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23/6/21

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Pete Wharmby is an autistic English teacher who has a blog but also gives presentations about his experience

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A blog about teaching, learning, weird stuff, Lego, stories, being tall and much more.

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Dr Seuss - the youtube version!

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Dr  Seuss' The Sneetches   Full Version   YouTube

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Embedding UDL - presentation from Dr Kevin Merry DMU

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Embedding UDL - presentation from Dr Kevin Merry DMU

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given at TEL Sussex on Global Accessibility Day

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Download presentation slides
To celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2021, Brighton DLPIS/eLearning Team and Sussex TEL are excited to offer this keynote talk from a leading expert in the field of Universal Design for Learning.

Abstract

De Montfort University (DMU) has one of the most diverse student populations in UK Higher Education. For example, 54% of students come from a Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background, and there are more than 3000 international students representing >130 countries from around the world. Furthermore, approximately 20% of students possess a declared disability. As such, a long-standing institutional priority for DMU has been the need to ensure an accessible and inclusive learning experience for its diverse community of learners. Subsequently, in 2015, DMU adopted Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as its institution-wide approach to learning, teaching and assessment in response to its exceptional level of learner diversity. UDL is an approach that incorporates a variety of options to allow it to be accessible and inclusive for diverse groups of learners possessing a wide-variety of learning needs and preferences. In this keynote talk, Dr Kevin Merry, will discuss the journey that the institution has been on, shedding some light on how DMU has enabled the University-wide adoption of UDL learning and teaching practices as a means of ensuring accessibility and inclusivity. Specifically, Kevin will discuss the context of the move toward UDL, as well as some of the key drivers and levers which have enabled the embedding of UDL as part of a wider change in learning and teaching culture.

About Kevin

Kevin Merry is the lead for academic development at DMU and a DMU Teacher Fellow. An award-winning teacher, Kevin has received accolades for his pioneering approach to online learning via flipped classroom approaches and has become internationally renowned for his work on Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Specifically, Kevin has developed a unique approach to embedding UDL into modules and courses using his own 'Cheese-Sandwich' pedagogy which fuses Bloom's Learning for Mastery approach and Constructive Alignment alongside the principles of UDL. The result is a technology enhanced learning experience within which learners are supported to become purposeful and motivated, knowledgeable, and resourceful and strategic and goal oriented - the true 'expert learner'.

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Institution-wide approaches to embedding accessibility, Dr Kevin Merry

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Download presentation slides To celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2021, Brighton DLPIS/eLearning Team and Sussex TEL are excited to offer this keynote talk from a leading expert in the field of Universal Design for Learning. De Montfort University (DMU) has one of the most diverse student populations in UK Higher Education.

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University of Edinburgh

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Dr Joanne Banks from the Trinity College has conducted a series of podcasts to capture different perspectives on school inclusion.

The links are available below:

Inclusion Dialogue Podcast - Dr. Joanne Banks chats with Prof. Lani Florian

Learning capacity is not fixed, it's open-ended

Professor Lani Florian, Bell Chair of Education at the University of Edinburgh and Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS), has been a key figure in international discussions around inclusive education over the past decades. She was interviewed on Dr. Joan Banks in her Inclusion Dialogue Podcast 'Learning capacity is not fixed, it's open-ended.'

In this interview, Lani clearly sets out the argument that inclusion and equity in education is not about some learners but all learners. She emphasises the importance of the classroom teacher in creating inclusive environment where everyone is part of a school community.

'We have to listen to students, we have to talk to students about what they want' - Podcast with Dr Anke De Boer, 18th February 2021

'Every learner matters, and matters equally' - Podcast with Prof. Mel Ainscow 11th February 2021

'Inclusive vision, special education reality' - Podcast with Prof. Garry Hornby 28th January 2021

'Now that we know better, we need to do better' - Podcast with Dr Kate De Bruin 21st January 2021

'Everybody belongs, and they belong in our local school' - Podcast with Prof. Michael Shevlin 14th January 2021

'Creating inclusive cultures goes well beyond teaching, it's about looking at your value system' - Podcast with Dr Frederic Fovet 7th January 2021

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Inclusion Podcasts, Dr. Joanne Banks, Trinity College Dublin

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Dr Joanne Banks from the Trinity College has conducted a series of podcasts to capture different perspectives on school inclusion. The links are available below: Professor Lani Florian, Bell Chair of Education at the University of Edinburgh and Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS), has been a key figure in international discussions around inclusive education over the past decades.

