Additional Support Needs
Education Scotland National Improvement Hub (2022). Rights, Reviews, Promises and Inclusion for All evaluation tool
The Rights of Children with Additional Support Needs: This film aims to increase knowledge and awareness among parents and practitioners of new children’s rights legislation. The Education (Scotland) Act 2016 (commenced in January 2018) has provided children aged 12-15 years with Additional Support Needs (ASN) with independent rights regarding their education which are almost equivalent to those held by parents and young people, including the right to advice and information and to request particular types of assessment. This link takes you to a short film, the full report and a summary report.
Review of additional support for learning implementation report (independent review) (published by Scottish Government June 2020) and executive summary.
Better outcomes for children who need additional support (Scottish Government published March 2019) includes link to updated presumption of mainstreaming guidance and inclusion resources developed by Education Scotland.
Falkirk Council specialist provision descriptors
Wakelet on Curriculum and Accessibility provided by Education Scotland Inclusion, Wellbeing & Equalities
The Inclusion Ambassadors are a group of secondary school-aged young people who have a range of additional support needs and attend a variety of school provision. The provide a valuable insight into education policy, what works and what could make things better. An example of their work is this available on their resource bank and this visual resource identifying what makes an inclusive learning environment.
Addressing Barriers to Learning
Dundee Educational Psychology Service have made available online support materials within their ABLe process. It is “based on the idea that successful learning takes place when the learning profiles of each member of the group or class interact positively with the learning environment on offer.”
There are a series of mind maps, notes and ideas available for practitioners in schools to use. It is important to consider both the learning environment as well as the learner themselves. It is recommended to talk through the process and materials with a colleague and ask Falkirk EPS for advice if you are a Falkirk based practitioner rather than the Dundee EPS. Topics include:
- attention
- memory
- organisation
- language/communication
- selective mutism
- motor movements
- reading
- spelling
- numeracy
- self-regulation
- behaviour management
- anxiety and trauma
- attachment difficulties
- anger and conflict
- bereavement
Adoption UK
Lets Learn Together: A guide for parents and teachers of adopted children in primary schools in Scotland
Anxiety (including stress, worry and concern for mental health & wellbeing)
Assessment Arrangements (SQA)
Guidance on the principles and procedures that must be followed when providing assessment arrangements to allow young people who are disabled, and/or have been identified as having additional support needs, access to appropriate arrangements to complete the assessment without compromising its integrity.
Assessment of social emotional development
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire – https://sdqinfo.org/a0.html
Parent version scoring tool – SDQ Excel tool
Attention Difficulties
Attention Difficulties and Intervention Strategies in the classroom
Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder advice and guidance
The British Psychological Society/Division of Education and Child Psychology (2022) have provided a briefing paper on non-pharmacological interventions to support children who have difficulties with attention, activity and impulsivity.
Autism
The Autism Toolbox is a great source of advice and materials for parents and teachers. It is advised to use the tools or materials in discussion with a colleague or parent in order to identify specific approaches or strategies and agree a consistent approach. It was created through a Scottish Government Project. Scottish Autism have provided a video, What’s on the Autism Toolbox, to give an overview and help navigate.
The National Autism Implementation team have a really helpful set of resources on their website.
One of the approaches that is recommended for children with autism, to help them understand the social world and their behaviour in it is a Social Story TM (Carol Gray). There are a number of videos available online. This one is particularly helpful for thinking about how to write a social story.
Update: February 2021, please find an audio narrated PowerPoint on social stories/comic strips at this link on our blog Social stories & comic strips. There is also a useful audio narrated PowerPoint on the Incredible 5 point scale on our blog at this link Incredible 5 point scale.
Video modelling and video self-modelling are more recent innovations that can assist pupils with autism learn social behaviours. The article and links in this page are a useful place to start if you identify that a video approach may be helpful.
Understanding different behaviours between school and home (provided by the National Autistic Society)
Understanding the Spectrum (a brief summary available in different languages)
Falkirk Educational Psychology Service (2022). Supporting Autistic Learners: Environmental and Classroom Audit Tool (Upper Primary/Secondary).
National Autism Implementation Team (NAIT) (2020). Anxiety Related Absence: A guide for practice.
