What Does A Special Educational Needs Tutor Do?
You may or may not have heard of a Special Educational Needs Tutor before and be curious as to their role, and could it be the role for you. SEN tutors can play a crucial part in helping SEN students keep on track with their education. Due to their specific needs, students with SEN can struggle to learn in the same way as other students. But this is where a Special Educational Needs Tutor comes in; they work closely with the student to help them learn in the best way for them. There is often a high amount of personalisation needed for each student due to their individual and varying levels of need. As part of their role, SEN tutors must be adaptable and complete a wide variety of tasks.
This article will explain some of their duties, how they work and the benefits for their students. Of course, there are many other responsibilities which vary depending on the situation and the requirements of the student. Keep reading to learn more about the different responsibilities of a Special Educational Needs Tutor and how they work.
Learning Plans
One of the main tasks of a SEN tutor is to assist their students with their learning. They use a variety of different techniques such as individual learning plans to personalise the learning for SEN students and set out strategies to achieve learning goals. In the old system, this was called an Individualised Education Plans which are now known as the Personal Learning Plan (PLP).
An example of this would be a student with dyslexia, a learning difficulty which mainly affects writing and reading skills. For these students, it can take them longer to accomplish learning tasks and a traditional learning approach does not work well for them. A different learning strategy would involve the SEN tutor using a multi-sensory approach by focusing on visual and touch elements instead. This could be in the form of using brightly coloured letters which students can interact with to learn the structure of words. Regular support from a Special Education Needs Tutor helps SEN students reach their learning potential over time.
Emotional And Social Support
Emotional stability is essential for learning, part of the Special Education Needs Tutor role is acting as emotional support for the student. Some students may struggle with their mental health , they may have challenges which make their life difficult and it is the SEN Tutor’s job to support them. When students feel secure, happy and supported they perform better academically. For SEN students who can struggle with their education, having a SEN tutor who helps and understands their mental health challenges can change their life perspective, and motivate them to focus on their education.
SEN tutors also help their students to develop their social skills. Students may struggle to talk to people and feel anxious about having a conversation. This is a key skill they will need in their life inside and outside of school that a SEN tutor can help with. There are various ways this can be accomplished such as practising role play and social stories about how to behave in certain situations. Working on these exercises can result in a more socially confident student which results in better educational outcomes and a happier student.
Preparing For Exams
Measuring progress is a key task of a Special Needs Tutor and there should be a clear plan in place to help them develop and hit their target results. It is crucial that realistic and achievement goals are set for each student. None of these plans will be the same, they will be personalised to each student, their current education level and their target. These goals are normally based on the student's Education, Health, and Care Plan or EHCP , this is a document that explains the specific needs of the student and the support needed.
SEN Tutors help to prepare students for different assessments and exams as part of their role. This preparation involves working with students on observations, quizzes and feedback sessions. These are formative assessments which help the SEN tutor to find out where the SEN student needs the most help. A plan can then be put into place on where the learning needs to be focused.
You will also prepare them for summative assessments such as SATs and GCSEs depending on their age. This includes holding mock exams, helping with revision and helping them get used to an exam environment. Some SEN students are also eligible for concessions such as a reader, scribe, and access to a laptop among other things. By knowing their concession, you can work with the student to best prepare them for their exams.
Where Do They Work?
There are different types of Special Educational Needs Tutors. Some may work as travelling tutors, visiting schools, while others may offer their services as online SEN tutors or provide in-home tutoring for SEN students as SEN home tutors.
An online SEN Tutor may work from home or in an office providing remote tutoring to SEN students through the internet. There are advantages to teaching online for students such as flexibility, students can attend tutoring from anywhere if they have a device. This can be very useful for students with mobility issues or who live in hard-to-reach places. Additionally, this allows the tutoring to take place when is most convenient for the student according to their schedule and at what time they focus best; some students work better early in the morning and some are more engaged during the afternoon.
SEN Home Tutors are home-based with the tutor travelling to the student's house. This is a good solution for anxious students or for those with sensory processing issues as they will be more comfortable in a familiar environment, feeling secure with reduced stress. This results in a better learning experience and heightened focus. SEN Home Tutors also work with parents/guardians to tailor the home learning environment to their needs. An example of this would be teaching in a quiet part of the house for a student who is sensitive to noise. Tutors can also incorporate the student's possessions into the teaching which can help students understand key concepts.
Collaboration With Others
Working with others is an essential part of being a Special Educational Needs Tutor. Collaboration is key; you'll be working closely with the student's teacher, parents or guardians, and other supporting staff. You will need to keep them updated regularly on the student's progress through written reports, phone calls or meetings. Through collaboration, the SEN students will receive coordinated support allowing them to reach their full potential.
To summarise, a SEN Tutor plays a key role in the education and development of SEN students . They offer a variety of support services, including educational and emotional support, which can be provided both online and in-home. If you’re considering becoming a Special Education Needs Tutor or want to hire the services of one, check out our job listings and resources. To see the latest sen teacher jobs available on Senploy, please visit www.senploy.co.uk today!