Emily

My experience with special educational needs

I currently work in alternative provision, providing daytime tutoring for SEN students who are unable to attend school due to the extra challenges they face. I am working with children with severe learning disabilities, including non-verbal ASD and brain injuries, and higher functioning students who become too dsyregulated in school environments. In the past academic year, I worked full time as an SEN GCSE Tutor for a secondary school, providing in person sessions for students with a range of additional needs including ASD, ADHD, PDA and anxiety disorders. I have also worked as a 1:1 support worker for children with severe special needs in summer holiday camps. I adapted the activities to be accessible for them and ensured they felt comfortable throughout the day. I was a support worker for a family who foster SEN children. I worked primarily with the younger children with ASD by taking them out on trips, building their social skills and assisting them with daily self-care tasks.

A bit about me

As someone with severe OCD, I know personally the impact that having additional needs can have on a young person's ability to learn. My anxiety meant I would often be taught separately in a private classroom, which was a huge help to me and created a safe space in which I could reach my potential. This experience motivated me to become an SEN Tutor, as I want to ensure that children with additional needs can receive the extra help they need to succeed. I can easily empathise with my students and understand how frustrating it can be to feel that your brain works differently to everyone else's. I like to share my story with the young people I work with to show them that having extra challenges does not mean you cannot achieve your goals.

My teaching philosophy

I pride myself on being a very friendly and patient tutor. Building a trusting relationship with the student is always my priority, as SEN children are far more likely to thrive when they feel they are in a safe and supportive environment. I am always keen to figure out how a student learns best, for example if they prefer tactile teaching materials like flashcards or find it easier to concentrate with an auditory activity. I believe modelling is an essential teaching technique for SEN students, therefore I will often write a paragraph or answer a question first while narrating my process then encourage them to have a go themselves afterwards. For SEN students who find stability and structure helpful, we will begin the session by writing up the planned activities on a whiteboard so they know what to expect. I use a variety of techniques, all tailored towards each student to ensure their exact needs are being met.

Schedule

Tutoring specialisation

I’m providing tutoring sessions for students with these educational needs: