With the right support I can

Anita Devi with Guest Blogger Jim Bowen

Introduction from Anita (AD): Jim Bowen is the UK Country Manager for Scanning Pens.  He and I met online a few weeks back and I was inspired by his story that we felt we had to include it as a blog.

Jim is dyslexic.

The NHS estimates that 1 in every 10 people in the UK has some form of dyslexia.

The British Dyslexia Association (BDA) has adopted the Rose (2009) definition of dyslexia: Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. Characteristic features of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed. Dyslexia occurs across the range of intellectual abilities. It is best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct category, and there are no clear cut-off points. Co-occurring difficulties may be seen in aspects of language, motor co-ordination, mental calculation, concentration and personal organisation, but these are not, by themselves, markers of dyslexia. A good indication of the severity and persistence of dyslexic difficulties can be gained by examining how the individual responds or has responded to well-founded intervention.

So, what is Jim’s story?

JB: My educational journey was tricky. At a young age, in primary school I was identified as having speech and language problems by my Year 6 teacher, who wasn’t supportive at all. I did have several visits to the hospital, but never got that support and we gave up.

In secondary school I was diagnosed with Dyslexia at 14 and given extra time during exams. A lot of school life, I used the mechanism to be disruptive and remove myself from academic work.

I have always been resilient and found myself having to work harder than the average person, which has helped me excel in my daily life, proving myself to everyone drives me and by using technology. My support network have been able to succeed and be promoted in my role at Scanning Pens from sales team member to sales manager. I’m still learning and developing.

In 2013, Jim graduated from the University of Chester with a degree in Business, Management, Marketing and Related Support Services. For four years, he worked as part of the Tesco Leadership Team.  But his heart was set on helping others with difficulties like himself.  As an overcomer, he wanted others with similar difficulties to also be in a place to succeed without just relying on ‘hard work’.

Jim pursued his employment engagement with Scanning Pens.

Scanning Pens is the brainchild of a partnership between Toby Sutton and Jack Churchill.  Both met at Oxford Brookes and set up a business in 2003. Jack too has dyslexia. Five years later the focus of their business switched specifically to smart pen scanners and in 2014, a decade ago, just as the Children and Families Act 2014 was enacted, the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) exam board allowed the use of pen scanners to be used in UK exams.  They have been on a growth trajectory ever since, including introducing the pens into UK Prisons. (AD: This is a great article to read)

AD: What was the breakthrough for you in finding your own solutions?

JB: For me, my mobile it has text to speech on there and Grammarly pro, helps me to identify grammar and spelling issues. Everyday life I’m using this for the workplace, I love E-Books listening to them in the car and podcasts to gain valuable information of my interests.

AD: Who were the key people in your life who helped you?

JB: I’ll never forget my SENCO at secondary, who took us from the bottom class to the top class. This gave insight to people that wanted to succeed and support me. I sat by peers that wanted to help me and I was in a good culture.

My family. My cousin has dyslexia and completely gets it, so this helped me succeed.

AD: What top tips would you give someone with dyslexia?

JB: Just know there’s loads of inspirational people out there, Lewis Hamilton, Richard Branson and many more. Dyslexia is just another way people think and are usually the most creative.

AD: What does your day at work look like?

JB: Every day is different, from managing a team of 11 sales staff, to coaching, supporting and offering my advice towards the sales strategy.

I’m still learning every day, but this is a huge confidence booster and love being able to empower others with our fantastic technology.

From Anita: I hope you make time to check out the links in this blog.  I’m so inspired by both Jim and Jack.  Just consider how many people they have helped through their work.  We know the number of needs in schools and colleges is on the rise and just maybe the future lies with those who have endured, persevered and gone onto succeed. Daily we read newspaper headlines about how the SEND system is broken.  What if (in the future) the range of neurodiverse needs will be met by others with neurodiverse needs themselves!  That would be quite something, wouldn’t it?

#TeamADL Easter Giveaway

UK ONLY: For schools and colleges in the UK we are giving away a Scanning Pen, plus accredited training (total worth £850). This cannot be replaced by a cash reward.

To submit your chance to win a Scanning Pen and training look out for the special posts on X by @SEND_Leaders Entries close at midnight on 18^th April.  We will announce the winner on Monday 22^nd April.

To Jim, from TeamADL – we wish you every success in the days ahead. Thank you.

Joining the dots

By Dr Anita Devi

As a SENCO and SEND Advisory Teacher, I would often be in meetings with parents, when I suddenly ‘felt’ prompted to ask a key question.  This breakthrough moment often revealed vital information that was helpful to both accurate identification and timely / appropriate provision. After such events, I would often find myself asking, “Why did I or others not ask this sooner?” or “Why was this information omitted by parents when sharing their concerns with us?”  There was no easy answer to either of these questions.  It was as if we had to go through the relationship dialogue to peel off all the layers to arrive at that question.  One thing it taught me over and over … every piece of information about children and young people in our care adds a new dimension to our understanding them and their needs.

