“When you look at it on paper it is difficult to see why the current system for meeting the needs of children with SEN is so prone to failure. On paper it seems to work, but in practice there are some big weaknesses that lead to its failure.”
“I have had email correspondence with our children’s school and government on this issue, and I have to say that they are all very vague about how SEN will be managed in academies and free schools.”
“Prior to our children having statements, we had to fight for everything each time a problem arose, mostly without success…It was extremely labour-intensive.”
“Although I could hardly believe it, it began to dawn on me that although I wanted my children to have more help at school, the school did not want to do anything ‘extra’ for them and I could not understand why…”
“Poor supervision can create collusion, indifference or add to the stress in the workforce. Practitioners may leave or burn out and leave…A resilient and healthy workforce is well worth the investment in training supervisors.
We’re very pleased to bring you these clips from Phoebe Caldwell’s latest JKP title! Autism and Intensive Interaction is a three part film following Phoebe…
Author Liz Beddoe recently stopped by JKP’s London HQ to record a short video highlighting some of the key features of the new book, Best…
“…autism helps us appreciate diversity of looking at and interpreting the world. There is no ‘correct’ way to perceive our environment. The exploration of the ways in which autistic individuals think and perceive the world assists us in understanding the diversity of our own nature and our own experiences. Autism shifts the focus of our exploration from the practical everyday activities of life to understanding what it means to be human, and the necessity of recognising the rich diversity of life. Many of us still do not trust anything that is different from ‘normality’. However, there are many different ways to see the same thing, and each of them may be correct if seen from the right perspective.”
“Although the approach know as Intensive Interaction has been available since the 1980’s, it has relied on direct person-to-person teaching and until recently there has been remarkably little training material generally available. It really is important to see it done.”
“Since children with Asperger Syndrome are literal thinkers, some parents and professionals try to avoid metaphorical language, so as not to confuse or distress – but this can’t prepare the child for the real world. And non-literal language can be fun! If metaphors are explained and explored in a relaxed, playful way, they can enrich children’s understanding of language and the world, and help them to use language in a less formal and more ‘natural’ sounding way.”