Training delivered by myself and a colleague around SEN awareness and support strategies - includes ASD, Moderate Learning Difficulties, Hearing Impairments, Visual Impairment, Speech & Language, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia, ADHD/ADD, Social Emotional Mental Health

1. SEN Training

2. Starter Activity: What does SEN mean?
On your tables there is a piece of paper – you
have 5 minutes to write down everything you
know about Special or Additional Needs. Do you
know anything? What do you know? What does
that mean? Why is it important to know?
And
Well done!
Ok…what do we
know?

5. Autism:
Autistic Spectrum Disorder, ASD and Aspergers all fall
under the umbrella of Autism.
Autism is defined as:
‘a mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized
by great difficulty in communicating and forming relationships
with other people and in using language and abstract concepts’
Autism is on the rise nationally and there are 700,000
people living with Autism in the UK.

6. What to be aware of when working with Young People with Autism:
• Have trouble taking turns in conversations – for example, they might like to do all the talking
or find it hard to answer questions about themselves
• Talk a lot about a favourite topic, but find it difficult to talk about a range of topics
• Be confused by language and take things literally
• Find it hard to follow a set of instructions with more than one or two steps
• have trouble reading non-verbal cues, such as body language or tone of voice, to guess how
someone else might be feeling.
• Use eye contact in an unusual way
• Prefer to spend time on her own, rather than with friends
• Have trouble understanding the social rules of friendship
• Have an unusual attachment to objects
• be easily upset by change and like to follow routines
• Be sensitive to sensory experiences – for example, he might be easily upset by certain
sounds, or will eat only foods with a certain texture or colour.
• Seek sensory stimulation – for example, he might like deep pressure, seek vibrating objects
like the washing machine or flutter fingers to the side of his eyes to watch the light flicker.
• Difficulty with sleep.
• Associated behaviours which can appear aggressive.

7. What it is like to have ASD:
Video can be imbedded in this ppt:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oe7yNPyf2c

8. Support Strategies: AUTISM
 Break down instructions into manageable chunks – no more than 2-3
instructions in one go.
 Repeat instructions or provide visual prompts e.g. a visual paper
timetable of events
 Speak clearly and remember that young people with Autism can take
things very literally
 Give young people advanced warning of any changes to routine or a
schedule so that they are able to prepare
 Allow young people to take time out if they need to due to sensory
overload
 Be aware of any challenging behaviour and try to find the cause of this
behaviour rather than assuming the young person is being
argumentative.
 Support social interaction and inclusion within your groups – they may
find group tasks more difficult and need prompting with how to get
involved. They may also opt out if they find it too overwhelming.
 Talk to them, listen to them and allow them to communicate what they
need to you.

9. Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD)
A learning disability affects the way a person understands information
and how they communicate. Around 1.5m people in the UK have one.
This means they can have difficulty:
- understanding new or complex information
- learning new skills
- coping independently
A learning disability can be mild, moderate or severe. Some people with
a mild learning disability can talk easily and look after themselves, but
take a bit longer than usual to learn new skills. Others may not be able to
communicate at all and have more than one disability.
Young people with MLD may appear immature and find it difficult to mix
with their regular peer group, many are vulnerable and may experience
bullying as a result. Often they are needy with an over-reliance on adult
help and support.

10. Explaining MLD:
Further explanation here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3ONz6TaK
Ik

11. MLD can present with some of the following
difficulties:
• Difficulty understanding basic concepts.
• Problems acquiring basic skills in reading, writing and numeracy with a result of
low confidence in and to develop the skills they do have.
• A lack of logic or poor problem solving skills.
• An inability to generalise learning and apply it to new situations.
• Limited communication skills coupled with immature social and emotional
understanding.
• Poor fine and gross motor skills.
• Difficulty with personal organisation.
• Poor auditory/visual memory.
• Poor long and short term memory; difficulty remembering what has been taught.
• Speech and language delay.
• Emotional and behavioural difficulties.
• Sensory impairment.
• A lack of social skills.