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Dr Kevin Merry

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'It takes me half a bottle of whisky to get through one of your assignments'

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'It takes me half a bottle of whisky to get through one of your assignments'

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Glazzard and Dale (2015) A teacher educator's experiences of dyslexia

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(Sobel and Alston, 2021)

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Guide To Disability Language| Purple Ella

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Free website for trainees, mentors and tutors
Built in, not bolt on. Accessibility for all, vital for some students but valuable for all.

Adaptive teaching for Inclusion - site introduction and adaptive expertise
Complex scenarios (case studies and presentations - focussing on the learning not the label)
Permeating themes over an ITT course (approaches to teaching all students)
https://ittr.sendgateway.org.uk/

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Kristine Black Hawkins Understanding Inclusive Pedagogy

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Kristine Black Hawkins Understanding Inclusive Pedagogy

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzxZuPI8uQ0

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Really helpful to go straight to the CAST website for more info on this

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Learn about CAST’s Universal Design for Learning framework, fostering inclusive educational experiences and improving learning outcomes for all learners.

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Rachel Cosgrove          Inclusive teaching in a nutshell: a visual guide  

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Rachel Cosgrove          Inclusive teaching in a nutshell: a visual guide  

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https://www.routledge.com/Inclusive-Teaching-in-a-Nutshell-A-Visual-Guide-for-Busy-Teachers/Cosgrove/p/book/9780367363253

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The SEN(SE) in Secondary Education Blatchford and Webster (2017)

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The SEN(SE) in Secondary Education Blatchford and Webster (2017)

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https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/sites/default/files/files/SENSE%20FINAL%20REPORT.pdf
Executive Summary

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julie.greer@cherbourg.hants.sch.uk

margaret.mulholland@ascl.org.uk

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Bell Foundation ITT Introduction EAL Module

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Bell Foundation ITT Introduction EAL Module

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To access the free Introduction to EAL module click here to sign up:
https://www.bell-foundation.org.uk/eal-programme/training/initial-teacher-training/

Moodle: https://onlinelearning.bell-foundation.org.uk/my/

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Education Policy Institute Education in England Annual Report (2020)

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Education Policy Institute Education in England Annual Report (2020)

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https://epi.org.uk/publications-and-research/education-in-england-annual-report-2020/

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Westbrook, Miles and Shepherd

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https://www.sendgateway.org.uk/page/about-nasen-wss

Resources and Publications
What works?
Blog posts

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Guidance report SEN in Mainstream Schools EEF (March 2020)

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Guidance report SEN in Mainstream Schools EEF (March 2020)

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https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1589180181/bsmeorguk/x8vmwwdvv3boyefpvdbs/EEF_Special_Educational_Needs_in_Mainstream_Schools_Guidance_Report.pdf

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Self assessment of needs and reasonable adjustments plan

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Self assessment of needs and reasonable adjustments plan

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Experience of teachers and trainees who are dyslexic

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Experience of teachers and trainees who are dyslexic

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(Riddick, 2003)

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Experiences of teachers and trainee teachers who are dyslexic

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We could do something like this...

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PRACTICE PLACEMENT SHARING OF INFORMATION CONSENT FORM

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Another blog

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This Friday (June 18) marks Autistic Pride Day, an independent celebration started in 2005 and with no connection to LGBTQIA+ events. Run by autistic people, the day aims to reject any stigma and celebrate autistic people's rights to be themselves.
Just over one in five autistic people in the UK are in any sort of employment, states a recent report from the Office for National Statistics - the lowest employment rate among all groups with disabilities. And yet, just like the visually impaired people we've focused on for the past two weeks, many autistic people more than hold their own in the workplace - such as FE colleges - with their non-autistic peers.

