Hi everyone, sorry this blog post is so delayed, it has been an incredibly busy three weeks. I (Lucy) was performing as Lily St Regis in Annie for a two week run and last week we were at Flo Longhorn's latest conference No Ticks No boxes providing Winter Wonderland sensory play experiences as well as telling everyone all about Sensory Dispensary and the projects we have on the go. We will discuss the conference in more detail in future posts, if you want a quick overview find us on twitter @sensorydispense I tried to keep everyone as up to date as I could.
Today, I am going to share this terms TACPAC with you. My class are a group of 8 pupils with CLDD most of whom have complex autism, are non verbal and have many sensory processing difficulties. They are ages between year 7 and 9 so are at a difficult stage in their teenage lives.
I have a group of 3 pupils who get a lot from my TACPAC sessions, they are highly sensory children who often seek tactile and proprioceptive activities. They all have very delayed interaction with adults, they are introverted and we are working towards gesturing wants, needs and preferences to adults.
Our topic this term is seasons so I have put together an Autumn TACPAC. It has been going really well so far. My children are developing favourite resources and are communicating on which part of the body they would like it. I use a lot of burst pause throughout my TACPAC sessions to encourage them to initiate communication and interaction with me. There is a lot of debate and questioning at the minute about what 'lessons' and 'learning' for children and young people with PMLD/ CLDD should like like in terms of formality and objective learning. I think TACPAC is a lovely session for the children to develop communication in their own way and lead their own learning in a calming and encouraging environment. I find the repetitive and trusting environment created with a child and adult promoted communication development. There may be no symbols or pictures or instructions as to what you want the pupil to do but you are providing the child an opportunity to learn they can control something and develop their own preferences which I think is vital.
The fabulous Ellen Croft from Ash Field School in Leicester spoke about their recent Ofsted visit. Ellen was worried when the Ofsted inspector came to observe a TACPAC session but decided to go ahead with it anyway. I think as PMLD teachers we often worry about what observers think, especially if they are not familiar with what PMLD 'teaching' looks like and what our children's learning and progress looks like. Often the huge steps of progress, sometimes a child smiling consistently at their favourite part and smiling in anticipation are missed. However add a switch or a PECS symbol and it looks more like a familiar and traditional special needs lesson. Ellen did a TACPAC session for the Ofsted inspector and maybe for the first time ever the inspector said that he was moved by the session. Not only did Ellen complete her TACPAC session but she also added 5 minutes of silence. Silence is brilliant for a child's mental health and wellbeing. Classrooms can be incredibly busy and children with PMLD spend much of their time being cared for and supported. They aren't very often left to their own devices to explore and learn about themselves. She finds that during these silent periods, the children explore their own sounds and interact with each other which is great. Hannah tried this in her class today and it worked amazingly. I tried it too but it wasn't so successful, but we will definitely try again tomorrow! It is a lesson that there is no such thing as downtime (in the words of Peter Imray) but opportunity for developing self awareness. We are often told that every minute matters and that the children should be learning and busy during every minute of the day but we must not forget the value of quiet.
Anyway, this is my TACPAC this term. I didn't make the tracks this time, they are from Youtube so I will also share the links below. Sorry there are no photos, I will try and remember to take some tomorrow!
In the garden on an autumn afternoon.
Track 1: The conkers are falling to the ground marbles in sock tied up (feet)
Do they children seek to explore using their hands? Do they
anticipate the feeling of the marbles dropping on them gently? Do they have a
preference to heavy/ gentle, fast/ slow? Do they communicate they want the
feeling on a different part of their bodies?
Track 2: I can hear the hedgehogs rustling through the leaves –
spikey ring (legs)
Do they react? Do they have a preference of where they would
like the feeling? Do they prefer gentle or firm?
Track 3: Pull your woolly jumper on it’s getting cold out
here – soft wool (neck)
Do they anticipate? Do they react if it tickles or feels
nice? Do they communicate where they want it? Do they seek to explore the wool
in different ways?
Track 4: Dad is sweeping up the leaves – massage scraper
tool (arms)
Do they anticipate and hold their arm out? Do they have a
favourite arm or place? Do they prefer gentle or firm?
Track 5: Quick, did you see that squirrel run up the tree –
feather duster (all over)
Do they anticipate? Do they react and make communication if
it tickles? Do they have a preferred place?
Track 6: I am busy collecting the pine cones that have
fallen to the ground - pine cone (hands)
Do they hold their hands out ready? Do they like to explore
independently?
Track 7: It’s time to go inside now it’s starting to rain –
wet sponge (face and hair)
Do they anticipate? Do they explore in alternative ways? Do
they communicate if they don’t like it?
The tracks are not in order as I renamed them on my computer! Match them up to the items you think fit.
For more information about the theory behind TACPAC or to purchase any of the official packs/ the assessment tools visit their website. TACPAC also deliver training courses and in house training.
Today we have uploaded our new sensory story sack 'One Christmas' to our Facebook shop. We have written this story and have made 40 story sacks complete with all of the resources including the laminated story, information about the how and whys of sensory stories and a recipe card. We are really proud of these and will be using them in class with our children. They are £25 plus postage and packaging. All handmade with love, we feel they would make lovely Christmas activities/ gifts for any sensory being. For more details message us on Facebook or Twitter.
We have also made a new dispense the sense card pack featuring activities for holidays throughout the year. This pack is £4.50 including postage and packaging. Again handmade with love.
