SPOTLIGHT ON SEND Guide to anxiety


In the first of our Spotlight on SEND columns this month, regular contributor DR ASHA PATEL, CEO of education not-for-profit Innovating Minds, looks at the growing issue of pupil anxiety.


Back in October we decided to do our own straw poll at the TES SEN exhibition in London, so we hijacked teachers passing by our stand and asked them to name the biggest mental health concern in their schools. We expected to hear about exams, bullying or social media but time and time again they said pupil anxiety was their chief concern.


Is anxiety a disorder? No, it is a perfectly normal reaction to potentially threatening situations such as meeting new people or being put on the spot in some way. The physiological response is deliberately designed by nature to be unpleasant, so we are immediately on the alert. It has a physical impact on our bodies- typically the hammering heart, pale skin, sweat and shaking legs. Anxiety only becomes a disorder when it significantly impacts daily life.


How does anxiety affect behaviour? The three most common reactions to anxiety are fight, flight and freeze and this is where trouble can begin. Anxious students often want to defend themselves and this can lead to aggressive behaviour – verbal or physical and conflict with the school system. Some run away literally or metaphorically, becoming school refusers in some cases. Others freeze up and may be the archetypal anxious student with the small voice, poor eye contact who can so easily become the target of bullies.


How can we support students? Teach the child that anxiety peaks and goes away. They need to learn to live with anxiety, to acknowledge it and to take control of it. Often it is good idea to get pupils to map the impact of anxiety on their bodies, so they are prepared and realise that their reactions are normal. In our work with young people we ask them to imagine they


are sat on the embankment as a train of thoughts passes by. They can either watch the train pass by or jump on the train and go for an unpleasant ride. They come to realise that they have choices and that they can be in control of their thoughts, deciding when to let them go and when to act upon them. We always ask children to tap into their five senses to help


them regulate their emotions, so they do not feel so overwhelming. They might visualise a calm scene, sing a song in their head, use stress balls or finger spinners, rip paper, do breathing exercises or progressive muscle exercises where they focus on muscles and stretch and relax like a cat. Dealing with anxiety also involves changes for the school and


staff. It is not just about the young people learning to control themselves. It also involves fostering good staff student relationships, dealing calmly with crises, taking the student to a quiet place, making sure there is no audience participation, and setting up safe places in the school, or ideally in the classroom, where students can go to calm down.


In 2019 there will be resources on our site http://www.innovatingmindscic.com/ for schools to download with information and strategies they can try with their students.


A growth mindset for


pupils with SEND This month, in her regular Education Today column on all aspects of SEND, KATE SARGINSON, Assistant Headteacher and former SENCO, asks whether the concept of mindset is relevant to SEND practice.


The concept of pupil’s mindsets impacting on their achievements as learners has become a hot topic in recent years. Professor Carol Dweck set about researching why pupil’s attitudes about failure vary and how they responded when faced with educational challenge. Dweck coined the terms ‘fixed’ and ‘growth’ mindset to describe the two reactions to difficulties. She advocated a classroom culture of the latter where mistake making is an accepted, celebrated even, part of the process of learning. Does the concept of mindset have any bearing on pupils with special educational needs? Educators have been encouraged to recognise psychology at


play in the classroom. It can be too easy for pupil’s focus to be on getting the right answer and receiving that all important tick in their book, but considering mindsets puts increased focus onto the actions that result when faced with failure, when pupils feel something other than ease and positivity. Dweck’s work emphasizes that all pupils should feel safe to fail and teachers should model and encourage making mistakes to show that it is a natural part of the learning process and should not be feared or avoided. Teachers should communicate to pupils that they recognize how difficult learning can be and develop a trusting relationship so pupils aren’t afraid to get it wrong. Dweck promotes the idea that the brain is malleable; if pupils ask questions, actively participate in the lesson and practice they are able to strengthen their brains, and as result they will push through problems, take risks, and ultimately achieve. However, a common misconception is equating growth mindset with effort, which has implications for pupils with SEND as it may not be a case of simply trying harder. Dweck writes; “Students need to try new strategies and seek input from others when they’re stuck. They need this repertoire of approaches—not just sheer effort— to learn and improve.” Pupils with SEND often have to work hard to try to understand,


retain and apply knowledge and skills. By definition, pupils experience difficulties learning and thereby are more likely to be familiar with facing challenges. They are also more likely to work closely with teachers and support staff, and have reduced misgivings about asking for help. Pupils may find themselves not being able to grasp or recall concepts, they may be accustomed to failure from an educational career typified by being unsuccessful in comparison to their peers in the classroom. Persevering in the face of persistent cognitive, sensory, social and emotional needs could be seen as making such pupils experts in the application of a growth mindset model. It could be argued that pupils who usually find learning easy


and enjoyable have further to go to change their mindset than those with special educational needs. Many pupils with SEND experience struggles and failure on a daily basis. Significant amounts of energy are used in overcoming numerous barriers to learning. For many pupils with SEND, trying to succeed can be a lifelong mission. Perhaps there is much we can learn about the gritty reality of having a growth mindset from such pupils.


(Quotation from Carol Dweck Revisits the Growth Mindset, 22nd September 2015.)


December 2018 www.education-today.co.uk 19


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