Here at Conduit, we know that classes are filled with a rich range of learning styles, personalities, interests, past experiences and needs. As a teacher currently working in a Scottish secondary school with learners who have an Additional Support Need, I understand the importance - and struggle - of finding materials to use with learners that are both age and stage appropriate. Undoubtedly there is a plethora of resources available for those working within Early, First and Second Level of Curriculum for Excellence, but often, the context and design of these resources is aimed at primary school learners. That’s why at Conduit, we have turned our focus to creating ASN content that has secondary school learners in mind.
Our overall aim is to provide secondary school practitioners with Early, First and Second Level content that in terms of design, looks no different to the Third, Fourth and Senior Phase content being used elsewhere in the school. Our ASN resources have been designed with more ‘grown up’ themes and designs and where possible, use real-life photographs instead of the illustrations typically seen in our Early, First and Second Level resources.
Conduit’s ASN home page can be found here. The content has been split into three main categories: Literacy For Older Learners, Numeracy For Older Learners and Life Skills.
Literacy
One of our main focuses for ASN content has been developing phonics resources for learners who need a little bit of extra support with sounds. For example, this Reinforcing Sounds: s, a, t, p, i and n Sorting Cards resource focuses on CVC words that link to earlier stages of CfE, but it has been designed with real photographs instead of illustrations which gives it a more mature look. The same goes for this Reinforcing Sounds: 'wr' Cut and Stick Activity.
We also have a selection of cloze passage resources on site. Below are two examples, one of which is themed around Manga, and the other on the history of rap music. Both contain content that is suitable for learners working towards the end of First Level, but the themes and design is suitable for secondary school learners.
We are also working on creating differentiated reading resources, fact files and supporting resources like word searches and flash cards.
Numeracy
We have resources in production and on site that focus on a wide range of early numeracy skills. For example:
counting
ordering
rounding
number bonds
patterns and sequences
missing number
addition and subtraction
This Reinforcing Number: Before, Between and After Activity Sheet asks learners to fill in the missing numbers on a range of number lines. It is designed to develop confidence in number, patterns and sequences. This Reinforcing Number: Addition Within 100 Differentiated Activity focuses on numbers under 100.
Life Skills
One of the most important things we can provide learners with is skills for life and an understanding of how to navigate everyday situations in the real world. Alongside our numeracy and literacy resources, we are developing life skills content. Some of these resources are standalone and some form part of a series of lessons which are linked to an interdisciplinary topic web. They explore topics such as personal hygiene, accidents and emergencies, travel and transport and managing money.
One of my favourite resources that I have used with my own class recently is this Reinforcing Life Skills: Reading A Train Timetable PowerPoint. The PowerPoint features a train timetable showing times and stops between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central Station. It is ideal for learners who are working to develop independence when travelling. Similarly, this Reinforcing Life Skills: Budgeting For Food Weekly Planner targets learners who are beginning to look at managing money within a real-life context.
Help Us Develop Our Conduit ASN Content
Our ASN content is in the early stages of development and we would love to hear from the people we are creating it for: you! Please let us know what you need and we will get your requests added to our list.
You can find and contact Conduit in the following places:
Facebook: Conduit - Connecting Knowledge and Skills
Instagram: Conduit_Connecting_Knowledge
Twitter: @ConduitScotEdu
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