It is self-evident that pupils and students who feel well in themselves are likely to have a much more successful, enjoyable, and stimulating life at school.

Such young people will have more positive self-esteem than others, be more able to feel and express a wide range of emotions, and probably have better relationships with their peers and adults than others who have a less positive state of mental well-being.

Indeed they will almost certainly feel engaged and involved in the world around them and will cope with the normal stresses of everyday life.  They will be confident people who cope well with the modern world and all it throws at them.

And thus the question arises, how do we improve the mental well-being of young people who do not have the positive experiences and feelings described above?

It is a most important question, for those who have the ability to prevent mild conditions from becoming major problems cope better than those who don’t have this skill.

Sadly, for those who do not receive the support they need, education will only go so far to engage them. They need assistance in facing up to their problems and resolving them so that they avoid falling through the gaps in the education system or hiding from their issues with destructive behaviours that could harm themselves and others.

And this is what NLP4Kids offers.  Helping pupils and students communicate their thoughts and feelings with others, helping them make meaningful relationships, and ultimately helping them improve their employment opportunities.

If you feel that you have some pupils and students in your school who are not reaching their full potential because of anger and related issues, and you would like to make use of external funding to help these children, I would ask you to get in touch.

We have already worked with numerous schools across the country and now have additional time and funding available to come to your school and work with the children you nominate. There are more details of our work at http://nlp4kids.org.uk/schools-co-uk/

If you would like to discuss the options without any obligation please do call 0345 3192 666 or 0203 6677 294 or email gemma@NLP4Kids.org

For many teenagers on the autism spectrum the world of feelings, emotions, relationships, and indeed the whole range of issues related to being a teenager, can be extremely difficult.

While many young people develop their ability to handle these topics and cope with such issues as sexuality, personal hygiene, body image, social drinking, fashion, self-confidence, and so on, for the student on the autism spectrum this can be difficult.

The same is true with everyday situations such as going to the pub, responding to suggestions that a friend is gay, speaking in public, having a tattoo, etc, etc.

As a result your SEN students can require a bit more support if they are to become able to form and maintain healthy relationships throughout adolescence and adulthood and deal with all the issues that can make the teenage years problematic.

Which is why we have devised the “Relationships” series and its companion “Teen Issues” series of resources.

These are comprehensive resources offering guidance to teenagers with a reading age of around seven. The approach is one of being sympathetic to the way that autistic teenagers and others with related special needs typically view the world.

Each series consists of:

• Two copies of each of six story books which support the ASDAN Transition Challenge and Towards Independence Life Skills courses.

• A CD-ROM providing electronic versions of the six books, making it ideal for interactive whiteboard presentations and for students who would also benefit from listening to the text. It is also possible to edit and save the text to make your own story, create differentiated texts, and personalise the text.

• Supporting resources for teachers including page-by-page notes for all the stories and assessment resources (feedback sheets and student record sheets).

• An extensive range of activity worksheets and interactive activities that encourage reading comprehension.

Each of the two series come in packs costing £139 plus VAT (save 10%). Individual elements from the two packs are also available separately. There is information on the contents of each pack through these links:

 Relationships Series          Teen Issues Series

Alternatively, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call me on 01582 833205.

It is pleasantly surprising when a new topic is added into the curriculum with very few teething problems, such as the introduction of financial literacy to the maths and citizenship curriculum in 2014.

However, there does seem to be a lack of resources that explore and explain finances in a way that students with SEN can easily understand.

Which is why SEN Press has devised the Making Sense of Money Series which contains a wealth of resources about dealing with money in everyday situations, including:

• Six story books which support the ASDAN CoPE Award. Titles include, “Money In, Money Out”, “Everyday Money”, “What’s it Worth?”, “Cash and Cakes”, “Keeping Money Safe” and “Making Ends Meet”.

• A CD-ROM providing electronic versions of the above titles, making it ideal for interactive whiteboard presentations and for students who would also benefit from listening to the text.
  
  It is also possible to edit and save the text to make your own story, create differentiated texts, and personalise the text with your students’ names to enhance engagement.

• An extensive range of activity worksheets and interactive activities that encourage reading comprehension. Activities include, Words and Pictures, Picture Search, Keyword Flashcards, Wordsearch, Spot the Difference, How Well Did You Read?, Missing Words, Quizzes, and Drag and Drop.

• Supporting resources for teachers including page-by-page notes for all the stories and assessment resources (feedback sheets and student record sheets).

The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available for £139 plus VAT (save 10%).

You can see more details and sample pages from the readers, and details for ordering individual items as well as the full pack on our “Making Sense of Money” web page.

If you have any questions or need more information, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.  We’ll be delighted to hear from you.

Organising work experience for SEN students can be something of a challenge, for not only must it be tailored to the needs of a young person, but it must also be tailored to the needs of a young person with a SpLD or who may view the world in a wholly different way.

So, to help your SEN students to succeed during their work experience placement (and to make organising their work experience placement easier for you) SEN Press has devised the Work Experience Series.

The Work Experience Series contains a wealth of information, support, and resources about what your students can expect when undertaking work experience and how to demonstrate good work etiquette in the array of situations they’re likely to find themselves in.

Not only has the value pack’s content been specifically designed to respond to the way in which students with autism typically view the world, but it will also respond to their learning needs – it has been designed for older students with a reading age of around seven.

The Work Experience Series uses an approach that we have adopted through a series of six student reading books each focussed on a particular work setting, ranging from an animal charity to a fast-food restaurant, from a garage to a supermarket.

The six reading books, each of which builds upon the themes of the series (time-keeping, showing respect, and so on) are accompanied by a set of copiable worksheets and teachers’ resources, supplied in spiral-bound format for easy use.

The teachers’ resources also include around 100 A4 pages of additional resources including keyword flashcards, word searches, and spot the difference pictures.

Finally the pack also includes a CD rom which has a set of eBooks and whiteboard resources. These include real voice audio tracks of the eBook versions of the readers and a wide range of interactive activities so that the students can practise various life skills.

The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available for £139 plus VAT.  Individual elements from the pack are also available separately.

For further information, please click here.

Alternatively, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.

Whilst there are many different types of disability in the UK, ‘people with disabilities’ are often referred to as a single population. In the UK, that ‘single population’ is approximately 3.5 million – 1.5 million people living in the UK with a learning disability, and almost 2 million people living with a visual impairment. However, of those figures, there are around 25,000 children living with sight loss, and 286,000 children who have a learning disability. With those figures in mind, students learning with a disability often require adaptive or assistive technology to support their education.

Technology has either been developed or is in development to support people who suffer with a disability – in particular children who have previously been unable to get the most out of their education. When students with a learning disability have the opportunity to use their strengths to overcome their challenges, it often results in a successful education. Assistive technology (AT) is just one approach that allows students to work around their disabilities.

Offering support through AT

You’ll be surprised at how many different types of AT is available to enhance a child’s education – with technology able to address a child’s learning difficulties and make the education experience better for the student, and teacher. AT has tools which can be used to assist those with disabilities that struggle with listening, reading, writing, math and organisation. Whether the student is visually impaired, dyslexic or any other disabilities that cause skill deficits, AT can be implemented into the education processes to help. In fact, research has proved that AT can improve certain skill deficits, such as reading and spelling.

AT tools can be used to support a disabled child so that they can experience an education as close to the same as other children as possible. The use of assistive technology in schools does not give disabled students an unfair advantage but instead give them the opportunity, in some cases, to learn alongside their fellow students by giving them the independence to learn in an environment that allows them to use their strengths to overcome their challenges, whether they are learning in a public school, a special needs institution or a blind school. Adaptive devices help to increase participation, achievement and independence of the student, by improving their access to the same general curriculum as other pupils without a disability via an assistive tool that breaks down the barriers of their disability.

Which AT tools are available?

