[senco-forum] is disapplication still needed?

Hi David

I'm not 'disappointed', I'm furious! For exactly the reasons you underline.

The reason for my question is not subject specific but to give me ammunition
for my argument on Monday morning.  So many thanks for your link (and you
argument).  We run a plethora of withdrawal groups for a wide variety of
need, this has been decided without consultation.

Richard

-----Original Message-----
From: David Wilson [mailto:davidritchiewilson at btinternet.com]
Sent: 07 July 2007 15:20
To: Richard Cook; Senco Forum
Subject: Fw: [senco-forum] is disapplication still needed?

Richard:
The current regulations on disapplication are here:

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/disapply/disapp.shtml

I'm disappointed that in this day and age and in this multilingual world any
school SLT should be constemplating the route of MFL disapplication when
planning how to raise English literacy standards amongst the lowest
attainers. It violates the principle that every child is entitled to a broad
and balanced curriculum. I hope your Head of MFL will resist this move and
suggest alternative ways of freeing up time for literacy work, e.g. sessions
before the start of formal lessons, withdrawals spread out over several
subjects so none istoo adversely affected, intensive sessions spread over a
limited number of weeks, not lasting the full year. Supposing the move goes
ahead, what is going to happen to the withdrawees from MFL when they reach
Year 8? Are they going to be offered MFL then? If not, does the SLT plan
more of the same literacy interventions, whether they then need them or not?

MFL teachers, like their history, geography, art, RE etc colleagues, are
expected nowadays to differentiate for pupils with SEN. MFL reinforces the
literacy input made by English: "What do they know of English who only
English know?" There are plenty of examples of good practice in teaching MFL
to those with SEN here:

http://www.specialeducationalneeds.com/mfl/biblio.doc

and an excellent recent European Commission document full of inspiring
accounts of what MFL and SEN teachers are doing to prepare our most
vulnerable children for a world where being a monoglot is the exception
rather than the rule:

http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/lang/doc/special_en.pdf

Try and get your SLT to think again and come up with more imaginative and
less damaging ways of improving literacy for all.

David Wilson

Harton Technology College, South Shields
http://www.specialeducationalneeds.com/

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