Evidence-Based Adaptations
Our practitioners are skilled in making adaptations and applying evidence-based strategies proven to support all learners effectively.
1. Explicit Instruction
Our teachers utilise explicit instruction strategies to support learners with SEND, including:
- Retrieval practice (planned opportunities for daily, weekly, monthly review).
- Presenting new material using small steps.
- Using Questions (including non-examples to anticipate misconceptions).
- Guided practice.
- Checking understanding.
- Independent Practice.
2. Scaffolds (to aid understanding and promote independence)
Visual Scaffolds support planning and prioritisation and understanding of content (for example):
- Task boards
- Now/Next
- Success criteria/marking scheme
- Checklists
Written scaffolds help reduce cognitive load, illustrate examples (for example):
- Word banks and key vocabulary (with symbols where appropriate)
- Writing frames
- Partially worked examples
- Graphic organisers
- Counters/Number lines
We use verbal scaffolds to break down instructions, simplify or clarify vocabulary.
3. Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategies
- We explicitly teach and model metacognitive strategies to help learners to plan, monitor, and evaluate learning.
- We set an appropriate level of challenge through effectively managing cognitive load (chunking).
- We provide opportunities for independence through the gradual release of responsibility.
4. Assistive Technologies
We use technology tools to support learning and communication including:
- Apps to provide instruction and practice opportunities.
- Tools to aid learning e.g. note taking, highlighting, speech to text, text to speech.
- Apps to augment the communication skills of learners with communication difficulties.
- Tools to remove barriers to reading and transcription e.g. speech to Text/text to speech.
5. Flexible Groupings
We use flexible groupings to:
- Tailor instruction and promote collaboration.
- Pre teach new concepts, overlearn taught facts, or practice skills.
- Provide opportunities for collaborative learning across a range of attainment levels.
- Give learners additional time to process information and overlearn key concepts or facts.