USING EVIDENCE

BASED
INTERVENTIONS
TO SUPPORT
STUDENTS WITH
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
Annette Ormond, Grad. Dip.
SEN, M.Ed. ASN
 Welcome
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 WHAT ARE EVIDENCE-
BASED INTERVENTIONS?
▪ Interventions that have been proven to be effective
to some degree through outcome evaluations- they
have been used and they have made some
difference with the type of difficulty the student is
experiencing
▪ Peer reviewed- research has been completed in the
area and the intervention has been evaluated by
experts in the same field
▪ We are using evidence-based practices- working
ethically with needs using relevant resources
▪ Remember not all interventions will work for all
students despite the diagnosis
▪ No resource is perfect, and I would argue the
greatest resource available in any school is the staff
▪ Three primary areas of intervention in SET-
literacy, numeracy and Social, Emotional and
Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD)
 The Continuum of
Support
▪ A response to intervention model

▪ We notice a need or it is brought to our

attention
▪ We plan to intervene

▪ The need responds to the intervention and

the student can succeed
▪ Also remember the importance of early
intervention, proactive and preventative
approaches.
▪ The continuum of support is the business
of the whole school not just SET
Some Ideas for
Interventions in
Literacy
 Literacy Research
Gambrell, Malloy and Mazzoni, 2011
Ways to ensure literacy is taught well
▪ Create a classroom culture that fosters literacy motivation.
▪ Teach reading for authentic meaning (suiting the purpose)-
for pleasure, to be informed and to perform a task.
▪ Provide students with scaffolded instruction in
phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and
comprehension to promote independent reading
▪ Give students time for self-selected reading
▪ Provide students with high quality literature across a wide
range of genres
▪ Use multiple texts that build on prior knowledge, link
concepts and expand vocabulary
▪ Build a whole-class context that emphasises community
and collaboration
▪ Balance teacher and student led discussion of texts
▪ Integrate technologies that link and expand concepts
▪ Differentiate instruction using a variety of instructionally
relevant assessments
 Nessy
▪ Helps students to learn to read, write, spell and type
▪ Students generally love it-learning through playing games
▪ Assesses them first to set targets and then will practice in
activities to suit gaps in knowledge or teacher can set targets
▪ Teacher log in gives you reports of progress and allows you set
targets and view what the student is doing
▪ Individualised programme
▪ They get rewards of golden nuggets and they can use these to
progress in games-motivational and positive approach
▪ Daily use is most effective and in my experience progress can
be significant
▪ Age 6-11 but definitely suitable for all primary school students
and possibly lower secondary depending on needs
▪ Nessy - Reading, Writing And Spelling Help For Children With
Dyslexia
 Touch Type Read Spell (TTRS)

