Response Initiative within schools
March 2023-2024 in collaboration with the FAST Trust.
Historically we wouldn’t expect to see multiple children with severe levels of learning challenges enter into a mainstream school. We are certainly seeing it now. The schools initially responded as they always had and spread these very challenged children throughout the junior classrooms.
Even with high levels of persistence and large amounts of support these situations are often completely unworkable and extremely unsafe. What does a teacher with a full class of new entrants do if several children have such high level challenges? To express this differently to explain the situation with more clarity the children might intellectually be working lower than a two year old. These children are sadly not classroom ready.
Certainly, stepping up and thinking ‘out of the box’ is crucial. We are referring to children often not toilet trained, non-verbal, or with little functional speech and of a developmental level so low they are rarely seen in mainstream schools. Not being classroom ready also refers to their propensity to run and not be ready to sit quietly and join in a classroom environment. The safety aspect of this scenario is chilling.
The FAST Trust employed an individual curriculum approach using an ABA software disciple called Skills Developing, which is an online application.
This does require a high level of adult to child ratio, there is no escaping this. However, there is also a huge need for these children to be equipped with skills that has them learning and gaining the ability to learn within a mainstream school environment.
The curriculum programme FAST employed utilises a comprehensive curriculum across eight distinct areas of human functioning.
LANGUAGE -Ability to communicate effectively and understand others.
ADAPTIVE -Ability to engage in daily living activities independently, from dressing and toileting to setting the table and shopping for groceries.
EXECUTIVE FUNCTION- Goal-oriented behaviour and self-management, such as memory, attention, planning, self-awareness, flexibility, and problem solving.
SOCIAL – Social interactions and relationship building, as well as social language skills and self-esteem.
MOTOR – Visual, oral, and motor skills a child needs to communicate effectively, participate in play and daily living activities, and succeed academically.
COGNITION- Perspective-taking skills or “Theory of Mind” (i.e., the ability to understand the mental states of oneself and others).
ACADEMIC- Language Arts and Math skills, so a child can independently participate in assignments at school.
PLAY- Various forms of play, including interactive, independent, pretend, etc.
The expectation than a mainstream teacher would be equipped to teach children battling such high level challenges is completely unrealistic.
Significant upskilling is imperative.
