Numeracy for Children with Special Educational Needs: Part II

In ECJ 6.2 we introduced you to some of the brilliant work being done in Turkey to help students develop numeracy skills. Professor Hakan Sari, Hatice Gokdag, Tugba Pursun and Dr Seyda Sari revisit this topic, highlighting the results of a new study on effective numeracy development in special schools.

Introduction

In 2016, following on from a Ministry of National Education Report (2015) in Turkey, researchers at the University of Konya (Turkey), carried out research into effective numeracy in special schools. Both the report and findings from 30 teachers in Meram Special Education School (10–14 year olds) who participated in the research through interviews, showed that to develop numeracy learning in special schools or in schools where students with SEN are taught, schools should:

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      string(4834) "school.” (Required SENCO LearningOutcomes, TDA, 2009).As Course Director of the National Award for SENCoordination at Canterbury Christ Church University,I have always been mindful of the tensions that existin delivering a Masters level course that is mandatory.Whilst the benefits of the National Award for SENCoordination and of studying at Masters level forSENCOs since 2009 are apparent (Petersen, 2010;Ekins, 2012), it must be acknowledged that theseprofessionals have not made a conscious choice aboutmoving into academic study at Masters level. For some,therefore, the requirement to engage in a Masters levelcourse is not a welcome one, for all sorts of reasons,including the fact that at the same time as undertakingthe Masters level course, they have just started in a verychallenging and complex new role in school, as well aspersonal or school based factors making the requirementto study at that time more difficult.As Course Director, I acknowledge these challengesand difficulties for the SENCOs, and have thereforeworked proactively to ensure that a very particularteaching and learning approach has been developed andutilised throughout the course to enable the SENCOsto engage more effectively in the required learningwithin the course, and, most importantly, to see the■■■A framework for developing practice and practitioner enquiry ■■■■■�……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………direct relevance of it for their role in school. Central tothis is to highlight for the SENCOs ways that they cantransfer skills and understandings from the course intotheir own school context to support the developmentand transformation of practices within their schoolsetting.Implicit within this approach is the need to supportSENCOs to engage with three key principles:1. Understanding of the need for whole schooldevelopment/transformation within the context ofrapid change within educational and SEN systems2. Understanding of strategic leadership3. Effective identification of priorities for change anddevelopment.The wider application of the framework for developingpractice and practitioner enquiry is also emphasisedthroughout the course to help SENCOs to embed it as aschool wide approach for reflection and development.■■■ Understanding the process of changeImposed implementationThe education system in recent years has beencharacterised by government led initiatives which havearguably ‘deprofessionalised’ the teaching profession.Through the Labour Government it therefore becamecommonplace for changes in teaching and learning tobe imposed upon schools: the National Literacy Strategyand the National Numeracy Strategy (then the NationalStrategies) are clear examples of this, with frequentnew strategies or interventions produced centrally tothen be implemented within school settings. Such anapproach to top down, government led developmentinitiatives led schools into a period of imposed change:some interventions even provided ‘scripts’ to ensure thatthe teacher or adult delivering the intervention said the‘right’ thing to pupils as they engaged in the teachingand learning process.Whilst it must be acknowledged that there were somebenefits in a national strategy to raising standards inliteracy and numeracy, the underlying approach whichimposed change regardless of the school based need forchange does need to be critically questioned.Such a policy suggests that change is desirable orexpected, regardless of the actual benefit to the pupilor school cohort. Often schools changed practicesby implementing imposed interventions of schoolimprovement strategies, without actually engaging incritical review and reflection about the need for it atthat time within their particular school context. Thisled to schools becoming overloaded with new initiativesand strategies for school ‘improvement’ without enoughtime being provided for rigorous understanding ofand evaluation of the ‘improvement’ sought. At timeseffective practices were put aside to make way forimposed new initiatives or approaches.Another concern was that this pattern of imposedchange, without reflection, also tended to be replicatedwithin schools themselves. When a new interventionstrategy or school improvement initiative had beenimplemented, this approach was perpetuated within theschool setting without actually reviewing or evaluatingthe impact upon pupil progress, or the changing needsPolicy"
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Professional Development

