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Bespoke Training for schools including AAC users.
CandLE Ltd. can offer a range of in-school training packages around the needs of individual students. We have worked for the past 17 years with mainstream schools across the country encouraging and supporting them to include students who have movement and communication difficulties.
In addition to our Motor Planning Training programme we can also offer a 4 day course, with follow up, around the needs of individual students with complex needs. Mainstream schools who are including students who do not use speech to communicate find this a particularly helpful course. Issues covered will be relevant for the individual student and can include:
· Practical advice about how to differentiate the curriculum.
· Guidance on appropriate Assistive Technology.
· Guidance on Augmentative and Alternative Communication strategies.
· Person Centred Planning support.
· Advice in regard to physical access needs.
· Disability Equality Training.
The course involves four mornings of theory and four afternoons working with the student/s and their staff team in practical ways. A report is provided and a follow up visit is made so that we can help the school with any problems that may have arisen. After this the school is entitled to remote support via internet, phone or web link for the next 12 months.
For students who are in transition to secondary schools we tailor the training slightly differently. We encourage secondary schools to have identified staff in the term before the student is due to start. We have an initial training day with staff towards the end of the summer term which introduces disability equality issues as well as looking forward to how things will look when the student attends secondary school, introduce technology that might be useful and start to look at differentiation. We then run a three day block of training during September or early October after the student has started. This involves three half days of theory around person centred planning supports, differentiation and the use of AAC and AT. The other three half days are reserved for direct work with the student, family and the staff involved with the student. We then make a fifth visit in November or December to support development. As with our general bespoke training a report follows along with remote support for the rest of the year.
Day by Day Outline.
Exact timetable will vary according to school needs and requirements but this is a guide to our normal delivery.
Day 1 (before end of term prior to transition where possible – otherwise as soon as practical once student starts):
9.30 am: Introductory activity using high, medium and low tech AAC (Alternative and Augmentative Communication).
10.10 am: Practical activity designing a low tech communication board.
10.30 am: Using AAC in the curriculum. The least dangerous assumption, Alan Martin’s video “This Chair”, Examples of various access methods (with particular reference to the students’ own access methods if known), Strategies to support literacy as well as ways to test knowledge using the most time effective methods will be explored.
11 am: Break
11.20 am: Using AAC in the curriculum continued.
12.00 am: Practical exercise adapting example lessons.
12.30 pm: Lunch
1.30 pm: Mapping exercise for transition, Specific focus on the strengths and needs of individual student/s and staff that will be working with them, planning for next three days of training and the Cleves video.
3.30 pm: Finish.
Day 2 (within 5 weeks of start at new school):
10 am: Discussion of communication and learning support so far. Identifying successes and where problems have arisen. Adapting the training plan if necessary to suit circumstances.
11 am: Break
11.20 am: Introduction to high, medium and/or low tech AAC specific to the student/s. Begin to explore programming of high tech devices.
12.30 pm: Lunch
1.30 pm: Trainer working directing with student. Participants observe.
3.30 pm: Finish.
Day 3 (immediately after day 2):
10 am: Focussed training around programming and access to communication and learning aids.
11 am: Break
11.20 am: Practical exercise programming communication and learning aids to access the curriculum and for communication.
12.30 pm: Lunch
1.30 pm: Support staff working directing with student. Trainer advises.
3.30 pm: Finish.
Day 4 (immediately after day 3):
10 am: Examining low tech alternatives that can be used when the high tech device is unavailable.
11 am: Break
11.20 am: Practical exercise producing low tech alternatives to access the curriculum and for communication.
12.30 pm: Lunch
1.30 pm: Support staff working directing with student. Trainer advises.
3.30 pm: Finish.
Follow on visit (about half a term later):
10 am: Discussion of communication and learning support so far. Identifying successes and where problems have arisen. Problem solving.
11 am: Break
11.20 am: Support to use AAC effectively.
12.30 pm: Lunch
1.30 pm: Trainer observes work in class and advises.
3.20 pm: Arrangements made for any further visits.
3.30 pm Finish
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