SPOTLIGHT ON SEND


Slow processing speed – the hidden challenge


in the classroom This month, in her regular column on SEND, independent Specialist Teacher and Assessor JOANNE GLADDERS reflects on the impact slow processing can have on a young person’s ability within the classroom.


Picture the scene – a young person who is in bottom sets for all their subjects in Year 10. They have been told they do not have a chance of any success at GCSE but to have a go at the foundation levels instead. How must they feel? They work hard and they are desperate to prove to that school that they are capable. That young person manages to secure a transfer to a different school. Upon arrival it is very clear that there is some reason why this young person is not doing as well as perhaps they could. An assessment is carried out which shows that this young person


is a pupil of Average ability. However, this person has to work twice as hard as everyone else within their class and finds it difficult to take in instructions and to complete work within the allocated time. This young person has a slow processing speed. This is not a


condition by itself but can contribute to learning and attention issues such as ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Auditory Processing Disorder. It can also impact executive functioning skills – the thinking skills that help plan, set goals, respond to problems and stay on task.


So what do slow processing skills look like within the classroom?


They might have difficulty completing tests in the allocated time. Not be able to complete homework or set tasks within the given time frame. Have difficulty listening whilst taking notes in lessons. Have difficulty completing multi-step maths problems within a given time frame. Need time to read information more than once to understand what they have read. They might be overwhelmed by too much information being given at once. They might have difficulty keeping up with the pace of lessons.


What can we do to help young people experiencing these difficulties within the classroom?


Use a task planner to show what they need to do and in what order they need to complete the steps. Give additional processing time to enable them to reflect upon what has been said. E mail them a copy of the lesson beforehand so they can pre-read what it is about and therefore aid their concentration and enable them to follow the lesson. Give additional time for tasks and tests. Provide a writing frame to take away the need to plan how they will carry out a piece of work but just enabling them to settle down to write it.


Now how might that young person feel, knowing that there is an underlying reason for their perceived difficulties and, importantly, that they are being supported in dealing with it?


The importance of outdoor learning for


SEN pupils Regular Education Today contributor KATE SARGINSON, Deputy Headteacher and SENCO, this month looks at the many benefits for SEN pupils of learning outdoors.


Outdoor education has been a hot topic since the launch of the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto in 2006. Research has shown the shocking lack of outdoor activity for children and young people - a UK study conducted 10 years later (1) found that prison inmates spent more time outdoors than three-quarters of children. Education is usually located indoors, and the pandemic has reemphasised the value of outside space and those returning to school have been actively encouraged to play and learn outside as much as possible (weather permitting of course!). This is a much needed move. Outdoor learning is widely understood to offer significant gains to all. It is considered to be crucial for any child’s development, personal motivation and well-being. Suggestions have been made that regularly spending time learning outside leads to an increase in problem-solving skills, boosts creativity and reduces stress. What is it about interacting with nature that leads to such cognitive, social, emotional and physical benefits, and are there untapped benefits for children with special educational needs? The matter of independence can be particularly applicable to children


with disabilities. School staff can inadvertently cause pupils to become passive in response to the very systems and structures designed to help them. The simple act of moving environments from indoors to out can relinquish the control exerted by practioners. Andrew Colley, lecturer in special education, has stated “Giving SEN students that feeling of space, and the sensory stimulation that comes with being outdoors, is absolutely vital.” The natural environment can also be welcome relief from the upsetting distraction of the buzz of electric lights and echoing corridors. By interacting with nature, children with SEN can immerse their senses in natural sights, sounds and smells, and have a hands-on, tactile experience - a proven way of engaging those with additional needs. Understanding of abstract ideas and concepts can be developed through sensory play. Being outside can be more inspiring than the classroom and encourage children to get creative. Being outside can also result in the feeling of greater freedom to move


and explore. Energy can be expelled through outdoor play, having positive physical health outcomes including the raising of vitamin D levels. Tension and anxiety can be reduced by being outdoors; moving outside, for example, can support children with social, emotional and mental health problems. Teachers have been reported to observe decreased disruptive behaviours when children are regularly learning outdoors. Differences and comparison between abilities can be less apparent


outside. Outdoor learning can also be more inclusive. Activities such as gardening can be a leveller for students with special educational needs. Being educated with peers outside has been found to support social skills development; significantly improving group cohesion, increasing trust and facilitating integration skills (2). The unpredictability of the UK climate can be a challenge to getting


outdoors and perhaps we are too easily put off, or uneasy with its liberty in comparison to our classrooms, but the benefits for children with SEN are too important to ignore.


References: • https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/monitor-of-engagement- with-the-natural-environment-pilot-study-visits-to-the-natural- environment-by-children (2016) • The Potential Benefits of Outdoor Development for Children with Special Needs - Journal of Special Education. (2003)


June 2020 www.education-today.co.uk 19


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