One of the requests we often get when teachers attend CPD, is ways to support learners with a range of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in computing, including how to adapt the Teach Computing Curriculum. The Teacher Guidance documents for KS1 and KS2 are going to be updated with some broad principles on how to adapt the materials for SEND, and we have started a series of discussions around each strand of the curriculum in the community forum for you to share the changes you make and the impact this has on your learners - you can find the Data & information discussion here. (There is also a wider discussion on how to adapt units in each year).
To begin with we will look at the Data & Information strand, as this is often taught in spring 2 in schools.
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.
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 flat-file databases unit, can pupils search a database to answer a simple question? Do they know what a field and record are in a database, and create an example of a record? 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.
2. Pre-teach key vocabulary
Pre-teach the essential vocabulary for each unit, 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 consider using a graphic organiser to highlight relationships between concepts, e.g. the Frayer model (see also the blog: Representing and Organising Knowledge).
3. Create step-by-step instructions for complex tasks and routine skills
Break down instructions into smaller steps, and create a task sheet for children to follow and tick off each step. Support with images where possible, For example, provide a list of steps to create the party-planning spreadsheet in the Year 6 Spreadsheets unit, using the screenshots on the slides to help.
4. Provide templates for pupils to modify
Most units contain some templates that can be modified by learners, to provide scaffolding. Consider adding more content to these where required, or where they don't exist create one. For example, in lesson 3 of the Year 2 Pictograms unit, pupils can use the Minibeast template rather than set up their own pictogram.
Also consider whether difficulties with writing or maths present barriers to completing a piece of work. For example, allow pupils to dictate sentences into the worksheet ‘What can you tell me’ (in the Y2 Pictograms unit) rather than writing sentences - in a Google Doc use Voice Typing in the Tools toolbar, or Dictate in the Home tab in Word online.
5. Harness pupils’ special interests
Harnessing pupils’ special interests will help to increase engagement and make learning more relevant. For example, in the Year 5 Flat-file Databases unit, children could search this Pokedex to find out answers to questions about different Pokémon. Considering the context of computing tasks is also important in terms of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, and making sure projects are meaningful to your particular group of learners.
So head on over to the discussions and add your own ideas and read about what others are doing.
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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