Information Exchange - Spring 2006

Rag Bag To Buy

00Issue 68 Spring 2006

Bronwen Campbell found this interesting idea in acatalogue that arrived on her doorstep. Thank youBronwen!

Submersible Light Show for the BathThe AQUA GLOW claims to be an innovative lightingconcept that adds shimmering colour to bathwater. Itlooks a bit like a Big Mack with a large suction cup tomount it on the bath wall. It has two settings. One givesa subtle lightshow of blues/greens/reds and the otherstays on the colour of your choice. It is 11cm in diameterand uses 4x AAA batteries. You can buy one for £9.95or two for £18.90

Could be really good for a bath-time with a difference ifthe main room lights were not used - and I'm surereaders will come up with a variety of interesting ways inwhich they can be used.

Order from VIVA on 0870 220 3244

Boom WackersA set of brightly coloured diatonic boom wackers. Thesetuned percussion tubes are ideal for teaching sound andrhythm. Strike on any hard surfaceand they vibrate the note printedon them. They are durable tubes forinside or outsideuse. Eight in a pack.

Cost: £19.99

TTS Ltd: Freephone:0800 318 686Free fax: 0800 137 525 for catalogue

Soap FlakesThe ideal tactile ingredient to stock up on.Environmentally friendly, enzyme and bleach free. Thosethat use this recommend it forits touchability in the wet playarea.Pack of three boxes.Cost: £4.10

Sculpting SandA magical addition to sand and water play! The sandturns to'putty' inwater which can besculpted intounderwatercreations then turnedback into dry sandwhen lifted out ofthe water to be storedand reused. 4 pack of assorted colours. Cost: £3.90

You can buy a good range of these amazing neoncarpets from Kirton Health Care atwww.kirton-healthcare.co.uk

Six different colours andfragrances of Aroma Doughin one handy pot: Purple -calming lavender, Blue -ylangylang to ease anxiety, Green -refreshing peppermint, Yellow -invigorating lemongrass,Orange - cheerful naartje oil,Red - geranium, the perfecttonic. Unique moisturisingformula allows a slow releaseof essential oils for 'hands on'fun therapy! Smooth, silky andresponsive to light pressure or heavy kneading forproprioceptive input. For use with children and adults tosoothe and help release stress, ease muscle pain andstiffness, encourage post-stroke hand movement or toawaken the senses. Weight: 300g.Cost: £14.95Available from: ROMPA at www.rompa.com

Rag Bag To Buy


Aquarium/Fireplace DVDs Even better than the real thing?Soothing imagery of littletropical fishes or a roaring logfire, captured on DVD so thatyou don't have to clean anytanks or sweep out the grate. Youcan even choose whichaquarium/fire you want to watch.Perfect eye-candy for contemplative loafers everywhere!Ideal for a white board wrap around effect.Cost: £14.99 from www.firebox.com

Mathmos SoftlightThe latest offerings from those cleverMathmos people are three ingeniousmouth-blown glass lamps that gentlyand hypnotically cycle through akaleidoscope of gorgeous colours.Operated via a touch sensitive switch,you'll wonder what you ever saw inboring old light bulbs.Cost: £29.95each fromwww.firebox.com

Smells by Post

Dale Air is an online UK aroma store. They have a vastrange of smells in smell tubs or aerosols to really ticklethe nose. They will also provide a range of smells for atopic -the French Revolution or a fun fair for example! They are very amenable to smells being created just for

you from their vast banks of smell ingredients. Prices arevery reasonable.

The hand held aerosols are seen as mood changers orair fresheners but could also enhance a story sack forexample. They do a hot apple pie smell….mmm! Look at www.daleair.com

Lakeland Limited Kitchen delights

It may seem a little odd but the creative kitchenwarecatalogue from Lakeland has lots of items that couldbecome multisensory ideas. The catalogue can beordered from 015394 8810 or look atwww.lakelandlimited.co.uk

Some ideas to look for

• Vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste-great for a nice smell in the classroom on apillow or in a smell box- as well as addingto cookery recipes

• The silicone pastry brushes have a very nicefeel and texture

• The holographic cake discs are sparklycoloured attention grabbing discs-a verynice visual circle and there are alsoholographic cake collars to observe andvisually scan -and also make round shapes

• A nice unbreakable storage jar thathas 'click close' lids and could beused for all sorts of class storage.

