SEND ITT resources
SEND: built in, not bolted on
Teachers can feel disempowered by the expectation to teach learners with a wide variety of needs. The resources signposted on this page help to demystify the teaching of children with SEND and empower new and developing teachers. The resources emphasise the importance of inclusive teaching and learning that is driven by knowledge of the child and how they learn. Teachers do not need to become experts in every SEND diagnosis to be effective. Teachers need to learn how to deepen their knowledge of the pupils they teach and how to adapt their classroom environment so they can plan, teach and assess for all their learners with equal confidence.
The nasen Sendgateway https://nasen.org.uk/ hosts a wealth of resources that can support Initial Teacher Education and Early Career Development of teachers. These resources are free to download and designed to support ITE and ECF curriculum development.
Teacher Handbook: SEND
The SEND Teacher Handbook can be found here – and is a one click download and includes a wealth of resources that will support to development of adaptive teaching and will build the confidence of new teachers and their mentors to work with children with identified and unidentified special educational needs (SEND).
Download here:
ITT Resources for SEND & Inclusion
To accompany the handbook the sendgateway hosts a range of resources designed for mentors and tutors to use for training and teacher education for inclusion and effective support of children with special educational needs.
The full suite of resources can be found here https://ittr.sendgateway.org.uk/
The easy to use presentation power points can be found on the website or downloaded via the links below:
Permeating Themes:
- Access to teaching
- Supporting trainees to better understand their own learning needs, as well as advice on seeking support to teach whilst appropriately managing a disability
- The language we use
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It is important to be aware of the language we use and the impact our words and tone can have. Using strengths-based language when working with children with SEND enables teachers to teach beyond the constraints of medical labels and low expectations. Positive language ensures young people are respected and that teachers are ambitious for what they can achieve.
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- Adopting a graduated approach to pedagogy and practice
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How to respond when a child is struggling to make progress in your lesson. A graduated approach that involves a four-part cycle of Assess, Plan, Do & Review can support all teachers to help move the learning forward.
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- Noticing
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Noticing can be a teacher’s superpower. Noticing a learner’s strengths and challenges informs how we plan and teach. The skill of noticing can be practised and developed.
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- Classroom environment
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The role of the teacher in creating an inclusive classroom environment where all children have the opportunity to access, participate and thrive.
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- Teacher identity and inclusion
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Building a vision and set of personal and professional beliefs for being an inclusive teacher.
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- Co-learning with (and as) experts
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Working effectively with other experts in the classroom. The importance of co-design and co-production as part of an effective pedagogic partnership.
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- Working with Teaching Assistants
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Building effective partnerships with support staff in your classroom.
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We plan to add to this resource bank over time and welcome contributions from ITE providers.
Further Resources
Developing Your Expertise as a SENCo: leading inclusive practice, edited by Helen Knowler, Hazel Richards and Stephanie Brewster (Critical Publishing, 2023).
DfE: Initial Teacher Training - Speical Schools and Alternative Provision (May 2023)
Guidance on the involvement of special schools and alternative provision in Initial Teacher Training (ITT) by the DfE.
Wellbeing for Trainers and Trainees: top tips
These are wellbeing Top tips for staff in education settings, commissioned by Education Support from MindEd and published on both sites. They cover areas of Looking after yourself and each other; Stress and Trauma; Bereavement; and tips for Team Leaders and Managers. They will be useful for trainees and trainers alike.
https://mindedhub.org.uk/top-tips-for-staff-in-education-settings/ and https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/news-and-events/news/wellbeing-tips-for-teachers-education-support-and-minded-partnership/