With so many different tools available, many can be used to address certain disabilities so that students can effectively work around their peers. Around 20% of young people with a visual impairment, have additional special education needs or disabilities, with a further 30% having complex needs within the education system. Assistive technology offers support. Generally, the term assistive technology is applied to technology that is used to support children with learning difficulties – most commonly, electronic devices, computer hardware and digital tools that are available on the internet.

Visual impairment is common among children, with over 2.5 million children suffering from some degree of sight loss. For this, AT provides students with access to educational assets in a larger format, both in print and digital. For many visually impaired students, digital technology is a way for them to learn in mainstream schools – this is because text can be enlarged, and other senses can be used to aid the learning process, such as touch and sound. Around 60% of visually impaired students are educated in mainstream schools, and AT supports their learning needs, and allows students to learn at their own rate. A qualified teacher of the visually impaired is likely to support to pupil further.

Quite often, the barriers which children face because of their disability can cause a lack in enthusiasm – however, alternative keyboards have overlays which customise the appearance of the keyboard to encourage production and engagement. Not only students with visual impairment who might need braille, or larger keys, these customisable keyboard overlays can add graphics and colours to help students who struggle to type. And it doesn’t stop there – from electronic math work sheets and talking calculators to talking spell checkers, electronic dictionaries and braille technology, AT makes school a comfortable environment for students with a disability to learn in.

No two students are the same

No two disabilities are the same, meaning the needs of every disabled student are unique and individual to them. Assistive technology allows the student to take control of their learning journey and gain some independence in their education – but finding which assistive technology is right for the student can be difficult, as one student’s need may be very different to another. To find the right tool to support their education, establish which tools best address the child’s specific needs and challenges – which tool will help overcome the barriers? The AT tool must be used to the student’s strengths, be easy to use, reliable and preferably portable.

Every child’s abilities differ as well. So, you must also make sure that your student is capable and willing to use the tool – and be aware that while a tool can be used by one student, it doesn’t necessarily mean that another student can use it too. Disabilities are different for each person, and whilst two pupils might both have a visual impairment, their requirements could differ significantly.

Sources

http://www.rnib.org.uk/professionals/knowledge-and-research-hub/key-information-and-statistics

http://www.ukvisionstrategy.org.uk/get-involved-ways-get-involved-across-uk/sight-loss-statistics

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/learning-disabilities/help-information/learning-disability-statistics-

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/assistive-technology-kids-learning-disabilities-overview

https://www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/assistive-tech.html

https://www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/types-of-vi-at.html

https://www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/overview-of-assistive-technology.html

Neuroscience, psychology and teaching are closely interlinked. They help us understand how people learn.

In recent years neuroscience has been developing at ever-increasing speed. Commonly held beliefs about learning have now been shown to lack a grounding in evidence and science. New ideas about the way the brain works are emerging.

The Science of Learning Zone brings together researchers and teachers to provide answers to questions posed by teachers and the education profession:

“When children have hand writing problems is that a sign of other problems? ”

“Why does autism mean that some children cannot speak?”

“I work with children who have specific learning difficulties, dyslexia, dyscalculia etc those with most difficulties have poor working memories. I am interested what neuroscience can tell us to provide robust and reliable teaching strategies that can be used one to one and within the classroom whilst teaching a very fast paced curriculum.”

Starting this January with a focus on Learning and Remembering the Science of Learning Zone will feature a wide range of psychologists and neuroscientists working at the cutting edge of research. Teachers and educationalists can ask their own questions, join in with conversations or simply read what other teachers are asking about the evidence that underpins learning in the classroom.

Visit https://learning.imascientist.org.uk

The Science of Learning Zone is funded by the Wellcome Trust as part of their Education and Neuroscience Initiative and provided free to schools and researchers.

Please forward this to any colleagues that might be curious about the Science of Learning. If you have any questions about the Zone, please call 01225 326892 or email katie@mangorol.la

Kind regards,

Katie Marshall
Project Manager

I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here

Mangorolla CIC

KS3 is, as you well know, an essential building block in preparation for GCSEs. Missing key concepts at this stage will impact heavily on the end results.

One of the most effective ways of helping your struggling readers and dyslexic pupils learn is to teach via topics and for them to develop an understanding of each topic using active learning techniques such as activities or games alongside the text that has to be read.

At the same time, there needs to be encouragement to write; using notes to reinforce specifically what is being learned for each topic.

In this way, the reading, activities and note taking combine to reinforce key words and concepts while making the learning relevant and accessible.

Providing curriculum based revision resources that struggling readers can access and process independently is vital to keep pupils engaged. This can also reduce teacher time requirement for each SEN pupil.

Oaka KS3 topic packs contain full colour illustrations and use short words and simple sentence constructions that the pupils are likely to understand. Key points for each topic are covered in a clear, straightforward manner so any reading difficulty does not get in the way of understanding.

Many Oaka KS3 topic packs are endorsed by the ISEB (Independent Schools Examinations Board), widely recognized as a gold standard in assessment, and the packs are being used in over 370 UK schools.

To see more about how Oaka works, and to review our KS3 resources, please click here.

To view our brand new KS3 science revision games, click here.

After that, if you feel this could be right for your pupils, your school can trial Oaka Digital, our online KS3 resource library for SEN pupils, without obligation and without any cost for 30 days – just click here.

Or, to place an order straight away for other paper based resources, please visit www.oakabooks.co.uk. We have a ‘no quibble’ 14 day returns guarantee so you can order with total confidence.

Best wishes

Bambi Gardiner
Founder, Oaka Books

Play is complex and ambiguous.  There are many ways of classifying and analysing it.  One approach defines seven types.  It’s generally agreed that play is essential for normal child development.  It may also used in conjunction with the creative arts to heal damaged minds.

An approach has been developed in the UK, over the last fifteen years, to minimise the disruption caused by pupils who have behaviour problems and for others whose learning is undermined by emotional problems.  The Integrative Holistic model of Play Therapy now has a clinical evidence base of over 12,000 cases showing its effectiveness.  It is being used in 45 countries and over 1500 primary schools in the UK.

When therapy is delivered to the standards of Play Therapy UK, between 77% and 84% of the children show a positive change as observed by teachers and parents.

Training for SENCOs, Teachers and Teaching Assistants is available at 13 conveniently located venues in the UK.  Post Graduate awards by Leeds Beckett University.   Admission to the Register of Play and Creative Arts Therapists,  accredited by the Professional Standards Authority, an independent UK government funded agency.  www.playtherapyregister.org.uk

Post Graduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills – 15 days spread over 5 three day weekends to minimise time away from school.

One day Introduction to Play Therapy course – find out more about the model, if it’s suitable for your school and our innovative training methods.

For course details please phone Dee Rose on 01825 761143

If you would to know more about how we could help your school or about the seven different types of play:  Email me personally at  mokijep@majemail.com

Kind regards

Monika Jephcott – Chief Executive Play Therapy UK

Concept Training are delivering a series of practical, one day, special needs training days at the Adelphi Centre Glasgow in August and September.

Courses are suitable for teaching and support staff and delegates will go away with a range of positive strategies to improve teaching and learning.

Follow the links below for full details and booking forms for the following courses:

“Understanding Attachment Disorder”
28^th August
Attachment Disorder

“Understanding behaviour as communication and how to respond positively”
29^th August
Behaviour as Communication

“Supporting students with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)”
5^th September
PDA

“Autism – Next Steps”   Accredited at level 3 through the Open College Network
6^th September
Autism Next Steps

Ask us about our In House courses  mailto:info@concept-training.co.uk

Concept Training   www.concept-training.co.uk
01524 832828
Janet Price

Concept Training Ltd
15 Beach Street
Morecambe
LA4 6BT

I face a group of pupils and I am terrified.  Not because I don’t know how to teach – I like to think I do.  But because, just occasionally, I realise I might be found out.