12. Support Strategies: MLD
 Check understanding at every stage.
 Break down activities or tasks into small manageable ones.
 Allow for repetition and over learning e.g. names of peers
 Show how things are done rather than just explaining. Providing plenty
of opportunities for practical learning.
 Use of ICT to enable the young person to keep up
 Facilitating friendship groups.
 Having positive role models so they can follow examples.
 Opportunities to participate and be fully included.
 Some of the time young people with MLD may display disruptive
behaviours which will hide the root of the problem – be sure to
investigate and understand the cause before you give consequences.
 Ensure any risk assessments allow for additional support when out and
about due to some young people not being aware of stranger danger or
road safety.
 Set realistic and achievable goals
 Praise positive behaviours and or activities

13. Visual Impairment
Visual impairment is a term
experts use to describe any
kind of vision loss, whether
it's someone who cannot see
at all or someone who has
partial vision loss. Some
people are completely blind,
but many others have what's
called legal blindness.

14. 5 minute timer
End
ACTIVITY:
In groups one of you should close your eyes or squint
and try and navigate the room with the help of your
colleagues.
You have 5 minutes.
If you were the person who had their eyes closed/squinting what did you find
difficult? Could you read any of the signs around the room?
For those of you supporting what did you do? How did you help? Could you do
more? If so what? These are the questions you should be asking yourself about
support all the time.

15. Support Strategies: VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
 Keep the space clear and tidy around the individual to allow easier
movement and maintain safety.
 Keep resources in the same accessible place with clear labels
 Is the level of lighting right for the young person – if not ask them
and adjust where possible.
 Learners with visual impairments should sit close to the front of a
group or source if you are using presentations or doing board work.
 Print written instructions or work out in large font or possibly on
different coloured paper.
 Allow access to specialised equipment if this is what the young
people are used to. Families are able to give advice on this so be
sure to engage them where possible. The young people could use
screen reading and talking browsers, voice recognition software,
braille keyboards and printers, screen magnifiers etc.

16. Hearing Impairment:
A hearing impairment is a hearing loss that prevents a
person from totally receiving sounds through the ear. If
the loss is mild, the person has difficulty hearing faint
or distant speech. A person with this degree of hearing
impairment may use a hearing aid to amplify sounds.

17. • We would like you all to turn
around and face the back of
the room.
• You are going to listen to a
video of what someone with HI
might hear.
• On a piece of paper could you
write down what activities or
tasks you think this person is
doing/where you think they
are.
Let’s now watch the video and see how you
did? Did you know exactly what was going on?
ACTIVITY: HI Video

18. PLAY JUST AUDIO FIRST
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yQzm_3
6DMY

19. Support Strategies: HEARING IMPAIRMENT
 Face a young person front on if they have a hearing
impairment
 Do not assume all can lip read or that all sign
 Speak clearly and at a normal speed, slowing down can
distort the shape of your mouth and make it more difficult
for young people to lip read if they are able.
 Wear plain clothes so that there are limited distractions from
you when young people are trying to lip read.
 Keep background noise to a minimum
 Allow learners a time out strategy should they need to exit
to somewhere for some quiet time or time to process
 If learners use hearing aids or radio aids ensure to use these
as directed.
 Ask the young person how they want to be supported and
what works best for them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMAfSblVSAw

20. Speech and Language Disorder:
Speech and language disorders are defined as:
Difficulties pronouncing sounds, or with articulation, and stuttering are
examples of speech disorders. There are two main forms:
1. When a person has trouble understanding others (receptive
language)
2. Or when a person has trouble sharing thoughts, ideas, and
feelings completely (expressive language).
Brompton Academy, a local school, has a specialist speech and
language centre (Elliotte Centre) and so some of your cohort
may have a speech and language disorder or associated
difficulties.

21. What to be aware of when working with Young People with Speech
& Language Disorder:
• It may seem that their speech is delayed or that there is a longer pause between questions
or conversations.
• Speech and Language Disorder could display with a stutter or lisp, with words or parts of
words being missed out when they are talking.
• They may have trouble understanding what other people say.
• They could also have difficulty following simple directions and organizing information they
hear.
• They could have a limited vocabulary compared to children the same age
• Frequently says “um” and substitutes general words like “stuff” and “things” for more
precise words
• Have trouble learning new vocabulary words
• Confuse verb tense
• Uses certain phrases over and over again when talking
• Seems frustrated by inability to communicate thoughts
• May not talk much or often, but understands what other people say
• Is able to pronounce words and sounds, but sentences often don’t make sense
• Uses a limited variety of sentence structures when speaking
• Difficulty forming relationships/friendships due to poor social skills

22. ACTIVITY: Expressive Language
• Who would like to volunteer to talk to
someone who has expressive language
disorder?
• Come on, come on don’t be shy 

23. Support Strategies: SPEECH & LANGUAGE
 Allow the young person time to process the information and
respond
 Do not assume they do not understand if there is a pause or if they
are unable to give an answer straight away
 Facilitate friendships by role modelling appropriate strategies to use
to maximise communication
 If learning key terms e.g. the principles of NCS allow them time and
continuously offer chances to overlearn these
 Provide young people with written instructions that are broken
down explain what you want them to do, they find it difficult to
follow some instructions so this will allow them the chance to keep
checking
 Offer praise where possible
 Ask the young person what they find most supportive and helpful
 Try not to speak over them or finish their sentences to speed them
up!

