SEN Assist is ideal for use on home PCs and touch screens. The software is also switch accessible. If you do not have a switch the child can use the space bar as an alternative. This is ideal for children who do not yet have the control to use the mouse.

Motivating your individual child

The first thing we want to know when teaching is what motivates the individual. If they are into trains or tractors or dinosaurs we can use this to engage them. Often children will tell us what motivates them, but sometimes language can be a barrier and choices can be a complete surprise.

There are 48 individual characters to print, laminate and use for tasks, work systems, pegs, schedules etc.
If a child likes dinosaurs they can choose to have a T Rex on screen the whole time roaring when they succeed.

It’s amazing how effective this can be.

48 individual characters to print, laminate and use for tasks, work systems, pegs, schedules etc.

National Curriculum

SEN Assist was created by teachers to directly link with the National Curriculum.
The Fairy stories form part of the Key stage 1 syllabus in England.

The animated writing with associated symbols are ideal for visual learners and show that the text has meaning. Language is taken from the first 100 high frequency words. The clear layout avoids any distractions and the familiar stories make thinks predictable.

The activities are cleverly linked to the reading P scales meaning teachers can assess reading levels for children working below the National Curriculum Level 1.

Animated writing with associated symbols

Speech Therapy

Activities are based on language activities used by speech therapists including pronouns, prepositions, sequencing and comprehension.
Developing communication is a priority throughout the programs. Even the praise is varied to extend the vocabulary.

The resources are based on PECs allowing children to comment and answer questions learning the correct sentence structures. The resources allow a teacher to stretch children who may be more able, but not have the language skills to show this. Using a sentence strip will not only keep a child on task, but allow them to demonstrate what they know. Correct sentence structure can be modelled and processing time can be allowed.

You can start to teach a child to answer questions using the sentence strip, which is a skill they can transfer into school.

The software activities are based on language activities used by speech therapists. The resources are based on PECs

Planning

See this sample Three Bears termly plan to see how teachers plan for mixed abilities using the SEN Assist software.


(click the image to view a sample Half term plan)

For home learning you can choose the P scale activities that would best suit your child and follow the planning at home.

The hidden buttons in the ASSIST logo mean you can quickly navigate to a chosen topic and differentiate questioning to suit.

Saving time

SEN Assist was designed to save time in as many ways possible. Even the resources have a layout that is quick to cut out and laminate.


With laminators now more accessable to home users, the only limit is your imagination.

Rewards

Each time your child completes an activity their individual on screen character will celebrate for them. This is enough motivation and keeps the children on task.


At the end of the program there are individual certificates showing the story title, child’s name, character and level.

‘I wanted to give parents something they could switch on, see work before having to learn all the theory behind it.’

Adele Devine, SEN teacher and Director of SEN Assist.

Our aim is to enable more of today’s children with special educational needs to be included with their peers.

In the long term we hope SEN Assist will help more adults with special educational needs to enter the workplace by training them to use their ICT skills appropriately.