In this blog I'm going to look at how we can adapt the programming units in the Teach Computing Curriculum to make them more accessible and inclusive for learners with specific learning needs and disabilities. This is part of a series based on each strand of the curriculum, and you can read the other blog posts here:
The Teach Computing Curriculum has been written to support all pupils, with units containing a number of scaffolding activities and utilising effective pedagogies to ensure high quality teaching. However, there are some approaches that can be used to make them even more individualised to learner needs. The Teacher Guidance documents for KS1 and KS2 have also been updated with some broad principles on how to adapt the materials for SEND. Here are some specific ideas and approaches that can be used in the programming units:
1. Identify the key learning in each unit that every child should know and any likely misconceptions
Ask yourself what are the key knowledge and skills for each unit that every child should be able to access? For example, in the Year 2 Robot algorithms unit all learners should be able to plan out and create simple programs using the directional arrows on the Bee-Bot. In Lesson 6, learners are asked to break down longer routes into two parts, separated with a Pause. For some pupils, this lesson may be better spent consolidating what they have learnt to create shorter programs.
In addition, identifying the misconceptions and challenges in a unit and teaching these explicitly will help children avoid them - sometimes you will only find these out after teaching the unit and you can adapt for the next time. One example of this is in the Year 5 unit on Selection in Physical Computing - the selection block (if...then...else statement) may need to be inside a forever loop in order for the program to keep checking if the condition is true. Providing pupils with an opportunity to debug a program where this is missing will help them remember it in their own programs.
2. Pre-teach key vocabulary
Pre-teach the essential vocabulary for each unit and provide learners with a word list supported by images (see https://www.casinclude.org/inclusive-resources for some examples), and use the vocabulary regularly throughout the unit - including a consistent definition. Concentrate on a small number of terms, and make links to the specific commands in the programming language that correspond with these.
3. Support planning
Break down the planning process into smaller parts which can be ticked off as each one is completed and provide a planning scaffold for learners where required. Most units contain a planning document, and these can be adapted to provide greater support. For example click here to see an adapted planning sheet for the final project in the Year 6 Sensing Movement unit, with gaps for pupils to complete the statements.
4. Use the PRIMM framework or Parson’s problems
In programming units, add extra scaffolding using PRIMM and Parson’s problems. Some pupils may not be able to create a program from first principles, but they can practise reading and exploring code in a working program, then modify it to make it more personalised or put code in the correct order from given blocks. For example, for the Year 4 Repetition in Games unit I have created a Parsons' Problem to help learners complete the bat game by putting the code in the correct order: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1018767125.
5. Consider non-computing barriers
Consider whether difficulties with writing or maths present barriers to completing a piece of work. For example, the Year 4 Repetition in Shapes requires knowledge of polygons, so some pre-teaching of this is recommended. In order for key stage 1 children to work effectively with the Bee-Bots, they need to have a good understanding of right and left quarter turns - I always do lots of unplugged practice with pupils to reproduce the movement of the robot themselves in the classroom at the start of each lesson with the Bee-Bot.
6. Use unplugged activities and the semantic wave
We can use unplugged activities to help make abstract computing concepts more relevant and concrete for learners. However, it is very important to ‘repack’ the
knowledge of the abstract concept so that learners understand what it means in a wider context and are able use the technical language. For example, in the year
5 Selection in Physical Computing unit pupils consider examples of selection in everyday life. Children then need to see the link between these examples and how
this is used in a program and have the opportunity to use the key language in context. Pupils with SEND may need repeated examples and smaller steps to repack
the knowledge, e.g. you could provide learners with some printed selection blocks from the Crumble software to add everyday examples to.
How have you adapted the programming units to support your learners with SEND? Head on over to the discussions on adapting the units for each year group, add your own ideas and read about what others are doing. You can find these here: Teach Computing Curriculum - Share your adapted units and resources. There are also some examples of adapted resources and programs here for you to use with your pupils: TCC Adapted Resources.
Remember there is also CPD available from the NCCE to support you further. Complete this online course to improve your knowledge: Creating an Inclusive Classroom: Approaches to Supporting Learners with SEND in Computing or attend the face-to-face course: Inclusive Computing in Primary Schools.
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