Learning and Teaching
How might we support pupils with additional needs?
Universal approach to social and emotional skills
The universal approach to promoting social and emotional skills is represented in the figure to the left. This describes provision in terms of three waves. When a school is fully implementing the SEAL approach they will have planned opportunities to support SEAL learning for all pupils. This will be personalised as far as possible within mainstream provision at wave 1. However, as with any other area of learning, some pupils will have additional needs in the area of social and emotional development. Small group interventions for pupils who find it hard to learn social and emotional skills or who have particular needs in this area are likely to be one element of a school’s approach to SEAL.
Guidance about how to set up and run focus group interventions to support the development of social and emotional skills is included in these materials. The focus groups are designed to provide a safe and supportive environment where the skills can be developed and practised at a level matched to that of the individuals involved. These groups are about learning and teaching of specific skills. Group facilitators will require high-level teaching and facilitation skills but are not expected to offer therapy to the individuals involved in the groups.
5.6.1 Reading