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NOF approved and funded training for teachers of pupils withSEVERE and COMPLEX special educational needs
Introduction Summary: what appears in the NOF ICT training 'Red Book' How to register for ICTS NOF training
The human touchOur training involves face-to-face learning, although we will exploit (and introduce) modern communication and information techniques like email and web-based conferencing. Your initial contact will be the first of two days working with a visiting expert training consultant linked to one of the key centres and trained by ICTS. This training consultant will have experience with the sort of learners you work with as well as in using new technology. Together you can find the ICT solutions that will deliver the curriculum in a way appropriate for your pupils. And human networksThe training consultant will spend two days with you at your school or service. You also have the option to get out of school, in the company of like-minded teachers, and listen to the experts who wrote your training materials. These networking days are optional and will be organised by country, region and special interest. There will be an opportunity to meet colleagues and form supportive human networks of expertise that can continue long after the training.
Who are the members of ICTS?The leading “severe and complex” SEN organisations have come together so that their combined expertise is available to teachers whose pupils will have a wide variety of special educational needs. ICTS comprises: the ACE Centre, ACE North, the Advisory Unit, the CALL Centre, Edinburgh University, CENMAC, the Down’s Syndrome Association, Inclusive Technology, Janet Larcher Associates and the Royal National Institute for the Blind. These organisations wrote the training materials and forty of their staff and associates deliver the training face-to-face in each school which registers. Manchester Metropolitan University provides accreditation and QA. Cynnal are working with us to publish our materials in Welsh early in 2001.
The distance learning unitsThere are two introductory units A and B we would like everyone to do. You can then choose three or more of the specialist units 1 to 10. A - Communicating with colleagues, accessing information, finding resources Using email, forums and conferencing, finding and using curriculum resources, disability access, issues and standards for web resources, professional development, finding and sharing information on the net, using ICT to record and monitor progress. B - Organizing your resources Why and when and when not to use ICT, accessibility options and access resources in Windows, seating and positioning pupils and positioning equipment, the learning/working environment, health and safety issues, sources of information. 1 - Literacy and recording Using symbols, pictures, sound and photos to communicate, record work and achievement, and to write creatively. 2 - Literacy and recording - the written word Using ICT to support literacy across the curriculum, accessing writing, word processing, voice input. Support strategies for writing: spell checking, wordbanks and prediction. Accessing the written word: speech output, books. 3 - Language and communication Creating a communication environment, technology to support communication, software to support the development of language skills across the curriculum, communication technology and access to the curriculum, using ICT to produce communication materials. 4 - Identifying individual needs An introduction to choosing appropriate ICT and access for your pupils, developing a team approach. 5 - ICT resources for pupils with multiple disabilities MDVI, MSI and PMLD - finding and adapting resources for pupils with more than one disability. Creating and using multi-sensory environments, identifying children who would benefit from these technologies, clarifying teaching objectives, creating a learning environment, planning, delivering and recording sensory sessions. 6 - Including all pupils in class and group activities Using ICT to support inclusion in a class or group session, choosing resources for each pupil, managing the session. Particular focus on literacy and numeracy. 7 - Accessing technology Access methods: hardware and software to support recording communication and access to a wider curriculum. Physical, sensory and cognitive access. 8 - The development of switching skills Being in control, joining in, toys and real things, curriculum activities, access skills. 9 - Basic ICT for pupils with a visual impairment Early learning activities, introducing technology, creating tactile, visual and auditory resources, basic system tools. 10 - ICT for visually impaired pupils Adapting the learning environment for pupils with visual impairment, adaptive technology for pupils with visual impairment, the use of screen-reading and magnification software to access and record learning, the visual medium, the auditory medium, the tactile medium, additional access devices. Leading edge electronic support