24. Dyslexia is “…a general term for disorders that
involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret
words, letters, and other symbols, but that do
not affect general intelligence.”
DYSLEXIA

25. 30 second Activity
1) Hold your pencil in the hand that you don’t
usually write with.
2) You now have 30 seconds in which to write 3
simple words which, when used together make
up a well-known phrase.
3) Ready for the words to copy?

26. ஒரு
நல்ல
நாள்
“Have a
nice
day!”
In Tamil

27. DYSLEXIA
• Appears bright but is often unable to read, write, or spell at an ‘age
appropriate’ level
• Poor self-esteem
• Seems to “zone out” or daydream often; gets lost easily or loses track
of time.
• Learns best through hands-on experience
• Reads and rereads with little comprehension.
• Difficulty putting thoughts into words
• Trouble with writing or copying; handwriting varies or is illegible.
• Sometimes clumsy, uncoordinated
• Can have difficulty telling time/managing time
• Thinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words
• Strong sense of justice; emotionally sensitive

28. Support Strategies: DYSLEXIA
 Provide instructions in a practical and visual way
 Break down all instructions/tasks into smaller sections so that it is
more manageable
 Allow additional time for young people to complete any tasks
 Where necessary it might be useful to offer a staff member as a
scribe for the young person in certain activities
 Repeat instructions and give no more than one instruction at a time
 Set out support to help manage organisation e.g. visual timetables
for the programme, reminders on mobile phones
 Allow young people the chance to repeat instructions back to
reinforce what has been asked of them
 Use multi sensory approaches to teaching new skills – engage the
eyes, the ears and the mouth as well as the muscles.
 Prompt young people when they are struggling to put into words
what they are thinking, ask open questions but begin to hone in
 Ask the young person how they want to be supported?

29. DYSCALCULIA
Dyscalculia is
“…a difficulty in
mathematics
which is the
result of an
impairment to
particular parts
of the brain
involved in
Maths
cognition…” but
without
affecting
intelligence or
general
cognitive
abilities.

30. • Finds it hard to spot patterns or identify symbols
• Finds it hard to sort things e.g. by size, height etc.
• Can miss numbers out when counting
• Finds counting difficult
• Finds using coins and paper money more difficult and struggles with
correct change
• Struggles to apply math concepts to everyday life
• Has trouble measuring things
• Has hard time grasping information shown on graphs or charts
• It can affect social skills
• Management of money or budgeting and time management are not
areas of strength
• Struggles with finding his way around and worries about getting lost
DYSCALCULIA: What to be aware of?

32. Support Strategies: DYSCALCULIA
 Encourage young people to talk through the problem-solving
process when it comes to anything mathematical.
 Break everything down into smaller parts
 Allow young people to focus on one thing at a time e.g. tour of the
college – set them one place that is key e.g. your base room this
way they can focus on how to get there rather than overloading
them with lots of different places to go.
 Offer reassurance
 Don’t assume they will not want to be involved in supporting with
money on social action projects or helping budget, these are skills
they may want to develop but you must offer reassurance and
visual prompts as well as small chunks again
 Use concrete examples that connect math to real life if and when
needed.

33. Dyspraxia is “…an impairment or immaturity in
the organization of movement which leads to
associated problems with language, perception
and thought.”
‘Dys’ means ‘Faulty’
‘Praxis’ means ‘The ability to use the body as
a skilled tool’.