In this month’s blog, I want to explore ‘paper known’ vs ‘really known’.

This exploration started with me reading a book and being struck by a comment by the author, where she distinguishes what we know about people on paper and what we know from or in reality.  We can never fully know the total ability and experience of an individual. At best, we see facets of who they truly are.  And yet we know when it comes to special educational needs, disability, and inclusion – one piece of information could change everything!

What does this mean in practice?

Two things really – the importance of asking questions and really listening.

A few weeks back, I had the privilege of training some community youth leaders and we talked about the power of questions.  Not just the difference between open and closed, but also safe and deeper questions that explore beliefs, values, and dreams.

• Closed question: Did you have a good day?
• Open: Tell me about your day.
• Safe surface question: What was the high point of your day?
• Deeper question: If you were to describe your day as a fruit, what would it be and why?

Which of these four questions helps you join the dots?

The other aspect is listening.  This is more than hearing the words. It’s about being present or as Simon Sinek would say, “understanding why the question was asked in the first place”.

Not everyone likes asking questions or answering them.  Not everyone is a good listener.  These are learnt skills that we need to intentionally invest time in.  Can you see how much richer relationships would be as a result of asking deeper questions?

Returning to those with additional needs, we can’t just ask random questions, this needs to be undertaken within a multilayered structure that connects child development, specifics about the child, provision frameworks and effective pedagogy in the classroom. This may sound like overload.  It isn’t.  To support your understanding further, download the TeamADL free booklet on Adaptive Teaching from here.

I’d like to end with a reflective task and visual.

Reflective task: make a list of questions, you could / would ask in class.  Code these to see whether they are closed / open or surface /deep.  How could you refine any of them?  Pay careful attention to language.

Visual:  this is social media post I shared recently, with the following comment:

I was reading a book over the weekend, and it got me thinking about this … No documentation, however, accurately we record data or track progress etc., will fully reflect the complete range of life experiences and abilities of a child.

#SEND Surely there has to be better way?

@Butterflycolour

How would you apply this to your role or context?

Reference:

Perfect, Nicky (2023) Crisis: The thrilling new memoir for 2023 telling the true story of a hostage and crisis negotiator’s time in the Metropolitan Police

Gratitude Gateway

By Dr Anita Devi

“How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child!”

– King Lear, (Act 1 Scene 4)

As educators, we have all spent time as some point, talking to children and young people the importance of gratitude and appreciation.  It is something that is integrated into our teaching approach.  We model it in our classrooms, canteens, assemblies, playground, sports fields and corridors.  I know I have also on some occasions had to address topics such as the sincerity of gratitude and that is more than just about the words ‘thank you’.  Sometimes it requires empathy.

Sian and Angela did not get on.  They had been in the same class for years.  They had never had an argument (in the real sense), but something just annoyed Sian about Angela and frustrated Angela about Sian.  Both had separate friends’ groups and their paths crossed occasionally, but on the whole, they avoided each other.  There was an unsaid dislike and judgement of the other.  Sian broke her leg towards the end of the summer term. This was a huge disappointment, as Sian loved Sports Day and was incredibly good at winning different events. Angela felt a deep sadness in her heart.  This was their final Sports Day in primary school, and she kept thinking about how Sian must be feeling.  Sian was a far better athlete than Angela and as she reflected back on previous Sports’ Days, she remembered how much she had admired Sian’s commitment to athletics, even if they didn’t get on. Angela sent Sian a social media message “Appreciate you, A” with the following graphic:

Sian was elated.  She had been feeling low and just knowing someone was thinking of her made all the difference to how she felt on the inside and out.

Gratitude is a posture of the heart; it is also the gateway to inclusion. If we consider inclusion as a process of acceptance, then attached to acceptance has to be appreciation. It would be incongruent to accept without appreciating and even more impossible to appreciate without acceptance. Acceptance and appreciation are twins, joined at the hip. If one turns in this direction, the other follows and vice versa.

… endings are also new beginnings in disguise.  Sian was so touched by Angela’s message; she decided to make and send her a motivational pocket graphic for Sports Day.  She spent hours researching inspirational quotes until she found one that was just right.  Angela loved Science, so Sian chose:

“Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning!”

Albert Einstein.

Sometimes, instead of a posture of acceptance and appreciation, we focus on comparison. Accepting others for who they are starts with us accepting ourselves for who we are. Each of us is uniquely made for and with purpose.  We each have a unique journey and story to tell. And yet we belong to the one collective called humanity.  So, when we accept ourselves and each other, what are we accepting?

