As a SEND teacher you’ll want to ensure that your students with special educational needs and disabilities are comfortable learning in your classroom. If you’re currently developing your SEND-friendly classroom, here’s some suggestions which may help as a starting point.
Know your students
Every child with SEND is different, so take the time to look at the individual needs of the children in your class. Do you have students with visual or hearing issues? Which of your students may struggle to concentrate? Are there learners with sensory issues who may easily become over-stimulated? Knowing your learners as much as possible is an important step in setting up a SEND-friendly classroom.
Consider the layout of your classroom
Once you understand the needs of your class you can build a suitable seating plan. This can help those with specific needs ensure they always have access to the seat they need; for example, those who need to sit near the front for sight or hearing purposes. It’s also a way of keeping some children apart if necessary or giving others the space they need to concentrate. A good seating plan is a great starting point for a SEND-friendly classroom.
The classroom environment itself can be both a source of support and of distraction. It’s well worth doing an audit of your classroom and you could begin by sitting in the room as if you were a child in your class. Do you find that you’re affected by anything in the classroom – flickering lights, too much light in the room, an obstructed view of where you usually stand to speak to the whole class, or just clutter in your field of vision? If you do need to make any adjustments you can then complete them in good time for your class.
Think about sensory input
If the children in your class can be easily over-stimulated by bright colours, busy images or noise, there are steps you can take to help with this. To minimise the distraction of bright colours and busy images, think about reducing displays on the walls of the classroom. If you have space in your classroom, consider having a “quiet corner” where children who are triggered by noise can go to have 5 minutes to themselves when they need it. You could also keep a box of sensory toys for children to use when necessary; those children who crave stimulation will benefit from this if they are struggling to sit still or stay on-task.
Keep tasks clear and concise
Think about how you can make your lesson content bite-sized; this can help avoid overloading your students with information. There are a number of ways you can overcome your learners struggling to follow along: consider using visual timetables or “now and next” boards which give a clear and concise outline of what the class are meant to be doing at any given time. If you simplify instructions as much as possible, this will ensure your students are clear on what’s expected of them for each activity.
Creating a SEND-friendly classroom is an on-going process; you’ll observe daily how children are accessing learning in your room and whether there are any blockers that can quietly be removed.