34. DYSPRAXIA
• Difficulty with hand-eye coordination
• Keeping still – they may swing or move their arms and legs a lot
and find it hard to sit still
• Difficulty concentrating – they may have a poor attention span
and find it difficult to focus on one thing for more than a few
minutes
• Poor at organising themselves and getting things done
• Difficulties making friends – they may avoid taking part in team
games and may worry about being bullied for being ‘different’ or
clumsy
• Sometimes there can be behaviour problems – often stemming
from a child’s frustration with their symptoms
• Low-self esteem

35. Support Strategies: DYSPRAXIA
 On residential especially, be sure to give clear instructions one at a
time, allowing the young person time to organise their body into
the right position before the next instruction is given.
 Guide young people into set spaces where they can position their
body without bumping into others
 Encourage young people to verbalise their movements and ask
where they are going?
 Offer praise regularly due to low self esteem and be sure praise is
related to concrete examples so it cannot be disputed.
 Limit distractions
 Support with organisation whether reinforcing information or
providing visual/auditory prompts
 Talk to the young person, what do they think works well? How does
it impact them in their lives and is there anything you can do for
them?

36. ADHD/ADD
ADHD and ADD are both brain-based conditions that affect people’s ability to
stay focused on things like social interactions and everyday activities e.g.
brushing teeth, getting dressed.
The biggest difference between ADD and ADHD is that young people with
ADHD are hyperactive. They have trouble sitting still and might be so restless
that staff quickly notice their ‘lively’ behaviour. ADD young people aren’t
bursting with energy or causing disruption, they often appear shy, day-dreamy
or ‘off in their own world.’
ADHD is a chronic condition marked by persistent inattention, hyperactivity,
and sometimes impulsivity.
ADD can be described as behavioural disorders occurring primarily in
children, which would include symptoms like poor concentration, inattention
or day dreaming.

37. Activity: Do you have ADHD/ADD?
1. I have difficulty getting organized.
2. When given a task, I usually procrastinate rather than doing
it right away.
3. I work on a lot of projects, but can't seem to complete most
of them.
4. I tend to make decisions and act on them impulsively e.g.
spending money, getting sexually involved with someone,
diving into new activities, and changing plans.
5. I get bored easily.
6. No matter how much I do or how hard I try, I just can't
seem to reach my goals.

38. 7. I often get distracted when people are talking; I just tune
out or drift off.
8. I get so wrapped up in some things I do that I can hardly
stop to take a break or switch to doing something else.
9. I tend to overdo things even when they're not good for me
— like compulsive shopping, drinking too much, overworking,
and overeating.
10. I get frustrated easily and I get impatient when things are
going too slowly.
11. My self-esteem is not as high as that of others I know.
Activity: Do you have ADHD/ADD?

39. 12. I need a lot of stimulation from things like action
movies and video games, new purchases, being among
lively friends, driving fast or engaging in extreme sports.
13. I tend to say or do things without thinking, and
sometimes that gets me into trouble.
14. I'd rather do things my own way than follow the rules
and procedures of others.
15. I often find myself tapping a pencil, swinging my leg,
or doing something else to work off nervous energy.
16. I can feel suddenly depressed when I'm separated
from people, projects or things that I like to be involved
with.
Activity: Do you have ADHD/ADD?

40. 17. I see myself differently than others see me, and when
someone gets angry with me for doing something that upset
them I'm often very surprised.
18. Even though I worry a lot about dangerous things that are
unlikely to happen to me, I tend to be careless and accident
prone.
19. Even though I have a lot of fears, people would describe me
as a risk taker.
20. I make a lot of careless mistakes.
21. I have blood relatives who suffer from ADD, depression,
bipolar disorder, or substance abuse.
If you answered yes to 15 of these questions, it is likely that you have
ADHD/ADD or exhibit tendencies of someone who does.
Activity: Do you have ADHD/ADD?

41. • Lack of organisation
• Enthusiasm for lots of tasks but difficulty completing them and
following through with it all.
• Impulsivity, bored easily, a risk taker
• Distractible even from tasks that they enjoy these may not always
hold attention
• Drifting off/tuning out
• Can overdo things like over working or over eating
• Are easily frustrated or impatient
• Sometimes low self-esteem
• Requires high stimulation from things like movies or music etc
• Talk without thinking which can get them into trouble
• Tapping of pens, swinging on chairs, jittering in their chair
• Careless and accident prone due to not always thinking ahead
ADHD/ADD can present with:

42. Support Strategies: ADHD/ADD
 Role model appropriate/positive behaviour
 Break down and repeat instructions
 Provide visual instructions/timetables where possible
 Set timers using their phone or yours and allow regular breaks
 Offer a safe and secure environment.
 Routines and boundaries. They need to stay firm not changing all the
time. (they will of course push these to see if they do change)
 In the here and now – no point in observing a behaviour you don’t want
and think I will talk to them about it later deal with it straight away so
they can react to the consequence and directly relate it to the action.
 Likewise reward appropriate behaviour as soon as possible;
 Make the pay-offs small, and attainable;
 Giving clear instructions, short, clear and specific expressed in positive
terms
 Provide space for time out and agree a set time for this.
 Allow learners a chance to debrief if they become distressed, give them
space and then at the earliest chance discuss any difficulties.

