Adopting e-Learning to Cater for Students with Special
Educational Needs
in the Junior Secondary English Classroom
Benjamin Moorhouse
Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong
Objectives
O To develop an awareness of different special
educational needs (SEN) of students that teachers in the mainstream English classroom need to address and the role of e-learning in helping to address these needs;
O To explore different e-learning resources and strategies that can be used to successfully develop the language skills of students with SEN in the mainstream
classroom; and
O To develop effective teaching strategies that facilitate the learning of students with SEN in the mainstream classroom with the use of e-learning resources.
Special Educational Needs (SEN)
O The term ‘special educational needs’ is very broad and includes a wide range of needs, from mild forms of dyslexia to severe forms of autism (Hockly, 2016).
O In groups, talk about your own experiences with SEN students in the classroom.
Specific Learning Difficulties in Reading and Writing
(Dyslexia)
O Dyslexia is a neurobiological disorder that affects the development of both decoding (written word pronunciation) and encoding (spelling).
Attention
Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
O Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that becomes
apparent in some children in the preschool and early school years. It is hard for these children to control their behavior and/or pay attention.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
O Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a
complex developmental disorder that affects the brain’s normal development. Children with ASD have difficulties with social
communication and interaction. They also have narrow interests and repetitive
behaviour, and might have sensory sensitivities.
An Inclusive Classroom
O Finding out why students do not learn well and why some learn better than others;
O Using appropriate strategies to make each student learn better, including removing barriers to learning; and
O Not intended to even out abilities and
performances, but to enable all students to learn and perform to the best of their abilities (CDC, 2017).
Equality vs Equity
O Equality in the classroom – Everyone is
treated the same regardless of background and abilities.
O Equity in the classroom - Factors specific to persons or groups should not interfere with their potential for academic success.
The Role of e-Learning Resources in Helping SEN Learners
O Technology can now allow learners to develop self- help and self-referencing skills.
O Language can be delivered to learners at the point of need (Hockly, 2016).
O Tablets and other devices have made it easier now to cater for diversity and can be engaging and
interactive (Cumming & Rodriguez, 2013).
O Tablets and other devices allow students to become more independent and engaged (Queensland Government, 2012).
Some Considerations
O The environment in which the e-learning resources will be used including school’s technological
infrastructure
O Our learning objectives
O The type of special educational need
O Interests of the learners
O Age, ability and readiness of the learners
O Readiness of the teacher
What e-learning tools or apps have you used in the classroom
already? How did you find
them?
The e-Learning Resources in the Workshop Today
O Support SEN students in producing digital multimodal texts that allow them to express
themselves with different modes of representation
O Facilitate SEN students’ collaborative learning in the development of language skills
O Maximise SEN students’ engagement in learning through customising learning and teaching
O Enhance teachers’ presentation of learning content through incorporating different media
Specific Learning Difficulties in Reading and Writing
(Dyslexia)
O Challenges
O General Strategies
O e-Learning Strategies
Challenges
O Learn to rhyme words
O Learn the letter names and sounds of the alphabet
O Confusion of letters and words (b/d, p/q and was and saw, dog and god)
O Reversal of letter (persist past the age of 7 or 8)
O Confusion with letters with similar sounds (/f/ or /v/)
O Retain the visual representation of irregular words for reading and spelling (once)
O Spell words differently on the same page (wuns, wunce for once)
O Spell words the way they sound rather than their look (sed/said)
O Slow word perception – reading rate and fluency
General Strategies
O Make English as transparent and structured as possible
O Explicitly teach them the rules
O Teach students various learning skills such as identifying salient points, getting to know key words, etc.
O Get them interested in reading – road signs, menus, supermarket trips etc.
O Help students develop the habit of self-review in order to reduce writing errors
O Provide tools, such as dictionaries and word banks to help learners
O Provide assessment accommodation; reduce the amount of
materials for dictation, inform students of the marking scheme in advance, allow extra time for tests and examinations etc.
O Administer homework accommodation, e.g. assign appropriate homework in accordance with the student’s ability, reduce
assignments which require a lot of copying, enlarge the writing grid
e-Learning Strategies
O Self-directed learning and referencing skills
O Online dictionaries and tablet dictionaries
O Merriam Webster’s Learners dictionary
O Wolfram-alpha
e-Learning Strategies
O Support reading and writing
O Text to Speech / Speech to Text functions
O Safari, Google, iPad Speech Reader
O Look up functions on browsers and iPad
O Google search by voice
e-Learning Strategies
O Other useful referencing tools to help with reading
O Google images
O Voki Edu
O Tellagami Edu
O Book platforms with reading aloud function – Example (EPIC)
Attention
Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
O Challenges
O General Strategies
O e-Learning Strategies
Challenges
O Concentrating for long periods of time
O Focusing on tasks they don’t find interesting or engaging
O Staying still (They often fidget in chair or with hands and play with things)
O Executive function: Disorganization / time management
General Strategies
O Fidget toys and option to sit on gym ball
O Colour coded folders to separate homework books by subject / priority
O Timetable – visual schedule (Respond better to visual cues)
O Giving choice of task
O Silent reminders (Make student aware of the sign)
O Remind them to keep their desks tidy so as to minimize the source of distraction
O May teach emotion management skills, e.g. teaching the students to take a deep breath when getting
angry, count numbers in descending order, or stop and think, etc.