▪ From age 7+ and suitable up to adults

▪ Starts with vowels and letters
▪ Builds up with repetitive, multisensory approach
▪ Every 5th module is dictation- visual element is removed and
student should remember from memory how to spell the words
▪ Overlearning suits the dyslexic learners
▪ Can bring huge improvements in reading and spelling but can
be quite boring especially when they find it challenging
▪ Motivation may need to be extrinsic to start- once they start
seeing an improvement and they get quicker at it they start to
be motivated intrinsically
▪ Touch-type Read and Spell (TTRS) | readandspell.com
Alpha to Omega
▪ Teacher’s Handbook- Detailed lesson plans
▪ Placement Test available here:
https://cambridgehouseeducation.com/wp
-
content/uploads/2019/04/AlphatoOmegap
lacementtest_Teachersrecord.pdf
▪ The students book has all the reading
passages and exercises
▪ Activity Pack CD Rom- photocopiable
worksheets
▪ Phonics based programme
▪ Age suitability 8-12 years but suitable for
older students depending on need
 Toe by Toe
▪ Suitable for ages 7 up to adult
▪ Quite repetitive and structured
▪ Uses a phonics-based method
▪ Daily instruction is best
▪ Works in a number of cases but not all the
same as all the other resources
▪ Phonemes taught using nonsense words and
this should help word attack skills and
improve reading
▪ Very easy to follow and could be completed at
home
▪ Also have published Stareway to Spelling and
Stride Ahead
 Reading Recovery
▪ Intensive one on one lessons of ▪ Sessions usually consist of:
around 30 minutes a day ▪ reading two or more familiar books
▪ Optimum age is 6 years but ▪ rereading yesterday's new book and
following the structure of the taking a running record
lessons in an intervention session
would have to make a difference at ▪ working with letter identification
any age due to the intensity ▪ breaking words into parts
▪ The daily intervention allows ▪ holding a conversation
teacher to track the learning from
one day to the next ▪ writing a story
▪ hearing and recording sounds
▪ reconstructing the cut-up story
▪ listening to the new book
introduction
▪ reading the new book
 Teaching Reading
Comprehension Strategies
▪ Comprehension is essential to reading as without comprehension reading is just
a repetitive task
▪ Teaching the strategies of comprehension allows the student make sense of what
they are reading
▪ Building Bridges of Understanding is very good
▪ This PDST document also has great ideas
https://pdst.ie/sites/default/files/Guiding%20Comprehension%20-
%20Teaching%20for%20Meaning.pdf
▪ Literal comprehension is directly from the text e.g. skimming and scanning,
creating images (visualising)
▪ Inferential comprehension goes below the surface and asks for more details etc.
e.g. inferring, predicting
 Teaching Reading
Comprehension Strategies
▪ Evaluative comprehension is looking at the task in greater detail e.g.
determining importance, summarising
▪ Using images helps all learners
▪ Graphic organisers can help make sense and support working memory but
we must model these so that students can learn fully how to use them and
fully understand
▪ https://ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Reading-Comprehension-
Strategies-and-Resources-Post-Primary.pdf
▪ Visualising and Verbalising Nanci Bell is a great resource to develop the skills
of visualisation and maybe as an oral language activity
▪ Teaching of comprehension skills is central to teaching in a classroom
 Precision Teaching Approaches
and SNIP
▪ http://www.snip-newsletter.co.uk/downloads.php
▪ The programme is aimed at increasing reading and spelling and uses the primary high
frequency words (HFW)
▪ These words are grouped by selecting those that visually look different to each other.
▪ It is felt (by authors) that this programme is appropriate for pupils of 8+ with standardised
