In addition, only 1% believe that they have adequate funding, with the number of Education, Health and Care plans (EHCPs) increasing by 140% from 2014 to 2024, with little change to budgets or resources in that timeframe, meaning that education establishments face considerable challenges in ensuring they can support students and their families.
For supply teachers, it can be challenging to navigate the intricately nuanced requirements of pupils with special educational needs within a very short timeframe, often with limited preparation or training. Yes, the school, academy, or Trust will have a robust teaching and support plan in place for each pupil, but supply staff will be instrumental in delivering this, ensuring they effectively aid the learning and, ultimately, help deliver consistency and tangible support for the individual.
Here are our five top tips to keep in mind for supply teachers working with SEN pupils:
1) Take an adaptive approach: Adaptive learning is crucial, and for supply teachers, this can be beneficial in more ways than one. Arguably, supply staff have a more natural ability to implement adaptive teaching due to their range of work and exposure to differing setups across schools, academies and Trusts. When it comes to adapting teaching styles to suit the unique needs of every SEN student you encounter, adaptive learning approaches can be beneficial. Of course, special educational needs is a vast subject and no one individual will be an expert in everything, but investing in your own development to be able to embrace and implement adaptive teaching will be beneficial not just for the SEN pupils you encounter, but also your own career growth.
2) Focus on your introduction: Making an introduction to a new class as a supply teacher is important for everyone. It sets the tone for the rest of the day, but how you handle this should be tailored for the varying SEN needs in the classroom. For example, have your own visual aids ready for those who may require them, ensure you are facing students with hearing difficulties so that they can best understand you, and perhaps consider a descriptive introduction for those with visual impairments to help ensure everyone feels included. If you’re new to supply teaching, consider practising these introductions before a placement so you feel comfortable with the variations.
3) Consider technology: Different schools, Trusts, and academies will be using a range of technologies to support their SEN students. The onus, of course, is on the school to ensure that a supply teacher is given a complete overview of any technology they will need to use in the classroom to support pupils. However, it certainly doesn’t go amiss to stay abreast of the latest tools that are being used or on the education market through your own research. Demonstrating this knowledge during any placement will certainly help an individual stand out from the crowd and will improve the chances of being engaged for future placements too.
4) Share insights across education institutes: SEN and adaptive teaching is such a nuanced and complex topic, but one of the benefits that supply teachers perhaps don’t realise they bring to the sector is their vast range of experience and knowledge. Given that they are in different settings, they will gain an insight into how schools, Trusts and academies are implementing new approaches to support a range of SEN needs. That includes knowing what new technologies are being used or are beneficial for certain requirements, for example. This information is hugely valuable for the entire teaching profession and those supply professionals that ensure they are transferring this knowledge to others will find that they are in high demand.
5) Make the most of the handover: A good handover is always important for any supply teacher, but for the consistency of SEN pupils, it’s arguably more critical. Returning teachers need to be aware of anything that may impact future lessons. For example, if any visual aids were more well-received than others, if there were any technical faults with the technology that have to be addressed or if there were any situations that will require any changes to future lesson plans.
Supply teachers will increasingly be working with pupils with a range of SEN requirements and being best prepared is crucial for students as much as professionals. If you are looking for your next supply role, or if your establishment is seeking additional resources to support all pupils, get in touch with our expert team.
Read more of our blogs or check out some of our latest specialist supply roles.
