Resources and signposts to ASD resources- under construction
All posts by Laura Fowler
Staff Development
ASN Outreach provide a wide range of development opportunities to a wide range of audience.
Training can be accessed through Vantage via the Source.
We are also able to provide bespoke training sessions to establishments and learning communities. Bespoke training can be requested via the Support Request process.
16/17 Calendar of events to follow asap
Transitions
ASN Transitions
Transitions are part of our everyday lives. From an early stage children will experience a number of transitions from the pre-school stage through to post-school destinations. For some a change of school or class is viewed as an exciting opportunity however for others transition can be a less than positive experience.
Transitions should be viewed as a key process to a child’s learning and development and a successful transition can help a child adapt to change more positively throughout life.
One of our key priorities within our Single Outcome Agreement (2013-2023) and in the Service’s Strategic Plan (2014-2017) is transitions i.e. developing a guideline for all educational staff on supporting transitions for children with additional support needs; developing our young workforce; improving the number of positive destinations for our most vulnerable.
We have developed jointly with Clackmannanshire Council, a guideline on transitions. The focus is on supporting children with additional support needs, in making positive transitions through a consistent and co-ordinated approach to planning. The guideline outlines the Councils’ vision, aims and key principles of transition, taking account of the Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act (amended 2009), which outlines the statutory timescales for transition planning.
ASN Learner Journeys
Young people with identified ASN may require different experiences to ensure they are following a curriculum that helps them to achieve their potential and be prepared for later life.
Local ASN Friendly Partners
Wider achievement and Flexible Pathways
Wider Achievement and Flexible Pathways
Wider Achievement
Everyone knows the importance of getting formal qualifications at school – but our pupils are involved in a wide range of activities and have other important achievements, for example in:
- youth work
- volunteering
- part-time employment
- hobbies and interests
- projects that they undertake across the curriculum
- participation in activities and opportunities in school beyond the classroom
- helping out at home.
As a result, young people are developing important skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work that can be of real value to them as they grow up and when it comes to getting a job or going to college or university.
We want to make sure that young people get full recognition for all their achievements – not just their exam results. The SQA have a selection of Awards that recognise the life and work skills that learners gain from activities they may already be taking part in at school, at college or elsewhere (such as sport, mentoring, voluntary work or fund-raising activities). These awards have been designed to recognise wider achievement. An increasing number of our schools are using these awards to help pupils recognise the skills they are developing and demonstrate to employers that our young people are working hard to develop the skills that are valued in the workplace.
Wider achievement is also recognised by a range of organisations such as Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, John Muir Trust, Scout Association and many others. In school, pupils are encouraged to reflect on the skills they are developing and build a profile of how they are progressing as they get older.
Flexible Pathways
A flexible learning pathway is a flexible programme of learning delivered through a variety of methods and experiences offered in different environments. Curriculum for Excellence encourages wider educational opportunities than those previously widely considered within school environments, prioritising skills for life and learning.
A flexible pathway would ensure that students would have the opportunity to select a range of pathways to the workplace. This could include working with school and college staff, experiencing the world of work, working on more vocationally based qualifications or even starting apprenticeships leading to industry recognised qualifications whilst in school. By making the routes through school more varied and applicable to the interests and aspirations, we would expect students to make better choices leading to better opportunities for employment or further study.
Useful links
Skills for Learning, Life and Work
Under construction
Dyslexia
Dyslexia
Children learn at varying speeds and each child will have his/her own profile of strengths and developmental needs. However there are a variety of indicators that might point to dyslexia.
General indicators of dyslexia include:
- being able to talk about what he/she is learning more easily than reading or writing about it
- persistent spelling difficulties despite appropriate efforts
- appearing to have a poor concentration span, or being forgetful and/or disorganised
- difficulty with telling the time, and learning multiplication tables
- having short-term memory problems, and difficulties with sequencing e.g. following/giving instructions, directions, etc.
Dyslexia can be described as a continuum of difficulties in learning to read, write and/or spell, which persist despite the provision of appropriate learning opportunities. These difficulties often do not reflect an individual’s cognitive abilities and may not be typical of performance in other areas.
The impact of dyslexia as a barrier to learning varies in degree according to the learning and teaching environment, as there are often associated difficulties such as:
• auditory and/or visual processing of language-based information
• phonological awareness
• oral language skills and reading fluency
• short-term and working memory
• sequencing and directionality
• number skills
• organisational ability
Motor skills and co-ordination may also be affected.
ASN Outreach chair a dyslexia Working Group to continue to ensure our learners are well supported. For more information please contact :
Fiona McDougall (PT Primary ASN Outreach)
Stirling Council provides clear guidance and support for children and young people who may have dyslexia.
Dyslexia policy
Appendices
Useful links
Useful links to online resources
Head teachers Working Together Meeting 27th May
Margaret Ross from out Early Years Team is delivering examples of good practice around transition planning at the Head Teachers’ Working Together meeting this month.
Margaret has been involved in supporting the transitions of children from nursery to primary school, many of whom have significant levels of physical and learning needs. Through a person centred approach, the team, family and child feel good about moving forward to primary school.
Margaret describes the approaches to supporting this important milestone in her presentation.
Laura Fowler PT ASN Secondary is also delivering a presentation on what we know works in preparing young people when transitioning on from secondary school.
Agreeing outcomes with young people and ensuring their views, needs and wants are central to transition planning, is the focus of the workshop.
The changes in practices regarding the Named Person Role and how that is working in light of the Children and Young People’s Act 2015, also features in the discussions.