O May ask the students to run an errand so as to allow a break from remaining in seat for too long
e-Learning Strategies
O Engagement and interest
O Game like activities:
O Kahoot
O Videos – Youtube / Instructables
O Type up on iPad / computer (Word / Pages)
e-Learning Strategies
O Organization of thoughts and time management
O Tools for students – Graphic organisers
(Other option – Read Write Think / Popplet)
O Timer – Make sure on track (http://www.online-
stopwatch.com/classroom-timers/)
O Reminder on iPad
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
O Challenges
O General Strategies
O e-Learning Strategies
Challenges
O Highly complex special need
O Often have difficulty in social interaction
O Often have difficulty reading emotions
O Often have difficulty in change and unexpected situations
O Like logical and systematic presentations
O Have difficulty following requirements and instructions
O Have difficulty coming up with ideas and
awareness of different genres (Can recount
events but difficulty with fiction and imagination)
General Strategies
O Give one instruction at a time and enhance their understanding of the instructions with pictures and symbols
O Provide predictable environments e.g. clearly posted timetables and preview any changes (teachers’ sick leave, school events, substitute teachers, student teachers, observation)
O Visual cues (Pictures on the desk, sign language, display on the blackboard)
O Use graphic organisers and writing framework
O Ask them to write in first person and talk about themselves
O Explicit explanation or demonstration of what the task requires
O Displays of synonyms
e-Learning Strategies
O Social interaction and reading emotions
O Whatsapp group for English
O Edmodo English class group
O Seesaw class
O Mentimeter (Poll everywhere / Zeeting)
e-Learning Strategies
O Idea generation and emotions
O Emotionary – (iphone only)
O Online thesaurus and dictionaries
O Tools for students – Graphic organisers
(Other option – Read Write Think / Popplet)
General Apps, Tools and
Platforms that can Help Cater for Learners with SEN
O Puppet Pals 2
O Shadow Puppet
O Bitsboard
O Seesaw
Seesaw Activity
O Seesaw is an online student and teacher
learning platform that is highly versatile and a great resource in the Inclusive Classroom. It is also FREE!
O Go to Seesaw on the iPad.
O Scan the QR code.
O An activity has been set up for you to do.
O When finished, post your work to the group.
O Reflect on the activity. How did it help cater for SEN?
Key Points
O We need to teach learners strategies to help them so they can rely more on themselves and develop greater self awareness and confidence to tackle challenges in English.
O We can provide learners with choice and this will increase their autonomy and independence.
O Most strategies we have suggested for SEN can be used with all learners thus creating an
inclusive classroom.
Some Useful Websites for SEN x ELT x E-learning
O Oxford University Press page on Dyslexia
O https://oupeltglobalblog.com/2013/09/19/dyslexia-a- problem-or-a-gift/
O Oxford University Press on ADHD/ADD
O https://oupeltglobalblog.com/2014/03/05/teaching- students-with-attention-concentration-and-hyperactivity- difficulties-how-to-stop-those-spinning-tops/
O Language without Limits
O http://www.languageswithoutlimits.co.uk
O Apps for autistic learners
O https://thejournal.com/Articles/2011/12/05/Apps-for- Autistic-Learners.aspx?Page=6
References
Cumming, T. & Rodriguez, C (2013). Integrating the iPad into Language Arts Instruction for students with Disabilities: Engagement and Perspectives. Journal of Special Education Technology. Vol24:4 (p.43- 52).
Curriculum Development Council. (2017). Secondary Education Curriculum Guide.
http://www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/renewal/guides_SECG.html
EDB (2010). Operation Guide on The Whole School Approach to Integrated Education. Author.
Fredrickson, N. & Cline, T. (2015). Special Educational Needs, Inclsion and Diversity: Third Edition. UK: Open University Press.
Hockly, N (2016). Special Educational Needs and Technology in Language learning. ELT Journal, 70/3 (p332- 338).
Hockly, N. (2016). Five things you always wanted to know about using technology and special education needs (but were too afraid to ask). English Teaching Professional. Issue 104 (P 57).
Moorhouse, B. (2016). iPads. Learning tools or toys?. Modern English Teacher. Vol.25, Issue 2 (27-28).
Moorhouse, B. (2017). Increasing in-class participation with online tools.The Teacher Trainer Journal. Vol.31, Issue 1. (16-17).
