The Learning Institute

Special Educational Needs Diploma Level 3

How to become an SEN expert
You can help children with Special Educational Needs

Click here to read what a former student says about this course.

Are you involved with special needs children? Perhaps as a teacher, teaching assistant, or a parent? Or maybe you'd like to work in this field? Because there's no job that's more rewarding than seeing a child with special needs blooming with your support. If that sounds like you, we have a course that will help you achieve you goals. It's the Diploma in Special Educational Needs Support. Our course will help you:

Recognise when a child has Special Educational Needs.

Give SEN children the support they need to thrive.

Give your career a boost by gaining expert knowledge in SEN.

It's a field that's growing in demand. So it's a big opportunity for you.
The Government wants to improve the SEN that schools provide. And no wonder. Parents are concerned to access more help, and schools know they need to support their pupils.

The government already spends billions of pounds each year on SEN support.

Children with Special Educational Needs don’t just need support with learning, but also with behavioural skills, organisation and social skills.

A Government report indicated that 18% of all UK school children had Special Educational Needs in 2005.

Schools often bring in professional outside help for children with Special Needs.

What is the difference between a learning support assistant, a teaching assistant and a classroom assistant?
There is no clear distinction between these different job titles. Learning support assistants, teaching assistants and classroom assistants all support teaching and learning in schools. They can all have a wide range of re-sponsibilities and duties.

Who is this course aimed at?
This course is aimed at working or prospective learning support assistants, teaching assistants and classroom assistants who would like to build their knowledge of, or specialise in, special educational needs.

All teaching and learning support staff in both mainstream and special schools will be involved in supporting pupils with special educational needs.

This course aims to build the knowledge and skills of support staff so they are better able to provide high quality support to children with a wide range of special educational needs.

Will I benefit from the course?
Our course is packed full of valuable information and skills to help not only those involved in education, but also parents of children with Special Educational Needs. And, by understanding more about Special Educational Needs, you can pass on those benefits to the children. Take a look at the advantages...

If you’re a teaching assistant, learning support assistant, or a classroom assistant, or you want to become a one. Or if you're a teacher with a special interest in SEN:
You’ll learn how to recognise the symptoms of conditions requiring SEN support, and how to assess pupils for specific disabilities.
You’ll be able to help pupils with special needs by applying practical methods.
We will give you hints and tips on overcoming psychological and physical barriers associated with SEN.
Your specialist knowledge will help you to find more employment opportunities.
You’ll find it easier to communicate with parents concerning their children’s needs.
Your newly acquired knowledge will give you the confidence to talk to other professionals regarding special needs.
And you could get a job in the field.

If you’re a parent
You’ll become more aware of the help available for your child.
Your knowledge will enable you to explain your child’s condition to education and health professionals, and give you the confidence to discuss your child’s problems in meetings.
You’ll learn ways in which you can help to develop your child.
You’ll become aware of the opportunities to use your skills by finding employment as a special needs professional.

If you’re an educational administrator
You’ll learn to recognise the symptoms of children with special needs so you can be more receptive to their needs.
You’ll learn about other employment opportunities open to people with expertise in special needs.
You’ll be taught practical methods that will enable you to help SEN children.
You’ll be more confident in dealing with parents of children with Special Educational Needs and with other teaching staff.

Accredited by NCFE at Level 3
This course is fully accredited by the national awarding body NCFE, and on completing it you get a national award equivalent to Level 3 of the National Learning Framework.

NCFE is recognised as an awarding body by Ofqual in England, DCELLS in Wales and CCEA in Northern Ireland.

To read more about NCFE please go to www.ncfe.org.uk

How you can help children with Special Educational Needs
To help meet the needs of SEN children you have to first recognise that a child has special needs. Then you can act appropriately and offer them support. That’s where your skills will come in. The term SEN covers a wide range of conditions, each with its own associated needs in varying degrees.

The Diploma in Special Educational Needs Support course recognises that each child has their own individual challenges, strengths and weaknesses. With the help of our specialist training, you’ll learn to recognise each child’s strengths and build on them, whilst also helping them with their weaknesses.