literacy scores of 80 or less, who have already been exposed to effective phonics/literacy
teaching but are still struggling
▪ The programme approaches literacy acquisition at the word level and addresses the gaps in
phonics knowledge through the application of analytic phonics (drawing pupils’ attention to
the make up of words as they break up the target word).
▪ Free to download at link above
▪ Moving away from sounding out to a more sight word approach
 Precision Teaching Approaches
and SNIP
▪ What sight vocabulary should we teach first? Be relevant
▪ Various activities based on skills that certain pupils will find very difficult
▪ Make sure to test retention of words after a certain length
▪ If the programme is truly working words taught should be spelled correctly in
free writing
▪ Good resource available for testing the readability of a text also
http://www.snip-newsletter.co.uk/pdfs/downloads/readability_briefing.pdf
▪ Remember it is very important sight words are taught in context as this gives
them meaning
 Edmark
▪ An alterative to phonics
▪ Highly structured, sequenced, highly repetitive
▪ Level 1 and 2 suitable for different ages and abilities
▪ Prerequisites to using the programme include that the student must be able
to:
▪ Point or respond in some way to indicate an answer
▪ Say or sign words
▪ Understand language (receptive language ability)
▪ Before beginning level 2 they must know the words at level 1
▪ Suitable from age 5 to lower years in post primary depending on need
 Edmark
Based on the following research based instructional strategies:
▪ Errorless learning- impacting confidence and self esteem- words are taught
in isolation and practiced repeatedly before they come across them in reading
▪ Positive Reinforcement- Students are given positive reinforcement of work
so they feel they are making progress
▪ Manipulatives: Using multisensory approaches- games, word cards, stories
▪ Oral Vocabulary: Building oral vocabulary significantly impacts on reading
and writing
▪ Social skills teaching: Linked to reading and to stories adding to sensory
impact to extend memory
 Literacy-Which Intervention
should I use?
▪ What areas are causing the most difficulty in school?
▪ Prioritise development of reading skills as these are essential to life
▪ Oral language underpins all other skills in reading, writing and spelling
▪ Remember the importance of motivation- it is so important
▪ If word reading is poor- develop word attack skills and practice reading using suitable texts
90-95% independent reading
▪ Comprehension- must form part of any reading intervention- without it what is reading?
▪ Phonics approaches have their place but do not suit everyone
▪ With working memory difficulties pare back the amount of extras and the amount of
language used- teach the basics
▪ Remember the importance of visuals and multisensory approaches
 Literacy-Which Intervention
should I use?
▪ Take one programme at a time or you will completely overwhelm yourself and the
student
▪ Daily instruction for a shorter time is best if possible
▪ Planning for individual needs- one programme or resource will not fit all students
no matter how similar the needs
▪ Your assessment and prior knowledge about the student will guide you to the
right resource
▪ https://www.education.ie/en/Education-Staff/Information/NEPS-Literacy-
Resource/neps_literacy_good_practice_guide.pdf NEPS effective interventions for
literacy
▪ https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/National-Educational-
Psychological-Service-NEPS-/Balanced-Approach-to-Literacy-Development-in-
the-Early-Years-.pdf Balanced Approach to Literacy Development
 Post Primary
▪ Literacy based on the curriculum they are currently following- help them understand the
novel/work being covered in class
▪ Teach keywords in subjects and ways to get ahead-oral language underpins everything

