Sharing Good Practice define what is happening and when . They can mark out how they can work together , who is strong in different areas and share the lead role , where appropriate , to ensure variety in delivery and to free the class teacher to work more closely with individuals in the class . Defining where you can schedule some fun activities- role play , acting , or dance can create a more fun and engaging classroom for all .
Where possible , team teaching can be a powerful tool in engaging the whole class . This not only increases the learning impact but a well-developed relationship and good dynamics can make a classroom fun and exciting , and the students will love it !
In ensuring quality support with your shadow teacher , a clear outline of the student ' s needs must be agreed upon in collaboration with the student themselves – their voice is vital in this plan no matter what their age . Ask the student and the family - what do they find difficult , what are their barriers to learning and how can the team work together , under the guidance of the inclusion department , remove those barriers and improve the student ' s experience . It is imperative that both the teacher and the shadow teacher fully understand the student ' s area of need . Full knowledge of the barriers caused by those needs will ensure the best possible approach to alleviating those needs .
Talk about using assistive technologies , tools and methodologies to reduce the effect of barriers . The inclusion team will be key in these initial discussions and can guide everyone on best approaches and practices . As a team , the shadow teacher and class teacher should talk to the parents and the student together to investigate what works at home , at play or while out & about etc . Discuss how you can emulate these practices at school .
If everyone is fully prepared and communicates well before the start of the school term , activities can be well structured and laid out , student ' s needs will be fully understood and catered for , and support can be implemented successfully from day one .
Some questions to ask before the first week of school begins in September might include :
• Does everyone know the student ' s specific needs ?
• Does everyone understand the barriers to learning associated with those needs ( e . g . what is Autism , how does it present , how does it affect my student )?
• Is everyone clear about the role they will play in the student ' s educational journey ?
• Does everyone have the IEP , and are they clear about their role in meeting its goals ?
• How are we tracking and monitoring the impact of collaborative support ?
By being fully prepared and organized , the teacher and shadow teacher can work together to form a superpower duo !
Following the huge success of the Inclusion & Wellbeing Forum , which has been running for nearly two years now , we will be launching
a Forum specifically for Learning Support Assistants – shadow teachers , classroom assistants or anyone working in a supportive role for students of determination .
This will be a free forum where LSAs can come together to share practice , experience and ideas . We will invite LSAs to speak as well as special educators and specialists to deliver sessions on a range of areas like understanding specific needs , tools and methods to use in schools and wellbeing support . Hosted monthly by myself and Ms Harmeet Kaur Dhillon , we will launch the first one on Tuesday 24th August at 4 PM with guidance on preparing for the return to school . Please do come and join us and share the article link with any LSA who you think might benefit from this forum .
References :
Faiz , Z ., ( 2020 ), Role of Shadow Teacher in the provision of Academic and Social Support for Children with Special Needs at Inclusive Schools . Journal of Inclusive Education , Vol . 4 , Issue 1 , 2020 .
https :// jie . aiou . edu . pk / wp-content / uploads / 2021 / 01 / Paper-9 . pdf
Education Endowment Foundation , 2021 , https :// educationendowmentfoundation . org . uk / evidence-summaries / teaching-learningtoolkit /
Catherine O ’ Farrell is an experienced educational leader and consultant . She is the Director of the Knowledge Hub at iCademy Middle East and hosts an international voluntary forum for Inclusion & Wellbeing leaders . She is an advocate for inclusive education and sustainable improvement of educational practice across the MENA region working under the Global Sustainability Network stiving toward the UNSDG Goal 8 . Catherine is a regular media contributor and conference speaker .
Class Time Term 1 Sep - Dec 2021 09