SPOTLIGHT ON SEND


A strong vocabulary is vital In her latest art


rticle for Education Today on SEND,


independent Specialist Teacher and Ass essor JOANNE GLADDERS thismonth continues her look at improving pupils’ vocabulary.


The beginning of a new school year is a good time to reflect on what we do and how we do it.


In my previous article I


considered why many schools are starting to focus on improving their pupils’ vocabulary. The key research tha we have started this in is:


term at a school I work t underpins the work


School-aged children typically learn


between 2000 and 3000 new words each year, about 5 to 8 words per day. (Nippold 2007)


Children with a poor vocabulary at 5 years are four times more likely to struggle with reading in adulthood and three times more likely to have mental health issues.


Children from lower-income families hear around 30 million fewer words than children from higher-income families by the time they are 4 years old (Hart & Risely 2003).


Vocabulary skills at age 13 strongly predict bothMaths and English Literature GCSE results, more strongly than socio-economic background. On average, secondary school teachers report that 43%of Year 7 pupils have a limited vocabulary to the extent that it affects their learning. (Oxford Press April 2018)


Vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension are interdependent. Research shows that vocabulary knowledge predicts reading ability and vice-versa.


The key point to note is that young people need to understand 95%of words in a text to ensure comprehension of a passage.


Young people’s vocabulary, both in terms of the number of words they know and the depth of knowledge they have about those words, underpins their learning and achievements within school/c/college, their social relationships and behaviour, and their interaction within the wider world. A strong vocabulary is key for young people to be able to read,


The key question for a practitioner is how do I develop vocabulary knowledge?


knowledge?


When teaching new words, remember: • Repetition is key


• Dictionary definitions alone are not enough


• If possible, show pupils what words mean using context and visuals • Teach all aspects of the word (semantic, phonological, grammatical and orthographical)


Strategies could include: • Look at the size and shape of the word


• The use of word maps to record their learning on • Colour code the spelling patterns or syllables


• Can they add a picture to it to aid memory? Or create it visually? • Teach the young people to capitalize on their preferred learning strategy and use this to aid their learning


• Create the word with post it notes or letter tiles


• Explore multiple choice questions that offer examples of the word in use • The use of word searches to track and reinforce • Repetition orally to hear the word in context


• Give examples of the word in use – oral, written, highlight key elements • Games – Blockbusters,Matching, Crosswords • Rhymes and raps!


An excellent source of inspiration I have found is the book “Closing the Vocabulary Gap” by Alex Quigley. It is full of practical strategies to aid the teaching of vocabulary and identifies key academic words to focus on. Elklan also has good examples of vocabulary maps that can be used to explore all the different aspects of a word. How will you endeavour to ‘close the gap’ in your young people’s learning of vocabulary this year?


Octobe r 201 9 2019


understand, ga in new perspectives, and change or confirm their world view. The key question fo


for a practitioner is howdo I develop vocabulary ry


SPOTLIGHT ON SEN D


Making your spaces autism-friendly


Thismonth regular Education Today contributor KATE SARGINSON, Deputy Headteacher and SENCO, asks us to consider howthe school environment can be bett needs of pupilswith autism.


tter tailored tomeet the


This month The National Autistic Society (NAS) is repeating its Autism Hour campaign. It is focused on encouraging retailers to make thei r stores more Autism-friendly for a fixed period of 60 minutes between 5th and 12th October. A mainstream school environment could be seen to have many similarities with shops and restaurants. The NAS highlight that a typical shopping experience


can be confusing and stressful.What can schools learn from the recommendations of this campaign?


Autism Hour consists of two key parts – environment and education. Stores are encouraged to reduce the sensory stimuli such as music and other background noise which might be distracting or unbearably loud Bright lighting might showcase products, but dimming the lights might be really beneficial for someone with autism. Pupils and staff inhabit buildings with fluorescent lighting that many people with autism say they are distracted by as they can see flickering or hear them hum. Distractions through school windows can be limited however, pupils with autism may experience difficulties around slatted vertical blinds. Stores can also consider reducing strong smells, providing clear information about where products are and create a quiet space to access. Sweaty changing rooms, freshly cut grass on the fields, school dinners being prepared all generate a range of scents; research suggests the use of a background fragrance to block the intrusive smells. Some people with autism can become anxious or become fixated about walking across patterned floors. Schools could consider the use of carpet or soft flooring. Consideration should be given to the colours used on walls and adjustable lighting options that are more calming. In schools we tend and colourful displays when some pu


.


pils will benefit more from to fill spaces with bright


the creation of areas that are plain and functional. In contrast, limiting stimuli to specific areas such as sensory room, an expensive option, an alternative could be a basket of items that can be selected for use, such as mirrors, stress balls and whistles.


In order to give people with autism a positive shoppin g experience, stores are advised to share information about autism with their staff teams to educate them. Familiarity with the term ‘autism’ is continually improving, with figures stating that over 99%of people have heard of it. However, this is not yet being reflected in more developed appreciation and action, as only 16%of autistic people are reported to feel they are understood by the public. Schools can consider how to extend staff skills from beyond autism awareness to autism understanding.


67%of people felt their shopping experience was improved during Autism Hour last year, with 93%of respondents stating they are more likely to go to a shop that held a regular autism hour. If these findings are applied to the educational setting there could be useful implications for the well-being and consequent attendance rates if teachers increasingly consider and plan the physical structure of the school environment to be better tailored to meet their preferences and needs of pupils with autism.


wwweducation-toda y.co.uk www. .co.uk 19


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