▪ Help them to understand examination language, marking schemes, timing and work
through possible answers
▪ Reading at their level of ability- Readability of text-90-95% accuracy

▪ Comprehension strategies are so important

▪ Using digital technologies to access curriculum and to produce work

▪ Functional Literacy is so important- literacy to be able to live and communicate with others
(social media etc.)
Interventions for
Numeracy
Maths Recovery/Mata sa Rang
▪ Maths Recovery is offered to DEIS schools to improve numeracy outcomes
▪ Mata sa Rang uses Maths Recovery approaches to teach in class and was
developed by Maths Recovery Ireland
▪ Focus is on developing number words and number word sequences
▪ We develop the oral skills of numeracy before moving on to pen and paper-
essentially ensuring the foundations are strong and students fully understand
the numbers before they use them
▪ Maths Recovery is aimed at 1st class level
▪ Mata sa Rang has two modules- level 1-1st class and level 2-3rd class but
depending on need of students approaches will help much older students
▪ www.mata.ie
▪ Courses running through education centres- check them out
MATHS RECOVERY
BOOKS
▪ Available to buy-I do recommend the
course but the books have very good
interventions
▪ Main things with most of the
interventions-use concrete materials,
students are active learners, maths
discussions are a good way to learn, focus
is on developing oral skills and then
moving to pen and paper, the basics make
a huge difference to long-term
understanding and success
 Numicon
▪ A multisensory approach to teaching numeracy where the pupils are helped
to see the connection between numbers
▪ The students learn by seeing and feeling the Maths
▪ Three key aspects that underpin the teaching:
▪ Action: the students are active learners and discover the facts for themselves
▪ Conversation: communicating with each other and thinking about maths
facts to discover more, having mathematical conversations
▪ Imagery: They see how the maths works and the visual approach enables
connections in their memory and an easier way to apply knowledge
 Numicon-free resources
▪ Printable number shapes
https://www.numicon.co.nz/files/NumiconFFOnlinePCM09.pdf
▪ Adding facts to 10- Story of 10
https://www.numicon.co.nz/files/Numicon_pcms_Adding_Facts_to_10_to_M
ake_100.pdf
▪ Shapes 1-10 https://www.numicon.co.nz/files/SHAPES_1-10.pdf
▪ Many more resources https://www.numicon.co.nz/page/489315
 Ready, Set, Go Maths
▪ Schemes, games etc. available on PDST website https://pdst.ie/node/7578
▪ Aimed at Junior and Senior Infants-early intervention or preventative approach on
continuum
▪ 3/2 weekly plan
▪ 3 days teaching Number and Early Mathematical Activities and the other two days teaching
other strands and strand units
▪ Linkage and integration occur more naturally as capacity, length etc. will be linked to
number
▪ Students are grouped based on assessment and progress at different rates
▪ Lovely number games https://pdst.ie/sites/default/files/ReadySetGoNumberGames_1.pdf
▪ Based more on developing number knowledge and building foundations than written maths
 Maths Support- A Good Practice
Guide for Teachers 2020
▪ https://assets.gov.ie/78025/cc135603-cb1a-4e4b-9e44-2627aff9c8ad.pdf
▪ An excellent publication by NEPS
▪ Looks at different areas that cause difficulty in maths
▪ There is an excellent quick guide to maths challenges with teaching tips to
help in the start
▪ It goes through areas such as maths anxiety, choosing assessments, number
sense, mathematical reasoning, memory, language, sensory processing,
executive functioning skills and teacher supports
▪ Also a short section on some maths interventions
 PDST Maths Manuals
▪ Manuals available to help with different Maths areas
▪ Free to download or available in hard copy from Laois Education Centre
▪ https://pdst.ie/Manuals
▪ Mental Maths, Fractions, Shape and Space, Measures, Area, Data and
Chance, Place Value, Decimals and Percentages
▪ Counting activities https://pdst.ie/sites/default/files/CountingActivities.pdf
▪ Padlet- Play Based Maths using Picture Books-for older students too
https://padlet.com/pdstprimarystem/rw2fixbunpwtmi2
▪ Scoilnet resources https://www.scoilnet.ie/learning-path/ref/15295/
 Numeracy-Which Intervention
should I use?
▪ Look at specific difficulties
▪ Remember the importance of visuals and manipulatives- they need to see and feel maths to
understand it- all the interventions are structured, active, focus on oral maths first and cover
the basics well
▪ The basics if understood fully will impact maths ability more than anything else
▪ We are not teaching the same programme as mainstream in SET- if they could grasp this they
wouldn’t need the individual help- we are meeting specific needs
▪ Remember working memory difficulties- give visual supports, use calculator or multiplication
squares if table not known
▪ Use consistent language to add less pressure to the student
▪ Make the intervention as fun as possible
▪ At post primary level it is about taking the student back to the basics of understanding maths
and using visuals and manipulatives to improve understanding
▪ Teach using graphic organisers and sketch noting (model)
▪ Be very aware of the effect of covid years- there are huge gaps in learning due to distance
teaching
SEBD/Social Skills
 Friends For Life

