Adaptive Learning Magazine - Spring Term 2022

Adaptive Learning Spring Term 2022 Issue 3

Why we should not define autism in terms of ‘deficits’.

By Nick Hodge September, 2018

Autistic children in the United Kingdom are increasingly being suspended or expelled from school because of ‘behavioural problems’ official figures show. Some regions in the UK have seen a 100% increase in these types of exclusions since 2011.

Research carried out by myself and colleagues at Sheffield Hallam University in the U.K. demonstrates the devastating consequences these exclusions have for disabled children and their families.

A landmark legal ruling in August stated that the exclusion of autistic children from school is a violation of their human rights. This decision by the U.K.’s Upper Tribunal should bring to a halt the alarming rise in the number of school exclusions of autistic students.

Schools can no longer exclude students for aggression if this results from the student being autistic and is not, therefore, an act of choice.

Autism as a problem The ruling means that schools are now legally obliged to make reasonable adjustments under the U.K.’s Equality Act 2010 to support autistic children whose behavior they find challenging.

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But although the results of the tribunal are to be welcomed, some elements of the reported ruling reproduce the fundamental misrepresentation of autism that gives rise to these exclusions — for example, Judge Alison Rowley asserted that “aggressive behavior is not a choice for children with autism.” In doing so, Rowley seems to imply that acting aggressively is an expected characteristic of being autistic.

Thinking about ‘problem’ behavior as a characteristic of autism has predominated within society since the condition was first formulated more than 70 years ago. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) sets out the personal characteristics that warrant a diagnosis of autism.

This defines autistic people through terms such as ‘deficit’ and ‘failure.’ Their behavior is represented as abnormal and a problem: Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction … deficits in social-emotional reciprocity … abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth conversation … inflexible adherence to routines.

Instead they will tell you about how other people don’t understand them.

Wider acceptance This is why the ‘problem’ of autism needs to be reframed — making it less about the individual and more about the way society relates to and views autistic people. This approach is known as the Social Model of Disability.

Through my research, I encourage education practitioners to shift from thinking about ‘problem’ behaviour as a characteristic of autism.

I ask them instead to reflect on how a child might be experiencing what is happening to him at school and why that might result in unwanted behaviours. To help with this, I offer practitioners an alternative, rights-based definition of autism to the deficit-focused one presented by the DSM 5.

This still acknowledges the significance of the challenges that autistic people face. However, in this new definition, the responsibility and foIn this way, autism is made a personal probcus for change is placed with school practices lem with social rules and practices, as well as rather than with the child. In this different way issues with communication and coping readily of thinking about autism, it becomes defined with change. Thinking of autism in this way has as: engendered a multi-million pound industry that depends on selling the idea that autistic chilProfound and fundamental challenges with: dren are in desperate need of a cure. knowing and/or applying customary social rules and practices if these are not made Misunderstood and misrepresented clear; accessing commonly available communication systems; adapting quickly to unexThis dominant mode of thinking about autism pected and enforced change. is often referred to as the Individual Model of Disability. This is the view that a person has It is critical to think about autism in terms of a disability because in some critical way their the need for schools to develop more responbody fails them. You only have to look at the sive practices to meet a diverse range of stuissue of school exclusions, the prevalence of dents – rather than a fundamental problem mental health issues and the disturbingly high with a child. Doing so will compel schools to level of suicides in autistic adults to know that recognize where the problem of behaviour realit is time to think differently about autism. ly lies.

Ask autistic people what the problem is and they won’t answer that it is that there’s something wrong with them.

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Teaching Tips For Dyslexia

Priase Gives Power Critism Kills

A person with dyslexia needs a boost to their self-confidence before they can learn to overcome their difficulties. They have already experienced failure and deep down they often don’t believe they are capable of learning.

To re-establish self-confidence provide the opportunity to succeed and give praise for small achievements.

Do not ask them to copy text from a board or book Give a printout. Suggest they highlight key areas and draw thumbnail pictures in the margin to represent the most important points.

Accept homework created on a computer

Physical handwriting is torture for most people with dyslexia. Word processors make life much Don’t ask person with dyslexia to read aloud easier. Allow them to use the Spell Checker and

help with grammar and punctuation so that you Words are likely to be misread or skipped, caus- can see the quality of the content. ing embarrassment.

