Supportive Schools: Case Studies for Teachers and Other Professionals Working in Schools

Using 15 case studies, this book highlights the attempts being made by teachers and other professionals to meet the varied needs of pupils in mainstream and special schools. The emphasis is on providing practical examples which illustrate effective intervention strategies for use in particular situations. The case studies explore such diverse areas as disruptive behaviour, dyslexia, child abuse, deafness and epilepsy, as well as discussing the wider issues of personal and social education, disability and under-achievement.

Table of Contents:
Introduction; Attempts to meet the individual needs of a young child entering infant school. A Home–School Liaison Teacher works with a disadvantaged family to help a pre-school child evidencing poor speech and language development. A disorganised child in a Primary School. A pupil encounters difficulties in the movement learning area. The diagnosis and support of a young child with special needs. 2 Matthew QUESTIONS SUPPORTIVE INFORMATION AND MATERIAL 1 The Health Visitor’s plan of action 2 Developmental tests used by a Health Visitor 3 Audiology and the Teacher for the Deaf 4 Mother and toddler group 5 ENT consultant 6 District handicapped teams and Handicap register 7 Checklist for Health Visitor after birth of a child 8 Definitions of impairment, disability and handicap 9 Useful reading A change in a Primary School child’s disruptive behaviour. An examination of the possible reasons for the dramatic improvements in a young boy’s behaviour after his prior disruptive behaviour had caused real concern both at home and in school. QUESTIONS SUPPORTIVE INFORMATION AND MATERIAL 1 Behaviour modification 2 Useful reading An eight-year-old boy with specific learning difficulties – dyslexia. QUESTIONS SUPPORTIVE INFORMATION AND MATERIAL 1 Definitions of dyslexia 2 Information and material 3 Publishers of specific learning difficulties material 4 Useful games 5 Books that list useful resources including games 6 Useful addresses 7 Test materials 8 Useful reading 4 Jeremy 5 James Possible child abuse. A teacher is concerned about an older Primary age child’s physical injuries and the possibility that he is being abused at home. The teacher encounters the dilemma of making a decision about whether or not to share her concern with others. QUESTIONS SUPPORTIVE INFORMATION AND MATERIAL 1 Useful addresses 2 Types of abuse 3 Indications of possible abuse 4 Responsibilities and procedures 5 Cleveland Inquiry – a reminder 6 Estimates of abuse 7 The teacher’s role 8 Considerations for parents 9 The Children Act (1989) 10 Useful reading and training packs An epileptic person fit for work. This deals with the Primary and Secondary School career of a young girl with epilepsy, and her later adult work. QUESTIONS SUPPORTIVE INFORMATION AND MATERIAL 1 Types of epilepsy 2 Helping organisations 3 A teacher’s guide to epilepsy 4 Critical comments from a person with epilepsy 5 Useful leaflets 6 Addresses 7 Training packs 8 Useful reading A thirteen-year-old child in a special school has severe learning difficulties. QUESTIONS SUPPORTIVE INFORMATION AND MATERIAL Reference material 6 Patrick 7 Sally 8 Sandra A Primary Heads’ In-Service Training day, and their consideration of personal and social education in the primary school. QUESTIONS SUPPORTIVE INFORMATION AND MATERIAL 1 A selection of themes in personal and social education (PSE) 2 A random list of possible PSE topics 3 A checklist of PSE themes 4 Useful reading A consideration of how the needs of a severely physically disabled youngster can be provided for within a mainstream Secondary School. QUESTIONS SUPPORTIVE INFORMATION AND MATERIAL 1 General information 2 Useful contacts for parents 3 Useful addresses 4 Other useful organisations 5 Useful references A computer can help with the speech problems of a Secondary School child. QUESTIONS SUPPORTIVE INFORMATION AND MATERIAL 1 Useful programme 2 Useful addresses 3 Useful reading A thirteen-year-old girl with a disturbed home background is helped through counselling to be less passive and withdrawn. QUESTIONS SUPPORTIVE INFORMATION AND MATERIAL 1 Definitions of counselling 9 Twinely District 10 Daniel 11 Brian 12 Wendy 2 Listening 3 Interviewing pupils – normal problems 4 Referral agencies 5 Blocks to listening 6 Useful reading A route for a misfit. This case study illustrates how a Secondary School’s pastoral care provision and practices can fail to help some youngsters. QUESTIONS SUPPORTIVE INFORMATION AND MATERIAL 1 The Youth Service 2 Drugs 3 Pastoral care in school – a checklist 4 Self-confidence and achievement 5 Differing views on education – themes for discussion 6 Personal and social development of young people – useful reading Low self-esteem in a Secondary School child. This study deals with the case of a child with a history of poor achievement and low selfesteem. QUESTIONS SUPPORTIVE INFORMATION AND MATERIAL 1 Self-concept 2 The learner-centred school 3 ‘Killer’ statements by teachers 4 Useful reading In-Service Training in personal and social education. The staff of a secondary school can be helped through In-Service Training to be better tutors and to work in a more integrated pastoral system. QUESTIONS SUPPORTIVE INFORMATION AND MATERIAL Handout A 1 The tutor 2 Aims and objectives 3 Tutorial concepts and requirements 4 Tutorial organisation 13 Tommy 14 Savas 15 Clearview High School Handout B Discussion material for tutorial periods Handout C 1 Tutorial activities 2 Possible visitors and referral agencies Handout D 1 Long-term objectives in tutorial work 2 Pupils’ personal development topics 3 Normal tasks of adolescence 4 Life skills list 5 Useful reading.