Blog Post

Adaptive Teaching: Empowering SEN Students for Success 

Adaptive teaching is a pedagogical approach that tailors educational experiences to meet the diverse needs of all students, particularly those with Special Educational Needs (SEN). By anticipating and responding to individual learning requirements, adaptive teaching can support an inclusive environment where every pupil can thrive. 

Unlike traditional differentiation, which often involves creating separate tasks for different ability groups, adaptive teaching emphasises flexibility within the classroom. Teachers modify their strategies to ensure all students work towards the same learning objectives, providing support as needed without lowering expectations. This approach promotes a growth mindset and prevents the capping of potential.  

Adaptive teaching offers many benefits, particularly to those with SEN. These include: 

Enhanced Engagement and Participation: Adaptive teaching strategies, such as scaffolding and the use of visual aids, make learning more accessible and engaging for all, but particularly SEN students. This inclusivity encourages active participation and reduces feelings of isolation or shame. 

Improved Academic Outcomes: By providing tailored support, adaptive teaching helps close attainment gaps, enabling SEN students to achieve their full academic potential. This approach ensures that no pupil is left behind.  

Development of Social Skills: Inclusive classrooms that employ adaptive teaching support the building of improved social interactions among students. SEN pupils benefit from collaborative learning opportunities, incidentally enhancing their communication skills and building peer relationships. 

Cultivation of Independence: Adaptive teaching encourages self-directed learning, empowering SEN students to take ownership of their education. This autonomy builds confidence and prepares them for future challenges. 

To successfully integrate adaptive teaching, you will need to look at: 

Assessing Individual Needs: Regularly evaluate each student’s strengths and areas for development to inform instructional planning. 

Flexible Lesson Planning: Design lessons that can be easily adjusted based on student responses and understanding. 

Collaboration: Engage with teaching assistants, specialists, and parents to create a fully inclusive support system for SEN students. 

Ongoing Professional Development: Attend workshops and training sessions to stay informed about effective adaptive teaching practices. 

Embracing adaptive teaching not only enhances the educational experience for SEN students but also enriches the classroom dynamic as a whole. By committing to this approach, you can ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to succeed. 

At the upcoming SEND Leadership Conference on 4th March 2025, Beccie Hawes, CEO and Head of Service for Cadmus Inclusive, will deliver a keynote titled “Adaptive Teaching for Pupils with SEN: What is it and How Do You Do It?” With extensive experience across mainstream and specialist settings, Beccie will provide practical strategies for implementing adaptive teaching in schools. Her session will equip delegates with tools to create supportive and effective learning environments for SEN pupils. 

Co-production

11/01/2022

The SEND Code of Practice (January) highlights that we must have regard to:

  • The views, wishes and feelings of the child or young person, and the child’s parents
  • The importance of the child or young person, and the child’s parents, participating as fully as possible in decisions, and being provided with the information and support necessary to enable participation in those decisions
  • The need to support the child or young person, and the child’s parents, in order to facilitate the development of the child or young person and to help them achieve the best possible educational and other outcomes, preparing them effectively for adulthood.

Co-production allows all involved to work collaboratively as equal partners to design, plan, deliver and review support and services in order to achieve shared outcomes. It recognises children and young people, parent carers and professionals as assets that all have important contributions to make due to their differing knowledge, skills and experience. For co-production to be most effective, all partners should be brought in at the earliest opportunity when planning or designing support or services.

There are four stages to effective coproduction which are perhaps best viewed as a cycle.:

  1. Co-assessment: Where are we at? What has worked? What isn’t working? What changes are needed?
  2. Co-deciding: What are the next steps?
  3. Co-designing: What will it look like? Who will deliver? What will they deliver? What are the outcomes?
  4. Co-delivery: How can we all contribute? What support will be needed to arrive at the outcomes?

Achieving true co-production can be challenging for the following reasons:

  • Not everyone is on the same page and relationships may be challenging.
  • Not everyone has the same understanding and skill level.
  • We all have different experiences of coproduction.
  • Some partners find it difficult to engage.

So how can we achieve perfect coproduction? Here are some ideas:

  • Begin by collating meaningful pupil and family voice and act upon what you hear. The ‘My World Triangle from ‘Getting It Right for Every Child’ provides some useful topics to explore as well as supporting documents. This is available from: https://www.gov.scot/publications/shanarri/
  • Work with the family to create a one-page profile. There are some helpful person-centred resources, including templates available from: http://helensandersonassociates.co.uk/person-centred-practice/one-page-profiles/one-page-profile-templates/
  • Share information and reports in advance of meetings so that all involved have chance to digest the information, formulate questions and seek clarification of anything that they don’t understand.
  • Provide jargon busters and lots of opportunities to answer questions.

It is probably best to view the coproduction process as a marathon not a sprint. All concerned will probably require support and a step-by-step approach so that confidence is built to become true partners.