Does the UK Have an Adequate Support in Place for students with Special Educational Needs #SEND?

It’s essential that young people receive a strong foundation in education to prepare them for their future. Our self-progression and self-development are dependent upon our ability to absorb and process knowledge on range of different topics, experiences and events. Through our learning experience at school, we gain a better understanding of the world and our place within it.

Making learning accessible for everyone is hugely important, including for those with special educational needs (SEN). It’s fair to say that this segment of our population faces a greater set of challenges with learning and teaching methods often require a specialist approach.

The way in which our education system accommodates the needs of students with learning disabilities is a key topic in the education sector right now. 

Most children affected by SEN attend mainstream schools

Adults and children who experience learning difficulties are extremely vulnerable and traditional teaching methods used within the education system can often prove unsuitable.

Research shows that within the UK population, approximately 193,707 children of school age are affected by SEN, which can profoundly impact on their overall learning experience including behaviour, physical ability, reading and writing, concentration levels and ability to understand things.

Many question whether the UK has the right support systems in place. Findings indicate that most children with special educational needs (SEN) attend mainstream schools – which you may find surprising? Government figures suggest that less than 10% go to specialised centres.

Could your local schools face budget cuts in the future?

Approximately, 2,000 children with SEN are known to be awaiting provision and urgent education funding throughout the country, however this was not discussed in the 2018 Budget (released in October last year). You can use this useful tool to see whether schools in your area will be facing cuts in the future and whether your children will be affected.

Traditional teaching methods are often ineffective for those with SEN. A lot of children with SEN require specifically adapted materials to work with in school. Below, we take a look at some of the important areas that need to be considered when spending money in mainstream schools, to ensure equal opportunities for all.

Fonts

A lot of children who suffer from dyslexia find it very difficult to digest particular typefaces both in print and on a screen. Readability will differ depending on the chosen font, but it’s recommended that you stay away from any typeface that have ticks and tails at the end of most strokes — such as Times New Roman.

This is because these types of font tend to obscure the shapes of the letters, which can be frustrating to someone who finds it difficult to read generally. The size of the ascenders and descenders are also important for many dyslexic readers, as they often rely on the visual shape of a word due to phonological awareness. If the stem of a certain letter is too short or too long, this could make their reading less precise.

Sans-serif fonts are the preferred option by many people with dyslexia. However, it must be noted that some power-players are making the move to ensure text is more accessible. Microsoft Office, for example, has set their default text as Calibri, which is a modern sans-serif typeface. Myriad Pro, designed by Adobe, is another clean aesthetic typeface that can help those with dyslexia.

However, for those with visual impairments, Tiresias can be a good option. This font is used for subtitles and signs, but there is also now a screen version (Tiresias PC) that can be ideal for any digital work.

Colour Vision Deficiency

Teachers aren’t often trained when it comes to a colour vision deficiency. Reports from Colour Blind Awareness found that there are around 400,00 colour blind pupils in British schools — 40% of which don’t know they have it. As a result, schools aren’t often equipped with the right books, learning cards and more to teach with the condition in mind.

As a lot of colour deficiencies go undetected, children develop their own coping strategies. However, this will not always work, which can become problematic. Although the natural assumption of colour vision deficiency is red/green colour blind, there are some that can’t see any colour at all.

There are many things that you should consider in the classroom when it comes to allowing all pupils to have an equal learning experience. When it comes to colour recognition, lighting is an extremely important factor. One rule to follow is the brighter the light, the easier it is to recognise colour. Following this, you should always look to sit those with colour deficiencies in natural light!

It’s also advised that teachers use strong contrasts on the board and on computer screens. When possible, try to avoid using red and green or pastel colours to highlight core teaching points, as this can again become more difficult to read.