As an autistic secondary school English teacher and passionate advocate of the idea of neuro-diversity, Pete Wharmby says on his website that autism is simply not an illness or negative condition needing treatment or cure. Instead, if sufficient changes in government policies and in attitudes in industry and education take place, he argues that most neuro-diverse autistic people will be able to live and work alongside their neuro-typical colleagues. What's required, he says, are adaptation, adjustment and greater understanding, awareness and acceptance of what autism actually is, a neat summary of many of the day's aims (see Pete Wharmby's 30 things to support autistic people).

Diagnosed with Aspergers, aged 19

One typical example of an autistic person working in further education is Jack Kilday, a special support assistant at Hedleys College that supports students with physical and learning disabilities aged 16-25.

Only diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at 19, Jack says he'd always been interested in the area of learning disabilities from childhood and suspected he had the condition. "I also have dispraxia, which shares some traits with autism. When I first mentioned it to my mum, she called my school but they brushed it off as dispraxia. In my mid-teens I mentioned it to one of our class assistants who again said I was mistaken - I thought they must know what they are talking about! Then I did more reading round the subject when I was 18 and it still sounded a lot like me, so I finally went to my doctor and got my diagnosis."

Jack says he's always struggled to an extent with social skills as he consciously has to think when he needs to give people time to speak rather than keep talking himself. "That's what you are supposed to do in this situation."

School surprised it failed to detect autism

And if he is really interested in something, he says he can become a bit fixated on it - he's just started playing Dungeons and Dragons with friends and "gone down the rabbit hole reading all the manuals".

His school was genuinely surprised it had not picked up on Aspergers. "If you had a checklist of stereotypical traits for someone with Aspergers, you'd put me next to it!"

Jack passed his GCSEs, got a distinction on a business studies course and then tried A-levels. A few months in, he decided they were not for him and left school to join his father's factory as a trainee service engineer. "But I decided it was not for m and managed to get another job as an apprentice in a care home for the next four years." Again, for various reasons, it was still not for him and he looked to move on.

He'd long had an interest in working in education but dismissed the idea because he had always struggled with exams - and he'd have to take them to teach. But while looking at courses at Newcastle College, he spied a one-year teaching assistant course and thought he might as well give it a go and see if he could do it.

'I absolutely loved working with the students'

He got a work placement for two days a week during the course at the Percy Hedley Foundation's secondary school catering for people with physical and learning disabilities. He found he "absolutely loved working with the students". On completing the full-time course, he got his current job at Hedleys College (also run by the foundation). He's been working there since 2016 and "it's the best job I've ever had!"

So how did he show at interview that he would be a valuable staff member and then overcome the daily pressures of teaching? Jack pre-empted his college job interview by preparing a series of questions and answers on issues that would come up, such as safeguarding and how he would support someone with a particular disability or help a teacher in a classroom environment. He's developed his own particular set of questions and practises this approach during the numerous work-based interactions he has to have with students.

"I've produced scripts for different situations. So if, say, I'm going to the pub with friends, I have to think when I've said so much, [switch the conversation topic] and ask someone a relevant question."

He now hopes to start a two-year part-time foundation degree in special educational needs (SEN). "Fingers crossed, I'll start in September if the interview goes well at Newcastle College."

Relevant work experience before applying for jobs

How would Jack advise autistic people wanting to teach? "Don't fear going out to get experience before applying. I was quite lucky because the foundation specialised in supporting people with physical and/or learning difficulties and, because of my work placement, they knew I was autistic and capable of doing a good job.

"No matter where you get a job, experience helps. And if you are autistic, it will look good as you're showing evidence you can do the job."

College recruitment teams should also note that many autistic people demonstrate special talents. When asked, Jack mentions his ability to talk at length about a subject that interests him. "Get me talking about a topic I'know and I'll be able to bite your ear off! Religion, certain themed video games, theme park rides, especially at Disney . . . they can all get me going. I need to remind myself sometimes that other people may not be as interested in a particular subject as I am!"

'Don't be afraid to ask for help'

But like so many autistic people, Jack also uses his ability to focus sharply on particular topics to benefit his employer. "I generally support teaching skills through more sensory-based activities - I have long been interested in how all that works, I know what I'm doing and can thus explain what is happening to staff who may not normally work with our group. I even get them laughing!"

Being an efficient autistic teacher does, however, require you to rely on others' understanding. "So don't be afraid to ask for help if you are genuinely struggling because of your autism," says Jack.

"One of my biggest problems is not wanting to be seen as being unable to do as much as others because I'm autistic - if I ask for help, I worry that others might think I'm trying to get out of something." He overcomes this by occasionally just mentioning he's autistic if the situation warrants it. "But I don't say 'I'm autistic so I can't do something'. It might look odd if I come straight out with it so I find it helps to joke about it for a bit."

'If I get stressed, I take myself out of a situation'

Sometimes Jack might struggle picking up social cues - "I don't always realise I'm getting stressed until I am very stressed! The signs for me include getting an anxious feeling - I start talking quicker and getting tired more rapidly, and very occasionally I've felt like locking myself in a room for a few hours. I can now recognise when I start feeling stressed more, although that rarely happens these days. I do things to calm myself down by taking myself out of a situation - I might go to the bathroom for a couple of minutes for a breather when it's safe to do so (other staff are with my class). I don't take long to destress. People are now quite surprised to hear I'm autistic."

In fact, Jack plans to start a two-year, part-time foundation degree specialising in special needs education this September at Newcastle College - if his interview goes well. "A foundation degree would qualify me to teach anyone over 14 and above - and that would be really handy for where I work."

Next week: insights from Jack's line manager and an autism champion

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Proud to be autistic - how to succeed as an autistic teacher

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This Friday (June 18) marks Autistic Pride Day, an independent celebration started in 2005 and with no connection to LGBTQIA+ events. Run by autistic people, the day aims to reject any stigma and celebrate autistic people's rights to be themselves.

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Florian and Black-Hawkins (2011)

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Ware, SIngal & Groce (2021)

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Ware, Singal, Croce 2021 disabled teachers

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SEND: old issues, new issues, next steps

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A report about the experiences of children and young people with SEND and their families during the pandemic, in the context of the SEND reforms over the last 10 years.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

The last 10 years have been a period of reform to the way in which the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities ( SEND) are identified, assessed and met. This report reflects on these reforms and their impact. It also considers what has been working well in the SEND system over time and areas where the reforms have not had the desired impact. It looks at SEND at the start of 2020, when the pandemic began: the number of children and young people who are part of the ' SEND system', their outcomes and experiences at different ages, and their experiences of receiving services. This sets the context for the findings from Ofsted's visits to local areas, where we found out about the experiences of children and young people through the pandemic.

Thank you for your feedback

Report a problem with this page

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SEND: old issues, new issues, next steps

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Skip to main content We use some essential cookies to make this website work. We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

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In This Blog: disability language can be hard to get one's head around. One reason for this is because language surrounding disability is so fluid and what was the common term from 30 years ago, may not be the common time today. This blog will help to get to grips with how to know some of the more acceptable terms

Where to start with using disability language

I think so much of what prevents society and business' engaging with disabled people is down to a lack of confidence with the language. It could seem to an onlooker that the language surrounding disability is complicated and inflammatory and therefore sometimes, easier to avoid having a conversation altogether than potentially making a mistake and offending somebody.

When running disability awareness sessions, a large proportion of the session is often filled with discussions around this topic. As language is so fluid, especially language around disability, it changes so often. Because the disability movement is developing and disability advocates have a greater voice than in the past, we are speaking up about what inclusive language actually means and why it is important.

To compound the confusion, different countries use different terms to describe disability. For example, in the US, it is popular to say persons with disabilities. They also commonly use the term handicapped which in the UK is a big no-no and has been for several years. In other countries, they use terms such as differently abled.

Why disability language matters

Whilst this may be an interesting read and an interesting discussion topic, it is still very important to understand the background to the language, terms and words we use when describing disability. When reading biographies, business books, books about diversity and even crime podcasts, I still come across terms describing disability that make me cringe. This comes from the unknown, not doing enough research and not having enough information to make an informed decision about the impact of the word.

I have written quite a few articles on the impact of the language we choose to describe disability. Because essentially, the words we use to describe anything, seep into our unconscious and inform our thoughts. And our thoughts inform our actions. Therefore, when we are in the workplace and serving our "handicapped" customer, we may unconsciously be thinking about that customer in a different way than we are thinking about our non-disabled customer. The word may make us think that the customer is not that important or that the customer should be pitied.