Web-based conferencing on any SEN/ICT topic with colleagues from across the UK and overseas. On-line versions of each unit with example materials and external links. Pro-active email support from your training consultant. Second line email support from the expert authoring team of each unit. Every teacher ICTS trains will have privileged access to www.inclusive.net with its full range of conferencing facilities and up-to-date information. Your can even look up your training consultant’s CV! Who is the training designed for?Teachers, advisory staff and LSAs working with pupils who have physical difficulties and communication difficulties, pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties or severe learning difficulties and additional sensory impairments or a severe degree of autism. Also for visual impairment and multi-disabled, including visual impairment (MDVI), hearing impairment where pupils have additional problems such as early learning difficulties or multi-sensory impairment (MSI). Why not dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties or behaviour problems?Our training involves sending an expert trainer into each school twice. Even after taking all of the staff from the leading organisations we can only muster forty trainers (you can look at their CVs on www.inclusive.net). At the time of writing we have 4,000 teachers registered and we are managing to meet special schools’ needs. If we covered moderate difficulties we would be overrun with demand. We think those working with pupils who have moderate learning difficulties, dyslexia or EBD as their major challenge could be better with a mainstream provider. Some schools use two providers: ICTS for teachers working with more severe pupils and a mainstream provider for the others. This has the advantage of providing two different sets of resources for the school. What is the time commitment?Depends what you count. You can get by with one day face-to-face training in school, an hour or so of consultancy during their second visit and completing one teaching activity from the ten listed in each of the five units you choose. Usually the activity is designed to be completed when you are with your pupils. Any extra time involves reading the unit (32 to 48 pages), planning your activity and emailing your tutor with the results. There are no rules as to how long this email should be - but it must show that you completed the activity. How much does it cost?Because of the face-to-face training that will take place in your school, there is a minimum group size of five. Advisory teachers, small schools and others are welcome to “cluster” to make up the five. Additionally, LSAs are welcome on the training and can make up the numbers although they cannot be funded from NOF money. Part-time staff are also welcome but count as full-time for this training, so schools may need to make up the shortfall. Costs match the funding structure in each country as follows: England - £750 per group plus £400 per teacher Wales - £750 per group plus £420 per teacher Scotland - flat fee of £458 per teacher Northern Ireland - flat fee of £525 per teacher We are willing to provide this training overseas and would negotiate appropriate rates. Sorry, our distance learning units are not available other than as part of approved ICTS training. Optional Extra! CAT points and accreditationTeachers undertaking the NOF funded training with ICTS have five options for accreditation with the Manchester Metropolitan University. None of the options require attendance at the University. NOF monies cannot be used for accreditation - the charges below are made by the University independently of ICTS. Option A - £25 Teachers undertake basic NOF funded training, comprising
five units including non-submitted tasks, and attend the initial and final ICTS
training days. Option B - £25 Teachers undertake ICTS training, comprising at least ten
units including non-submitted activities, and attend the initial and final ICTS
training days.
Option C - £60 Teachers undertake basic ICTS NOF training, comprising five units and attend the initial and final training days. They submit a portfolio of five tasks which in total are five thousand words and which meet the assessment criteria for Special Educational Needs in the Professional Development Programme. Following registration, completion and successful assessment, the Manchester Metropolitan University will award a nationally recognised Certificate in Professional Studies Stage 1: ICT and Special Educational Needs. Option D - £120 Teachers undertake basic NOF funded training, comprising ten units and attend the initial and final ICTS training days. They submit a portfolio of between five and ten tasks which in total are ten thousand words and which include one reflective task that looks at their own professional development. The tasks must meet the assessment criteria for Special Educational Needs in the Professional Development Programme. The University will provide tutorial support and advice through electronic means to teachers following this option. Following registration, completion and successful assessment, the Manchester Metropolitan University will award a nationally recognised Certificate in Professional Studies: Information and Communications Technology and Special Educational Needs. Option E - £400 Teachers undertake basic NOF training, comprising ten units and attend the initial and final ICTS training days. They submit a portfolio of four five thousand-word tasks (in total 20,000 words) which meet the Master Level Criteria for Special Educational Needs in the Professional Development Programme. The University will provide tutorial support and advice through electronic means to teachers following this option. Following registration, completion and successful assessment, the Manchester Metropolitan University will award a Postgraduate Certificate (Special Educational Needs). MMU Accreditation Contact Paul Baker on 0161 247 2078 paul.baker@inclusive.net Summary: what appears in the NOF ICT training 'Red Book' How to register for ICTS NOF trainingTo register for training you need to read and complete a form. You can download and print out this form (see below), or if you would prefer us to send you a form, please email inclusive@inclusive.net with your name and address, clearly stating that you would like a NOF Registration Form. Download Registration Form (PDF file - 106 k)
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While working on the units, each teacher will enjoy four levels of
electronically delivered support - they will soon feel completely at home
on-line. |
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