School staff need to be trained to master the skills and techniques necessary to teach children with SLD/PMLD/CLDD.
Training might include, for example:
- Using of AAC
- Using signs and symbols.
The School Development Plan will influence the training and development that staff need.
In this audio clip, Jane, the headteacher of a special school, talks about the range of professionals that make up her staff team. She explains how the team works together to deliver high quality, personalised education for all children in her school.
Identify what the whole school area for development is for this year and the different areas of focus for children with MLD, SLD, CLDD and PMLD.
The areas focused on are:
- Intensive interaction
- Social skills, and
- Verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
Roisin is preverbal. She is assessed against the Affective Communication Skills Checklist (ACSC) as working at Level 3. The ACSC has been drawn from a number of different sources and linked to the P Levels to support staff in assessment of pupil levels.
Have a look at the checklist below and see where you can see evidence that would support this assessment.
Having observed her interaction with her teacher, how would you work in conjunction
with the SALT to develop
Roisin's communication?
Look at the SALTs advice.
Does it match your expectations?
How would you plan to incorporate the SALTs advice within Roisin's sessions?
Elks, L. and McLachlan, H. (1999) Language Builders.
Bodmin: Elklan.
Nind, M. and Hewett, D. (1988) Interaction as Curriculum. British Journal of Special Education 15 (2) 55-57.