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DO THIS MAINTAIN GRAVITAS Exercise better class control with these tips from Robin Launder... If a student starts chatting during your delivery, abruptly stop talking. Mid-sentence is powerful; mid-multisyllabic word is even more powerful. Look at the student, visibly express your surprise and then wait until you have complete compliance. Pause for a moment longer. Then begin talking to the class again. While talking,make sure your gaze settles on that student once or twice more, to let them know that you haven’t forgotten about their moment of chatting. Be cautious about taking questions during your delivery. One question can quickly become two – and by the time you’ve answered that second question, you’ll have lost the attention of some, or even most of the class. Besides, there’s a strong likelihood that the next thing you would have said will have answered that question anyway. If you do choose to take questions (emphasis on the ‘if’), then only do so at the end. In fact, it’s often better to get your students working and on task, and only then go to speak with the student who had the question. Chances are, it will have been answered by then anyway. Robin Launder is a behaviourmanagement consultant and speaker; findmore tips in his weekly Better Behaviour online course – formore details, visit behaviourbuddy.co.uk The number of pupils needing extra support inmainstream classrooms is growing. While this can present some fantastic opportunities for inclusion, it can also be tough. Schools are already stretched for funding as it is, with the resulting pressures often landing squarely on teachers’ shoulders. Some schools will have really got it together, and managed to set up hubs or specific classes for pupils working at lower Key Stages. Others? Not so much. The reality is that many can find themselves attempting to juggle everything on their own, navigating mazes of inconsistent systems withminimal support. And where does that leave you? Most likely with evenings spent adapting lessons for pupils working below age-related expectations, trying to ensure they can access the curriculumwhile simultaneously managing the needs of 29 other students. And that’s before we even talk about the need to assess their progress, because your school’s tracking systems doesn’t accurately reflect the small steps forward they’re actually making – but there are ways of making things easier. Here’s how you can tackle some of these challenges head-on. 1 STARTWITH ACCURATE ASSESSMENT First things first, find out exactly where your pupil is in their learning journey – and no, that doesn’t just mean in your subject. Dig into their abilities in core areas like reading, writing and maths. Chat with your SENCo and colleagues to get the full picture. Once you knowwhere they’re at, you can set meaningful and realistic targets that will actually help themmove forward. 2 DON’T REINVENTTHEWHEEL Planning bespoke lessons can feel overwhelming, but you don’t always have to create everything from scratch. There are loads of resources out there that can help you break down the curriculum into smaller, more manageable steps. This can save you time and give you a clearer idea of what’s achievable for your pupils. Use what’s available and adapt it to fit your class. It’s all about working smarter, not harder. 3 ADAPTYOUR LESSONS Tailor your lessons based on what your pupils can do. If, for example, your class is learning about space, and one pupil is working at a Y4 level, ask them to draw a simple diagram or write a shorter paragraph. What’s key is to keep them involved in the topic, without overwhelming them. It’s all about making the work accessible, while keeping it meaningful. 4 TRACK PROGRESS PROPERLY Here’s a big question – does your school have a system that shows the genuine progress of pupils with additional needs? Many systems will simply flag that they’re working at below age-related expectations, which doesn’t help anyone. If you’re stuck with this, speak to your SENCo about finding a better solution. The small steps some students make matter, and they deserve to be celebrated and recorded properly. 5 LEAN ON YOUR SENCO AND NETWORK You’re not in this alone. Your SENCo is there to support you, so don’t be afraid to share your challenges and ideas with them. Be sure to also connect with other teachers at your school, or even in online forums. Sometimes, the best ideas can come from swapping stories with people in the same boat. 6 MOVING FORWARD Yes, teaching pupils with additional needs is challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. By focusing on accurate assessments, using existing resources and finding better ways of tracking progress, you canmake a real difference – not just for your pupils, but in terms of your own workload too. Every small step forward is a victory worth celebrating. CO-AUTHORED BYALICE SMITH (FORMER TEACHER, NOWMARKETINGMANAGER AT ITRACK EDUCATION) AND VICTORIA CLAYSON (FORMER SENCOAND DEPUTYHEADTEACHER, NOWEDUCATION CONSULTANT); FORMORE INFORMATION, VISIT ITRACKEDUCATION.COM FOCUS ON... ADDITIONAL NEEDS 76 teachwire.net/secondary