Earlyoninmyteachingcareer,Ifoundmyselfinchargeofaclasswithahighproportionofspecialeducationalneeds(SEN)childrenontheregister.Themysteryofwhowouldtakeonthisgrouphasbeenthetopicofmuchdiscussioninthestaffroom,butIwassurprisedwhenIwastolditwouldbeme.PlanauniquetourtoHongKongCustomsforyourclientswithPartnerNet&39;susefultraveltips,andvarioustouristinformationsuchasChinesecustomsandtraditions.I’dobservedtheclassbeforeaspartofmytraining.Thesheernumberofdifferentneeds–includingautism,severedyslexia,non-specificlearningdelaysandADHD–thathadtobeaccommodatedstaggeredme.Icouldn’tfathomhowtheteacheratthetimedidit.WhenIasked,theytoldmeitwasonlypossiblebecausetheyhadspecialisthelp.Whenthisclassbecamemine,muchofthissupportwasremoved,withmostofthehelpcomingfromapart-timeteachingassistantwhohadnoexperienceworkingwithchildrenwithspecialneeds.Imyselfhadnexttonotrainingandspentmostofthatfirsttermrunningtotheschool’sSenco.Theywereoftenbusywithendlessadministrativetasks,andwouldsendmeawaywithabulgingfileofreports,recommendationsandassessments.Iactuallycriedindespair.Mydaysatschoolbecameawhirlwindoffrequentlyinterruptedlessons,whileIdesperatelytriedtoteachanythingtotheclassasawhole,nevermindfrontedadverbialsandthegridmethod.Istruggledtofindandreadastorythatallofthechildrencouldfollow.Iwouldworklateintothenight,franticallysearchingtheinternetforresourcesthatIcoulduse.Therewerechildrenwithlearningdifficultieswhocouldbarelyholdapencil,somewhowouldoccasionallylashoutatotherchildren,anotherwithcommunicationissues.Ihadtoattendmeetingswithaneducationalpsychologistandweepingparentswhoblamedthemselvesfortheirchildren’sproblems.WhenIaskedforhelp,theSencoteachersentmeawaywithabulgingfileofreports.IactuallycriedindespairImuddledalong,attemptingtoincludeeverychildinmylessons.ButIstilldidn’tunderstandtheirneeds.Alongsidethiscametheusualfretsthatcomewithteachingthemainstreamcurriculumandmonitoringtheclass’sprogressasawhole.IfeltlikeIwasfailingeveryone.PolyUencourageslifelonglearningbyprovidingprofessionaltrainingservicesthroughrespectiveeducationunits.Customizedcorporatetrainingisalsoprovidedforenhancingtheproductivityoflocalbusiness.MyexperienceisjustoneaspectofabiggerprobleminprovisionforSENchildren.AccordingtotheDepartmentforEducation(pdf),14%ofpupilsinEngland–1.2millionchildren–havespecialneedsordisabilities.Butduetotighteningcouncilandschoolbudgets,manyfamilieshavetofighttogetthehelpthey’reentitledto.Morethan4,000childreninEnglandwithanapprovededucation,healthandcare(EHC)planstillreceivenoprovisionforextraservices,comparedto1,710in2016.IfanEHCplanisgranted,schoolsmustcoverthefirst£6,000costofanyextrasupport,usingtheiroverallbudget.SomemainstreamschoolshavebecomereluctanttotakestudentswithSENneedsbecauseofthis.Atmyschool,IwasgivencauseforhopewhenmypleasforassistancewerefinallyheardandIwasprovidedwithapart-timeSENspecialist.Thedifferencewasstark.Childrenweregiventhemeaningful,targeted,monitoredsessionstheyneeded,whichnotonlyhadanimpactonthembuttherestoftheclass.IhadaconfidantandthesupportIwasdesperatefor.Myconfidencegrew.Suddenlysome–althoughstillnotall–ofthechildrenbegantoshowreal,tangibleprogress.Butourproblemsarenotover.WhenweaskedifourSENteachercouldworkfulltime,weweretoldtherewasnobudget.Theyleftasaresult,andhavenotbeenreplaced.Thechildrentheysupportedinmyclassweredevastated.Ifeellikewe’rebacktosquareone.Thereisacrisisintheeducationsystemwhenitcomestosupportforspecialneeds.Theaverageclasssizeinaspecialneedsschoolisaroundeight,withtwoteachingassistants,butincreasinglywe’rehavingtomeettheneedsofthosewithsignificantlearningdifficultiesinclassesof30ormore.Teachersareleftwithouttheadequatetraining,supportorexperiencetodealwithit.SENchildrenareoftenlookedafterbyunqualifiedteachingassistantsifthey’relucky;ifthey’renot,theyhavetostruggleonbythemselvesLPGM6.IamnotsuggestingthatSENstudentsshouldnotbeinmainstreamschools.Butwearenotcurrentlymeetingtheneedsofthesechildren.Wecannot“diminishthedifference”,asOfstedputsit,byjustkeepingtheminclass.Wewillonlymakearealdifferencewithproper,structuredsupportforboththesechildrenandtheirteachers.FollowusonTwitterviaGuardianTeach,likeusonFacebook,andjointheGuardianTeacherNetworkthelatestarticlesdirecttoyourinboxLookingforateachingjob?Orperhapsyouneedtorecruitschoolstaff?TakealookatGuardianJobs,theeducationspecialist.
