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Primary education

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Original poster

Any SENCOs/teachers - is this something a senco can help with?

30 replies

remote · 25/02/2012 19:16

I posted earlier but not much traffic. (althogh top tips from Ineedacleaner!)

DS is a May born Y2. He is currently a 1c in reading and writing and the general problem seems to be not ability but lack of focus.

Had a quick chat about it at parents evening and teacher says it is really hard to get him to concentrate. When she tried to assess a piece of his written work she had to get him to do it three times because the first two took him ages to do very little and it was pretty much unassessable (?made up word?!).

Is this something a SENCO can help with? My other concern is that as it is approaching SATs season, are they likely to just leave him struggling because there is no way he is going to move up. I have heard anecdotes about schools working on pupils who are more likely to be pushe up to the next level but i don't want to assume that.

If anyone can advise me best course of action and what questions to ask I would be really grateful. (He has been tested apparently for dyslexia etc with no problems found).

OP posts:
IndigoBell · 25/02/2012 19:20

Is he on omega, zinc and magnesium?

They can all help significantly, and are relatively cheap and easy to try.

They would definately be the first thing I'd try.

IndigoBell · 25/02/2012 19:22

When he's not focussing, is he daydreaming/ staring into space? Or fidgeting / moving?

Original poster
remote · 25/02/2012 19:29

Thanks - will get some tomorrow!

He is definitely a fidgeter. He does it at home too. He does get engrossed in Lego and playing but anything "boring" like reading practice, dinner time etc, he will fidget. I don't think I've ever seen him day dream.

OP posts:
mummytime · 25/02/2012 19:31

I would talk to the SENCo. I would try Omegas, exercise, a healthy diet (avoiding orange juice) etc.
Are the reports of kids not likely to be helped much from your DSs school and year 2? Otherwise I'd ignore that aspect, as most schools I know would be working hard to bring all year 2s up to a level 2 if possible. Your son may even do better a in a formal testing situation, when distractions will be minimised.

Don't panic, SATs are for schools not individual pupils really.

madwomanintheattic · 25/02/2012 19:34

Have they mentioned ADHD (predominantly innattentive?)

The Lego thing can be the 'hyperfocus' side, whereas the general inability to focus sounds a bit ADHD-ish. V similar to ds1 anyway (his teacher nearly killed him after his yr2 sats lol) who was only diagnosed at almost 10yo in the end.

Def worth trying the above, but I would also be asking what the teacher is suggesting. It sounds like a thinly veiled attempt to probe how he is at home (usually ADHD can only be dx if the symptoms are present in more than one setting)

You could ask your gp if it is worth doing a snap iv assessment (both home and school) but I would be trying the omegas etc as well.

mrz · 25/02/2012 19:35

It depends on the SENCO but there are lots of things that can be done to help a child concentrate.
What is his classroom like?

Original poster
remote · 25/02/2012 19:44

No mention of ADHD and the teacher has never asked what he is like at home and she doesn't seem to want to take it any further other than is trying to get him to do more at home (reading /writing practice).

Classroom is pretty bog standard, lots of stuff on teh walls, lots of shelves full of learning aids. It is quite small I've noticed and i think there are 29 in teh class.

I do know the SENCo so I think I will ask the teacher if I can meet with them.

Thanks for all the tips. I don't feel so paranoid now about asking for help - the school has a bit of a reputation for fobbing people off and making them feel they are making a fuss over nothing so i will definitely go prepared to push for help.

Also excuse my inability to type the word THE!

