I have been working one to one with a child since he started in reception class. He has epilepsy since a baby and this has left him with significant learning difficulties, social difficulties, very little speech and now behaviour is becoming an issue. We have just moved into a year 2 class but the child is still only at a 2 year old level. He cannot write, read, concentration is limited to 10 mins max. He is really not ready to do academic work but as it is a mainstream school we have to be seen to be including him in lessons, which is where my problems lie. How do I modify a year 2 curriculum to suit him? I know he needs lots of hands on activities but I am rapidly running out of ideas, the teachers have been helpful but as they don't know the child that well it is hard for them. We are also starting to see behavioural issues, he doesn't want to do as he is told, flings himself on floor and makes silly noises on the carpet, all of which aren't acceptable and it makes it hard for the other children in the class, I end up taking him out of the class, being very firm with him, which results in him crying, saying he wants Mum and putting his arms up for a cuddle, which I don't feel I can give him because I am "cross" with him. Any advice would be much appreciated.

You will have to modify the lessons I think but something that has worked for me in the past is to have a box with a few liitle toys perhaps some colouring, fancy pencils etc in and a visual timetable and a timer. Tell him that when he has done a piece of work (his work) then he can have his box for five minutes, then gradually increase the amount of work before he gets his box.

What has your SENCO said and has she given you work at an appropriate level to use with him? Do you go to his review meetings, which you should do. You need to raise the problems you have there and ask SALT etc for guidance and help. Plus why not ask your foundation CT for materials you could use.

Ask your CT for a set of tasks for him, appropriate to the curriculum, that you could work on at his speed rather than in a fixed timetable.

Hi shellyc

I work in a very similar situation to you except the child I work in is in a mixed reception/year1 class but I am really worried on how difficult it will be next year as it is a mixed year 2, 3 and 4 classroom.

Do you get much support from outside agencies? - ed. psych, speech and language therapy etc. - they might be able to offer some much needed support.

It may be that you will not be able to differentiate the curriculum enough to suit this child's needs; afterall you wouldn't, and shouldn't, expect a 2 year old to cope with it.

Good luck and let us know how you get on...

Thanks for your replies, the SENCO is no real help, she is supposed to be giving support to me but as of yet I haven't seen any. In fact she teaches the other year 2 class and chose not to have my class this year because they were too problematic! She also has a problem with ta's in general and she does tend to bring her problems into school which affects how approachable she is.

At the minute I feel like I am banging my head against a brick wall, I know that he is not capable of doing the work they want him to do, and it is really difficult to differentiate to his level. I am also only a grade 1 so in theory shouldn't have to plan lessons for him, which is what they are expecting me to do. I have to get a range of activities which I can dip into which again is all very well, but when you support a child one to one for the 5 hours in a day, when do I have time to prepare and gather resources?? In my own time I am guessing!

God you sound so like me!!!

I only look after my child for 3.5 hours a day but I always try to support her other ta the best I can and join her for break times etc. My CT is lovely and a really good teacher but leaves this child to us ta's because we are the 'experts'. NO WE AREN'T.

Sadly for children with complex needs the curriculum is a joke that they don't get.

and I'm sick of the outside agencies promising things that they don't deliver....sorry rant over.

I think your SENCO is being a bit of an ostrich. My understanding is that your SENCO has to evidence how she has advised on differentiation in lessons. OFSTED won't be happy, especially as their is a big push on ECM.

I agree with you that you should be implementing the differentiation not coming up with it.

As reading is difficult has the school got any talking books or taped stories that he could listen too while the others are reading. For those that have problems with concentrating for any length of time I use an egg timer, the sand time, this gives them a visual aid as to how much longer they have to work for. Have you thought of a special mat or cushion he can sit on while on the floor, that way you can place it and have control over where and who he sits near.

With one child I worked with we had a special word that only the teacher, myself and the child knew, so when they got a bit loud or figgety, the word was said or whispered and it checked him without drawing attention to the group as to what was going on. After awhile he soon realised when he made silly noises etc and he used to say the word to himself.

Hope this has helped a bit.

Have you tried using a few simple signs? We use makaton in assembly for example to remind a child to 'sit' or 'stop' talking and it can be used at carpet times too. If you don't know makaton or BSL you could just make them up! We use sign language a lot as it is discreet and a reinforcement in understanding what you are saying. I should add we are mainstream, not a special needs school.

We also use various computer programmes to engage some of the children as they find it more stimulating than pencil and paper.

WE have tried using sign with him because of his speech but he is not interested and pays no attention if we use it. I have done some signalong training.

The special word sounds like a good idea and I might suggest we give it a try. As to the special mat, we have a special chair in class which a child who is well behaved sits on each day. I think he would see this as the same sort of thing and probably wouldn't help his behaviour, at the moment we are using the special chair as a bit of a bribe to get him to sit still.

And to add, the SENCO spoke to me today and asked if we had been to snoezelon a local multi sensory place, as we were walking back down the corridor. I said not, and she said had I not heard anything, as if it were my job to arrange it. We I said no, she said I suppose thats another job to put on my ever growing list.

I too have the same problem with the child that I support. At the moment I am planning all his 1:1 time out of class. He is not able to access any of the class work at present and as a result whilst I am paid to be with him I am "teaching" him literacy and it looks like I will be doing the same for numeracy as well (others are counting in 2's etc and he can't count in 1's yet!) I am also paid as a level 1 (old grade) and end up doing all the planning/resource making in my own time. Don't feel like inclusion is working at the moment! The child has just moved from ks1 to ks2.

To update you, I am to be given the weekly plans so that I can plan work for the child, where I am supposed to find time to do this, I don't know. I am going to do this for a while and then go to the head (who is new this term) and ask to be put onto level 2 grading as fair, considering the ta's in reception classes (who spend most of their time in the office gossiping and drinking coffee, not in the classroom, but thats another story) are grade 3, I think what I am expected to do for my grading is disgusting!

Good luck with that xxx

Good luck! In my area all 1:1 tas are paid as level 1.