For there is a secret to my teaching. A really awful secret.  A secret so awful that its awfulness is never normally admitted or accepted or revealed or spoken about or…

The fact is, I don’t really have a clue what the young people I teach are thinking.

Oh I like to pretend that I do, pretending that I can read their thoughts through their actions, their speech, their body language, but really inside me I know that this is not always the case.

For I have this nasty feeling that sitting in front of me in every class there are always at least a couple of youngsters whose thoughts are so far removed from anything I might ever entertain or encounter, that I can’t even imagine them.

Of course, that is not to say that these pupils of mine are badly behaved or unteachable.  I just have the suspicion that the way they see the world is so completely different from my perception that they are, to all intents and purposes, aliens.  I have no idea what is going on in their heads.

Now as long as I know that these youngsters are “different” in their mode of thinking, then they are, in the Donald Rumsfeld classification of life forms, “known unknowns.”

But my dark and deep fear is that also in my class is at least one person who has thoughts I can’t imagine, but whom I think I do understand.  Is that an “unknown unknown”.  I’m really not sure, and have started to get worried.

Of course, I am not the first to tread this path.  “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” went there long before me, and in my view this is a book that everyone should experience, just to get a notion of just how weird things can get.

That’s why we have published a graphic SEN revision support version of the book for GCSE English.  To help combat the terror of facing an unknown unknown.  You can see how unknowingly unknown things can look by reviewing the sample pages here.

You can order the graphic novel version of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (if you dare) on our website.

For more information and to see sample pages visit:

https://www.brilliantpublications.co.uk/book/the-strange-case-of-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde-741

Alternatively, you can contact us by phone on 01449 766629 or by email at orders@tradecounter.co.uk

We are known, and you know that you know.  We are known knowns.  And thus safe.

Brilliant Publications,
Mendlesham Industrial Estate,
Norwich Road,
Mendlesham,
Suffolk,
IP14 5ND.

website: www.brilliantpublications.co.uk
email: orders@tradecounter.co.uk

phone: 01449 766629
fax: 01449 768047

What is the best way to support students on the autism spectrum with teen issues and relationships?

For many teenagers on the autism spectrum the world of feelings, emotions, relationships, and indeed the whole range of issues related to being a teenager, can be extremely difficult.

While many young people develop their ability to handle these topics and cope with such issues as sexuality, personal hygiene, body image, social drinking, fashion, self-confidence, and so on, for the student on the autism spectrum this can be difficult.

The same is true with everyday situations such as going to the pub, responding to suggestions that a friend is gay, speaking in public, having a tattoo, etc, etc.

As a result your SEN students can require a bit more support if they are to become able to form and maintain healthy relationships throughout adolescence and adulthood and deal with all the issues that can make the teenage years problematic.

Which is why we have devised the “Relationships” series and its companion “Teenage Issues” series of resources.

These are comprehensive resources offering guidance to teenagers with a reading age of around seven. The approach is one of being sympathetic to the way that autistic teenagers and others with related special needs typically view the world.

Each series consists of:

• Two copies of each of six story books which support the ASDAN Transition Challenge and Towards Independence Life Skills courses.

• A CD-ROM providing electronic versions of the six books, making it ideal for interactive whiteboard presentations and for students who would also benefit from listening to the text. It is also possible to edit and save the text to make your own story, create differentiated texts, and personalise the text.

• Supporting resources for teachers including page-by-page notes for all the stories and assessment resources (feedback sheets and student record sheets).

• An extensive range of activity worksheets and interactive activities that encourage reading comprehension.

Each of the two series come in Value Packs costing £139 plus VAT (save 10%). Individual elements from the two packs are also available separately. There is information on the contents of each pack through these links:

 Relationships Value Pack           Teen Issues Value Pack

Alternatively, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call me on 01582 833205.

Janie Nicholas

I’m sure you understand only too well how challenging it can be for your staff to juggle their time between administrative tasks and supporting SEN pupils, particularly with the increasing demands for SENCOs and other members of staff to manage inclusion in an effective and strategic way.

In response to these demands, our own team of experienced SENCOs developed Provision Map; the time-saving management information software helping SENCOs and other school staff to stay organised and track provisions and interventions. And I’d like to show you how it can do the same for you through an online demo.

The following points show how our powerful PM software will provide staff at Oathill School with:

• Flexible Learning plans that are in line with the SEND Code of Practice and follow the Assess-Plan-Do-Review approach
• Easy Provision Mapping, making it fast and easy to map out interventions and to keep track of who’s involved in each one
• Instant Reports available at the click of a button, saving hours of time to spend with pupils
• Pupil Passports, otherwise known as single page pupil profiles, for easy individual plan access
• The opportunity to secure an average of £21,850 extra funding to support your SEN pupils

I’m really excited to show you how Provision Map will make a difference to the work you do with your SEN pupils, I am offering you until September for free when purchasing a licence this summer. If you would like to know more then, just request an online demo here.

Or just reply to this email and we can take things from there.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Best wishes,

Duncan
01348 800 100

For many young people on the autistic spectrum, everyday events can become very challenging and can generate high levels of anxiety.

Of course, everyone suffers from a certain amount of anxiety, and indeed this is both normal and helpful.  For anxiety raises our awareness of and prepares us for responses to unusual and challenging aspects of the world we experience.

But when everyday events cause too high a level of anxiety this can be debilitating and can become a major difficulty for some students on the autism spectrum as they prepare to live independent lives.

However, such overly high anxiety levels can be reduced by offering such students an understanding of what they perceive as worrying and challenging experiences, through preparatory activities in the classroom.  These activities make the challenges of the world beyond seem more manageable, and ultimately, more every day.

To help in this regard SEN Press has produced the “Life and Times” pack of materials covering the specific topics and issues most likely to generate anxiety among students.

Part one of the pack considers six Everyday Challenges, such as travelling alone, leaving school and going to college, shopping for mum, learning to speak up, etc etc.

The second part of the pack deals with Making Sense of Money, again in six separate sets of activities.  These include a variety of everyday issues, what something is worth, keeping money safe, making ends meet, and the cost of everyday items.

Finally in Scary Things we cover a series of individual topics that really can heighten the anxiety levels of students: bullying, the dark, getting lost, injections and more.

There is a CD Rom and teacher’s book for each of these 3 elements, with ebooks, whiteboard resources, worksheets, and two copies of each of the readers covering all the topics mentioned above.

If purchased individually these materials would cost £383 + VAT.  However when purchased together as the “Life and Times” set of resources they are available for just £195 + VAT.

This offers you a complete set of resources that can help young people on the autistic spectrum overcome their anxieties about the everyday world around them.

There are more details here or you can call 01582 833205 or email info@senpress.co.uk.

To place an order please email orders@senpress.co.uk

We are endeavouring to understand more about how special needs teachers such as yourself teach the concept of money to students on the autism spectrum.

We have therefore produced a very short questionnaire (it will not take more than three minutes to complete) and we’d be very grateful if you could complete this and email it back to us.

In return, if you would like to see what other special needs teachers in the UK feel about teaching money to students on the autism spectrum, we will be pleased to send you the results of the questionnaire once all the replies are in.

In the meanwhile if you have any questions about this survey, or about the organisation behind it, please do email me at info@senpress.co.uk or phone 01582 833205

Link to questionnaire: http://schoolsco.polldaddy.com/s/money-autism-spectrum

www.msl-online.net

What is the quickest way to download learning support resources at reduced prices?

Simply visit our dyslexia friendly online store selling printable downloads of specialist reading, writing and spelling resources, suitable for ages 8 – 80.

MSL has specialised in supplying structured, multi-sensory materials for learning support since 1994 and many schools, colleges, learning support centres, teachers, parents and dyslexic adults have come to us through recommendation.

Handwriting Rescue materials

Structured Literacy resources

Dyslexia Games and Association Cards

Sample pages and FREE Placement & Progress Tests to assist in the selection of suitable resources are all easy to access at our new and exciting online store of printable downloads for learning support.

