Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in Schools: A Critical Introduction

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in Schools is an essential resource designed to support you during and beyond your teaching training to understand, assess and address special and/or additional educational needs and disabilities (SEND). In addition to the expected updates throughout to the latest research and legislation, new developments include: - expanded discussions of key topics such as bullying, social, emotional and mental health - detailed coverage of planning for transition across the age ranges - suggestions of hardware and software for day-to-day use and use in exam conditions - increased focus on the importance of positive and supportive relationships Drawing on her wealth of experience, close contact with schools, families and students as well as relevant research, Janice Wearmouth explores a wide range of approaches to assess and address the most common forms of SEND. These include difficulties in communication and cognition, behavioural concerns related to social, emotional and mental health, sensory and/or physical needs, and literacy and numeracy difficulties. The author uses key questions to introduce each chapter, and reflective activities to encourage you to consider your own practice to ensure that all young people reach their potential. She illustrates policy and provision for SEND in a highly authentic and engaging way with a range of exemplars, vignettes and personal accounts of young people's and families' experiences within the field, and provides a wealth of additional resources on the companion website.

Table of Contents:
List of Figures List of Tables Preface How to Use This Book 1. Issues Related To 'Needs' In Education across the UK 2. Understanding Learning and Behaviour 3. A Historical Perspective and the Current Legal Position 4. Assessment of Barriers to Learning, and Planning for Addressing Needs 5. Understanding Difficulties and Addressing Needs in Communication, Interaction, Cognition and Learning 6. Understanding and Addressing Difficulties in Social, Emotional and Mental Health 7. Focus on Behaviour in Schools and Colleges 8. Focus on Reading Difficulties 9. Focus on Writing Difficulties 10. Focus on Numeracy Difficulties 11. Focus on Behaviour in Settings, Schools and Colleges 12. Uses of Technology to Support Learning Needs 13. Professional Relationships with Others 14. Including young people: Moving Forward References Index

About the Author :
Janice Wearmouth is Professor of Education at the University of Bedfordshire, UK. She was previously Director of the Centre for Curriculum and Teaching Studies at the Open University, UK, and Professor of Education at the University of Wellington, New Zealand.

Review :
There is much useful material for educators across the UK educational system and different establishments. This second edition of Janice Wearmouth's book updates the first edition to cover legislative changes across the UK and including research and current issues relevant to the impact of the Covid pandemic. There is a continuing need for this very engaging and critical perspective on the field. It combines a breadth of coverage of the range of special educational needs while providing in-depth discussion of the social and political context and of the key issues. The opportunity for reflective activities with an expanded website to support learning makes this a very helpful resource to those starting out in the field, as well as those preparing to become SEN Coordinators. This is a comprehensive introduction to an important topic, and one that provides a key and helpful resource to both students and practitioners alike. All chapters are clearly structured, ask key and detailed questions, and provide useful reflective activities for the reader. There is both breadth and depth to the coverage, written in an insightful and engaging style. This text offers a clear, coherent and detailed study on the purpose and role of SEND education, providing an in-depth consideration of how education can benefit children and young people with a range of learning differences and disabilities. I would recommend this text for students of education and practitioners. This book is an accessible and comprehensive analysis of SEND in schools, which debates underpinning values as well as offering useful enabling strategies. It will be invaluable to students, teachers and other practitioners such as SENCos. A comprehensive text covering a range of essential and relevant topics within the area of SEND. Theory is clarified through the use of practical examples. Accessible material with a highly readable layout Essential reading for those intending to work with SEND. Wearmouth's timely new book makes an insightful and very accessible contribution to the development of trainee teachers' awareness of key issues, policies and practices in the area of special educational needs and disability support. This essential resource for teacher training programmes takes a holistic approach encompassing student, teacher and parents, while showing the clear links between policy setting and the development of codes of practice. This new book from Janice Wearmouth is both comprehensive and insightful. As in her other books, the author digs deep and provides answers to crucial questions - extremely comforting in times of change and uncertainty. The book provides a blueprint of how to deal with the changes and the challenges in today's schools through informative chapters discussing a host of key issues facing teachers and educators in all sectors of education. Without doubt this will emerge as a key text in teacher training. A helpful introductory book that will be useful for students who are new to the area of Special Educational Needs. It is clearly structured and the reflective activities are useful to help the students engage with the material on a deeper level.