Discuss three specific strategies that support the delivery of effective teaching and learning in a classroom. Use academic literature and examples from your own setting to support your response.

This assignment will be looking at the effectiveness of delivery within the teaching and learning environment. It will focus on three specific strategies that support the delivery of teaching. Theses being TEACCH, PECs and Numicon. The assignment will also include examples from own setting to back up effectiveness. Learners within the setting all have Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities. 
Learning is experienced in different ways and with children learning begins at home as soon as they are born. All children have a right to education. This education should allow them to grow and develop to their fullest potential (UNICEF,2017).  Within the school settings there are a variety of strategies that teachers implement. A strategy is a plan of action which is used to achieve a particular aim. We all learn in a variety of different ways at different paces. To begin with teachers and support staff need to establish a relationship with pupils and focus on what they can do. This is important in order to bring the best out of them and more importantly build their confidence. Appreciating if your pupil is having a bad day, as we all do, or if they are finding a particular task too challenging, praise and encouragement are key. Regardless of the situation, focusing on the positive are paramount to their learning. Ensuring that tasks have a clear purpose is important to avoid pupils being wrong footed, which could then affect their confidence. Clear, simple instructions, repeat and clarify tasks to consolidate learning. Children thrive on pleasing adults. 
In our school we aim to create a happy, safe, supportive, and stimulating learning environment. School uses a thematic approach to learning based on a skills curriculum appropriate to pupils needs. As a Senior Learning Support assistant in a class of six pupils with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities implementing different strategies and differentiating these strategies is essential to support learning. We are constantly monitoring pupils to discuss what is working and what is not. Then if needed adapting tasks, differentiating, or adopting a new strategy. It is also important to have built relationships of trust with pupils, thought is put into classroom layout and staff support pupils to be as independent as they possibly can.  Our school strategies take into account child centred learning. ‘Child centred education has been an important foundation of early childhood education since Froebel’ (Morrision, 2009, p.109). Strategies are adapted to emphasis on the needs and interests of the pupils. Pupils are free to explore their environment and move freely around the classroom, even if it’s to remove themselves to allow quiet time when finding a task challenging or frustrating. Staff work alongside pupils to develop all their needs not just academic needs. More able pupils within the school take more responsibility for their aims and objectives.
As a class with a high level of pupils presenting with Autism, a strategy that works successfully is TEACCH, (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication related handicapped Children). TEACCH was created in the 1970s by Eric Shopler and his colleagues. The method has been adopted and implemented in schools across the country especially in Special Education Settings. Shopler along with his colleagues have based their methods on the understanding that Autistic children are usually visible learners. TEACCH approach is structured, pupils should have a clear understanding of where they need to be within the classroom, what they need to do and how to do it. These tasks should be carried out as independently as possible. Two pupils in class are severely Autistic and TEACCH has proved very successful. Both pupils have their own learning area, clearly marked with a photograph of themselves. They each have eight clearly labelled baskets in with a task for them to completed then transfer to a ‘finished’ box. Pupils use a daily timetable or a Now & Next timetable to allow clear instruction which generally follows with a smooth transition. The tasks in the baskets are individually sort for each pupil taking into account their ability, interests and needs. The teachers goal is to challenge pupils and maximise their independence. Activities can include matching, sorting, colours, numbers, sequencing, and threading. Tasks are completed regularly to reinforce learning; new challenges are introduced gradually. This allows pupils to feel in control of their learning lessening frustrations and challenging behaviour (NAS, 2017).
All six pupils in class have communication difficulties with five of them being nonverbal. School and class have several different communication strategies in place to support pupils.  Picture Exchange Communication (PECs) is an effective strategy which is implemented throughout the whole school, enabling all staff and pupils to communicate whatever the pupils Additional Learning Needs (ALN). PECs was developed in 1985 as a unique communication intervention. PECs is an alternative way for children with Autism or other developmental disabilities. PECs has been received worldwide and does not need expensive resources. It can be used at home and in school. It allows children to initiate communication. In order to achieve this a picture of a particular item should be given to a ‘communicative partner’. The exchange of picture for object is carried out immediately. The system then goes on to teach children to recognise and understand different pictures and eventually put them into sentences. It is possible to teach individuals to answer questions and comment. PECs is taught in school from a very early stage and is used consistently throughout the school. Within the classroom all six pupils are familiar with PECs, three pupils have moved onto more advanced Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) aids such as iPad. One pupil with severe Autism uses PECs throughout the day to communicate his needs. His parents also use it at home, it allows pupil to have his own voice, to be understood and avoid behaviour issues caused by frustration. It is important especially in early teaching to wait for pupils request and not pre-empt what they want. PECs is effective in class and at home for our pupil as it allows him to be easily understood which in turn reduces behaviour caused by frustration. As PECs requires interaction with others this enhances pupil’s social skills and inclusion with peers. Communication, however achieved is vital to pupil’s confidence and self-esteem, being given a voice can enhance learning (Frost, 2000).
Another successful strategy effective to learning is Numicon. Numicon was first used in 1966 by teachers within a mainstream school. Numicon is appropriate for all children of any age and ability. Numicon is a multi-sensory approach for teaching maths. Numicon shapes are colourful, plastic tiles with holes in which represent the relevant numbers 1-10. These tiles can be used to teach place value, ordering and calculation. Numicon is a strategy used to support early introduction to maths to develop understanding and skills to underpin the understanding of number. To begin with pupils should be allowed time and opportunity to explore the Numicon shapes freely before they will be ready to use it in a more directed way. In class pupils are given Numicon shapes to explore, they are placed on the table or can be hidden in sand for a more sensory experience. The first activities are introduced without using number names or numerals. Numicon is another strategy used throughout the whole school and most pupils are familiar with it. Classes use the Numicon shape to label their class, class one will have a Numicon one shape attached to their classroom door. This is continued throughout all classes to allow pupils who cannot read to recognise the shape. All pupils in class use Numicon and each are at different stages, three are using it at the early stages and are exploring the shapes or covering a base board with them. Three pupils are more advanced and are ordering the tiles, placing correct pegs on each number and able to recognise a number when verbally requested by an adult (Atkinsons, 2015).


To conclude, within the Special Educational Needs School, its main aim is to provide all children with a wide balance of appropriate learning opportunities whilst also considering all ranges of disabilities and additional learning needs. The three strategies discussed in this assignment also have to be adjusted to suit the wide range of additional learning needs. Staff have a clear understanding of pupil’s certain needs; therefore, the three strategies are implemented well within the classroom setting. All pupils are monitored and assessed regularly to ensure the strategies are up to date with their current needs. This allows for the delivery of teaching to be correct to the audience’s needs. As mentioned before all children have the right to an education. However, ensuring that this education is good quality is also a key importance. 

























Reference List

Atkinsons, R. (2015) Number, Pattern and Calculating 3 Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Frost, L. (2000) An Introduction to PECs. London: Pyramid Educational Products.
Morrison, G S. (2009) Excerpt from Early Childhood Education Today. London: Pearson Alley.
The National Autistic Society (2011) TEACCH http://www.autism.org.uk/about/strategies/teacch.aspx (Accessed: 28th October 2017).
UNICEF (2017) The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. https://www.unicef.org.uk/what-we-do/un-convention-child-rights/ (Accessed: 28th October 2017).