OP posts:
madwomanintheattic · 25/02/2012 19:48
Grin That sounds fine. It sometimes takes a lot longer for kids with ADHD who don't have behaviour problems to get help, though. They sound reasonably on the ball, so hopefully will continue to look for solutions and keep working on what they have identified so far.
mrz · 25/02/2012 19:52

My first move as a class teacher would be to remove lots of the stuff from the walls and shelves to limit distractions create place for him to learn

Dustinthewind · 25/02/2012 20:16

Mrz, this is a genuine question, not an attempt to be bolshie.
I can see how creating a quiet corner with minimum distractions might be possible, screens, corner spot, eyelines considered.
But my classroom is full of bright and colourful resources for the other 29 children to use, from vocabulary to target boards to maths resources and mobiles with stuff on them for the children to use.
Would you take it down?

madwomanintheattic · 25/02/2012 22:16

I've been pondering this too, dust. Ime, I've never been in a classroom where any attempt to remove visual clutter has been made - and there have been children who struggle with attention and focus in all of them. I'm genuinely curious (always recommend mrz to posters Grin) whether this really happens at all in rl, except in mrz's school! It's that thin line between supporting kids with sn and discrimination against nt kids lol. I've never seen a teacher do it, just suggest medication if the child's inattention was causing difficulties for the peer group... Grin

(I also know that ds is quite capable of zoning out in a completely empty, silent room lol)

Dustinthewind · 25/02/2012 22:30

To me, reasonable accommodation has involved a specific seating area that the child has been encouraged but not forced to use as a workstation, with a wall and a screen to help block out the other children. A blue screen with no distractions.
Same as some have found it helped to wear headphones and/or use a laptop.
But the others need the resources and prefer to work in a bright and lively classroom with materials they can access independently. So what to do?
It's not that I'm unwilling to support one, but the others require different support.

mumblesmum · 25/02/2012 22:44

I'm wondering why the teacher had your ds do the piece of work 3 times. I have no idea why anyone should do that. She could assess any work he does.

(No wonder he didn't want to do it!)

IndigoBell · 26/02/2012 07:17

I would think bright distracting stuff on the walls is distracting for all kids.

It would be easier for all children to concentrate with less clutter.

mrz · 26/02/2012 10:12

There was an excellent video on teacher's tv which featured a neighbouring school that also uses the approach and it is certainly something that is promoted in my area. I know lots of schools around the country have also reduced colours and clutter with good effect.

Dustinthewind · 26/02/2012 11:39

Thank you for the links, mrz.
I used to teach in London in the 80s when everything was hessian and shades of beige and orange. Lots of children's work on the walls and very calm, with little clutter and a serene environment.
Now it's all bright colours, word banks, RUCSACS, WALTS, bold rainbow colours, and 51 different flavours of resources for every session, and ohhh shiny with buttons and sound effects and beeps. Lots of learning aids on the walls and hardly any children's work.
I wonder what the fashion will be next?

mrz · 26/02/2012 11:45

We don't have hessian but our display boards are pained the same colour as the walls and we went for pale natural colours and pale beech furniture.
No bright colours unless it is the children's own work, nothing hanging down, no clutter, no distractions and for us it works.

Feenie · 26/02/2012 11:46

Hessian Grin

If we are reminiscing, I remember feeling distinctly lightheaded from use of banda machine ink in too small a room as a young teacher. I quite liked it Grin

Dustinthewind · 26/02/2012 11:49

Grin Purple haze.

So many things hanging down in all our classrooms, fluttering and twirling, flapping and waving. It is expected and would need a whole school approach to change. Which ain't gonna happen.

mrz · 26/02/2012 11:54

We found children rarely looked at all the "stuff" because there was so much it just becomes "wallpaper" rather than useful so we started in EYFS and gradually moved up the school

Feenie · 26/02/2012 11:58

It sounds like an idea worth exploring.

I have found that whether children actually read stuff or not is rarely an indicator of success in many influential people's eyes.......!

Dustinthewind · 26/02/2012 12:46
Smile
mrz · 26/02/2012 14:37

We still have things just "less" so are more "discriminating" when deciding what is useful and what would just be "decorative"

bigTillyMint · 27/02/2012 17:17

Dust, I remember the hessian and neutral colours for backing work in the 80's!

It's interesting that displays seem to become ever brighter and busier with each new Government?Ofsted initiative. And all the time that is spent on making these displays as bright and attractive (as in attracting attention) as possible, when it is probably a bit overwhelming to alot of children Sad

Are there any links to more neutral classroom "displays"?