Ben

My Summary

My Experience

Employment

HLTA, Teacher and Assistant Head Teacher
Lead of Communication, working on changing cultural, improving staff understand of SLCN, creating policy, leading on CPD and training, as well as running workshops for families and staff.
Lead of Lower School, working with teachers, HLTA and LSA to support and develop individual classes and whole school environment. Improve teaching practices and better outcomes for students.
Classroom base of 4 years at SGS Pegasus, I have worked with students with Autism and high communication needs, using PECS, Makaton, Grid Player and Intensive Interaction to create opportunities for students to express their needs and often verbalise. To this day being in class and being face to face with students is the best part of my job.


Four Autism Ltd ASC Family Consultant
Four Autism work with family that have children with Autism, by giving advice on Commination, Independents, Social Interaction and Behavioural strategy’s.
This involves me observing the child in the home setting, implementing new strategies and teaching and empowering parents and carers how to use them.
These are some examples of how Four Autism works; use visual time table to support transitions, play football, walk to the park (without a melt down), eating new foods.


Nanny, N8 Special Educational Needs Nanny
I have been working with a family for the last 25 months and during my time here I have; introduced PECS and Makaton which has allowed (10B) to develop his functional language. This has helped to reduce his frustration and increase his understanding and now makes verbal sentence. I introduced and used visual schedules to give (10B) more autonomy and independence during the day thus reducing his anxiety levels, allow more day trip and overall happy transitions. Work bay tasks to develop independence skills which have included, fine motor, construction and matching activities. I also introduced new foods and different textures which has been successful, as (10B) has extended his diet which now includes ‘chicken curry’ Finally I have been encouraging (10B) to try new actives in and outside of the home along with a range of coping strategies so that he can do so. This has been fantastic to observe and (10B) is now happy to transition from the home to go to the park, soft play, swimming, skiing etc. Are latest challenge has been learning to cycling, where I have worked with (b10) Occupational Therapist to improve balance and core strength.


The Chalet School, Swindon SN3 Early Years Teacher of children with ASC
During my time at The Chalet School, I had the privilege of teaching for 3 years. In my first year I co-operatively taught with the Head of the EYFS who was also an adviser NAS which was a fantastic opportunity for my professional development in relation to autism. There are many success stories to share, here are a few;
I introduced signing to the school and my class through games and singing, which a pre-verbal child took to. Consequently she is now able to sign and speak whole sentences and has been able to join the local cub group which she loves telling me about.
Another is a child that had a good basic spoken language, but needed input to his social understanding. At this point he was unable to engage with his peers and became frustrated. Over a 12 month program we worked on social stories, role play, games and inclusion groups. Now the little boy knows how to ask peers to play and I often see him on the playground integrating and playing with other children!
I have always been an applied practitioner and my method of teaching is based on fun and stimulating engagement. There are numerous ways I have implemented this – such as counting using water rockets, developing stories in the forest garden, through to using PECS in soft play.
I am trained in TEACCH and my standard of implementing this mechanism and structure has been used as an example of best practice to other education practitioners.
In 2015 I was one of two teaching staff leading 10 teaching assistants during our school Ofsted inspection with the inspector’s feedback being: “Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage achieve outstandingly well. The clear structured routines help children to settle well and they enjoy the wide range of stimulating activities on offer, particularly outdoor learning”.

My Qualifications

Qualified Teacher (QTS)
PECS
TEACCH
Makaton
AAC
Intensive Interaction
Sensory Consideration
Autism and Continence

My Availability

My Fees

• Tutoring from £40.00 per hour

Please ask for information on my current fee's.