Glow-In-the dark funYou can create a wild marble rollercoaster with this marble run. It actuallyglows in the dark for special effect andwould be a great game to play in thedark room under ultraviolet lightCost; £14.99 fromwww.mindwareonline.co.uk


Rag Bag To Do

A Fruity treasure BowlYou will need:

A range of different tomatoes

– large– small – cherry– plum– on a vine– dried tomatoes

a beautiful bowlsquares of tissue paper, all different colours

This activity will encourage exploration, anticipation andthere is a tasting session included as well.

Method:

• Wrap the tomatoes individually in tissue paper• Place in the bowl• Encourage exploration and unwrapping of the

different varieties of tomatoes - taste them, smellthem, compare the redness of their skins and feeltheir different sizes in the palms of hands.

Next time, try wrapping a range of citrus fruits such aslarge oranges, tangerines, lemon, lime, and a grapefruit.Cut some in half for the intense smell. Have a fruitsqueezer at hand to squeeze the juice to taste.

Vanilla minty rosy gloopy paint!

Here is nice idea seen in the magazine 'NurseryWorld'. There is a rhyme to go with it too.

'Minty green paint

Rubbed on my nose,

Dark red paint,

Smelling of rose,

Vanilla blue paint dripped on my toes'

Knotting the StoryHere is a lovely idea to remember a story orpoem. All you will need is a thick long rope.This will be the 'rope story line' with which toremember the sequences of story or poem.

Here is the rope memory activity

• Read the story or tell the poem.

• When it is finished then repeat it and at each newline or thread of the story

• Tie a knot in the rope as a reminder of what has justhappened or changed.

Next time the story is told, use the rope to pass throughhands and feel a knot, then pause and try andremember what comes next. The physical tactile pullingof the rope through the hands and the feel of the knothelps the recall of the structure and sequence of thestory or poem.

It is very simple to paint and follow the words of therhyme by either:

• Mixing a mint smell (mouthwash is good) in greenpaint

• Rosewater into icing sugar and mixed for the redpaint

• Vanilla essence into blue paint

• Then just enjoy the smells the art and the rhymes -such a good smelly sensation

• Especially on the toes!


Rag Bag To Make

Fiddle Toys taken from Roma Lears websitewww.roma.testbench.co.uk

Well worth a visit to see her simple ideas and books.

Most children are inveterate “fiddlers” and will make useof anything that comes to hand - a lock of hair, a rubberband, a clothes peg, sitting on the beach and drippingthe fine sand through their fingers - I suppose evenstroking the cat might be considered a “fiddle”. All theseactivities are examples of pleasant and relaxing tactileexperiences. Some children with special needs may nothave the mobility or ability to choose a fiddle toy forthemselves and could welcome a ready made one. Hereis an idea which has stood the test of time and stillbrings pleasure to certain children:

Tactile SocksThese are the very simplest form of feelybags and are made in a jiffy. Simplyput something tactile in the toe, tie aknot in the leg and there you are!Toddlers' short socks make even better fiddle bags. Theyare often brightly coloured and patterned adding to thechild appeal. Put in two tactile objects - like a Ping-Pongball and a potato crisp bag or a nylon pan scrubberand a large button - and stitch across the top. You cancreate tactile experiences which are just right for thechild in mind. These simple feely bags can also be usedfor throwing games and are excellent for stacking.

Children who do not have the control to stack bricks canachieve quite a high mound of socks and all the timethey are practising their “grasp and release”.

A good Start to the dayRachelGraham fromTor BankSchool inBelfast sent methis picture ofher morningchart. It showsdifferent waysin which toportray theweather using fabrics. What a lovely simple idea fromIreland.

The 'Sleevie'Ellie Compton is a teacher at Three Ways School inBath. Not being frightened to experiment, she has comeup with a new invention to keep those objects near athand for the pupils. Ellie took a largepiece of black netting and sewed upone side to make a tube.

She sewed two pieces of elastic at theends so that it could be tied behind theneck.

The pupils wear this unusual garment, which is filled withlots of interesting things to feel. Their hands go in to thenetting from each side.

Ellie models her invention to demonstrate that it doesn'tinhibit movement in any way, only encourageexploration.