I would like to suggest acceptance manifests in three areas:

• Who we/they are (identity): personality and character
• Our / their life story (life journey): past and future visions
• Our / their creativity and talents (gifts): ideas and actions

All three of these are inner dimensions.  Too often I think we focus on inclusion based on external factors and issues. We neglect a deeper need for inner inclusion, that comes through relationships. Knowing ourselves and others.  This is why team activities and team sports are so powerful.  United in a common cause, we each work and contribute to our strengths.

Sports Day had arrived. Angela ran her race and won, whilst Sian watched and cheered her on.  That one exchange of gratitude made them realise how much time they had wasted in not liking each other.  By avoiding each other, they had missed out on an inner connection and acceptance.  They had missed out on encouraging each other.  Needless to say, they became good friends, and this stood them in good stead, as they entered secondary school – a new daunting chapter for both of them … and yet they both embraced it in their own way.

Now that’s inclusion!

SEND Leaders’ Appreciation Day 2023 is on 1^st July.  Look out for our special announcement #SLAD2023

About Anita:

As a former SENCO, Senior Leader, School Improvement Advisor, and local authority SEND Advisory Teacher and Healthwatch Trustee Anita Devi carries a wealth of experience in developing leaders of learning. Her own teaching career spans early years to post grad in the UK and overseas and Anita lives her why through her belief in the joy of learning. In 2017, Anita was awarded the prestigious international Influential Educational Leaders Award for her SEND Pipeline strategy developing professional from initial teacher training to advanced and experienced SENCOs. Anita is author of the first SEND book for Early Career Teachers and has contributed to several other publications. Anita passed her PhD thesis viva on the career trajectory of a SENCO (beyond the NASENCO) in in 2022. Currently a Changemaker Education Consultant & Founding CEO of #TeamADL & #365send In 2023 MAT Awards Giving Back Winner.

www.teamadl.uk | www.inclusionleader.pro | www.365send.uk | www.inclusionville.me

Inclusion is a story!

By Dr Anita Devi

This is our 50^th #TeamADL blog on this platform! So, it seems fitting to share some of our deliberated thinking around inclusion as well as consider, how we communicate inclusion across settings to shape culture.

Let’s start with first principles, what is inclusion? This might seem a simple question with an obvious answer – everyone included.  At a surface level this is accurate, but the next deeper question would be – what does that look like?  What language would I use to communicate this, so that everyone understands?

Individual and organisational filters

The term ‘inclusion’ is quite problematic because it actually means different things to different people.  Whilst you could argue there is universal definition,

the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those who have physical or intellectual disabilities and members of other minority groups.

–  Oxford Dictionary

FORDI Model of Interpretation – Dr Anita Devi © 2023

Interactions or interventions further shape our filter. Let’s look at this from two practical and intentionally contrasting examples.

Example 1: (Teacher)

Filter: I have a responsibility to ensure all learners in my class make progress.

Observation:  I can see 2-3 learners haven’t understood the information I have shared, so they are unable to undertake the task and demonstrate their learning. (Note here: knowledge, task and learning are defined as separate constructs).

Reaction: I need to change the way I am sharing information with these learners.  What would help?

Decision:  I will use graphic organisers and a slower pace to see if this helps.

Intervene:  Different structures and time space provided for 2-3 learners, who have struggled.

Filter 2:  These learners have responded well to this approach, but so have other learners working with them.  Maybe this should become an approach I use for all leaners. (NEW Filter)

Example 2: ( Assistant Headteacher)

Filter:  Bad behaviour in class means the pupils aren’t learning and they are stopping others learning too.

Observation: This group of students are being disruptive.

Reaction:  Need to restore order.

Decision: Remove them from class, so others can learn, and these students can work in a smaller group or on their own.

Intervene:  Pupils removed, without knowing why and so behaviour deteriorates.

Filter 2:  I was right, the bad behaviour is disrupting others.  They don’t want to learn. (OLD Filter reinforced).

Some readers may connect these examples to Kolb’s Learning Cycle.  There is a similarity, although stage 2 in Kolb is Reflective Observation.  Whereas in FORDI, reflection comes after the intervening stage. Semantics possibly.  Imagine now, these two members of staff work in the same school and are looking at the same situation, through different filters.  Early this month, the #senco5aday blog looked at Who’s on your team? And #TeamADL #Leader5aday focused on Governance: voices from the inside out Within any setting there are many filters operating simultaneously plus a corporate filter.