Secure purchases can be made using Card, PayPal and BACS.  Download links for Card and PayPal payments will be sent to the nominated email address instantly and BACS payments within 12 working hours (usually much quicker).

Please note that all rights are reserved for MSL Downloadable Resources and no part of the publications and resources may be shared or circulated without the prior permission of Multi-Sensory Learning.  The licence for MSL Downloadable Resources is limited to the purchasing individual and/or educational establishment only.

If you are thinking about  CPD to boost your SpLD support this term, do give  SpLD Central on June 29th some consideration. Hosted by Crossbow Education at Yarnfield Park in Staffordshire, this CPD accredited conference lines up some of the best speakers in three major areas of SpLD.

The focus in the morning will be on Dyscalculia, with two keynotes from Prof Steve Chinn, recognised by many as the leading expert on dyscalculia in schools. After lunch Fintan O’Regan will consider a range of systems and strategies to address successful learning, behaviour and socialisation outcomes for children on the ADHD spectrum; Rachel Ingham, Judy Capener, and Sue Francis will give you some insights into different aspects of literacy that are particularly relevant for dyslexic learners; Dominic Griffiths, senior lecturer at MMU, will talk about embedding reasonable adjustments at post-16, and SEN advisory team leader Beccie Hawes (Author of “Getting it Right for Dyslexic Learners”) will give you a roadmap for helping SpLD students navigate that difficult journey from Y6 to Y7. For an overview of the conference programme, click the following link or paste it into your browser: http://www.spldcentral.com/workshop-details.aspx

We have a reputation for Excellence at Crossbow (4 prestigious awards in the last five years – 3 national and one international), and our conference is no exception. We also have a reputation for providing good value, and at £139.95 + VAT for a day with speakers of this calibre it’s a lot less than you would pay Forum, or Capita, or other providers. And here’s the best bit: if you and your partner schools can put together a group booking, you get one free place for every three you book. The conference website is www.spldcentral.com – have a look now and make up your own mind. You can book online, and you can pay by card or we can invoice your school.

What do you get on the day?

• Two keynotes in the morning (1 hr 10 mins each)

• Two afternoon presentations (1 hr each) from a choice of six – each session is repeated after the break

• An excellent 3-course sit-down lunch, coffee at registration, two refreshment breaks, and pastries

• A marketplace of top specialist SpLD suppliers (not just Crossbow!) and plenty of time (1 hr 20 mins) to spend looking at their resources

• A bound conference book to keep with all the handouts and room for your notes

• Your CPD certificate.

• Free transport to and from Stafford station, and plenty of parking if you come by car.

The date for your diary again: Thursday June 29^th.
The venue (Google it – it’s super): Yarnfield Park Conference Centre, Stone, Staffordhire  ST15 0NL.

Email: bookings@spldcentral.com

Or if you want to speak to speak to someone ring 0845 269 7272 and ask for Bob or Ionë

The mission of SpLD Central is to give school leaders, SENCOs, SEND advisory teams and SpLD  professionals a memorable day of CPD that will really change lives. “One of the highlights of my professional career” (2016 delegate).

It is pleasantly surprising when a new topic is added into the curriculum with very few teething problems, such as the introduction of financial literacy to the maths and citizenship curriculum in 2014.

However, there does seem to be a lack of resources that explore and explain finances in a way that students with SEN can easily understand.

Which is why SEN Press has devised the Making Sense of Money Set which contains a wealth of resources about dealing with money in everyday situations, including:

• Six story books which support the ASDAN CoPE Award. Titles include, “Money In, Money Out”, “Everyday Money”, “What’s it Worth?”, “Cash and Cakes”, “Keeping Money Safe” and “Making Ends Meet”.

• A CD-ROM providing electronic versions of the above titles, making it ideal for interactive whiteboard presentations and for students who would also benefit from listening to the text.It is also possible to edit and save the text to make your own story, create differentiated texts, and personalise the text with your students’ names to enhance engagement.

• An extensive range of activity worksheets and interactive activities that encourage reading comprehension. Activities include, Words and Pictures, Picture Search, Keyword Flashcards, Wordsearch, Spot the Difference, How Well Did You Read?, Missing Words, Quizzes, and Drag and Drop.

• Supporting resources for teachers including page-by-page notes for all the stories and assessment resources (feedback sheets and student record sheets).

The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available for £139 plus VAT (save 10%).

You can see more details and sample pages from the readers, and details for ordering individual items as well as the full pack on our “Making Sense of Money” web page.

If you have any questions or need more information, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.  We’ll be delighted to hear from you.

Every teacher has their own methods for connecting with a class, however it can be difficult when it comes to those hard-to-reach students struggling with mental health issues.

We launched EDVirtual (our virtual classroom) in 2016 so that your establishments can target these students and support them and their learning needs.

The virtual classrooms and all of their features can be accessed from any location with an internet connection, allowing you to effectively teach students who struggle to make it into the classroom at a distance.

Our unique safeguarding tools have been developed with distant learners in mind to give educators the best opportunity to deliver lessons to off-site students whilst also monitoring their behaviour and safety.

Read more

This facility will enable further support for students and the needs of those involved with these individuals in furthering their education by giving you the ability to:

• allocate timetabled pathways that are customisable to suit students’ learning ability and needs.
• mentor students in real-time through a written chat, verbal chat or face-to-face video link
• monitor student’ wellbeing through our attendance trackers, safety questionnaires and alert system.
• create bespoke learning plans and catch up programmes for your students to prevent them falling behind their classmates whilst off-site

We provide a safe and secure learning environment for hard to reach students, ensuring each student reaches their full potential in a controlled and safe environment.

For more information about EDVirtual, a two week free trial or a live online demo of the functionality of the online learning platform, contact us on 01909 568 338 or by email at mail@edlounge.com with the subject “Virtual2017”.

Information and activities to support your SEN students to demonstrate good work etiquette during their work experience placement

Organising work experience for SEN students can be something of a challenge, for not only must it be tailored to the needs of a young person, but it must also be tailored to the needs of a young person with a SpLD or who may view the world in a wholly different way.

So, to help your SEN students to succeed during their work experience placement (and to make organising their work experience placement easier for you) SEN Press has devised the Work Experience Value Pack.

The Work Experience Value Pack contains a wealth of information, support, and resources about what your students can expect when undertaking work experience and how to demonstrate good work etiquette in the array of situations they’re likely to find themselves in.

Not only has the value pack’s content been specifically designed to respond to the way in which students with autism typically view the world, but it will also respond to their learning needs – it has been designed for older students with a reading age of around seven.

The Work Experience Value Pack uses an approach that we have adopted through a series of six student reading books each focussed on a particular work setting, ranging from an animal charity to a fast-food restaurant, from a garage to a supermarket.

The six reading books, each of which builds upon the themes of the series (time-keeping, showing respect, and so on) are accompanied by a set of copiable worksheets and teachers’ resources, supplied in spiral-bound format for easy use.

The teachers’ resources also include around 100 A4 pages of additional resources including keyword flashcards, word searches, and spot the difference pictures.

Finally the pack also includes a CD rom which has a set of eBooks and whiteboard resources. These include real voice audio tracks of the eBook versions of the readers and a wide range of interactive activities so that the students can practise various life skills.

The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available for £139 plus VAT.  Individual elements from the pack are also available separately.

For further information, please click here.

Alternatively, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.

Janie Nicholas

Regular attendance and participation in schooling is an important factor for educational success. Students who are regular non-attenders are at risk of alienation from education that can lead to decreased options in future life.

With the statutory requirement to report attendance figures comes the additional need to look at why pupils aren’t attending. It’s important to get to the centre of why a child refuses to attend, and to put support in place through educational strategies.