43. SOCIAL EMOTIONAL MENTAL HEALTH
Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH)
difficulties is an overarching term for children
who demonstrate difficulties with emotional
regulation and/or social interaction and/or are
experiencing mental health problems.
*SEMH is the new term for BESD (Behavioural Emotional Social Disorders)

44. What is classed as SEMH:
Young people who have a form of SEMH can have trouble
with building and maintaining relationships with peers and
adults; they can also struggle to engage with learning and to
cope in mainstream settings.
Typical characteristics of children with SEMH can include:-
Disruptive, antisocial and uncooperative behaviour, temper
tantrums, frustration, anger and verbal and physical threats/
aggression, withdrawn and depressed attitudes, anxiety and
self-harm, stealing, truancy, vandalism, drug abuse, setting
fires, suicide attempts.

45. Support Strategies: MENTAL HEALTH
 Gain insight and do your homework – what support has the young
person been able to access? What works for them? How do they
want you to treat them?
 Be caring and non judgmental in all communications
 Tailor your approach depending on the diagnosis
 Remember that they are people not just labels
 Allow the person to articulate themselves when they need to
 Offer the person a specific adult to talk to
 Offer reassurance when required
 Treat the person with respect as you would with everyone
 Avoid confrontation, deescalate situations
 Don’t argue, dismiss, or minimise issues
 Support the person emotionally and practically
 Team Teach it! Support each other.
 Who else can help? Don’t forget you have line managers. Ask, pass
it up, you will help more if you are unsure and pass it up that you
will if you just ‘have a go’.

46. PSYCHOSIS AND MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES
Psychosis: Psychosis refers to serious disturbances
in an individual’s reality testing (‘not in contact with
reality’), senses are distorted, making it difficult for
the person to distinguish between real and unreal.
There is often a presence of delusions &
hallucinations
Multiple Personality Disorder: a rare dissociative
disorder in which two or more personalities with
distinct memories and behaviour patterns
apparently exist in one individual.

47. ACTIVITY: HEARING VOICES
• This exercise will help people to experience a form of psychosis.
• Work in threes where possible (max 4) and decide who is A, B and C
(if there is 4 there will be 2 C’s.
Role A: is going to have an ordinary conversation with B about everyday
things e.g. weather, job, work, holidays etc.
Role B: will hear a voice while this is happening, they will try and answer A’s
questions and hold a conversation.
Role C: is going to be B’s voice and read a script similar to that someone with
psychosis might hear. C will sit behind B and whisper into his/her ear through
the rolled up paper tubes. A should not be able to hear the voice.

48. • These two areas are very broad so we thought
it would be wise to allow you to just ask
questions so we can cater this training to you
and the needs of the young people that you
will be working with.
So….any questions?
PSYCHOSIS AND MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES

49. Support Strategies: GENERAL GUIDANCE
 Speak to your young people and find out what works for them, they
are 16/17 – they will know what works or what doesn’t, they are
the expert on them.
 Praise and positive reinforcement for genuine achievements no
matter how little are always a good way to develop positive
working relationships
 Breaking down instructions into clear manageable chunks means
that everyone is able to follow and decide their own pace.
 A safe space alongside a time out strategy can be useful so you
know if the young person becomes stressed, for whatever reason,
they can self-manage and help themselves using strategies that you
have put in to help them.
 Always remember that you are the adult in the room. Whatever has
happened hasn’t happened to you, it has happened around you. Be
sure that your emotions are maintained and that you have the
head space to process the best course of action for that young
person.

50. ACTIVITY: Support Strategy
Now it’s your turn for real:
- With your Team Leader or Assistant Team Leader (if you have
one here) look at your team list and identify one of young
person who has additional needs – it can be anything.
- Have a go at completing the support strategy in as much
detail as possible outlining how and what you are going to do
to make that young person feel safe, happy and included.
We are here to help so now is your chance to pick our
brains if needed 

51. Insert email here
Insert email here