Page 46 - SEN113 SEN Magazine July-August 2021-V3

46 and BSL video assistance – are readily available where required. Materials can also be shared for pupils to go through at their own pace and with any assistive technology they need. • Create variety by switching between project-types – from on-screen to off-screen; collaborative to independent, and so on. Encouraging pupil-led learning Feedback we received from teachers in February revealed that the past year has improved independent learning skills, with digital tools now offering myriad opportunities to facilitate pupil-led tasks. How best to do this in digital settings or utilising more technology in the classroom? Again, the SEN educators we work with advise building on previous successes in the classroom, with: • Scaffolding – initially guiding pupils, then gradually removing that guidance • Modelling – fostering a digital environment in which pupils can observe the behaviour of their teacher, peers, or other important role models • Reflecting – building in opportunities for pupils to reflect on their achievements. To support pupils with engaging online independently, you can encourage them and their families to keep journals, or find other creative ways to reflect on their learning. In addition, online feedback polls can be helpful indicators of individual progress, highlighting possible areas for change. ■ learning online. SEN113 “New ways for schools and their communities to cooperate.” Empowering parents and carers Lastly for now, but by no means least, the success of online learning (as with all learning) can be only amplified when it’s paired with support from parents and carers. The shift to tech-enabled learning is something all educators, pupils and families alike have been forced to adapt to. While this has been a steep learning curve, the move online has also created new ways for schools and their communities to cooperate. Some top tips that teachers have shared with us to further boost home engagement include: • Providing tech tips and support – when technology and software are being introduced, or pupil access is mediated by a parent or carer, supplying online help and FAQs can help families get to grips with updated systems. • Considering what’s at home – for example, families with slow Wi-Fi connections may need alternative texts that minimise what’s being downloaded. • Offering print-out versions of your lessons – essential for any pupil who does not have easy laptop access. • Planning and facilitating screen breaks, which are key for pupils, families, and educators alike. (To help, you can encourage some positive wellbeing practices where possible – to reduce stress and anxiety, and boost endorphins) • Sharing links to specific support for parents and carers engaging with lockdown learning, such as guides from Pearson, NASEN and the NSPCC. The rise of digital learning through lockdown has the potential to become one of education’s great levellers. Imagine: large- scale access to diverse resources, educators and interactive lessons; classrooms that come to pupils, rather than the reverse; the removal of boundaries and borders to connect globally; plus programmes that can be tailor-made for every child’s specific needs, pacing and styles. All of these, and more, are at our fingertips. As we navigate the ongoing impact of Covid-19, it’s important to pause and notice that the digital landscape is one we can still shape and strengthen for all. Digital learning has so much to offer this generation of pupils, but it’s the people who deliver it and support it – educators and wider learning communities – who hold the keys for driving that positive change. senmagazine.co.uk Educational technology