‘The implementation of EDLounge to support students who are excluded from school has had a significant impact on an identified cohort of students. It provides them with a programme of study and behaviour repair work that is monitored daily by school staff and parents, ensuring that students are engaged in meaningful work throughout their exclusion.

This has meant that exclusions have become more of a deterrent and are now seen as more meaningful and robust by parents/carers. This has meant a reduction in the number of repeat exclusions which is, in turn, seeing a marked improvement in attendance…’

– EDLounge Case Study

EDLounge is an innovative online learning resource that can help your academy achieve its target attendance.

Our system is designed to motivate students who have mental health issues, are persistently absent, off-site and in alternative provision, allowing these pupils to raise their A-C attainment and gain vital qualifications.

We currently work in partnership with academies all across the UK, helping them to:

• Claim attendance for their students
• Reduce exclusions and persistent absences
• Use EDVirtual’s mentor support system to engage school phobic students
• Track and monitor pupils’ attendance and progress to produce printable reports – perfect for Ofsted inspections
• Motivate disengaged pupils by promoting learning

Read more

EDLounge becomes your alternative provision, allowing your pupils to learn, progress and attain in an environment that is suited to their specific needs.

We work in partnership with academies to ensure comprehensive levels of safeguarding, well-being, supervision for your pupils on or off-site.

Our unique approach makes EDLounge the perfect resource for students who are in inclusion or exclusion, alongside vocational and foundation learners, target groups, and students who are vulnerable, at risk, not attending classes, persistently absent, not doing homework, disengaged or demotivated.

More about the EDLounge platform

Originally created to educate students who were in inclusion and isolation in maths, English and science, EDLounge has developed significantly since then, and now has four main aspects: EDLounge, EDClass, EDVirtual and EDSimple.

EDLounge offers students in all educational establishments a personalised learning pathway, in order to help improve their learning outcomes.

EDClass is a facility that enhances remote learning and includes live tutorial support.

EDVirtual is a virtual classroom that helps disengaged students attend lessons, gain qualifications and achieve academically.

EDSimple is an inclusive school management platform and learning environment that streamlines whole school practices.

All resources are safeguarded and supervised, and enable teachers to monitor and track students’ progress.

For more information about EDLounge, a two week free trial or a live online demo of the functionality of the online learning platform, contact us on 01909 568 338 or by email at contactus@edlounge.com with the subject “Attendance17”.

 Schools across the UK are saving thousands of pounds and teaching hours by using a classroom SoundField system from Connevans.

Are you missing out on a potentially huge money saver?

There is a simple and free way to see for yourself how you can save your teachers’ voices and all the costs associated with voice strain.

A SoundField trial gives you and your colleagues the opportunity to try the equipment within your school.

The teacher will never have to raise or strain their voice, you will quickly find that all the children become more engaged and the children with poorer hearing and attention will hear perfectly.

Simply tell us a convenient time to visit and we will bring the SoundField system to you and show the relevant teacher how to use it. Set up in the classroom takes just 15 minutes.

There is more information about the popular, easy-to-use Swift Digital SoundField system here … www.connevans.co.uk/product/3109896/

The Swift Digital SoundField system is designed by Connevans, the UK’s leading manufacturer of Classroom SoundField systems used in classrooms all over Europe.

To see how easy the Swift Digital is to use and to arrange a free three-week trial, simply call or email and leave the rest to us!

Email: phil@connevans.com     Phone: 01737 247571

As a special school trial offer there is a 10% discount on the Swift Digital.

If you would like us to have a look at your school hall or offer free advice regarding simple equipment to help ensure the school is complying with the Equalities Act for visitors who are hard of hearing, we will be pleased to help.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Phil Boswell
Director
phil@connevans.com

As of 2016, we are very proud to be … by Appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Manufacturer and Supplier of Audio Equipment …  https://www.royalwarrant.org/directory?query=connevans

Help your SEN students to make sense of money with the Making Sense of Money Set

It is pleasantly surprising when a new topic is added into the curriculum with very few teething problems, such as the introduction of financial literacy to the maths and citizenship curriculum in 2014.

However, there does seem to be a lack of resources that explore and explain finances in a way that students with SEN can easily understand.

Which is why SEN Press has devised the Making Sense of Money Set which contains a wealth of resources about dealing with money in everyday situations, including:

• Six story books which support the ASDAN CoPE Award. Titles include, “Money In, Money Out”, “Everyday Money”, “What’s it Worth?”, “Cash and Cakes”, “Keeping Money Safe” and “Making Ends Meet”.

• A CD-ROM providing electronic versions of the above titles, making it ideal for interactive whiteboard presentations and for students who would also benefit from listening to the text.It is also possible to edit and save the text to make your own story, create differentiated texts, and personalise the text with your students’ names to enhance engagement.

• An extensive range of activity worksheets and interactive activities that encourage reading comprehension. Activities include, Words and Pictures, Picture Search, Keyword Flashcards, Wordsearch, Spot the Difference, How Well Did You Read?, Missing Words, Quizzes, and Drag and Drop.

• Supporting resources for teachers including page-by-page notes for all the stories and assessment resources (feedback sheets and student record sheets).

The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available for £139 plus VAT (save 10%).

You can see more details and sample pages from the readers, and details for ordering individual items as well as the full pack on our “Making Sense of Money” web page.

If you have any questions or need more information, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.  We’ll be delighted to hear from you.

Janie Nicholas

How can you support your Special Educational Needs students to form healthy relationships in all aspects of their life?

The ability to form a healthy relationship is something that we typically learn from trial and error and observation, but it may be that your SEN students require a bit more support if they are able to form and maintain healthy relationships throughout adolescence and adulthood.

Which is why we have devised The Relationships series. A comprehensive resource offering guidance to teenagers aged 14 to 19 with a reading age of around seven by being sympathetic to the way that autistic teenagers (for example) typically view the world.

The Relationships series consists of:

• Six story books, which support the ASDAN Transition Challenge and Towards Independence Life Skills courses, exploring a different situation where it is important that young people identify their emotions, as well as the emotions of others.

Titles include, “The Date: Rachel’s Story” and “The Date: Mike’s Story” (differing opinions and sides to the same story), “Mum’s New Boyfriend” (accepting a parent’s new partner), “My Teacher” (understanding teacher/pupil relationships), “Sisters at War” (managing sibling tension) and “Staying Out Late” (the issues it raises with parents).

• A CD-ROM providing electronic versions of the above titles, making it ideal for interactive whiteboard presentations and for students who would also benefit from listening to the text. It is also possible to edit and save the text to make your own story, create differentiated texts and personalise the text with your students’ names to enhance engagement.

• An extensive range of activity worksheets and interactive activities that encourage reading comprehension. Activities include, Missing Words, Quizzes, Drag and Drop, Words and Pictures, Picture Search, Keyword Flashcards, Wordsearch, Spot the Difference and How Well Did You Read?.

• Supporting resources for teachers including page-by-page notes for all the stories and assessment resources (feedback sheets and student record sheets).

The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available as the Relationships Value Pack for £139 plus VAT (save 10%).

Individual elements from the pack are also available separately.

For further information, please click here.  Alternatively, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.

Janie Nicholas

A proven way to reach and engage your students with mental issues 

Every teacher has their own methods for connecting with a class, however it can be difficult when it comes to those hard-to-reach students struggling with mental health issues.

We launched EDVirtual (our virtual classroom) in 2016 so that your establishments can target these students and support them and their learning needs.

The virtual classrooms and all of their features can be accessed from any location with an internet connection, allowing you to effectively teach students who struggle to make it into the classroom at a distance.

Our unique safeguarding tools have been developed with distant learners in mind to give educators the best opportunity to deliver lessons to off-site students whilst also monitoring their behaviour and safety.