▪ Fun Friends, Friends for Life and My Friends Youth

▪ School based anxiety prevention and resilience
programme
▪ Training delivered by NEPS to schools
▪ Can be run with a whole class or with a group or
individuals
▪ Teaching the students to build resilience and cope with
anxiety and worries now and in later life- a problem
solving approach
▪ http://www.friendsresilience.org/
▪ Talk to NEPS psychologist if you think it would work in
your school
 Social Stories
▪ Developed by Carol Grey
▪ Guide to writing a social story https://carolgraysocialstories.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/09/Social-Stories-10.0-10.2-Comparison-Chart.pdf
▪ A method of communicating which suits both the participants as it suits both their
styles of communication
▪ Social Stories are a method of communication between a student with autism and the
professional/parent.
▪ They are used as a means of clearly communicating information about a context, skill
or concept in a way that is meaningful to someone with autism.
▪ This creates clarity and predictability for the student and can subsequently reduce
anxiety and improve the ability to cope in different contexts and experiences
▪ They are also effective in students who prefer visual approaches and need this to
understand fully-no diagnosis needed
 The Incredible 5 Point Scale
▪ Designed to teach self-regulation
▪ When we are a 1 we are calm and happy like superman (blue)
▪ At 2 I am still calm but not as happy as I could be like spiderman. I am going to try to stay
in control and get through this and I will be proud (green)
▪ At 3 I am starting to worry or am anxious or excited. I feel like the Flash and I want to run
away (yellow)
▪ At 4 I am starting to lose it. I am getting very angry and may say things I don’t mean like
the Hulk (Orange)
▪ At 5 I am out of control. I feel like I may explode and I am unsafe. The Thing (Red)
▪ We teach them other people have feelings too and may feel differently than they do and we
teach the need to intervene or find strategies to cope early on in feeling upset- model this
▪ Visual- makes more sense, teaches other people have feelings and thoughts too
The Incredible 5 point scale
 NEPS Resources
▪ https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/National-
Educational-Psychological-Service-NEPS-
/neps_besd_continuum_teacher_guide.pdf
▪ https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Education-
Reports/Well_Being_PP_Schools_Guidelines.pdf
▪ https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/National-
Educational-Psychological-Service-NEPS-/NEPS-Guides/Social-Skills-
Groups/Social-Skills-Group.pdf
 NCSE Resources
▪ Behaviour Resource Bank https://www.sess.ie/behaviour-resource-bank
▪ Behaviour Support pack https://ncse.ie/wp-
content/uploads/2020/04/NCSE-Resource-1-Behaviour-Support-Pack.pdf
▪ Promoting Positive Behaviour and Learning https://ncse.ie/promoting-
positive-behaviour-and-learning
▪ Behaviour Support Pack for Principals
https://www.ippn.ie/images/PDFs/Rachel-Markey-NCSE-Behaviour-
Resource-Pack-for-Principals.pdf
▪ Pack for Schools https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-
Colleges/Information/Resources-
Guidance/sped_guidelines_pupils_difficulties_p.pdf
 Alex Kelly Talkabout
▪ Different areas are covered in different books
▪ Great to progress from younger to older students
▪ Assessment CD available
▪ Social Communication, Self-awareness and Self-esteem, Developing Friendships,
Transitions, Relationships, Sex and Relationships
▪ Great resources such as games and cards to support the programme
▪ Visual and the students enjoy the activities
▪ Relevant to areas they may have difficulty with
▪ Looks at areas such as self-awareness, non-verbal behaviours and their
importance, verbal behaviours and assertiveness without being rude
▪ Dip in and out of programme and supplement with your own activities and with
drama, circle time etc.
 Which Intervention to use?
▪ Look at specific, individual needs
▪ Whatever is used should match cognitive and language ability of the student
▪ Often visuals make a huge difference- thinking in pictures
▪ Too much language can overwhelm
▪ Remember the social communication difficulties in students with Autism no matter the
ability
▪ Don’t overthink the difficulties- focus yourself- prioritise in key areas
▪ Programmes do not have to be followed to the letter- you know the students- differentiate
as appropriate and trust in your skills
▪ Relationships are key
▪ Remember to practice the skills taught and test them!
 A few points…
▪ These interventions should be based on identified needs
▪ Assessment is crucial so we can understand that the needs are specifically
▪ Don’t overload the student- intervening in too many areas or using too many
resources will do this and will overload you too
▪ Match the resource to the specific needs the student has
▪ Not all resources will match all students no matter how similar the difficulties
▪ If the student dislikes it stop using it- remember motivation
▪ The greatest resource available in any school is the staff- you make the
difference- your attitude, your classroom, your ability to understand the
student. Trust yourself
 Padlet with some resources
▪ https://padlet.com/ecwexford/wexford-education-support-centre-cross-
sectoral-sen-padlet-de29pzoq9na5a0io
 Details of further talks
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