-- And you can take your arms out at any time.

A New Way With UVEllie found that UV light and tracing paper can havemagical properties when used together. The UV light is shone directly onto a large sheet oftracing paper. An object is held behind it. At first theobject appears bleary. As it is brought nearer the tracingpaper, it gradually comes into focus. Great forencouraging looking, anticipation and the imagination

What shape is approaching?


Rag Bag To Make

It's a big fluorescent rubber ring.

Who can put their hand round the shape? Who can kickthe middle? Who can draw over it with a black marker?

Can you guess what this is?

Thank you Ellie (and Bronwen for spotting them) forsending in these unusual ideas

It's those flower pictures we made earlier

[Incidentally, sugar paper fluoresces work really well]

Whose name is approaching?

Yes, its Elliot - thechild can also usea large blackmarker to try and

overwrite his name on the tracing paper.

Treasure basketsTreasure baskets are used extensively with youngchildren to enrich theirmultisensory understanding of theworld around. The idea is simple-fill a basket with a selection ofcarefully graded and collecteditems that usually follow a theme.The theme may be one of the bathrooms and the basketwill contain all the little things you would find there.Another basket may contain autumnal objects such assoil, leaves, harvest fruit and dried grasses.

There is a lovely little book explaining all about treasurebaskets and giving lots of ideas on how to collect andmake wonderful treasure baskets of great interest toexplore. The title and details are at the end of this piece.Here is an idea for a fabric treasure basket

The fabric treasure basket Take a beautiful natural basket, preferably with a snuglid to add to the excitement. Find alovely variety of small pieces of fabricswith different colours, textures andthickness to explore. Try fur, wool,denim, silks, cotton, nylon, netting andleather pieces.

Change the fabrics by warming them in the tumble dryeror on the radiator before placing them in the basket.Feel the difference in temperature and texture.

Another day freeze vinyl and leathers and see how theyare discovered in a different way in the basket-brrrrrrrr!


Rag Bag To Make ???

Wrap around fabrics This is a very easy but effective use offabrics to create a whole range ofdifferent multisensory experiences atmany different levels. It is appropriateacross the age range and offersfocussed experiences in many areas.If you are in an educational setting thenthis can be planned as part of thecurriculum. It can reflect in design and technology, art,maths, stories and social development, for example.

Resources

You will need a lovely pile of different fabrics of differentlengths and widths. They can be different colourstextures and weight. Saris are a good idea as they are agood length and come in lovely glittery repeatingpatterns. Blankets and coloured sheets could be addedto the pile. Charity stores are a good source andfamilies may have some fabrics they can donate. I havea wonderful fabric of stuffed sequinned elephants that isbewitching to explore-given to me by a mum!

Activities

Here are a range of activities to encourage theexploration of the fabrics and to find out aboutenclosing and holding as well.

Sifting and Sorting

Put the fabrics in a pile on the floor or in themultisensory room with a beam of projector lightilluminating the pile. Encourage everyone to sort and siftthrough the pile of interesting fabrics.

Textures

Sort through the fabrics and feel thedifferent textures - smooth, rough, softbumpy sleek. Which one is yourfavourite to touch and handle? Howdo they feel on your feet?

Colours

Find the colour you like best, arethere different shades of the colour?Can the colours be dumped in topile of similar colours or into lightand dark fabrics?

Patterns

Follow a pattern in the fabric withyour fingers or drag a brush alongthe pattern. Can you see a repeatingpattern, a pattern that looks the same?

Linking to nature

Look at the fabrics and link themto nature by placing them in sea,sky, earth, trees, flowers andweather piles. Can you make abig fabric picture by arrangingthem in a scene?

Fabric dens

The easiest way to make a den is to usea pop up tent and cover in the chosenmaterials.

Extend and add some pegs, string,wide tape, string and sticks to the fabrics. Can they beused to make a den? Can a wheelchair user besurrounded by fabrics and have their very own hidey-hole through which to peep?Use green and brown fabrics to make a camouflageden or white fabrics for an igloo.