Read more

This facility will enable further support for students and the needs of those involved with these individuals in furthering their education by giving you the ability to:

• allocate timetabled pathways that are customisable to suit students’ learning ability and needs.
• mentor students in real-time through a written chat, verbal chat or face-to-face video link
• monitor student’ wellbeing through our attendance trackers, safety questionnaires and alert system.
• create bespoke learning plans and catch up programmes for your students to prevent them falling behind their classmates whilst off-site

We provide a safe and secure learning environment for hard to reach students, ensuring each student reaches their full potential in a controlled and safe environment.

For more information about EDVirtual, a two week free trial or a live online demo of the functionality of the online learning platform, contact us on 01909 568 338 or by email at mail@edlounge.com with the subject “EDVirtual2017”.

Every teacher has their own methods for connecting with a class, however it can be difficult when it comes to those hard-to-reach students struggling with mental health issues.

We launched EDVirtual (our virtual classroom) in 2016 so that your establishments can target these students and support them and their learning needs.

The virtual classrooms and all of their features can be accessed from any location with an internet connection, allowing you to effectively teach students who struggle to make it into the classroom at a distance.

Our unique safeguarding tools have been developed with distant learners in mind to give educators the best opportunity to deliver lessons to off-site students whilst also monitoring their behaviour and safety.

Read more

This facility will enable further support for students and the needs of those involved with these individuals in furthering their education by giving you the ability to:

• allocate timetabled pathways that are customisable to suit students’ learning ability and needs.
• mentor students in real-time through a written chat, verbal chat or face-to-face video link
• monitor student’ wellbeing through our attendance trackers, safety questionnaires and alert system.
• create bespoke learning plans and catch up programmes for your students to prevent them falling behind their classmates whilst off-site

We provide a safe and secure learning environment for hard to reach students, ensuring each student reaches their full potential in a controlled and safe environment.

For more information about EDVirtual, a two week free trial or a live online demo of the functionality of the online learning platform, contact us on 01909 568 338 or by email at mail@edlounge.com with the subject “EDVirtual17”.

Every teacher has their own methods for connecting with a class, however it can be difficult when it comes to those hard-to-reach students struggling with mental health issues.

We launched EDVirtual (our virtual classroom) in 2016 so that your establishments can target these students and support them and their learning needs.

The virtual classrooms and all of their features can be accessed from any location with an internet connection, allowing you to effectively teach students who struggle to make it into the classroom at a distance.

Our unique safeguarding tools have been developed with distant learners in mind to give educators the best opportunity to deliver lessons to off-site students whilst also monitoring their behaviour and safety.

Read more

This facility will enable further support for students and the needs of those involved with these individuals in furthering their education by giving you the ability to:

• allocate timetabled pathways that are customisable to suit students’ learning ability and needs.
• mentor students in real-time through a written chat, verbal chat or face-to-face video link
• monitor student’ wellbeing through our attendance trackers, safety questionnaires and alert system.
• create bespoke learning plans and catch up programmes for your students to prevent them falling behind their classmates whilst off-site

We provide a safe and secure learning environment for hard to reach students, ensuring each student reaches their full potential in a controlled and safe environment.

For more information about EDVirtual, a two week free trial or a live online demo of the functionality of the online learning platform, contact us on 01909 568 338 or by email at mail@edlounge.com with the subject ‘Virtual17’.

 Information and activities to support your SEN students to demonstrate good work etiquette during their work experience placement

Organising work experience for SEN students can be something of a challenge, for not only must it be tailored to the needs of a young person, but it must also be tailored to the needs of a young person with a SpLD or who may view the world in a wholly different way.

So, to help your SEN students to succeed during their work experience placement (and to make organising their work experience placement easier for you) SEN Press has devised the Work Experience Value Pack.

The Work Experience Value Pack contains a wealth of information, support, and resources about what your students can expect when undertaking work experience and how to demonstrate good work etiquette in the array of situations they’re likely to find themselves in.

Not only has the value pack’s content been specifically designed to respond to the way in which students with autism typically view the world, but it will also respond to their learning needs – it has been designed for older students with a reading age of around seven.

The Work Experience Value Pack uses an approach that we have adopted through a series of six student reading books each focussed on a particular work setting, ranging from an animal charity to a fast-food restaurant, from a garage to a supermarket.

The six reading books, each of which builds upon the themes of the series (time-keeping, showing respect, and so on) are accompanied by a set of copiable worksheets and teachers’ resources, supplied in spiral-bound format for easy use.

The teachers’ resources also include around 100 A4 pages of additional resources including keyword flashcards, word searches, and spot the difference pictures.

Finally the pack also includes a CD rom which has a set of eBooks and whiteboard resources. These include real voice audio tracks of the eBook versions of the readers and a wide range of interactive activities so that the students can practise various life skills.

The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available for £139 plus VAT.  Individual elements from the pack are also available separately.

For further information, please click here.

Alternatively, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.

Janie Nicholas

How can you support your Special Educational Needs students to form healthy relationships in all aspects of their life?

The ability to form a healthy relationship is something that we typically learn from trial and error and observation, but it may be that your SEN students require a bit more support if they are able to form and maintain healthy relationships throughout adolescence and adulthood.

Which is why we have devised The Relationships series. A comprehensive resource offering guidance to teenagers aged 14 to 19 with a reading age of around seven by being sympathetic to the way that autistic teenagers (for example) typically view the world.

The Relationships series consists of:

• Six story books, which support the ASDAN Transition Challenge and Towards Independence Life Skills courses, exploring a different situation where it is important that young people identify their emotions, as well as the emotions of others.

Titles include, “The Date: Rachel’s Story” and “The Date: Mike’s Story” (differing opinions and sides to the same story), “Mum’s New Boyfriend” (accepting a parent’s new partner), “My Teacher” (understanding teacher/pupil relationships), “Sisters at War” (managing sibling tension) and “Staying Out Late” (the issues it raises with parents).

• A CD-ROM providing electronic versions of the above titles, making it ideal for interactive whiteboard presentations and for students who would also benefit from listening to the text. It is also possible to edit and save the text to make your own story, create differentiated texts and personalise the text with your students’ names to enhance engagement.

• An extensive range of activity worksheets and interactive activities that encourage reading comprehension. Activities include, Missing Words, Quizzes, Drag and Drop, Words and Pictures, Picture Search, Keyword Flashcards, Wordsearch, Spot the Difference and How Well Did You Read?.

• Supporting resources for teachers including page-by-page notes for all the stories and assessment resources (feedback sheets and student record sheets).

The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available as the Relationships Value Pack for £139 plus VAT (save 10%).

Individual elements from the pack are also available separately.

For further information, please click here.  Alternatively, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.

Janie Nicholas

What is Faye referring to?  A Classroom SoundField system from Connevans.

Will you agree with Faye? There is a simple and free way to hear what Faye heard and find out for yourself.  You can have a free SoundField trial in your school, a trial which gives you and your colleagues the opportunity to try the equipment for a few weeks have the same experience as Faye!

You will find that all the children become engaged immediately, the teacher will never have to raise or strain their voice, everyone (even the children with poorer hearing and attention) will hear perfectly, and the tendency of some children to make noise in the classroom will diminish.

Simply tell us when it is convenient to visit, and we will bring the SoundField system to you and show the relevant teacher how to use it. Set up in the classroom takes just 15 minutes and after that you can use it straight away.

There is more information about our most popular SoundField system, the Swift Digital, on our website here: www.connevans.co.uk/product/3109896/

The Swift Digital SoundField system is designed by Connevans, the UK’s leading manufacturer of Classroom SoundField systems used all over the UK.

To hear what Faye heard and arrange a free three-week trial simply call or email and leave the rest to us!

• Phone 01737 247571
• Email phil@connevans.com

As a special trial offer there is a 10% discount on the Swift Digital if you keep it after the trial, you only pay the invoice if you decide to keep the SoundField equipment.