A framework for developing practice and practitioner enquiry

20 May 2013

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      string(5653) "improvements to the classroom/school environment.■ Overall, less successful primary schools more likely to: employ additional teachingassistants (TAs) or increase TA hours to work specifically with disadvantaged pupils;introduce new literacy and numeracy programmes; and use paired/small groupadditional teaching.The study identified seven building blocks for success:1. Promote an ethos of attainment for all pupils, rather than stereotypingdisadvantaged pupils as a group with less potential to succeed.2. Have an individualised approach to addressing barriers to learning and emotionalsupport at an early stage, rather than providing access to generic support andfocusing on pupils nearing their end-of-key-stage assessments.3. Focus on high quality teaching first rather than on bolt-on strategies and activitiesoutside school hours.4. Focus on outcomes for individual pupils rather than on providing strategies.5. 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Rural secondary schools had lower results among disadvantagedpupils, compared with schools with otherwise similar characteristics.■ Converter academies were associated with higher attainment amongdisadvantaged pupils at both primary and secondary level, and greater18Vol 7.2School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comReportsLeadershipBriefingSchools in England face a deepening problem in recruiting enough teachers, thisNAHT survey shows, creating a growing role for teacher recruitment and supplyagencies which add cost and complexity to teacher recruitment for schools.Alarmingly, schools are reporting that agency fees to find teachers can cost up to£10,000 for a single appointment.As well as concern about the number of teachers, the research has shown that schoolsare struggling to recruit people with the right kind of skills, which requires moreinvestment in the professional development of teachers, both at a school and at anational and regional level.Key findings■ Across all roles, the survey showed a growing problem with the recruitment ofteachers and school leaders, and increasing numbers of cases where schools wereunable to recruit at all.■ Overall, a very high proportion (79 per cent) of those who had advertised vacanciessaid recruitment was problematic; 59 per cent recruited with a struggle and 20 percent were not able to recruit at all.■ Where schools were not able to recruit at all, they said this was most commonly thecase in relation to:❏ teaching roles with a teaching and learning responsibility (TLR) payment (33per cent – these are middle leader roles such as head of department or head ofsubject or key stage)❏ teachers on the upper pay scale (31 per cent)❏ teaching roles with a special educational needs (SEN) allowance (27 per cent)■ Looking at main middle leadership roles in schools – that is, posts with a TLR andSpecial Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) – only 14 per cent of roles wererecruited to with ease. 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Leadership

SLT 7.2 Report update

18 Dec 2015

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      string(5058) "ReportsImproving Progression ToSustainable UnsupportedEmployment:A Review Of  Strategies Developed ByWorkstep ProvidersIn this report, Ofsted reviewsthe ‘Workstep’ employmentprogramme – which supportsdisabled people aged 16+ ingetting and keeping a job. It isfunded by the DWP.Although the proportion ofparticipants progressing intosustained, unsupported employmentis improving, it remains far too low.The most successful programmes,Ofsted found, were clear abouttheir aims, taught locally requiredskills and didn’t ask employers toemploy young people as a favour, butbecause they had the relevant skills.Inspectors visited 21 providersof Workstep programmes andinterviewed 80 participants and 49employers between December 2008and March 2009.When was it published?February 2010, by Ofsted(commissioned by the Departmentof Work and Pensions.)Key FindingsDWP data indicates thatprogression into sustained,unsupported employment rosefrom 4.1% of Workstep participantsin 2004 to 9.8% in 2007–08.When providers used formalagreements about progressing intounsupported employment early inthe programme, participants hadgreater expectations and madebetter progress.■■Training, coaching andapproaches to learning matchedto the needs of individuals weremost successful.Participants who needed toimprove their literacy, numeracyand language skills did notalways receive specific trainingor encouragement. Few of theproviders had specialist staff, andsome participants were allowedto avoid tackling their needsaltogether.Although some of the providershad good partnerships withspecialist literacy and numeracyskills providers, too few of thesespecialists related it to theparticipants’ employment needs.Detailed progress reviews werevery effective.The most effective providersdeveloped participants’ skills tomeet local employer’s needs.Successful providers promotedthe skills participants wouldbring with them – rather thantelling employers they would bedoing the participant a favour.Partnerships with wider specialistsupport agencies were crucial.The best providers sharedpractice, used peer review andused improvement planning.A lack of flexibility in interpretingthe Workstep funding modeldeterred some participantsaltogether. (Some projectsturned away school leavers andpeople who had just left thearmed forces – even though■■■■■■■■■these groups could benefit.)In the 12 local authorities visited,awareness of the Workstepprogramme in the wider councilwas poor. The result was that toofew council departments offeredsuitable employment or placementopportunities to participants.In addition, strategic planning withinkey departments, such as economicdevelopment, was insufficient toensure a higher profile for Workstepparticipants when new businessescame into a council’s area.Providers with participantswho transferred from theprevious sheltered employmentprogramme found it moredifficult to place people.RecommendationsProviders should:use participants more effectivelyas mentors, both for otherparticipants and with employers.develop close relationships withemployers and, ideally, developwritten agreements for mockinterviews, guaranteed interviewsand pre-employment training.work with a range of partnersand support agencies, such astraining providers, access to workand health care professionals.Improving Progression ToSustainable UnsupportedEmployment: A Review OfStrategies Developed By WorkstepProviders■■■■■■http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Post-16-learning-and-skills/Read-about-this-new-section/Provision-funded-by-the-Department-for-Work-and-Pensions/Improving-progression-to-sustainable-unsupported-employmehttp://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Post-16-learning-and-skills/Read-about-this-new-section/Provision-funded-by-the-Department-for-Work-and-Pensions/Improving-progression-to-sustainable-unsupported-employmehttp://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Post-16-learning-and-skills/Read-about-this-new-section/Provision-funded-by-the-Department-for-Work-and-Pensions/Improving-progression-to-sustainable-unsupported-employmehttp://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Post-16-learning-and-skills/Read-about-this-new-section/Provision-funded-by-the-Department-for-Work-and-Pensions/Improving-progression-to-sustainable-unsupported-employmehttp://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Post-16-learning-and-skills/Read-about-this-new-section/Provision-funded-by-the-Department-for-Work-and-Pensions/Improving-progression-to-sustainable-unsupported-employmehttp://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Post-16-learning-and-skills/Read-about-this-new-section/Provision-funded-by-the-Department-for-Work-and-Pensions/Improving-progression-to-sustainable-unsupported-employme"
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Special Needs

