Soon to be available via The Sensory Projects Online CollegeThis day contains CPD accredited material and can be booked as in-house training. Scroll down if you are thinking about Ofsted or considering CQC. FeedbackI thought I knew about which sensory activities to offer when children displayed certain behaviours. This course enabled me to take a step back and consider what was causing that sensory need in the first place. To think about ‘ flight ‘ and the prevention of ‘ fight ‘ so you don’t have to deescalate. It sewed seeds subtlety that will change my practice for good now. Most useful of everything is Jo’s perspective on emotion. I never ever thought of it like this before and have been indoctrinating children into labelling certain actions and facial expressions in the same way we once taught rote maths with no application or true understanding. It kind of made me really question my understanding of autism. I really admire Jo’s honesty and unique insight. By talking about her own life it makes it easier to understand. ... Easily the best course I’ve been on this decade. Today I dipped my toe in the water and changed just a few things in my setting ....the response I got was overwhelming. I’ve never felt so loved and appreciated. It was like my pupils were saying ( in their non verbal way ) ‘finally you get it ...we are on the same page.‘ I’m ready to change what I do in September, change my keystage and school. Behaviour is the result of two interconnected factors: the person and the environment. The sensory world impacts upon both of these factors. By understanding its impact we can learn to make adjustments at an individual and environmental level to better help those whose struggles with the sensory world can be expressed through behaviours that others may find challenging. On this day you will learn:
We will also be joined by exciting guest speaker Katie Rose White who will show us that teaching emotional regulation need not always be a chore, it can be fun! Unlike the other days on the tour this day will not focus on the needs of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. This day will be suitable for:
Agenda for the day:   Thinking about Ofsted?Ofsted look for providers to have high expectations for learners’ behaviour (EIF 2019 p 10) and want to see settings assessing the effectiveness of interventions, and the effectiveness of the support and professional development put in place for NQTs and other teachers in the early stages of their career, particularly with regards to pupil behaviour (SIH 2019 p 25 & p 92). Children with special educational needs are cited as possibly needing more support but special educational needs are never accepted as an excuse for negative behaviour. Negative behaviour indicates a need, one that in all situations settings should be trying to meet. Settings considering this training day understand that for some students the sensory world can have a huge influence on their conduct.Ofsted recognize that disruptive behaviour or sudden changes in behaviour can be an indication of unmet needs or a change in another aspect of a young person’s life (SIH 2019 p 54). Behaviour stemming from sensory causes can be hard to manage through traditional means. It is important that settings who support students who may experience the world in sensorially different ways equip their staff to support those students, and do not simply dismiss negative behaviour as a consequence of a particular condition or disability. All behaviour is communicative and a student exhibiting behaviours we find challenging is clearly articulating that their needs are not being met. Ofsted speak about the importance of the environment with regards to behaviour and social, emotional and mental health (EIF 2019 p 10, p11, SIH 2019 p 52, SIH 2019 p 92). Exploring the Impact of the Senses on Behaviour teaches you how to use the environment to support pupils in feeling calm and safe, and shows you how to use the environment as a communicative tool when supporting someone in crisis. Ofsted want to see schools enabling pupils to be mentally healthy (SIH 2019 p 59), students who continually have to use behaviour to communicate unmet needs are unlikely to be reaching their optimum wellbeing. Ofsted evaluate how well leaders identify, assess and meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SIH 2019 p 91). They also look at how successfully schools engage parents, carers and other professionals/specialists in the support of their pupils. (SIH 2019 p 92) Settings considering this training have identified that their students behaviour is sometimes linked to the way they process sensory information and are seeking specialist insight to guide them in supporting those students. SIH = School Inspection Handbook 2019 Considering CQC?CQC’s descriptions of outstanding service describe settings that are creative and innovative, staffed with exceptionally well trained people who empower those they work on behalf of. They speak of settings seeking out current best practice and ensuring all their staff have access to the learning. Outstanding settings recognise the preferences of their residents and are constantly on the lookout for new ideas. Behaviour that stems from sensory roots will not respond in the same way to standard behaviour management strategies as behaviour stemming from other causes, therefore it is necessary for settings to seek out new knowledge and to respond reflectively to these differing needs. By giving staff access to knowledge (C2.3) about how the senses impact on behaviour and the communication strategies available to them when they do a setting empowers their staff to better support (S4.5) those whom express their difficulties with the sensory world through their behaviour (C2.2). Past delegates have described the course as having a transformative effect on their practice.
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Exploring the Impact of the Senses on Behaviour |