Enclosing and enfolding

Play a gentle piece of music, dim the lights or use themultisensory room to provide a cosy place. Find out howit feels to be rolled or enclosed in fabrics, choose theone you like and go for it. Some-times there is areluctance to do this, respect this and encouragewatching and seeing how others react to a cosyenclosing. Slowly unroll and streeeeetch………

Make-believe fabrics

Use the fabrics to enablerole playing- a cloak, aheadscarf, a gauze dress,a wizards robe, a kimono,a sari…

Wave a fabric flag; hoist asail on a boat, fly a magiccarpet

Flying fabrics

Collect a pile of light silky gauze materials and netcurtains. Use the fabrics to fly and wave them in the airuse coloured lights to spotlight them in the multisensoryroom or use ultraviolet light to make them glow in thedark. Attach the light fabrics to a hand or foot with aponytail band. Tie a string across the space and peg thefabrics to the line, use a fan to help them move and lowin the wind.

The fabric bargain shop

Set up a table, roll and fold materialsand place on the table. Display someof the fabrics by pegging them on aline or sorting in colours, measure thepieces and pack in a bag when theyare sold.

Arty fabrics

• Find fabrics that show art or culturefrom other countries such as Africa,Pakistan, Japan, Scotland…

• Sort fabrics into colourful swatches, the same hues orvery different, make a colour rainbow

• Try tie dye to make your own fabrics (use cold waterdyes) from plain fabric

• Tear strips of fabric, go outside and thread andweave though the holes in a handy fence

• Try fabric crayons for making marks on fabric

• Fill a wide topped plastic bottle with swatches offabrics and see how it looks

Flo Longhorn -editor

????

Here is the speech and language therapist at Avenueschool in Reading, tinkling her mobile enclosed in anupturned sweetie jar. This is very simple to make with ahole in the bottom of the jar to fix the mobile or tinklymaterials securely. What a nice idea!

And the easiest of touchy feely bags can be seen here-empty fruit nets filled with silver balls and crunchy silverfoil to examine and compare.

Crepe paper magic fantasia

You will need lots of crepe paper in a whole rainbow ofcolours

• Rip and tear the paper into small pieces- look at thecolours and forms as you make a pile of all thecolourful scraps

• Everyone can choose some pieces and place themon a piece of white or card

• Take a water spray bottle and gently soak the pieceson the paper

• Watch for the magic to happen as you lift off someof the pieces of crepe and see the magic smudgycolours beneath

• Spray again and remove some more

• Let it dry and you could laminate it as a specialcolourful place mat


Rag Bag To Make ???

Our decision to do Intensive Interaction with some of ourstudents 'whatever' came about gradually.

I'd heard Dave Hewish speak several years ago and feltrelieved that what I'd been arguing for when workingwith students with profound handicaps was at last beingbacked up by someone who had a lot more influencethan me.

Namely, that what students needed wasclose, secure relationships with a few keypeople so they could become properlybonded and that these relationshipsneeded to be physically close. Withoutthese they would be never be enabled tomove from self to relationship with othersand have the foundations from which tounderstand, learn and develop. Also,very important to me, was that theywould remain alone, trapped in theirown little worlds.

Unfortunately, my school, like manyothers, had no time in the day foranything like Intensive Interaction and Ifelt dismayed that some students seemedto rush through the day with very little ofany meaning touching them.

In my group of 9 students with PMLD, Ihad Marie (not her own name) for athird year. Marie was a student of 13who operated as if she had a hearingloss, although we know she did not, aswell as a severe visual impairment. Shehad other sensory losses and physicalimpairments. Although we had madegreat steps forward, by using structure,routine, objects and body signs, she stillremained essentially alone and angry.

One of her IEPs was to try andencourage her to pass us a CD whenshe wanted music, instead of screaming,rocking and biting her hand. Onreflection, this seems a ridiculous aim. However, I still seemany IEPs written for students by harassed teachers whohaven't the time to assess and get to know their students,even if they were given the tools.

So the next step was to look at her and

see what was happening. I used the Callier AzusaScale, and even with no real time to assess her fully, Iquickly realised that she needed to be able tounderstand that another human being was responding toand being led by her, before she could move forward inany way.

Not long after this I and one of mysupport staff went on a course run byConcept Training about IntensiveInteraction and we decided, timetable orno timetable, that we would do IntensiveInteraction with some of our students.