Popular Terms

Below are a few words that are associated with disability and the meaning and history behind the words. You may have some terms yourself that resonate with you. If so, please let me know what they are.

Handicapped

This term dates back to the reign of Henry VIII. During this time, disabled people, unable to earn a living to support themselves would beg on the street. This was done with a cap in hand.

Synonyms of handicapped: crippled, disadvantaged, blocked, burdened, deterred, restrained, obstructed

Spastic

Scotland founded the Scottish Society of the Care of Spastics in 1946. England's Spastic Society was founded in 1951.

However, even earlier than this, the term "spastic" comes from the Latin term spasticus which translates as "afflicted with spasms". The term is medical terminology which describes the symptoms of a person with cerebral palsy.

Synonyms of spastic: debilitated, paralysed, sick, atonic, diseased

Person with a Disability

The terminology "person with the disability" comes from the person first theory. I have discussed this in another blog. The decision for a disabled person to identify themselves as a person with a disability or disabled person is a personal choice and neither is right or wrong. However, as I have discussed before within the disabled community there are very split views.

Wheelchair Bound

A person who is wheelchair-bound is bound to their wheelchair. In other words, that person cannot get out. This is never really the case as a person using a wheelchair full-time still will leave their wheelchair to use the toilet, go to bed, etc.

Synonyms of bound: constraints, enslaved, obligated, restrained, compelled, coerced

Preferred term: wheelchair user

Disabled

I know of disabled people who do not like the term disabled. This is because as mentioned, the synonyms surrounding the term are all negative. Thinking back to what I was saying earlier about thoughts seeping into our unconscious, this would mean that whenever somebody used the term "disabled" it would be synonymous with negative thoughts.

Whilst I understand this thought pattern, I prefer the term disabled for other reasons as I have shared before. I also believe that as with other words from other diverse backgrounds, it is time for us as disabled people to reclaim the term. Therefore, instead of seeing disability as a negative, we can continue to redefine the term to be positive.

However, this certainly does not discount the fact that the results of an impairment can at times, for different people in different ways be incredibly limiting. Whether it is due to chronic pain, limited mobility, cognitive processes or many other barriers resulting from the symptoms of any impairment.

Synonyms of disabled: handicapped, infirm, paralysed, wounded, disarmed, maimed, sidelined, powerless

Able-bodied

The term able-bodied can be an accurate definition but very rarely it is used accurately. An able-bodied person is a person who does not have any physical impairment. In other words, their body is able. However, this is still sketchy territory because some bodies are more able than others: an Olympic swimmer is more able than a novice. The term able-bodied is often used to describe someone with no obvious impairment which can lead to potential inaccuracy.

Synonyms of able-bodied: athletic, brawny, powerful, robust, strapping, sturdy, powerhouse, ripped, well built, tough

Preferred term: non-disabled

Collective Labels and Positive Language

At times, people have been known to talk about disabled people as a collective. For example, "the disabled". This term should always be avoided because disabled people do not want to be grouped together as one. The preferred term would be disabled people (or people with disabilities, depending on which term you prefer).

Always use positive language when talking about disability and disabled people. Questions such as "What's wrong with you?" Should be avoided because it is suggesting that there is something wrong with the individual and as we have discussed, disability is not a punishment nor is it any illness. Similarly, comments such as "You do so well" are not appropriate. This is because they imply that disability is a struggle. Whereas, for many people, our impairment is part of our everyday.

if you're interested in finding out more about developing confidence around disability language, have a look at our training page and get in touch.

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Disability Language: How To Talk About Disability | Celebrating Disability

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In This Blog: disability language can be hard to get one's head around. One reason for this is because language surrounding disability is so fluid and what was the common term from 30 years ago, may not be the common time today.

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Inclusive language and imagery - Disability Wales

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Inclusive language and imagery - Disability Wales

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Inclusive Language and Imagery

How people are represented, described or referred to can have considerable impact on how they feel about themselves and how they are perceived by the public, employers and service providers.