If you would like us to have a look at your school hall or offer free advice regarding simple equipment to help ensure the school is complying with the Equalities Act for visitors who are hard of hearing, we will be pleased to help.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Phil Boswell
Director

As of 2016 we are very proud to be … by Appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Manufacturer and Supplier of Audio Equipment  https://www.royalwarrant.org/directory?query=connevans

Help your SEN students to make sense of money with the Making Sense of Money Set

It is pleasantly surprising when a new topic is added into the curriculum with very few teething problems, such as the introduction of financial literacy to the maths and citizenship curriculum in 2014.

However, there does seem to be a lack of resources that explore and explain finances in a way that students with SEN can easily understand.

Which is why SEN Press has devised the Making Sense of Money Set which contains a wealth of resources about dealing with money in everyday situations, including:

• Six story books which support the ASDAN CoPE Award. Titles include, “Money In, Money Out”, “Everyday Money”, “What’s it Worth?”, “Cash and Cakes”, “Keeping Money Safe” and “Making Ends Meet”.

• A CD-ROM providing electronic versions of the above titles, making it ideal for interactive whiteboard presentations and for students who would also benefit from listening to the text.It is also possible to edit and save the text to make your own story, create differentiated texts, and personalise the text with your students’ names to enhance engagement.

• An extensive range of activity worksheets and interactive activities that encourage reading comprehension. Activities include, Words and Pictures, Picture Search, Keyword Flashcards, Wordsearch, Spot the Difference, How Well Did You Read?, Missing Words, Quizzes, and Drag and Drop.

• Supporting resources for teachers including page-by-page notes for all the stories and assessment resources (feedback sheets and student record sheets).

The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available for £139 plus VAT (save 10%).

You can see more details and sample pages from the readers, and details for ordering individual items as well as the full pack on our “Making Sense of Money” web page.

If you have any questions or need more information, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.  We’ll be delighted to hear from you.

Janie Nicholas

 Read123 are providing our groundbreaking iPad based app for screening, diagnosing and managing Meares-Irlen Syndrome / Visual Stress (worth an annual £500 subscription) completely free of charge for a FULL year.

1 in 3 pupils suffer from this condition and therefore screening of all pupils is absolutely vital. Now you can screen ALL your pupils in a fraction of the time. No training needed!

Limited time offer.

Unique features include:

Reading speed improvement calculator

Speech recognition feature to detect reading mistakes

Customised tint calculator for glasses (customised tint glasses prices from just £54.99)

Data charts for the school

Unlimited access

Sort results by class and academic year

Sync feature to share results amongst tablets in the school.

The Read123 Meares-Irlen Syndrome app has been designed and developed by specialist Opticians who have been working with pupils for over 10 years. We are members of The Association of Optometrists and are keen participants of their Schools Vision initiative.

You can take the free trial here. Simply contact us on 0800 6890292 or support@read123.co.uk after you have used up the 2 free attempts and we will provide you with a login code for your school. This will let you use the app free for a whole year.

More information on our website at www.read123.co.uk

How can you support your Special Educational Needs
students to form healthy relationships in all aspects
of their life?

The ability to form a healthy relationship is something that we typically learn from trial and error and observation, but it may be that your SEN students require a bit more support if they are able to form and maintain healthy relationships throughout adolescence and adulthood.

Which is why we have devised The Relationships series. A comprehensive resource offering guidance to teenagers aged 14 to 19 with a reading age of around seven by being sympathetic to the way that autistic teenagers (for example) typically view the world.

The Relationships series consists of:

• Six story books, which support the ASDAN Transition Challenge and Towards Independence Life Skills courses, exploring a different situation where it is important that young people identify their emotions, as well as the emotions of others.

Titles include, “The Date: Rachel’s Story” and “The Date: Mike’s Story” (differing opinions and sides to the same story), “Mum’s New Boyfriend” (accepting a parent’s new partner), “My Teacher” (understanding teacher/pupil relationships), “Sisters at War” (managing sibling tension) and “Staying Out Late” (the issues it raises with parents).

• A CD-ROM providing electronic versions of the above titles, making it ideal for interactive whiteboard presentations and for students who would also benefit from listening to the text. It is also possible to edit and save the text to make your own story, create differentiated texts and personalise the text with your students’ names to enhance engagement.

• An extensive range of activity worksheets and interactive activities that encourage reading comprehension. Activities include, Missing Words, Quizzes, Drag and Drop, Words and Pictures, Picture Search, Keyword Flashcards, Wordsearch, Spot the Difference and How Well Did You Read?.

• Supporting resources for teachers including page-by-page notes for all the stories and assessment resources (feedback sheets and student record sheets).

The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available as the Relationships Value Pack for £139 plus VAT (save 10%).

Individual elements from the pack are also available separately.

For further information, please click here.  Alternatively, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.

Janie Nicholas

We’re giving away free exercise books (lined and squared) to schools for those pupils who suffer from Meares-Irlen Syndrome/Visual Stress. You only pay for the postage cost.

We’re also providing our groundbreaking iPad based app for screening, diagnosing and managing Meares-Irlen/Visual Stress (worth an annual £500 subscription) completely free of charge.

Features include:

Reading speed improvement calculator
Speech recognition feature to detect reading mistakes
Customised tint calculator for glasses (customised tint glasses prices from just £54.99)
Data charts for the school
Unlimited access
Sort results by class and academic year

The Read123 Meares-Irlen Syndrome app has been designed and developed by specialist Opticians. We have been running Meares-Irlen Syndrome clinics across the UK for over 10 years and have helped hundreds of pupils improve their reading and writing. We are members of The Association of Optometrists and are keen participants of their Schools Vision initiative.

You can take the free trial here. Simply contact us on 0800 6890292 or support@read123.co.uk after you have used up the 2 free attempts and we will provide you with a login code for your school.

More information on our website at www.read123.co.uk

Finding resources which explain finances in a way that students with SEN can understand can be somewhat of a challenge – not least because there are so few resources of this kind on the market.

Which is why SEN Press has devised the Making Sense of Money Complete Set which contains a wealth of resources about dealing with money in everyday situations, including:

• Six story books which support the ASDAN CoPE Award. Titles include, “Money In, Money Out”, “Everyday Money”, “What’s it Worth?”, “Cash and Cakes”, “Keeping Money Safe” and “Making Ends Meet”.

• A CD-ROM providing electronic versions of the above titles, making it ideal for interactive whiteboard presentations and for students who would also benefit from listening to the text.

It is also possible to edit and save the text to make your own story, create differentiated texts and personalise the text with your students’ names to enhance engagement.

• An extensive range of activity worksheets and interactive activities that encourage reading comprehension. Activities include, Words and Pictures, Picture Search, Keyword Flashcards, Wordsearch, Spot the Difference, How Well Did You Read?    Missing Words, Quizzes, and Drag and Drop.

• Supporting resources for teachers including page-by-page notes for all the stories and assessment resources (feedback sheets and student record sheets).

The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book, and the CD Rom is available for £139 plus VAT (save 10%).

You can see more details and sample pages from the readers as well as details for ordering individual items or the full pack on our “Making Sense of Money” web page.

If you have any questions or need more information, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.  We’ll be delighted to hear from you.

Janie Nicholas

Students with neurodevelopmental disorders often find the various and numerous concepts in PSHEE and Citizenship lessons incredibly difficult to understand. Yet once these concepts have been grasped, their development and progress in these areas is tremendous.

Which is why SEN Press has produced the SEN Press Starter Pack.

The SEN Press Starter Pack consists of 38 different readers which have been written to meet the learning needs of SEN students between the ages of 14 and 19 and which will enhance students understanding in an array of areas in PSHEE and Citizenship lessons, including:

The complete set of resources (as above) is available for £179, or, if you’d prefer, you can order individual elements from the SEN Press Starter Pack separately.

You can find more information and see sample pages from the readers, and details for ordering individual items as well as the full pack, on our ‘Starter Pack’ web page.