We particularly worked with Marie andPippa (not her own name). The resultshave been startling. Marie can nowrelate not just to me, but to a number ofother staff; she instigated her owngreeting and small body movement turntaking games. She has actually reachedout to other students when put near tothem and twice reached for other staffs'faces. When being worked with closely,she will laugh and show real joy. Onecarer who has known her for years saidshe has never seen her laugh like that.She has stopped, for some of the time atleast, being angry and alone.

Now Intensive Interaction is established,the techniques, which I believe we allinherently have, can be used at any time.Marie is pictured interacting whilst in acafé waiting for lunch; Pippa is picturedon the floor, her favourite place. Wendy,the support member of staff who workedwith Pippa and formed a very closerelationship, said she felt her times ofIntensive Interaction with her were themost valuable thing she did throughoutthe whole week. They were very movingto watch.

But it's a new year and a new key stage.There's less time and opportunity than even last year tofit in Intensive Interaction. I'm very worried about Marieand Pippa loosing all the communication skills andrelationships they'd made. I feel a battle coming on!

Karen Buckley


Intensive Interaction and the End to Loneliness

Meeting SEN in the curriculum:Geography

by Diane Swiftpublished by David Fulton 2005

Cost: £25.00www.fultonpublishers.co.uk

This book has been producedfrom a collaboration of teachers andeducationalists, all of whom are interested in theteaching of geography to pupils with special needs.It contains sufficient detail of concerns relating toenhancing the teaching of geography to all pupilsto provide an effective framework to support schoolself-improvement. It also lends itself to supportingthe learning of individual pupils with a range ofspecific needs.

Chapters include:• Information on school responsibilities towards

teaching geography and SEN• Writing an effective policy• Meeting specific pupils needs• Reducing the barriers to learning and increasing

access• Monitoring and assessment• Managing support

It is a very practical book, supported by a CDROM which downloads information that will be ofvalue to all teachers looking for ideas to supportthe teaching of geography to pupils of all ages.

Storysacks

Two complete storysacks available from LFC

Despatch Line To order: telephone: 08458 506507 orwww.lfcdespatchline.co.uk

Ringo The Flamingo was not like the otherflamingos in his flock. His legs just didn't work. Yeteven though he could not join in all the games withhis friends, Ringo was still able to make a valuablecontribution to the flock. Read how his bravery andselflessness were rewarded in this sensitively toldstory by Neil Griffiths. Picture book, Fact book foruse with PHSE and Citizenship, 3 adult and 1 babyflamingo.

Cost: 53.99

Handa's Surprise in storysack form includes aHanda doll with fruits, animal masks, fingerpuppets, scenery, tape, parent guide and Mancala(an African Game).

Cost: £79.99


Book Reviews

'Helpingyoungchildren withsteady beat'by Ros Bailey andLyn Broadbent

Published by Lawrence Publications atwww.educationalpublications.comor call 01922 643833

This is an anthology of rhymes and jingles especiallywritten to help children to develop beat competency. Theability to maintain a steady beat appears to benecessary to successfully perform any body movements.

If you find it difficult to maintain a steady beat then therecan be difficulties with both small and large movements.Early beat comes in the form of nursery rhymes and thebeat of the body such as the heartbeat.

This selection of rhythmic raps comes in three levels ofbeats from simple to more complex. Drums illustratethem. They aim to develop listening, memory, awarenessof words and sounds, attention and concentration. Infact the beginning of many prerequisites to learning alllearners need to succeed in learning.

The book comes with a 'beat baby' which is a fluffy toyto use as a focus for a session.

Here are two raps from the book, see if you can guessthe more complex beat.

Gorilla rap

Gorilla in the cornerGorilla up a treeGorilla jump downWith a one, two, three!

At the bottom of the stairs

A long time ago in the middle of the night A little old man woke up with a fright!He got out of bead and went down stairs,When he got to the bottomWell what do you think was there?It was ………..(Add an idea here)

More beat babies!There is also a book and cd to go alongside the beatBook called 'It's the Beat babies-wiggle, jiggle,count!' which incorporates beat into the early numberskill of counting. The cost is £12.00 and obtainable fromthe above details.

