Celena

How I teach students with autism

I recently completed a two-year placement at a Independent school that specialised education for learners with Dyslexia, ASD and ADD. The curriculum that was developed was mainstream in content but adapted to address the needs of the learners. My teaching focuses on ensuring that the learners feel safe, happy and develop specific skills and knowledge, all whilst considering their own needs. I specifically plan lessons for each learner, incorporating relevant knowledge and understanding.

I place an equal focus on learners developing life skills including communication, organisation and time management, offer whilst targeting specific difficulties, such as speech and language and occupational therapy through an embedded, holistic approach. I have vast experience of reading EHCPs and contributing to them when reviews are needed to ensure the learners continue to get the support they need. I am used to how panel reviews are conducted along with the associated reports and forms that need completing.

How I teach Science

I am passionate about the Sciences, and I feel it can reach such a diverse group of individuals. I ensure that my lessons are fun, exciting, and engaging. There are a lot of practical application for science principles ensuring learners can witness theory in action. This allows learners to relate their learning to the world they live in, which is surrounded by Science every day.

My teaching embraces a mix methodological approach where theory is brought alive and applied. Lessons are unique to the individual I am teaching, their needs, the subject area and topic to be covered. I put an enormous emphasis on ensuring that my learners become confident with science its theory and applications. For students preparing for GCSE and A-level content will be centred around the specific boards specification but ensuring that students are prepared for the style of assessment that they will encounter.

How I teach children with focus and concentration difficulties

When teaching any learner it is important that as a teacher you recognise the needs of that individual and get to know them. By building up a good rapport and relationship with the learner you can notice when students are starting to lose concentration.

A central focus of my work as a teacher and tutor is ensuring that learners are given strategies to assist them in retaining their concentration. Learners require a set structure for the lesson to assist them in their own self-regulation and removal of preventable anxieties. My using a set structure learners develop a routine and have a structured lessons. Reviews and recaps are used continually, to address any concerns learners may have straight away, to prevent the occurrence of distress if they feel they haven’t understood or grasped something. It is important that learners know when they will have breaks and give them strategies to use to assist them.

Ensuring that students are prepared is vital in working with learners with ASD / ADD. Lessons will comprise of chunks which are broken down into a smaller ones to make the content or task accessible. It is vital that the learners do not become over stimulated or feel overwhelmed and by ensuring that any interests of the learners are drawn upon as much as possible to again reaffirm the working relationship.

How I support children and young people’s confidence and self-esteem

If a learner is not empowered or confident them this will affect them in every aspect of their life not just education. A core component of my pedagogy is ensuring that learners are supported to help them improve on their low- self-esteem. As someone who is dyslexic, I have first-hand experience of how confidence and self-esteem can impede a young persons development both socially and from an education point of view. I was lucky at college to get amazing support from a tutor who worked with me and guided me if it wasn’t for this person I would not have gone to University or become a teacher. I want to offer the support and guidance I was given to others to help them flourish and become someone who is confident and empowered. I appreciate to addresses and develop such areas requires someone who is patient, compassionate along with utilising a holistic approach unique to the individual.

I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to undertake a number of training courses that have added to my own tool kit for supporting learners. Adopting a positive mindset and using mindfulness techniques within my lessons support the learners development.