Discuss an activity to make sure it is underDon’t give a punishment for forgetting books stood or sports kit Visualising the activity or linking it to a funny Offer positive strategies such as having one action may help someone with dyslexia replace to put things away. member.

Don’t use the word ‘lazy’ People with dyslexia have to work harder to produce a smaller amount.

They will have difficulty staying focused when reading, writing or listening.

Give the opportunity to answer questions orally Often people with dyslexia can demonstrate their understanding with a spoken answer but are unable to put those ideas in writing.

Expect less written work A person with dyslexia may be verbally bright but struggle to put ideas into writing.

Allow more time for reading, listening and understanding.

Prepare a printout of homework and stick it in their book Provide numbered steps, e.g. 1. Do this. 2. Do that etc.

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PUTTING SEMH AT THE HEART OF YOUR PEDAGOGY

By Lynn How True Education Practice runs The fundamentals of SEMH may run through your school like the middle of a stick of rock or they may be somewhat underdeveloped.

Either way, there are some tactics you can employ to ensure that in your classroom, your core purpose is to develop the whole child by supporting their social and emotional development. This will help developed schools strive for further excellence in this area through many marginal gains. If SEMH is sadly, way down on the agenda in your setting, you will know that by employing SEMH at the heart of your teaching, you are doing the best for the children in your care to ensure their needs are met.

SEMH underpins educational development and learning. Without these skills there is no foundation on which to build on. Once children are confident in their own SEMH, then their progress will follow. Not putting in these foundations is like building a wall on the sand. You can make it as high as you like by getting through the objectives but it will all fall down when the learning doesn’t stick or the child is not showing the learning behaviours needed.

The following suggestions are things that you can do to support SEMH in your classroom

Creating rapport in the classroom Firstly, gaining respect a good relationship with each and every child will do wonders in not only the SEMH in your classroom but also classroom management and the ability of an individual to make progress. If you get the rapport right with pupils, then it’s a win-win situation where they feel nurtured, have high expectations placed upon them and make progress.

Easier said than done in some cases.

It is impossible to like 30+ children an equal amount in a classroom situation (although much easier when you speak to them 1:1), but it is possible to make them think you like them all equally using consistency, rapport and believing in them as individuals.

Class learning mentor Is it possible to have some 1:1 time with every single pupil once a week? Not just to hear them read but to coach them in their overall performance; what they are doing well and what to work on. They can also give you feedback on lessons they enjoy or find tricky as well as what scaffolding and learning method help them.

This personalised learning really supports self-esteem and the point above about gaining that rapport. In Alison Peacock (et al’s) ‘Creating Learning without Limits’ book, she describes how learning capacity is significantly strengthened using a system where pupil coaching and conversation is put at the forefront of practice.

Caring This may sound like a no brainer and I have never met a teacher that didn’t care about their children, even the challenging ones! Sometimes though, being only human, we don’t show that we care with enough skill. This is especially true when there are several issues happening at once.

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I am guilty of it myself and describe it to others as ‘plate spinning’. If only one plate falls off at a time, you are doing well! The challenge here is to be able to deal with each issue sensitively. If there is a riot in one corner, this will need immediate attention. Ben sobbing in the other corner will have to wait but it is the way you communicate this that is important.

If possible, speak to Ben quickly saying, I need to deal with this now but I will be back with you in a minute, perhaps you’d like to go to the toilet with a friend and get a tissue while you wait. If not possible, apologise to Ben when you are eventually able to see him and ensure you are able to listen fully.

You may feel that Ben is ‘over-sensitive’ so what if he is? He is clearly upset and needs a kind word and strategies to help him get through the day. Please don’t just tell him to stop snivelling and get on with his work (and yes I have heard this said to a child!).

A child’s body language I’ve had many conversations over the years with children about how they come across.

You have the child who always smiles (because this automatically happens to some children when they are anxious) when told off and the child who takes a sullen defensive stance with any feedback about misdemeanours. My advice to these children is to check their expressions in front of a mirror and practice the sort of body language required for looking repentant. This particularly supports them on the move to secondary school as they come across many more adults that don’t know them well. The vast majority of these children are genuinely sorry and they need a little support with their communication of this.