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      string(5662) "This month’s ReportsEvaluating the impact of Every Child Countsof KS1. The programme is currentlyprovided to over 20,000 children inabout 1,700 schools.There is a diagnostic assessmentof  each child’s strengths andweaknesses, core learning objectivesfor the lessons and guidance forteachers on lesson structure and keyteaching approaches. Teachers aresupported by a continuing professionaldevelopment programme and aquality assurance system.The aim is to give childrenconfidence in number and anunderstanding of  patterns andrelationships so that they can extendlearning to other aspects of  maths intheir class lessons.The researchThe research was led by CaroleTorgerson (University of‘Every Child Counts’ (ECC)was a numeracy programmeintroduced into English primaryschools in 2008. An evaluationhas been conducted by theUniversities of  Birmingham,Durham and York and theDepartment of  Educationto identify what effect theprogramme has had.The programmeEvery Child Counts (through theNumbers Count intervention)provides intensive support to thelowest-achieving Year 2 children.Children are taught on a one-to-onebasis  by a specialist teacher for halfan hour every day over the course of aterm. The programme aims is to raisetheir level of performance so that theyachieve level 2c or higher by the endBirmingham), Andy Wiggins (DurhamUniversity) and David Torgerson(University of York) and bringstogether the results of two randomisedtrials and secondary data analyses toassess the effectiveness. The team alsoconducted an economic evaluationof the programme and evaluated itsimplementation in schools. 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About9% of  children achieved theirexpected age-related level due tothe programme. Numbers Countdelivered to pairs of  children is http://www.teachingtimes.comWhat sort of teaching allows students to take ownership oftheir own learning?What will motivate and excitechildren’s curiosity and haul them outof passivity? What style of teachingwill develop their intellectual skillsto the point that they can becomeeffective agents of enquiry in anyfield?How can we make lessons exciting andcreative for students and teachers?These questions are the golden grailsof modern teaching. The governmenthas sought to address them bynumerous initiatives… But none ofthese initiatives have succeeded asthey might have done because theyignore the key question. ‘What sort ofteaching is needed to achieve thesegoals?’Intelligent Learning is a teachingpractice course, executed throughsix half hour video sessions, whichaddress in detail the changes inpedagogy you and your school needto introduce to start addressing theissues of motivation and becoming athinking and learning community.The central theme of the course is togive students the skills to ask moreand searching questions. …it’s thequestioning skills, not of the teacherbut of the student that really countsin developing their cognitive abilitiesand engagement. 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      array(4) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "numeracy"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "numeracy"
        [2]=>
        string(6) "skills"
        [3]=>
        string(10) "strategies"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(13) "Special Needs"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Special Needs

Evaluating the impact of Every Child Counts

1 Jun 2011