If you have any questions or need more information, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.  We’ll be delighted to hear from you.

Janie Nicholas

You know that some of your pupils are held back because they have social, emotional, behaviour or mental health issues.  Throughout the UK 20% of children suffer from these problems.

You also know that there’s usually a long waiting time before they can be seen by a specialist service.  In the meantime these pupils drag down the overall academic results which may cause disruption to other pupils learning and may cause stress for teaching staff.

Now there’s a proven solution being used in over 1200 primary schools.   When Play Therapy is delivered to the standards of the Register of Play and Creative Arts Therapists, it results in a 77% to 84% positive change, as observed by teaching staff and parents. (Evidence based on over 12,000 cases.)  The UK needs 22,000 therapists to work with children – there are less than 4000 at present.

Train as a Registered Certified Practitioner in Therapeutic Play Skills – 15 days, typically spread over nine months, mainly at weekends.  13 conveniently located training centres.  The training is mainly experiential and practical – not just classroom taught theory.

Normally you can start practising in your school, whilst on the course, after the first 6 to 9 days of training.

Find out more by attending a one-day Introduction to Play Therapy course.

Ask for APAC’s 28 page career and training guide.

You can change the lives of others for the better and most probably your own as well.

More information:

www.playtherapy.org.uk    Play Therapy Register

Email: mokijep@aol.com    Phone: 01825 761143

It is rare that a pupil with dyslexia will only have problems with his or her understanding of literacy, yet the majority of teaching resources for use with dyslexic pupils focus solely on developing these skills.

In fact, problems with understanding literacy are just part of the problem for pupils with dyslexia as many will also have problems with their visual and auditory recall and their sequencing and organisational abilities (all of which can hinder literacy attainment).

Which is why we developed the Dyslexia Games Manual.

The Dyslexia Games Manual is a ring bound photocopiable resource which contains a wealth of enjoyable games and activities that not only support dyslexic pupils in developing their literacy skills, but also increases their visual and auditory recall, as well as strengthening their sequencing and organisational ability.

You can order the Dyslexia Games Manual in book format by:

• Visiting www.msl-online.net
• By phone on 01536 399017
• By fax to 01536 399012
• By email to msl@schools.co.uk       
• By post to Multi-Sensory Learning, Earlstrees Court, Earlstrees Road, Corby, NN17 4HH

Or, if you would prefer to receive the Dyslexia Games Manual in PDF, simply visit this link, select the ‘International’ option and click the ‘Pay by Credit Card (PayPal)’ button to check out.

Once we have received payment, you will be sent the Dyslexia Games Manual in PDF by email within 12 working hours.

Please note that all rights are reserved and no part of this publication (The Dyslexia Games Manual) may be circulated or shared in any form without the prior permission of the author.

Therapy when delivered to Play Therapy UK standards is an effective way of helping the 20% of primary school pupils who have an emotional, behaviour or mental health problem which  impedes their learning and sometimes results in disrupted classes.

With the start of the new academic year in September new trainees will become available to provide a therapeutic play service free of charge.  Over 300 from all over the UK took part in last year’s scheme which is run by our accredited training provider APAC in a partnership with Leeds Beckett University.  They will be undertaking the Post Graduate (level 7) Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills.

Most trainees will have their placements agreed by November – if you need support for the emotional and behaviour needs of your pupils, please apply now.

Ask me for more details:  Jeff Thomas – Registrar Play Therapy UK jefferyht@yahoo.co.uk

Also see: www.playtherapy.org.uk   and www.playtherapyregister.org.uk

Thank you very much for your attention.

Kind regards

Jeff

PS You can also experience yourself how play therapy works and how we train by attending a one-day ‘Introduction to Play Therapy’ course held at 13 convenient venues throughout the UK. Phone: 01825 761143 to book.

In order to prepare food in a kitchen safely and without any health risk, teenagers need what we may call “Kitchen Skills”.  Skills relating to the practical realities of preparing hot and cold food.

With this in mind SEN Press has devised the ‘Simple Meals’ pack which contains a series of simple narratives exploring the different situations in which young people may be required to put their kitchen skills to the test.

The Simple Meals Value Pack, which supports the ASDAN Transition Challenge and Towards Independence Life Skills courses, is suitable for students aged between 14 and 19 with SEN and a reading age of around seven.

Within the pack there are four story books: “Breakfast in Bed”, “Lunch for Guests”, “Packed Lunch”, and “Tea”.  Each contains descriptions of everyday situations in which young people have to prepare simple meals themselves.

Also included is a CD-ROM providing electronic versions of each title, making it ideal for interactive whiteboard presentations and for students who would also benefit from listening to the text.

It is also possible to edit and save the text to make your own story, create differentiated texts, and personalise the text with your students’ names to enhance engagement.

Additionally an extensive range of activity worksheets and interactive activities is included.  These look more closely at practical skills and safety issues and include Words & Pictures, Picture Search, Keyword Flashcards, Wordsearch, Spot the Difference, and How Well Did You Read?

Supporting resources for teachers including page-by-page notes for all the stories and assessment resources (feedback sheets and student record sheets) are also included in the pack.

The complete set of resources containing two copies of each of the six readers, the complete teacher book of notes and worksheets, and the CD Rom is available for £99 plus VAT.  Individual elements from the pack are also available separately.

You can find more information and see sample pages from the readers, and details for ordering individual items as well as the full Value Pack, on our ‘Simple Meals’ web page.

If you have any questions or need more information, please email info@senpress.co.uk or call 01582 833205.  We’ll be delighted to hear from you.

Janie Nicholas

With PENpal you can!
PENpal is an electronic device that records and plays back your voice onto sticky labels. The PENpal is particularly useful for dyslexic and other SEN children as it enables them to work in a personalised way. With PENpal you can explain, define, give examples, without the constraint of space reserved for text! And, through PENpal’s ability to record voices it encourages speaking and listening skills and the confidence to express yourself.

PENpals will read dictionaries, literacy packs, phonics posters, big books, even tactile sound enabled books! Children who learn best though a kinaesthetic experience rather than through reading chunks of text or group discussions can benefit. Selecting and listening at your own pace, stickering your own drawings with sound, attaching audio to clothes and equipment, listening to posters like “Garden Birdsongs” just by touching brings a feeling of control and calm, especially among autistic children.

You can also add sound to any of your favourite books and poster or even make your own talking book! PENpal helps the teacher to connect in a unique way and the student to gain a confidence in learning. It is no surprise therefore that over 40000 PENpals are being used in schools and why its equivalent PENfriend is one of the RNIB’s best-selling products for audio labelling.

To find out more about PENpal or to order one (£75 plus vat) please click here

Enable Visually Impaired children to see paintings, maps, diagrams, instructions…

The viVOS Artframe adds sound to any of your notes or pictures drawn or printed on any A3 paper. You can make your drawings and diagrams, add tactiles such as sticking bump-ons, or make collages or use swell paper. Build your own rich tangible media, and record and playback sound with a tap of your fingers. You can create over 300 sound spots on any A3 paper and playback existing .mp3 music as well as your own voice recordings.
A tool for kinaesthetic learners, this device adds creativity and self-expression to your learning.
ViVOS has a built in microphone, speakers is light and very robust.

Click here to see a video of making a tactile poster on Spring with sound.

There is an open-source viVOS library of publications where users can upload their jpeg and sound compilation for others to share and use. Just print any of the FREE jpegs and download the viVOS file.  viVOS costs £150 plus vat with free access to the viVOS Library of publications

We are Mantra Lingua, UK based makers of these devices, service Nurseries, Schools, RNIB, Museums and Nature Trails. Both devices are portable and can be used anywhere. There is no need for computers.
PENpal costs £80 and viVOS £150. 400 Recordable stickers £15.
uk.mantralingua.com/sen 

Regards

Robene Dutta
Managing Director