EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
Case study
Riley: a 9yr old boy in a supportive mainstream school in a socially disadvantaged,
big city school. 2nd foster care placement and accommodated by the local authority.
1st foster placement broke down because of aggression to foster carers / sibling
School concerns: Emotional regulation, Level of activity, Ability to access age-
appropriate curriculum
Consultation: Identify adults working with Riley: Social worker / family placements
social worker • Foster carers • Teachers and school support staff • Clinical
Psychologist - CAMHS/ Looked after Children’s team • Problem-solving
collaborative conversations
Assessment:
Cognitive Assessment. Strengths: language. Difficulties: working memory and
attention.
Observation/ teacher report: Anger management and attention difficulties in class.
Achievement assessment. Marked difficulties with literacy • Strengths: •
Articulate, great sense of humour, works well with adults
Intervention: Individual therapeutic work taken over by CAMHS • Support adults
who work with Riley • School staff • Carers - therapeutic work + parenting
strategies • Whole class work to promote social inclusion • Story work to improve
literacy, social skills
DIFFERENT LEARNING TECHNIQUES
Testing effect: Repeated testing leads to better learning relative to repeated
studying (Karpicke et al., 2008, Science
Spacing effect: Distributed practice leads to better learning relative to massed
practice (Cepeda et al., 2008, Psychological Science)
INCLIUSION
COMMON NEEDS:
Cognitive & learning needs: learning difficulties, ADHD, giftedness
Behavioural, emotional & social needs: emotional and behaviour disorders
Communication/social: Autism spectrum conditions; Speech, language, and
communication needs
General delays – cognitive & social functioning: Intellectual disability,
Developmental Delay, Down syndrome
Sensory & physical needs: Physical and health impairments, visual impairments,
hearing impairments
INCLUSION
“the process by which a school attempts to respond to all pupils as individuals by
reconsidering and restricting its curricular organisation and provision and allocating
resources to enhance quality of opportunity. Through this process the school builds
its capacity to accept all pupils from the local community who wish to attend and, in
so doing, reduces the need to exclude pupils.” (Sebba & Sachdev, 1997:9)
Case study
Riley: a 9yr old boy in a supportive mainstream school in a socially disadvantaged,
big city school. 2nd foster care placement and accommodated by the local authority.
1st foster placement broke down because of aggression to foster carers / sibling
School concerns: Emotional regulation, Level of activity, Ability to access age-
appropriate curriculum
Consultation: Identify adults working with Riley: Social worker / family placements
social worker • Foster carers • Teachers and school support staff • Clinical
Psychologist - CAMHS/ Looked after Children’s team • Problem-solving
collaborative conversations
Assessment:
Cognitive Assessment. Strengths: language. Difficulties: working memory and
attention.
Observation/ teacher report: Anger management and attention difficulties in class.
Achievement assessment. Marked difficulties with literacy • Strengths: •
Articulate, great sense of humour, works well with adults
Intervention: Individual therapeutic work taken over by CAMHS • Support adults
who work with Riley • School staff • Carers - therapeutic work + parenting
strategies • Whole class work to promote social inclusion • Story work to improve
literacy, social skills
DIFFERENT LEARNING TECHNIQUES
Testing effect: Repeated testing leads to better learning relative to repeated
studying (Karpicke et al., 2008, Science
Spacing effect: Distributed practice leads to better learning relative to massed
practice (Cepeda et al., 2008, Psychological Science)
INCLIUSION
COMMON NEEDS:
Cognitive & learning needs: learning difficulties, ADHD, giftedness
Behavioural, emotional & social needs: emotional and behaviour disorders
Communication/social: Autism spectrum conditions; Speech, language, and
communication needs
General delays – cognitive & social functioning: Intellectual disability,
Developmental Delay, Down syndrome
Sensory & physical needs: Physical and health impairments, visual impairments,
hearing impairments
INCLUSION
“the process by which a school attempts to respond to all pupils as individuals by
reconsidering and restricting its curricular organisation and provision and allocating
resources to enhance quality of opportunity. Through this process the school builds
its capacity to accept all pupils from the local community who wish to attend and, in
so doing, reduces the need to exclude pupils.” (Sebba & Sachdev, 1997:9)