This will support their SEMH, as adults will feel more able to focus on moving forward from the behaviour rather than being irritated by the child’s response.

Manners and social etiquette I often get comments on my children’s manners and I am pleased to report that they are excellent at pleases and thank yous etc. etc.

This is taught behaviour. What these people don’t see is the constant whispered encouragement (or threat!) in restaurants to sit still and use their cutlery properly. Also, I never let go of anything until I get the ‘thank you’. Which has often resulted in an amusing tug of war situation where my kids are confused as to why I’m not letting go (the penny drops eventually!).

Many children have not been taught these skills at home and sadly, it is by default down to educators to help them on their way. By supporting their manners and social etiquette, they will come across better to adults and other children, in turn will be received better and subsequently supporting SEMH as they will receive positive feedback. This is of course not an overnight fix and requires a lot of drip-feeding from every adult in school. Make sure you include it in your classroom by reinforcing theirs and modelling good manners with your interactions with colleagues and pupils.

Systems of support in class The possibilities are endless here. From worry boxes to Zones of Regulation, consider how in your classroom how children can have the confidence and the skills to communicate their needs. Some individuals may need a ‘key adult’ either in or outside the classroom to go and see during wobbly moments. It would be worth providing these children with a pass or agreeing on a word between you so that the rest of the class doesn’t notice that they need to leave.

“Celebrate these and address any concerns that individuals and the whole class may have without shying away from dfficult conversations”

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Interweaving all learning to include SEMH everywhere

One such study conducted in Sweden concluded that:

Whatever you are teaching, you are modelling SEMH. You probably do it all the time without realising anyway. There are multiple opportunities throughout a lesson to include examples and comments on where children have shown good teamwork/manners/emotional intelligence etc. Celebrate these and address any concerns that individuals and the whole class may have without shying away from difficult conversations. It’s ok to not know the answers and sometimes, I have been in situations where I have needed to check what school policy is or get the head teacher’s opinion on what we teach and communicate to children regarding sensitive issues. You always need to go back to the child and address the concern. Don’t forget!

‘Adolescents with high individual academic aspirations have less mental health problems at 1-year follow-up. Future studies should investigate whether interventions aimed at increasing aspirations and engagement in school may prevent mental health problems in adolescence.’

So, raise aspirations in your classrooms. Maybe have a career of the week to discuss options and qualifications needed, ask parents to talk about their work, visit places of work or play-based career centres such as Kidzania https://kidzania.co.uk/. I should add here that I personally, strongly disapprove of suggesting to children that they could have a career far above their academic potential. Those careers that need straight A grades should only be ‘In an experiment, a scientist placed a number of encouraged when the potential is there. Simifleas in a glass jar. They quickly jumped out. He larly, although a pop star, YouTube influencer or footballer are viable options, ensure there is a then put the fleas back into the jar and placed plan B! a glass lid over the top. The fleas began jumping and hitting the glass lid, falling back down Raise aspirations in your classrooms into the jar. After a while, the fleas, conditioned to the presence of the glass lid, began jumping slightly below the glass lid so as not to hit it. The Maybe have a career of the week to discuss options and qualifications needed, ask parents scientist then removed the glass lid as it was to talk about their work, visit places of work or no longer needed to keep the fleas in the jar.

The fleas have learned to limit themselves from play-based career centres such as Kidzania.

I should add here that I personally, strongly jumping beyond the height of the lid even if the lid was removed as they have been conditioned disapprove of suggesting to children that they to the fact that they cannot escape from the jar.’ could have a career far above their academic potential. Those careers that need straight A So if we look at those children in our care as grades should only be encouraged when the those fleas in a jar, their upbringing and circum- potential is there. Similarly, although a pop star, stances may have diminished their ability to YouTube influencer or footballer are viable op‘jump’ and realise their aspirations. If they are tions, ensure there is a plan B! not getting that aspiration support from home, then again we as educators must attempt to To read the rest of this article, click here. fill this gap by believing in our students and encouraging them to jump higher in life. Much research has been conducted in this area and conclusions are unremarkably similar.

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KES Curriculum Support Team For more information about anything covered in the magazine, or general information about learning support, please contact: King Edward VI School SENDCO Mrs Ramshaw znr@kes.hants.sch.uk