Rachael Cooper, PSHE Co-ordinator/Class teacher 29 Jun 2010 04:46 Report comment

The book 'A Problem Shared' by Ruth Vidler and the 'Special and Social Needs' DVD could work well both, in a special school class; or for use with mainstream children.

Mainstream teachers could use this book to help pupils reflect on pupil diversity and to try and empathise with students in their school with special needs. It is written in a simple rhyming style and the illustrations are very much focused on the characters with backgrounds limited to key objects. This enables the reader to focus on the faces of the characters within the stories alongside the spoken words. In each story the narrator, who is a child, reaches out to the reader and offers help or a question to encourage the reader to make links between the text and their own lives. This is a powerful tool and strong feature of this resource. Teachers of pre-schools and nurseries could use it at a simple level to help pupils understand about the needs of pupils with special or social needs and likewise KS1 teachers could use the stories either as a basis for a unit or work on understanding others, self esteem or diversity, or to reinforce work undertaken on those themes.

Special School teachers of children with moderate learning difficulties at KS2 might be able to use these resources in PSHE lessons to look at specific needs within a class, new pupils arriving into a class. The people jigsaw story is a lovely resource for raising self esteem, a key concept for pupils with SEN, also the What am I good at? story is also fantastic for promoting discussion about personal strengths and recognising strengths in others.

The first story on the DVD Megan’s smile is aimed at mainstream pupils understanding pupils with SEN and therefore not as appropriate for SEN pupils

There was no teacher guidance attached to these materials. Additional materials would probably benefit staff in terms of identifying cross curricular links and other PSHE activities to further develop the themes addressed within the stories.

The SEAL materials would work well alongside this resource:
Megan’s Smile – New beginnings
The People Jigsaw - Relationships
A problem shared – Say no to bullying/Relationships
What am I good at? – Good to be me
Busy Bee – Getting on and Falling out

The resource encourages pupils to reflect on their attitudes and take account of a range of perspectives in each story. The illustrations are mainly of people from a white ethnic background and contain stereotyped adults e.g. the teacher with white hair and glasses. However these can be seen as a positive in terms of pupils with SEN accessing the materials. If the pupils are given clear visual cues by way of stereotypical illustrations they can focus on the words or the story as the illustrations have been presented in a manner that is very easy to decode.

There is not much ethnic diversity within the illustrations. This is an area where the resource could be improved. However within The People Jigsaw there is a section on accepting people of different ethnic origin. Also the pace of the language on the DVD is a little fast if it is to be used with pupils with children who have slower processing speeds. It contributes to the teaching of a broad and balanced provision by addressing a range of concepts across the DVD in a fair way. Active learning is promoted through questions directed to the reader in each of the stories. These could quite easily be translated into the basis for follow up work.

It covers the non-statutory learning outcomes below:

Key Stage 1.
Developing confidence and responsibility and making the most of their abilities
1. a. to recognise what they like and dislike, what is fair and unfair, and what is right and wrong
b. to share their opinions on things that matter to them and explain their views
c. to recognise, name and deal with their feelings in a positive way
d. to think about themselves, learn from their experiences and recognise what they are good at
Developing good relationships and respecting the differences between people
4. a. to recognise how their behaviour affects other people
b. to listen to other people, and play and work cooperatively
c. to identify and respect the differences and similarities between people
d. that family and friends should care for each other
e. that there are different types of teasing and bullying, that bullying is wrong, and how to get help to deal with bullying.
KS2 Pupils should be taught:
a. to talk and write about their opinions, and explain their views, on issues that affect themselves and society
b. to recognise their worth as individuals by identifying positive things about themselves and their achievements, seeing their mistakes, making amends and setting personal goals
c. to face new challenges positively by collecting information, looking for help, making responsible choices, and taking action

I like the format having a large picture book and identical DVD bringing the stories to life. The DVD would appeal to pupils who a receptive to information presented through the television and this can then be followed up by the teacher working through the picture book or small group follow up for a particular group of pupils. The addition of small pupil books in addition to the large book would be an advantage to teachers who wanted to use this within Literacy lessons.

Miss Hayley Rawson 06 Jul 2010 08:34 Report comment

I am currently a supply teacher and for 10 years, a PSHE Co-ordinator. I have been teaching primary school children for the last 13 years. In my whole career, I have rarely found a set of books to be so captivating and endearing. I have found these 28 books to be invaluable to my teaching of the PSHE issues. I have purchased my own set and take them with me to the different schools I work at. They are so unique.

Little Angel Creative author, Ruth Vidler, is wonderful at expressing the world through a child’s eyes. The illustrations are simple and this allows the children to really reflect and think about the words chosen.

This resource has been excellent for providing a circle time focus or linking in to the teacher’s literacy or PSHE plans. They link in so well with the SEAL objectives, PSHE non-statutory guidance and introduce the pupils to key topics of the Every Child Matters aims and outcomes:

• Be healthy
• Stay safe
• Enjoy and achieve
• Make a positive contribution
• Achieve economic well-being

It is the children’s reactions to these books that is so special. Children listen attentively, as each child can empathise with different story issues on their own level. I feel the use of teacher’s resource cards or information are not needed for this resource. These books are more than enough for children to comment upon their own past experience and I feel, give children the confidence and openness to talk about their own situations and experiences of the issues discussed.

I especially liked the way in which each book is in rhyming style. This provides humour, flow and an ease of listening for the children These books, through discussion, encourage children to think for themselves, but also to work in groups, listening to and evaluating the views of others, as well as their own opinions.

These books provide a comprehensive and engaging subject matter which have been structured around the 2008 PSHE Framework learning outcomes and contribute to the progressive ‘spiral’ approach to the teaching and learning of PSHE issues.

Nikki Kimber 18 Jul 2010 06:26 Report comment

Finally!! A really special set of books tackling issues that children face in their daily lives in a fun and imaginative way! I have used almost every book for some reason or another as issues arise in my class. They have inspired really useful and insightful class discussions in my year 1/2 class. I particularly like the stories which highlight our differences. As the Mum of a special needs child myself I am delighted that there is finally a child friendly, colourful and helpful story to introduce the subject of disability and SEN to mainstream children. I would strongly recommend purchasing the whole set of these books - and the accompanyting DVDs. They are excellent value for money and you will always find a use for every one of them - regardless of age - in the primary school!

Linzy Ellis - Primary School Teacher 02 Aug 2010 03:13 Report comment

We trialled the book ‘Leo’s First Day’ (by Ruth Vidler) with Yr 1 and 2 children to begin the SEAL topic ‘changes’. Staff have reported that it offered a good ‘way in’ to the topic and children could relate to the feelings of the characters. Due to the nature of the resource, discussion and reflection is encouraged and it can also be adapted for use across EYFS and KS1. A range of language is used within this story, though some vocab is a little too advanced for younger children.