PGCE teaching practice challenges please help!

[Dominique07]

Hi,
I am a PGCE student about to start my final block placement.

I have completed a short teaching practice in Yr 1 and so have already got to know the children and staff and am worried about an inclusion issue in the class.

When teaching lessons I became increasingly reluctant to plan to use/rely on the Interactive Whiteboard due to one SEN/possibly autistic pupil in the classroom.

Its really interesting, to meet him and see what a different perspective he has on the world, but I am totally overwhelmed just by learning to teach and dealing with a huge range of learning abilities. Teaching this child is a totally different experience and for example I can't expect him to keep records of his own work as he doesn't write so I have to take photos of or photocopy things such as, how he can arrange prepared resources to show understanding.

Although I have begun to think about how to include him in my lessons and have had a go at this, what I have observed is that he is usually kept out of the classroom doing a separate activity with the TA. Whilst the teacher will discuss the Learning Objectives with the Teaching Assistant, it appears to be very challenging especially for people who are not trained to teach autistic children.

I am concerned about the content of his teaching, but as a student teacher at the front of a class of 30, my main focus is on the classroom of children in front of me.

Issue 1) The child runs into the classroom to play with the computer, this means he could close down work I am creating with the children and it could be lost or he can interupt the lesson. It can take a good few minutes or he may just refuse to leave the computer. I don't mind being flexible and talking to the children or writing on a small board, but I can imagine during an observation having to explain, why I didn't make full use of the IWB.

Issue 2) This child could be in the classroom joining in many of the same activities as the other children, although he really doesn't write or sit still for long. Should I be planning more activities which would include him more, I did try this a bit but feel that if I started planning with this child in mind I could with a lot of hard work, make sure that he was always included in working towards the same Learning Objective as the other children.

Issue 3) I worry about the other children, although it is not very serious, when we ask this child to sit down on the carpet he literally tramples over the other children to find a space to sit down.

Does anyone with a bit more experience have any tips for me to get through the next term?

[Dominique07]

Any ideas welcome!

[stillenacht]

How about posting on the SN forum boards of the TES website?

I am a teacher (secondary) and my son who is 6.5 has severe low functioning autism- I don't know how his teachers do it (he is in special school though).

Good luck - hope you find some answers.

[Dominique07]

I will give that a go, thanks.

[soapboxqueen]

Take the class teacher's lead. Ask them for advice about how the school is dealing with this child and follow this. You can't expect to go in and do something completely different for this child as it could be quite confusing for them to have a new person do things differently. I appreciate you want to do what is best for this child, and when it's your own class you will have more of an input.

As for your observations I would be upfront with your tutor/observer and state that this child coming in to use the computer is a possibility. You need to plan alternatives for such an event. Especially for observations you need to have all bases covered. If they criticise you for it then you can simply say that you are following a behaviour plan for this child that was already in place.

[mrz]

Always ensure you use his name when giving instructions (even if they are instructions to the whole class as he won't automatically know you mean him too). Give him direct instructions - (his name) I want you to leave the computer now... don't leave any doubt you mean it. Sorry but you can't be flexible but you do need to explain why he must do as you ask. Some children are labelled naughty when they just don't understand that you mean them.

Have you heard about social stories?

www.polyxo.com/socialstories/introduction.html

Try using a carpet tile or spot to indicate his place to sir and make sure he knows that is where he must sit.

I would want him in the classroom not withdrawn with a TA. He may need his own space - free from distractions for part of the day.

It's difficult without knowing the child and the type of difficulties he has ASD is such a wide area. Noise and light may be difficult for him or other sensory experiences. Has the school told you any details?

It sounds as if you are really trying to include all children well done.

[andlipsticktoo]

Personally I would spend the first few weeks working with the rest of the class and planning activities for all the children in a similar way to that already established by the class teacher.

When you are confident with this it would be a good idea to discuss with your tutor and class teacher the possibility of including this child more and integrating him into the class. There may be very good reasons why he spends a lot of time out of the classroom with one to one help, there may also be many ways in which encouraging his inclusion into the classroom may help him. Perhaps you could chat to the SENCo during your first couple of weeks?

Good luck.

[Dominique07]

Great advice everyone, thanks for replying!