By Jacob Leach
In this blog, you will learn:
How SEND tutoring and teaching differ.
The qualities needed to be a SEND Tutor.
Where the latest SEND Tutor jobs are and how to apply for them.
No matter how or where a student accesses education, they should feel safe and happy.
Classroom teaching and SEND tutoring both aim to help students reach their academic potential, but they often take different approaches.
For students with SEND, a traditional classroom setting can be an overwhelming environment and induce anxiety. Whether a student’s Education, Health and Care Plan requires it or their parents/guardians choose to fund private tuition, SEND tutoring can help learners make emotional progress, nurture confidence and break down learning barriers.
However, the question remains, what actually makes it different from traditional teaching?
In our latest blog, we uncover the key differences between the two and highlight the skills SEND Tutors need to help learners with SEND thrive.
How do SEND tutoring and teaching differ?
SEND tutoring and teaching, which is typically conducted in a classroom setting, differ in a number of ways, including:
Their purpose for learners.
How they approach students.
The methods used to teach.
How progress is assessed.
The curriculum followed.
The learning environment.
Their purpose for learners
While classroom teaching delivers a single curriculum to a group of students with varied needs, SEND tutoring is personalised to support each individual student with SEND.
Addressing each learner’s unique challenges through one-on-one or small-group support gives students with SEND the strongest opportunity to reach their full academic potential.
How they approach students
While teachers do tailor support in the classroom, SEND tutoring provides a much more personalised approach for each student. SEND Tutors adapt their approach to each student by adjusting how they communicate, the strategies they use and their teaching style.
Without a classroom full of students to manage, educators can use more meaningful approaches and tailor support to neurodivergent needs, such as ADHD or autism.
The methods used to teach
To help students reach their full academic potential, classroom learning often moves quickly, and teachers align their instruction with the national curriculum. SEND tutoring can take a slower, more flexible approach to learning, giving students the time they need without added pressure.
Teaching methods in SEND tutoring can often be determined by a student and their individual needs. For example, if they need visual aids or sensory tools to support learning, they can be provided for one-on-one use.
How progress is assessed
Unlike classroom teaching, where exams and tests measure progress against national standards, SEND tutoring uses a more flexible, personalised approach to assessment.
For students who require a SEND Tutor, progress can be measured through smaller, more personal steps and does not rely solely on academic achievements.
Social and emotional progress is just as important and must be celebrated alongside educational development.
The curriculum followed
Teaching in schools follows a national curriculum and rarely deviates from this. Age dependent, schools follow a curriculum to ensure fair access to education, equal learning opportunities and to assess against a national standard.
SEND tutoring however can be more flexible in its approach to what is taught and can significantly modify the curriculum to suit individual learners.
The learning environment
Classroom teaching is often noisy and overstimulating, which can overwhelm students with SEND and make it harder for them to self-regulate. SEND tutoring on the other hand can be conducted in a quiet public space, such as a library or even in a learners home. A calm, familiar setting can ease anxiety for students with SEND and remove unnecessary distractions.
The qualities needed to be a SEND Tutor
A career in SEND tutoring can be extremely rewarding and have a significant impact on the academic progress of students with SEND. However, to succeed in this role and ensure the safety and happiness of learners, there are key skills and qualities required.
Patience and compassion are essential as learners with SEND often require additional time to manage their emotions, complete a task or understand a new concept. SEND Tutors must exercise patience to ensure learners are not rushed and do not become overwhelmed. Compassion is required as SEND Tutors need a thorough understanding of the learning barriers and daily challenges those with SEND must overcome. It is important to recognise that ‘naughty behaviour’ in students with SEND is often not wilful disobedience, but a struggle to self-regulate.
Adaptability is another important skill. SEND Tutors must be flexible in their teaching and if required adapt their style to meet a learners needs on any given day. If a student is having a ‘bad day’, SEND Tutors should adjust their approach whether this means altering a lesson or entirely reworking a day's plans.
Another important quality is resilience. SEND tutoring can be challenging, unpredictable and often operates at a slow pace. For this reason, SEND Tutors must remain resilient and despite what the day throws at them, stay motivated for the sake of their students. A resilient attitude and steady approach is an effective way to build trust with students.
SEND Tutors must also be organised to ensure learning stays on track and progress, of any kind, is monitored. Effective communication helps SEND Tutors understand students and empowers children and young people with SEND to express their own thoughts and feelings.
Mainstream and SEND Tutor recruitment specialists
As specialist mainstream and SEND Tutor recruiters, we provide schools and local authorities with experienced tutors to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), those who are vulnerable, and those whose educational journeys have been disrupted. Our tutors support a wide range of needs including SEMH, autism, ADHD and those with EHCPs, as well as learners who are out of school or in alternative provision.
If you're struggling to recruit the right talent, simply request a call back and one of our experienced recruiters will contact you to discuss how we can help.
Looking for your next Tutor job? Either search the latest jobs or upload your CV and one of our consultants will be in touch when a suitable opportunity arises.