[senco-forum] [SENco-forum] Use of Digital Recorder in A level lessons - Urgent help and advice needed for student with dyslexia

I have some sympathy with a very old fashioned face the front and listen
teacher.  He was very good at Math, but only had one auditory way of
working.  He did not like being made to use more methods of teaching such as
group work, discussion and investigation or any more multisensory methods
such as making 3D models.  He was not comfortable in the first instance and
could not see the need in the second instance as he was teaching in the same
style as he had been comfortable learning.

He might also claim that it is 'unreasonable to force him to make any
adjustments for others learning style or requirements.  Most on this forum
would not agree.

Some teachers/schools do not like students using personal ICT but they are
going to have to get used to it even if it can bring some inconvenience,
likewise the production of class notes for some students to take from each
lesson.  Universities are more up for this because more students have SDA
that allows such gadgets as voice recorders or use of computers and the
percentage found in each lecture is higher than the 2% of students in
Primary /Secondary that up until now have been the only ones likely to have
such need of 'communications aids' - and let's face it most of these are
likely to be in specials schools where the teachers have no such problems or
hang-ups about the use of ICT.

Times are changing and schools and their teachers have to change with them.

 I had a similar battle 5 years ago when I helped 6 primary school children
to get Laptops via the Becta Communications Aids projects.  Resistance like
you wouldn't believe - its not fair to others, its too disruptive,  what if
the battery fails, I can't use a scanner, I don't have time for training,
the equipment will be damaged /stolen.   The list was endless.  Eventually
the child, teacher, TA and parent took the training.  Child was fine.
Problems were minimal. Teacher tried a laptop with a disruptive child and
was amazed at the difference in the student and knock on benefits to the
rest of the class including the lowering of her stress levels. A convert at
last!   Now the battle moves on to the exam boards to let these ICT
dependant students use their equipment in exams.

I am not sure that the English teacher or the exam boards are going to win
out against the 'reasonable adjustments' argument in the long run.
Sharon Tringham

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