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Small Steps Approach to the Curriculum.
Where students have difficulty with communication and movement it is essential that we avoid assumptions. They may have more ability than they are able to show us. It is important to ensure that they have access to the same curriculum as their peers appropriately differentiated. Where a pupil has a label that might indicate a cognitive difficulty the following hierarchy of learning support is recommended:
1. Cause and effect. Consisting of ensuring that the pupil understands that an action causes a reaction.
2. Error Free choice making. More than one option to choose from but no wrong answers. Around this time we would be looking to encourage the student to practice imitation. However, not all students will be able to imitate because of physical limitations. Do not delay progress through the steps if imitation appears difficult to achieve. We should also be constructing situations which will encourage students to initiate communication. For example, a desired object out of reach with a card with a picture of the desired object or a voice output communication aid readily available to the student. Teach the student to use the card or communication aid to ask for the desired object.
3. Develop student’s choice making in personal areas of their life. Choosing food, drink, social activities etc. Always give positive choices so that the error free element is maintained along side the development of discrimination. Around this time we would be looking to encourage turn taking. This invovles the student being able to anticipate, wait and then time their response when it is their turn. As with imitation, turn taking can be very difficult for students who have physical difficulties of any kind. It can also be difficult for students who have sensory problems and or issues which affect concentration and attention. Do not delay progress through the steps if turn taking appears difficult to achieve.
4. Simple discrimination with mediation and facilitation. Beginning to establish whether the pupil can discriminate between one choice or another but initially giving them as much help as they need to succeed. We would continue to encourage imitative behavious and turn taking through games and school activities at this stage.
5. Slow reduction of mediation over time.
6. Slow increase in complexity of discrimination task with initial increase in the provision of mediation and facilitation. As the task gets harder for the pupil they might need closer support, mediation and facilitation while they cope with the increased demands to ensure success.
7. Alongside the increase in complexity begin to introduce sequencing activities. This is putting or choosing things in order, usually from left to right so that we prepare the student for the conventions of reading. Don’t carry out sequencing in isolation as this can lead to student’s developing motor pattern habits and trying to sequence everything.
8. Encourage matching activities with object to object, symbol to symbol, letter to letter and word to word. Initially there will be a need for much mediation and facilitation which can be reduced over time.
9. Match object to symbol and word and various combinations. As usual begin with as much mediation and facilitation as the pupils requires.
10. Encourage students to attend to print as much as possible with multi sensory supports such as talking books and bag books.
11. Keep working on ways the pupil might be able to give you feedback using appropriate high and low tech devices.
Do not wait for one stage to be accomplished before moving on to the next. We should always be at a stage where we are working with mediation rather than independently. This is how we make progress with learning and not by repeating activities we are already comfortable with. I would move on once a student is 80% successful in the current stage. The idea of a student having to be ticked off as having accomplished an activity over a certain number of days and presentations is very deflating for the student’s self esteem and confusing. Once a thing is correct it is correct. If we keep on testing we might make the student question their own response and try to give incorrect ones in the hope of pleasing.
If a student seems to be stuck at a level for a very long time make it more interesting and try out more complex as well as more basic presentations. Students sometimes just opt out if the learning material doesn’t inspire them. Make sure that you take note of everything that motivates and interests the student and try to use it within the context of the learning programme.
Always provide words as well as symbols or objects even where you don’t feel the student will understand them. If someone is going to have difficulty with being able to read they need more rather than less exposure to print. No one should be excluded from the possibility of learning to read. History has shown us that some of the most severely disabled people have learnt to read and write.
Many students who have learning difficulties will also have physical difficulties making it difficult for them to respond to questions and demonstrate their understanding. It is important to guard against making negative assumptions about a students understanding. It is more likely that they will understand more than they can show than otherwise.
It is advisable to use non verbal strategies as well as verbal ones. For example you may wish to ask the student to point to the correct answer from a range of options. However, many students labelled as having learning difficulties have gross and or fine motor problems which leads to them making incorrect selections even when they know the correct answer. They simply do not have enough control over their movements to respond appropriately even though they know how they should be responding.
It is for this reason we recommend as much practice as possible using error free strategies so that the student is not unduly stressed by having to prove themselves and subsequently frustrated when they fail to do so.
An Occupational Therapist may be able to suggest exercises to improve fine motor skills. Some specialist Occupational Therapists are able to advise on sensory integration for those who need it. A physiotherapist may be able to suggest exercises to support gross motor development. Both of these professionals may be able to advise on seating. Getting a good seating position can often improve a student’s control over their movements.
Specialists speech and language therapists who have training in Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) may be able to help with communication as might teachers who specialise in communication.
We also suggest that strategies are employed to enable the student to improve their pointing and/or speaking.
The support assistant’s role is crucial. For a non speaker they are not only there to help them access the curriculum but should also be an advocate supporting the student in being able to communicate with non disabled peers and adults and encouraging two way communication.
Marion Stanton PGCE Dip. Ed. Special
September 2004 Updated July 2007
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