English for Primary School Children (SEN and mainstream) online
English for Primary School Children (SEN and mainstream) online
I am a qualified primary and secondary teacher, specialising in supporting children with additional needs. I have had the privilege to teach as an Advanced Skills teacher in an outstanding school for 16 years. My hard work and dedication has helped children make progress using timely interventions to help reach their maximum potential. I have also been an advisory teacher for the Borough of Harrow in which I spent time in local primary schools raising the standard of teaching and learning.
To widen my skills set and experience, I retrained to teach with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children in a primary school. Having the benefits of such a broad spectrum of experience, has inspired me to become a private tutor to help students beyond their classroom environment.
I am able to provide each pupil with tailor made lessons to suit their individual needs. Through conscientious and differentiated planning, my lessons cater for a variety of learning needs and styles (Visual, Auditory, and Kinaesthetic). I make the processes of speaking, listening, reading and writing explicit, using a range of active strategies.
These active strategies include learning through Art, Drama and Music Therapy. Students take part in fun literacy sessions using music and actions to understand various stories. Other examples include using role play to understand how a character within a story may feel.
Having the privilege of teaching both primary and secondary ASD learners has allowed me to work alongside both Occupational and Speech Therapists in order to implement various successful strategies. These would include planning, assessing as well as setting up fine motor skills sessions which offered a variety of activities such as the “Speed Up” multi- sensory course. This personalised programme helped children whose handwriting was illegible, slow or lacked in fluency. This was overseen by NHS Occupational Therapists along side proprioception and muscle tone exercises.
The above sessions were designed to strengthen fingers, works on hand eye coordination, concentration and precision. My mentoring and leadership skills have allowed me to model as well as train how to maximise these fine motor skills with colleagues and parents. Working alongside both groups have given them the confidence to set up their own fine motor activities with their child/ren.
Further to this, I have used various pencil aids to assist writing skills as well as become familiar with various keyboard skills programme (BBC DANCE TYPE MAT).
One of my success stories involved a Year 5 child who began started our school displaying untidy, dis-joined and illegible writing. Over a period of time, using the Dragon Dictation App and Speed Up programme helped him gain confidence and in turn more willing to write. As a result, he passed his SATs exam!
I have also supported various students with their organisational skills. Using tick charts and visual reminders to promote independence and life skills.
My philosophy is that as an experienced and qualified practitioner, one of the most key areas that are paramount for learning include joint attention and listening activities. Encouraging children to participate with building, painting and creating projects together.
