MSI Unit Curriculum - Sense

MSI Unit Curriculum: Phase 4GeneralisationAlthough Harry presents as proficient within his familiar school environment, hiscompetence relies on his expert knowledge of routines and his trust in familiarstaff. Without these props he is rapidly lost and the limitations imposed byhis profound sensory impairments become clear. He does not gain enoughinformation about different settings to compare their similarities and differencesand so does not recognise when it is appropriate to use familiar skills in newcontexts. His limited confidence compounds this problem. To address thesedifficulties, Harry is specifically taught to transfer skills, by learning to use themin new settings and by discussion and experience of the similarities which maketheir use appropriate (Responses to routines and changes).For example: with two other pupils, Harry visits the local library monthly,travelling by public bus; he shops twice a month at the local shopping centre,and he uses public transport for one-off visits to a range of venues. The commonelements of the trips (for example, using his bus pass for each bus journey) arestressed in planning and review, and trips may be selected solely to encouragepupils’ understanding of generalisation – for instance, visiting several differentpublic libraries to emphasise that the process of borrowing books is the same ineach one.Harry’s cumulative understanding from these trips enables him to make choiceson a relatively major scale. He may, for example, have the choice of whetherthe group shopping visit is to the supermarket or the shopping centre, orchoose which public library to visit on the bus (Ownership of learning). He nowunderstands the concept of a vote, when alongside other pupils he chooses whichof two cafes to visit. Pupils’ names are put into one of two columns dependingon their choice, and Harry understands that the majority decision goes!104