'Seeing through new eyes'

Written by Melvin Kaplan 2006published by Jessica Kingsleywww.jkp.com

This book will be of interest to those interested in autism.It looks at vision therapy through the use of yoked prismlenses which can have an impact on a Childs'behaviour. The lenses help those with a lack of spatialawareness and trouble with coordination. Those workingwith visual impairment will have a particular interest inthe therapies put forward by Melvin Kaplan Price £12.99


Book Reviews


Electronic exchange

Feeling Good: Promoting children'smental healthThis 20 page pack has been produced by the mentalityteam at the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, with thesupport of organisations such as the CalousteGulbenkian Foundation and Shift. It is available to freelydownload from the website and provides scaffolding toadults talking to young children about their feelings.Although primarily aimed atparents this useful pack has muchto offer early years settings andprimary schools.

http://tinyurl.com/bdl2v

Sound EffectsSome information from Pete wells, the most amazingman with IT and story telling!

Pete Wells has stumbled across a handy website calledwww.getrelaxed.com.

It has all kinds of looped ambient sounds which canhelp transform your classroom/sensory studio orwhatever into somewhere even cooler! Examples includeJungle, Firework Display, crashing waves, seagulls, thewoods, along the shore. You can find thesite here: http://www.getrelaxed.com/

Tip: Don't listen to “Big waterfall” whenyou need the toilet! – Thanks Pete

Pete Wells has posted 4 new sensorystories (complete with presentations andfunky interactive comprehension exercises) onto PortlandSchool's wonderful website Theya re all excellent forvery special learners:

• My Day at Loch Ness - find out why Nessie hasbeen so illusive all these years

• Persius and Medusa - heroes, gorgons and gardengnomes!

• My Amazing Photographs - witness the amazingphotographs taken when a forgetful grandpa loanshis grandson a magical old camera…

• Gobbin Hood and his Merry Phlegm - Warning!This story is absolutely disgusting and should only byused by very brave teachers with warped senses ofhumour!

See them at: http://www.portland-school.co.uk/Petes-stuff/PetesStuff.htm

A new web site for a goodselection of small toys, makeupand costumes can be found onSmiffy's website. The also haveshops to visit too. Look atwww.smiffys.com

Two fun websites for primary pupils with lots of actionand excellent graphic are www.kneebouncers.comand www.uptoten.com full of counting to ten in maydifferent ways

www.bcps.orgThis website has lots of adapted materials especiallysymbols for reading. Have a look at 'Billy goats gruff' fora good story.


Chillout Zone – Teenagers

Story Sacks with a differenceA story sack with a differenceis one produced by lfc ltd. It issuitable for personal socialand health education and isbased on the picture book

'Ringo the Flamingo'. Ringo is not like the otherflamingos as his legs do not work, but he overcomes hisdisability by selflessness. A fact book on disability is alsoincluded.

This sack would be great for taking to an inclusivesetting.

It costs £52.99 and you can find details on08458 506507 or www.lfc-ltd.co.uk

Sweet Violet CreamThis idea taken from The AustralianECAPSS newsletter in April2005 isby Susan Fowler. Really neat forteenagers to make for a mini-enterprise or surprise gift forsomeone special. Nice to smell too-Thanks Sue!People love the smell and textures when making thiscream. It also makes a fantastic gift.

Sweet Violet cream

You will need• 1 teaspoon beeswax• 3 tablespoons almond• Heatproof bowl• Small saucepan• Newspaper• _ teaspoon corn flour• 2 tablespoons boiling water• Electric whisk• 6 drops violet essential oil (your aromatherapist will

have this) • Presentation jar• Labels

MethodYou can do this part before the session-make sure it doesnot reset though!• Melt the beeswax in the almond oil in a bowl over

the saucepan of hot water• When melted, remove bowl and stand on folded

newspaper• Pass around solid beeswax, almond oil and corn

flour to smell and feel• Add corn flour to the bowl, stir well and then add the

hot water gradually whilst beating with the whisk• Whisk until creamy• Put a drop of violet essential oil on a cotton wool ball

and pass around to smell• Add the violet oil to the mixture and continue to

whisk until the cream is cool• Pass around some of the cream to feel and smell• Pour the rest into the presentation jar and leave to set• Label with list of contents or make up own labels with

pressed flowers

Susan Fowler

Healthy bodies

FAIR multimedia produce highquality effective health informationfor people with disabilities. Thematerials are in the form of abooklet or multimedia pack whichcomes with a CD ROM. They arevery reasonable in cost (booklets at50p each and CD ROM's at £3.50)

and would form an excellent resource for PSHE. Thetitles include a range of health issues and include:

