The evidence informing the Education Endownment Fund’s (EEF) ‘Special Education Needs in Mainstream Schools’ guidance report identified five approaches which can be integrated into day-to-day teaching practice to positively support all learners, including those with SEND.
The ‘Five-a-day’ is already part of most teachers’ current practice, or is relatively easy to add in.
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1. Explicit Instruction
This is a teacher-led approach focusing on clear explanations, modelling
and frequent checks for understanding. This is then followed by guided
practice, before independent practice.
2. Metacognitive Strategies
Managing cognitive load is crucial in the process of transferring new content into
students’ long-term memory. One strategy is to provide opportunities for students to plan,
monitor and evaluate their own learning.
3. Scaffolding
An example of scaffolding when students are working on a written task, is providing a tool such as a writing frame or a partially completed example. The aim of this approach is to slowly provide less and less support throughout the lesson, week or term.
4. Flexible Grouping
Allocate groups temporarily, based on current level of mastery. This
could, for example, be a group that comes together to get some
additional spelling instruction based on current need, before re-joining
the main class.
5. Using Technology
Technology can be used by a teacher to model worked examples; it can
be used by a student to help them to learn, to practice and to record
their learning. For instance, you might use a class visualiser to share
students’ work or to jointly rework an incorrect model.
Further information
EFF Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools—Recommendations
EFF ‘5 a Day’ blog