You’ll be taught practical skills, and be given hints on overcoming psychological and physical barriers. We’ll also show you how to monitor the progress of pupils receiving your support.

How the course will help you
This course has been developed specifically to help children with Special Educational Needs, and covers every aspect of caring for SEN children, as well as the wider issues, such as SEN provisions in the UK and how to access further support. You’ll therefore find the course invaluable whether you're:

A parent or carer who wants to understand and help your child.

A teaching assistant who wants to advance your career by specialising in SEN.

A teaching assistant who wants to be more effective in your job by identifying the symptoms of SEN children, and then providing the necessary support.

What else does the course cover?
As the course has been written for the UK in particular, it will help you to understand SEN requirements for UK schools. By understanding how the system works in the UK, you’ll be able to access additional help and support for certain pupils.

The course covers useful methods to enable you to provide help that is targeted to children’s particular needs, and assists you in identifying the type of help that is needed.

You’ll learn how to recognise the key symptoms of conditions requiring SEN support, and therefore be more effective in your job involving children with special needs. As well as learning how to assess children for specific disabilities, you’ll learn how to monitor pupils’ progress so that you can evaluate their development.

We’ll also teach you what is involved in the role of a special needs assistant (SENCO) so that you’ll be equipped to help the person in that position.

Why this course in particular?
If you can’t decide why you should choose our course rather than another one, consider this:

This course is taught by expert tutors who have a working knowledge in the field of SEN.

The organisation provides more detailed information and practical advice than others.

The course is in an easy to follow format with set modules of study.

We provide email support.

The information is specific to SEN in the UK.

ODLQC
The Institute is also accredited by the Open and Distance Learning Quality Council (ODLQC). Set up by the government to assess standards in distance education, they check out our tutors, our finances, our management systems - the works. We're proud of our accreditation, which is why we're keen to maintain it. And that's why we work so hard to keep our students happy. If for any reason you were unhappy with our service, you can contact them by clicking on this link: ODLQC.

Course Syllabus
1. What is SEN? What kind of young people are they? What qualities and skills are needed to be a special educational needs support assistant?

2. Theory of special needs.

3. The big picture. Government policy. Legislation and government policy. SEN and Ofsted.

4. SEN provision in your school. School policy and practice in providing for SEN pupils. Role of the SENCO.

5. Observation, testing and assessment. Using P scales and PIVATS. Statementing. Staffing and resourcing. Getting more support.

6. Supporting Dyslexia and literacy.

7. Aiding Speech and Language Difficulties

8. Managing behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. School phobia. Self harming. Psychology and psychiatric conditions. Bullying.

9. Supporting Autism and Asperger syndrome

10. ADHD

11. Teaching talented and gifted children

12. Supporting blindness and visual impairment

13. Physical impairment and cerebral palsy

14. Deafness and hearing impairment

15. Intellectual disability (or slow learner)

16. Dyscalculia. SEN and the teaching of maths

17. Using technology. Useful tools.

18. The different ages of the child: nursery, primary school, secondary school.

19. Providing support at home. Choosing the right school. Mainstream or special school. Questions to ask. Things to look for.

20. Getting a job in SEN.

Here's what you'll find in your course pack:
A sturdily bound set of 19 course modules that lies flat for ease of study. Detailed, practical information that covers every aspect of SEN.

9 assignments. Your assignments will be carefully marked with personal advice by a practising SEN teacher.

A stylish case that keeps all your course material.

An A-Z of terminology.

Resources file, includes forms, organisations, and checklists essential for those working in SEN.

A text book to accompany the course.

A confidential personal profile for you to complete. This helps you assess your goals, your strengths and weaknesses, and your progress.

A study guide and planner that helps you organise your study.

Self-assessment exercises, including reflective activities. The assignments mostly involve scenarios and case studies based on real life.

A folder for your completed assignments.

Question and Answer sheets for you to have your queries answered.

The contact details for your personal tutor.

What you’ll get at the end of the course
When you successfully complete the course, you’ll get a Diploma in Special Educational Needs Support and the NCFE Level 3 Award. They demonstrate that you’ve got SEN skills, knowledge and talent.