Contemporary Issues in Special

MA(Education) 2011-12 Spring Term 2012

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS Bognor Regis Campus 5.30pm – 8.30pm

Tutor: Diana Seach

COURSE OUTLINE

This module is based on the content and implications of recent legislation and guidance on special educational needs (SEN) and inclusive practice in our schools. It will explore examples of initiatives and innovative practices and critically evaluate these in terms of their benefits for individual pupil’s learning and achievement. In line with the latest SEN Green Paper it will also consider the effectiveness of multi-agency working and the ways in which schools develop parents/carers partnerships. It will be relevant to teachers in mainstream and special schools, SEN coordinators (SENCOs) and others involved in the identification and provision for pupils with SEN. It will address issues relevant to professionals working across the age range and in all phases of educational provision. The main elements of this module will be:

 recent policy documents

 inclusion and diversity

 supporting pupils’ wellbeing for learning and achievement

 multi-agency working

 working with parents in partnership

 pupil voice

The module takes both a theoretical and practical approach, and you will be encouraged wherever possible, to reflect on and review your present/recent practice and experience in order to facilitate your analysis of central issues. Hence you will be given opportunities during sessions to share and discuss with colleagues your findings from activities and case studies relating to the module’s core focus.

The module’s assignment has a significant, practical, professional element, in that it asks you to reflect on and analyse your own work in the field of SEN in your illustration of the module’s key elements. Naturally both the module and the assignment recognise and indeed value the varying professional circumstances of course members.

If you would like information on the University’s Personal Development Planning programme and the process involved, please consult the tutor and visit the website: www.chi.ac.uk/pdp

Course Outline

Module Introduction Bring copies of the SEN Code of Practice, the SEN Green Paper 1 10 Jan Evaluating current SEN and Achievement for All policies and government initiatives Developing an inclusive Bring a copy of your school’s SEN/ inclusion policy 2 17 Jan pedagogy The social model of disability in education: policy and practice The use of therapeutic Make a list of Wave 2 and 3 interventions and/or therapies 3 24 Jan interventions in schools used in your school

Multisensory approaches Research articles on Write Dance and/or multisensory 4 31 Jan to teaching and learning storytelling

complete Assignment Preparation sheet and bring to the 7 Feb Tutorials tutorial

Readings in preparation for assignment 5 14 Feb HALF TERM

21 Feb Supporting pupils with Read: Improving Attainment of Looked After Children in 6 additional educational Primary / Secondary Schools (DfE National Strategies needs: Looked After document) Children Supporting pupils with Read: Research Paper: Special Educational Needs and 7 28 Feb additional educational Ethnicity needs: EAL and ethnic www.naldic.org.uk/docs/resources/documents/RR757.pdf minorities 8 Working together with Bring a copy of the Lamb Inquiry (2009) 6 Mar parents/carers and other agencies

9 Seminar Prepare a 10 minute presentation on the topic of your 13 Mar assignment

10 Assessment for Learning: Bring examples of IEPs, GEPs and/or provision map 20 Mar target setting and IEP’s

NB The schedule outlined above is provisional and may be amended in content or sequence according to the tutor’s judgement or students’ needs, wishes or progress. Intended Learning Outcomes

Participants will be enabled to:

 familiarise themselves with recent government guidance on SEN and inclusion and consider how this impacts on their own practice

 critically examine current debates on SEN provision

 investigate a range of practices and theories in relation to educating pupils with SEN and AEN

 familiarise themselves with and critically appraise recent research literature in the field of SEN and AEN

 analyse their own context(s) by relating and comparing them with a broader picture, through activities, discussion and collaboration with course colleagues and tutor

Assessment

This consists of one assignment of 4,000 words.

The assignment should demonstrate your ability to relate theory to practice by analysing the processes taking place in your current and/or previous workplace(s), with a specific focus on contemporary perspectives in teaching pupils with SEN and AEN.

Specific assessment criteria The assignment will need to demonstrate:

 a critical appreciation of current debates, theory and research relating to SEN and inclusive pedagogy;

 an ability to analyse and evaluate the SEN provision in your own workplace in the light of contemporary perspectives;

 an awareness of how your own work supporting pupils with SEN reflects the recent changes in SEN policy.

In addition the following general assessment criteria of the MA(Ed) must be met:

 knowledge of the major concepts of the area of study without significant omissions, errors or irrelevancies;  evidence that the relationship of these concepts to workplace practice is understood;  the ability to write coherently and concisely presenting a position or argument based on the outcomes of reading and/or enquiry;  the ability to analyse critically and reflect on professional practice using an identified framework and/or general theory;  the ability to evaluate critically the findings of published research and other literature;  the ability to synthesise and draw upon a range of appropriate material. Assignment Task The choice of focus, or the question you wish to answer, is yours. You are most welcome to consult with the tutor during the course of the module and time will be allocated for individual tutorials. The assignment can be written as a case study focusing on a particular aspect of SEN or as an essay which addresses wider issues of SEN and inclusive provision within your setting.

To demonstrate that you have engaged with the module, however, all of the following elements will need to feature prominently within your analysis of contemporary perspectives in SEN:

a. government legislation on SEN and inclusion b. educating pupils with SEN and AEN c. social model of disability d. pupil/parent/professional partnerships

Assignment submission date: Friday 13 April 2012 IMPORTANT INFORMATION - NEW ASSIGNMENT HAND IN AND FEEDBACK PROCEDURES

Attendance only

Although the normal expectation is that students complete an assignment, you may if you wish ‘attend only’ with no penalty. This is received by the Board of Examiners as audit only. Of course if you decide to ‘audit only’ you will not receive any credits towards your MA(Ed).

Extension requests

For students intending to submit assignments, we understand that occasionally things go wrong and you may request an extension of up to two weeks. If you request an extension to your assignment, you are indicating your intention to submit this work and we would remind you that failure due to non-submission of the assignment, without mitigating circumstances, will result in a fail.(You will also incur an admin charge of £91 per module). Requests for extensions must be emailed before the due date to [email protected], copied to [email protected] and the relevant tutor. Please state the module you are studying.

Mitigating Circumstances

If you have a major problem which prevents you from submitting your assignment, you must claim mitigating circumstances. You are, strongly advised to submit your claim form with evidence to AQSU as soon as you know there is a problem and before the Board of Examiners. For information and a claim form go to: Portia; select tab for UniServices; select Academic Quality and Standards Unit.

Submitting your assignment

Every assignment should be:  securely fixed in a floppy backed folder;  accompanied by: o a completed assignment/module submission sheet [available from your module tutor(s), the MA(Ed) Office or from the Student Downloads page of the website: www.chi.ac.uk/teachered/MAEDStudentDownloads.cfm ] ;and o an electronic version of your assignment on a disc or memory stick (returnable), securely fastened into the folder.  put into MA(Ed) pigeon hole in the Staff Club in St Michael’s House at BRC; or o brought in to the MA(Ed) office in room 7, Arran House at BRC; or o posted to MA(Ed) Office (Assignments), Room 7 Arran House, University of Chichester, Bognor Regis Campus, Upper Bognor Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO21 1HR, provided it: o is postmarked on or before the deadline date Posting an assignment after the last collection time on the day of submission will make it late; o is securely packaged; and o has the correct amount of postage.

If the assignment is late without an extension then it will sustain a FAIL grade Assignments cannot be accepted by email. Please do not e-mail, give or post your assignment directly to your module tutor; they are not in a position to record formally that it has been received. Always put the word count (excluding the bibliography) at the end of the assignment. Always keep a copy of your assignments.

New Assignment Submission sheet

Available on the MA(Ed) website, student downloads This has been introduced across the University and should be used by all students. Please complete all sections of the form. When the assignments have been received by the MA(Ed) office, the forms will be folded to facilitate anonymous marking.

Signing in – the instruction to sign the hand-in sheet held in the office can obviously only apply to those of you bringing in your assignment. As stated above, it is still perfectly acceptable for you to post your assignment but it must include the new submission sheet.

New feedback method

From the January 2012 hand-in, feedback will no longer be given on hard copy comment sheets returned with the assignment. Feedback will be done with a system known as MAF on line - Module Assessment Feedback on line. The University sees key benefits for students including: . remote access to grades and comments . online storage of feedback . fewer stages in the process allow for improved turnaround time of feedback Key benefits to the University are . collecting the assessment feedback and marks in this way will enable centralised electronic secure storage of module assessment feedback and marks . supporting the Green Campus initiative

Marks and feedback can be released on line before the Board of Examiners, although they will still be subject to Board of Examiners’ approval. Once the tutor has released the feedback, you will receive an email in your Chi email account informing you of this. You must have an active Chi email account – if you do not wish to use this email address then you can arrange to have it forwarded to an email address of your choice. Please contact [email protected] for advice on this.

You will be able to see your feedback on line through your Portia SONAR account. It is absolutely essential therefore that you keep your Portia account active

Assignment hand back

As previously, assignments will be handed back by the module tutor if you are undertaking a module; if not, they will be posted recorded delivery to your home address. The assignment will not, however, be accompanied by a comment sheet – this will only be available on line. Resubmission information

Please note that if you are unsuccessful in a module: 1. Tutors are unable to contact you about a fail until after the INTERNAL Board of Examiners when normally you will be emailed and requested to contact the tutor. 2. A formal resubmission date for your assignment will be set by the EXTERNAL Board of Examiners for the Postgraduate Awards Scheme. You will be notified of this resubmission date by letter shortly after the Board of Examiners has taken place. Please note you may submit your assignment earlier if you wish. 3. You may continue with your current module and submit an assignment for it if you wish. 4. Please note that a failure in a module re-assessment is deemed to be an irrevocable fail, and you will be required to leave the programme. 5. Please note also that if you decide not to resubmit without appropriate mitigating circumstances, this will count as an irrevocable fail and you will be required to leave the programme.