Usually in scenarios like this, it is helpful to use a metaphor to concretise an abstract concept.  I’ve spent years thinking about – something tangible that would clearly define inclusion.  I haven’t found an object, but my latest iteration of thoughts has led me to the place where I see ‘Inclusion is a story’.  There are actors (those directly involved) and observers (those watching).  Inclusion (with its infinite permutations) occurs when there is synergy between actors and observers and that’s where communication becomes essential.  A story comes with a dynamic framework.  Hence my latest (it may not be my final) conclusion: inclusion is a story.  Perceiving it as such helps us ask questions that deepen understanding of the journey of individuals.  A story makes us listen, rather always seek to provide answers.  A story brings together past, present and future.  

What do you think?  Is Inclusion a story?

Next month, I will be talking about the Gateway of Gratitude in time for our annual celebration of SEND Leaders’ Appreciation Day on 1^st July.  Still time (till 31^st May) to submit your nomination across education, health and social care.  Who will you include in this year’s celebration, so they can tell their story?  Nominate via www.inclusionville.me #SLAD2023

About Anita:

As a former SENCO, Senior Leader, School Improvement Advisor, and local authority SEND Advisory Teacher and Healthwatch Trustee Anita Devi carries a wealth of experience in developing leaders of learning. Her own teaching career spans early years to post grad in the UK and overseas and Anita lives her why through her belief in the joy of learning. In 2017, Anita was awarded the prestigious international Influential Educational Leaders Award for her SEND Pipeline strategy developing professional from initial teacher training to advanced and experienced SENCOs. Anita is author of the first SEND book for Early Career Teachers and has contributed to several other publications. Anita passed her PhD thesis viva on the career trajectory of a SENCO (beyond the NASENCO) in in 2022. Currently a Changemaker Education Consultant & Founding CEO of #TeamADL & #365send In 2023 MAT Awards Giving Back Winner.

www.teamadl.uk | www.inclusionleader.pro | www.365send.uk | www.inclusionville.me

The Roller Coaster of Festivities

By Anita Devi

As a Christian, I love Christmas.  It’s so much more than just about lights, mince pies and Boxing Day leftovers.  In truth though, I prefer Easter over Christmas, any day.  That’s not because of the eggs or chocolate either.  It’s to do with purpose.  Easter holds a deeper meaning for me than Christmas.  But we need Christmas (the birth) to appreciate Easter (the sacrifice).

The purpose of this short early inclusion blog, during the Christmas break is to consider the first part of ‘including me, including you’.   We can only give away, what we have first been given.  So, what do you actively and intentionally do to include the diversity that is you?

Christmas starts with advent in many homes … the 24-day countdown. This year my Advent Calendar has been about ducks! No reason … just makes me smile.  We’ve had Carol Services, supported Foodbank and made time to care for and support those in our neighbourhood and network.

Christmas Day is full of people, noise and food … the King’s Speech – not the film, but a first this year, in 2022.

Then the 12 days of Christmas begins … and traditionally in our home, Boxing Day has been about playing games with friends and family.

A few more lull days, including my birthday and then we are into preparing and celebrating New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.  Boom its’ 2023!  The decorations and lights come down around the 5^th.

It’s still dark outside when you leave for work and come home … but spring is just around the corner.  So, whilst we are full of hope and delving deeper into mercy, we also need to manage the roller coaster of emotions, that anyone can experience. 

Personally, I do not like roller-coasters, so here are my three top tips … feel free to add your own in the comments:

1. Find your anchor activity – something to do in between the highs and lows that helps you adjust to the constantly changing pace of the festivities.  For me, it’s a good book!
2. Plan in nothingness time.  Time to be still and process or just do nothing.  I wrote about nothingness time in my Time Management eBook 6 years ago!  It’s great for work and play.
3. Log your journey – photos, words, Lego sculptures, colouring, origami, journaling … something that helps you see growth and direction in a time when it can feel like just another event or activity.

Remember including yourself, is just as important as including others. Giving is so much easier when it comes from a place of experiential strength.

Have a great New Year everyone and from #TeamADL see you on the other side!

About Anita:

As a former SENCO, Senior Leader, School Improvement Advisor, and local authority SEND Advisory Teacher and Healthwatch Trustee Anita Devi carries a wealth of experience in developing leaders of learning. Her own teaching career spans early years to post grad in the UK and overseas and Anita lives her why through her belief in the joy of learning. In 2017, Anita was awarded the prestigious international Influential Educational Leaders Award for her SEND Pipeline strategy developing professional from initial teacher training to advanced and experienced SENCOs. Anita is author of the first SEND book for Early Career Teachers and has contributed to several other publications. Anita passed her PhD thesis viva on the career trajectory of a SENCO (beyond the NASENCO) in in 2022. Currently a Changemaker Education Consultant & Founding CEO of #TeamADL www.teamadl.uk and #365send www.365send.uk T: @Butterflycolour Insta: @Butterflycolour9