Level 5-6 strategies to support specialist interventions
0-5
High quality teaching and targeted strategies, approaches and adaptations for pupils should be implemented and supplemented
- for children with complex social communication differences, the autism progression framework may prove useful. This is free to download from the Autism Education Trust
- teaching approaches place a high emphasis on direct training, very finely graded and practical tasks which provide opportunities for frequent repetition and reinforcement
- children are taught strategies and provided with resources to assist with the development of independent learning using:
- visual support to demarcate areas and resources
- visual support to offer choices and direct children
- use of Makaton signing to support communication
- settings should follow the assess-plan-do-review cycle to monitor progress using the EYFS Development Matters document and evidence provided by the Speech and Language Therapists
- a monitoring system should be in place to assess child’s need, identify outcomes, implement support, and monitor and evaluate progress.
- planned reviews including the parent and child should take place
- additional adults support the child individually, under the direction of the teacher or speech and language therapist to:
- access regular individual support for example, for skill building activities as advised by Speech and Language Therapist
- encourage independence using communication mats, communication books, demarcation and labelling of areas, the use of Makaton signing
- create frequent opportunities for peer-to-peer interaction for example, through adult facilitating and supporting joint play, providing scaffolded social and language groups
- monitor the progress of the child using structured methods for example, the standardised assessments used by speech and language therapists
- access daily individual support if advised by specialist
- encourage independence
- create opportunities for peer-to-peer social interaction
5-16
- highly individualised learning programme developed by the leader of SEND (SENDCo, Inclusion Manager) with support from external professionals as required, recognising their journey towards that outcome may be different to their peers and evidencing:
- advice from external professionals, interventions implemented and impact on progress
- planned strategies to support the individual pupil with expected outcomes
- strategies recommended by specialists and assessment tools and resources will inform outcome setting and cycles of assess, plan, do, review
- regular or daily small group or 1:1 teaching of social skills with support to rehearse, embed and generalise those skills in real time will be provided
- activities to target:
- peer awareness
- social understanding and insight
- recognising and understanding emotions in themselves & others
- use of language to communicate
- specific conversational skills
- non-verbal skills- body language
- group work skills-roles and turn taking
- how to use unstructured times
- friendships-qualities of a friend, maintaining a friendship and resolving conflict for example
- teaching style adapted to suit pupil’s learning style. For example, level, pace, use of language, volume, amount of teacher talk reduced, practical activities
- some targeted, high quality support from adults in class which supports engagement in learning and encourages independence from the earliest time
- chunking work into small steps of learning
- awareness of social and emotional aspects of need and focused work to support development of these skills
- established communication strategies to facilitate communication and to assess learning. For example, PECs or visual communication support
- personalised motivation systems known to all staff in school that have contact with the pupil, implemented consistently across the curriculum. These are updated regularly to engage and motivate. identified regular support to undertake the following:
- prepare and make relevant visual supports and structure
- consistent use of personalised Social Stories, where appropriate
- facilitate alternative recording strategies. For example, keyboard for writing if needed
- modified and adapted PE lessons as required
- ICT equipment as necessary in exams
- adjusted, flexible timetable introduced in negotiation with pupil, parents and staff. For example, temporary withdrawal from some activities, including assemblies, specific lessons
- time-limited intervention programmes with staff that have knowledge or skills to address specific needs, may include withdrawal for social interaction or communication groups though should not be from preferred activities or subjects
- individual work around recognition and understanding of emotions, including personalised visual supports and resources or interventions. For example, 5 Point scale, feelings board, zones of regulation, blob trees
- use of key-working approaches or mentor to ensure the pupil has trusted adult to offer support for both self and mutual regulation during vulnerable times
- peer awareness is actively promoted and embedded in everyday practice
- detailed time limited intervention programme. For example, socially speaking, Lego therapy, musical interaction
- use individual work station, where deemed appropriate throughout the school day, to develop independence, to practice and reinforce learning where appropriate to the pupil
- use autism champion in school to support planning
- short term small group or individual intervention, to develop engagement in specific areas of curriculum as identified by the subject teacher or EP, specialist teacher, following a programme designed or recommended by that professional
- use of specialist interests of the pupil to help engage and motivate in lessons
- individual support for pre and post teaching including to retrieve prior learning
- individualised support to implement recommendations from support services. For example, SEST, SALT,
- programmes developed to include 1:1 or group teaching of social communication and interaction skills and emotional regulation and support to recognise and apply in real time
- consideration given to delivery of PSHE to ensure key messages are understood
- individual emotional ‘checking in’ and ’checking out’ at beginning and end of session or day to encourage self -monitoring. Adult modelling is essential
- highly individualised learning programme developed by the Leader of SEND (SENDCo, inclusion manager) with support from external professionals as required which evidences:
- advice from external professionals, interventions implemented and impact on progress
- planned strategies to support the individual pupil with expected outcomes
- class teacher and supporting staff will use advised strategies and assessment tools or resources to inform outcome setting and using the plan, review, assess cycle
- use of Engagement Steps model
- working within their perception of a social situation
- opportunity for positive social experiences-being able to reflect on what went well
- use of relax room or safe space when feeling overwhelmed
- evidence of recognised, relevant and explicit social communication differences, autism specific interventions having been attempted or implemented and which have been monitored and reviewed in collaboration with external professionals
- further modification of level, pace, amount of teacher talk to address pupils’ identified need
- personal handling plan, positive handling plan to identify de-escalation techniques
- risk assessments to identify and address possible areas of risk for the pupil
- specific training or workshops on areas of need - AET Complex Needs and participation: structured teaching, autism and anxiety, supporting pupils with a profile of demand avoidance
