6)

The slide below offers four broad areas of special educational needs, as identified here.

 

• Social, emotional and mental health difficulties
• Communication and interaction
• Sensory and/or physical needs
• Cognition and learning

 

However, ‘categorising’ SEND is extremely hard, as they often overlap. Perhaps the diagram below can better represent this. (slide 7)

 

 

For a clear and in-depth explanation of each category, please see ‘Broad areas of need’ pages 97-98.

 

Purpose  (slide 8)

We mentioned earlier that one of the reasons for better understanding SEND is ‘to teach ALL students more effectively’. In order to do that, teachers need to implement ‘inclusion’ and ‘differentiation’ – these have been buzzwords in the education sector for the past few years. 

 

 

 

As teachers, we all want our students to be part of an inclusive classroom, where everyone follows the same curriculum, and no one is left behind. To make this possible, we need to make some changes to our lessons and our classroom environment that will ultimately benefit every single student in our class. 

 

Good practice  (slide 9)

With the idea of ‘inclusion’ in mind, there are many steps a teacher can take before, during, and after class to address the needs of every student, without overcomplicating their own lives. 

 

 

 

 

The suggestions above are only some of the measures that can be taken to foster inclusion in the classroom. 

 

 

 

Differentiation as a means of inclusion  (slide 10)

 

Every student is different in the way they learn: speed, engagement, and thought process. For this reason, differentiation can be beneficial to all learners. However, for it to be effective, differentiation needs to become an integral part of your everyday classroom practice.

 

 

There are many ways to differentiate. A very broad classification can be by support, by outcome, and by task.

 

 

 

• Task
• Support
• Outcome

 

Other ways to differentiate (slide 11-12)

Looking at a traditional lesson structure, there are often three stages. First, the topic and the target language is introduced and presented; then, the students practice it; finally, the learners demonstrate their understanding of the language and show their ability to use it.

 

Taking these three stages as examples, and by giving students some choice, we can improve the level of differentiation in the classroom. 

 

 

 

 

Challenging behaviour  (slide 13)

Generally speaking, for most schools and teachers, challenging behaviours are those that interfere with the safety of the student, other students and/or school staff, or with the learning of the student and/or other students. Often, challenging behaviour is triggered by a combination of several factors, which can’t always be predicted.

It’s worth noting that challenging behaviour can occur in any classroom and can be displayed by any student.

Should you find yourself facing challenging behaviour, keep calm and remember that:

 

• There is always a reason for challenging behaviour. It is usually a combination of internal and environmental factors, and it is a form of communication. Therefore, it should never be taken ‘personally’. 

 

• Distraction rather than confrontation. Ignoring challenging behaviour can be extremely difficult and counterproductive; however, addressing the behaviour directly can escalate an already precarious situation. On the other hand, redirecting the student’s focus or making immediate small changes to the surrounding environment (e.g. grouping/seating arrangement, lighting) might help you gain back control of the classroom.

 

 

 

• Focus on the positive. Learners who show signs of challenging behaviour are often exposed to negative comments regarding their attitude, lack of focus, rage outbursts etc. You can flip the table by praising them for their achievements, no matter how small.

 

• Positive ground rules. Agree with your class on rules and stick to them. It is important that you make them positive.

 

 

Teacher’s strategies  (slide 14)

There are four types of strategies that teachers can apply to deal with difficult situations to DEFUSE, DIVERT, MANAGE, or PREVENT challenging behaviour.  

 

 

• Preventing
• Diverting
• Defusing
• Managing

 

Practice time! (slide 15)

 

Consider the following scenarios:

 

1. Stefano is a friendly and polite student who struggles with information retention because he has severe memory difficulties. He is unable to recall what was learnt during previous lessons. Because of this, he quickly loses interest in the lessons and expresses his frustration with anger outbursts.

 

2. Lucille is a bright and creative student who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). She is often distracted in class and rarely completes her homework or any given task. She can’t cope with the pressure to perform and is unable to absorb long instructions.

 

3. Omar is an inquisitive and extroverted student who has dyslexia and finds written work extremely challenging. He doesn’t write any more than three sentences, which lack clarity and structure. His reading is slow and hesitant, which affects his confidence and his behaviour in the classroom. 

 

4. Anthea is a dedicated and conscientious student who has severe hearing loss. She sometimes appears distracted and very tired. 

 

 

Have a look below for some suggestions:

 

1. Frequent disruptive behaviour (slide 16)

• Use supported self-compiled visual dictionary for subject-specific vocabulary
• Break work down into smaller chunks disregarding superfluous content
• Use visual cues to support written text
• Use a lesson menu to write down instructions
• Tick off each one as the student completes it so they can identify their own progress.

 

2. Lack of concentration or focus (slide 17)

• Class work should be broken down into small sections which can be worked on one point at a time
• Introduce "time out" as a calming measure
• Use realistic timed targets to promote engagement with a task. You can also use these to monitor student progress
• Homework and classwork should be phased so that your student is not overwhelmed by quantity

 

3. Reading/Writing difficulties (slide 18)

• Use coloured overlays, following advice from specialists to reduce glare and jumping letters (e.g. use 12-14 size sans-serif font, on light colour background)
• Keep instructions simple and break down into short, well-spaced out sentences
• Facilitate 1:1 tutorials to engage your student in letter/word games that encourage phoneme blending
• Use alternative means of recording such as iPads or laptops
• Use visuals to support written text
• Colour code books and equipment, using different colours for each subject

 

4. Hearing impairment (slide 19)

• Use pictures, graphics and text labels
• Arrange chairs in semi-circle (if possible)
• Face the class when speaking / Don’t speak while writing on the board
• Speak clearly with a natural tone of voice
• Minimise background noise
• Write and keep key information on the board (or handouts)

 

References & Bibliography

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398815/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf

http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/international-standard-classification-of-education-isced-2011-en.pdf

https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/images/271195-special-educational-needs.pdf

https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/advice/employers/creating-a-dyslexia-friendly-workplace/dyslexia-friendly-style-guide

https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/

 

Click below for the slides!