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For pupils with moderate learning difficulties, who will progress more slowly,
and pupils with difficulties arising from the failure to master
basic skills, the syllabus of Language should be designed to meet
their needs and to keep pace with their maturational level, interests
and developing skills.
Pupils with severe learning difficulties may need a greater emphasis
on oral work, although reading and writing skills should be encouraged
particularly where those are necessary to ensure social competence.
If they also have severe speech impairments, alternative methods
of communicating may need to be introduced, such as Bliss and
Makaton.
In all cases, co-operation between class teachers, learning support
staff and specialist teachers, in conjunction with parents and
the pupils themselves, will be essential to enable successful
learning.
Further advice on developing programmes and activities for pupils
with special educational needs will be provided in later guidelines.
Programmes for pupils beyond Level E
Preceding sections of the guidelines recognize that pupils will
attain targets at different rates. Some will attain Level E before
or during the first year of secondary school. Some will have achieved
Level E in all the outcomes*. Others may have achieved Level E
in only two or three of the outcomes or may show exceptional ability
in only one or two strands of a single outcome.
It is likely, however, that such pupils will demonstrate some
or all of the following characteristics:
a cognitive grasp of quite sophisticated
ideas and linguistic concepts;
linguistic resourcefulness;
an ability to analyse and apply technical
devices of communication;
imaginative versatility;
growing independence in the analysis
of what is required and the choices that have to be made,
and the techniques by which these can be achieved;
capacity for adopting various roles within
group discussion.
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The advice offered here about developing programmes of work for
these pupils should be read as part of these guidelines as a whole,
whose advice and framework applies to all pupils regardless of
their levels of attainment. It draws upon the programmes of study
in these guidelines, the Standard Grade Revised Arrangements
in English (SEB 1987) and the Initial Guidelines for English
at Standard Grade (SCDS 1987).
*In this section, the term 'outcomes' is regarded as synonymous
with 'modes' as used in the Standard Grade arrangements to describe
the four main features of language: listening, talking, reading
and writing.
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