Language guidelines

Not everyone will agree on everything but there is general agreement on some basic guidelines.

Person First or Identity First Language?

Person-first language is often used in professional settings. It means saying "person with a disability," rather than "disabled person." The thinking is that by putting the person first, people will focus on the person rather than defining them solely by their disability.

However, many disabled people actively prefer not to use person-first language. Instead, they opt for identity-first e.g. disabled person. This emphasises how people with impairments are disabled by barriers in society i.e. a Social Model understanding of disability. This places the responsibility on society to remove disabling barriers and be fully inclusive of people with impairments. Furthermore many see their lived experience of impairment and disability as part of their identity and what makes them who they are as a person.

Adoption of the Social Model of Disability implies adopting identity first language e.g. 'disabled person' rather than 'person with a disability'. However individuals remain free to make their own choices regarding how they wish to refer to themselves.

Collective terms and labels

The word 'disabled' is a description not a group of people. Use 'disabled people' not 'the disabled' as the collective term.

However, many Deaf people whose first language is BSL consider themselves part of 'the Deaf community' - they may describe themselves as 'Deaf', with a capital D, to emphasise their Deaf identity.

Avoid medical labels. They say little about people as individuals and tend to reinforce stereotypes of disabled people being 'patients' or unwell.

Don't automatically refer to 'disabled people' in all communications - many people who need disability benefits and services don't identify with this term. Consider using 'people with health conditions or impairments' if it seems more appropriate.

Positive not negative

Avoid phrases like 'suffers from' which suggest discomfort, constant pain and a sense of hopelessness.

Referring to disabled people as 'vulnerable' implies inherent weakness and helplessness. It can also result in making people more of a target for domestic violence, disability related harassment and hate crime. Disabled people can find themselves in vulnerable situations, often due to lack of support and social isolation and it is this that should be tackled.

Wheelchair users may not view themselves as 'confined or bound to' a wheelchair - try thinking of it as a mobility aid instead.

Everyday phrases

Most disabled people are comfortable with the words used to describe daily living. People who use wheelchairs 'go for walks' and people with vision impairments may be very pleased - or not - 'to see you'. An impairment may just mean that some things are done in a different way.

Common phrases that may associate impairments with negative things should be avoided, for example 'deaf to our pleas', 'turn a blind eye' or 'crippled by debt'.

Words to use and avoid

Avoid passive, victim words. Use language that respects disabled people as active individuals with control over their own lives.

* The term 'people with a learning disability' is in widespread use including among self-advocacy groups. From a Social Model perspective equating disability with impairment is problematic therefore those who advocate identity first language may refer to 'people with learning difficulties' or 'people with cognitive or intellectual impairments'.

Imagery

Disabled people comprise 25% of the Welsh population and in presenting Wales as an inclusive nation, use images that reflect its diverse communities, challenge stereotypes and help break down barriers.

Images selected should represent disabled people as active citizens, exercising choice and control including interacting with non-disabled people in the work place, school or social setting.

Avoid stock images such as a person in a wheelchair looking forlorn and helpless. These reinforce negative stereotypes about how life must be for disabled people. Not all impairments are obvious, however clichés such as 'helping hands' or a person being pushed in a wheelchair should be avoided.

Unless an article is about technological aids don't use an image of a hearing aid, wheelchair or other object to represent disabled people.

Some tips on behaviour

use a normal tone of voice, don't patronise or talk down

don't be too precious or too politically correct - being super-sensitive to the right and wrong language and depictions will stop you doing anything

never attempt to speak or finish a sentence for the person you are talking to

address disabled people in the same way as you talk to everyone else

speak directly to a disabled person, even if they have an interpreter or companion with them

Sources: www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-communication/inclusive-language-words-to-use-and-avoid-when-writing-about-disability

Introduction to Disability Terminology

http://www.disabilitywales.org/projects/embolden/ - Reporting on Disability for Journalists Guide

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Inclusive Language and Imagery - Disability Wales

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Inclusive Language and Imagery How people are represented, described or referred to can have considerable impact on how they feel about themselves and how they are perceived by the public, employers and service providers. Language guidelines Not everyone will agree on everything but there is general agreement on some basic guidelines.