• Men's guide to keeping clean (and women's aswell)

• Guide to thinking about sex• Shaving card• Guide to a healthy month• Guide to examining your testicles• Guide to examining your breasts• Living with cancer

Catalogue details on www.fairadvice.org.ukor Tel: 0131 662 1962


The Trailrail – Angela Cooke

This article was sent to Information Exchange by AngelaCooke at Milestone School-many thanks for sendingdetails of an unusual project.

This is an article about the Trailrail, a guidance systemthat enables pupils to safely navigate their way aroundthe school and understand their surroundings.

Trailrail is an original, purpose-designed, needs-led,handrail that has been tailored to the needs of pupils,developed in collaboration with school staff. This is howit happened.

The physical structure of the new school was createdfrom a combination of original, converted and newbuildings to form one continuous, ground level school.The completed school has over 30 classes, specialistsubject classrooms, administration offices, medicalrooms, therapy work rooms, staff resource centre, library,halls hydrotherapy pool, spa pool, multi-sensoryenvironments, soft play room and various other areaswhich change identity according to pupil needs.

The school became very large, with an extensive andcomplex network of connecting corridors and thismotivated a member of staff to explore the possibility ofinstalling some form of handrail throughout the building,designed to enable pupils, and indeed visitors, tojourney from reception around all the key stage areasand be returned safely back to the front door again.

Having researched the availability of a ready-made railto meet the school's needs and finding nothingavailable, it was decided to try and design and install a

handrail, tailored to the pupil's needs and the complexenvironment of Milestone School.

The school worked with a local company calledCaesarcraft of Cambridge, Gloucestershire, who wereexperienced in creating products for the special needsmarket and together they developed the project. Slowly,the trailrail took shape and it was designed to provide:

• A supportive handrail for pupils in emergent stagesof walking

• A continual tactile route to follow for pupils withvisual impairment or pupils on the autistic spectrum

• Sensory, tactile islands along the way for focus,definition, exploration, stimulation

• Information stations to identify individual rooms andplaces

• Increased opportunity for awareness of direction andpersonal location

• Physical stability and security for vulnerable pupils bygiving a constant, continuous grasp-hold support

Having got this far, the project went into a period ofgestation while other priorities took precedence and itbecame inactive for a while.

Then in 2003, the trailrail project was back in focus andthe task of obtaining external funding had to be dealtwith. Letters were sent to several companies located inthe area who were known to support projects within thecommunity, asking for part or full funding towards the£10,000 installation costs and, to our delight, LincolnFinancial Group or Barnett Way, Barnwood, Gloucesterresponded and generously offered to sponsor the totalamount of £10,000!

Following another design reappraisal, it was decided toinstall the trailrail with directional route and informationstations. Each information station had five means ofdelivering the identity of a designated room including afour-window frame, where the room is identified byword, sign, symbol and photograph and a wall box forthe relevant object of reference underneath and a fixedobject of reference for matching.

Caesarcraft had to work throughout the 2004 summerholidays to install the trailrail and this proved to be amuch bigger task than was anticipated, but wonderfully,by late September, the final information station was inplace and their work was done.

The response from the pupils in the first weeks of termwas fascinating. Comments from pupils included: “Itshows you where to go”, “It's nice for the children inwheelchairs to reach”, “My finger wiggles along”, “I likeit, it's smooth”. From staff: “I can tell a visitor to followthe arrows on their left and they get there. It's made itmuch easier to direct them”. From a paediatricconsultant about a child with independent walkingdifficulties: “the school has installed a handrail whichhas enabled her to move more independently, with adultsupport on one side only, as she holds the rail”.

Staff found that it has enabled pupils to followpurposefully when going between rooms and othershave commented that running has reduced as thechildren are fully focused on finger-trailing the rail asthey go.

Following this early success, the school is now in thefinal stages of completing the content of the informationstations.

“Total Communication” is a priority for the school andthe next stage of the trailrail projects has been toprovide each class with their own Communication Boxwhich contains an identical set of Objects of Referenceand a pre-recordable voice communicator.

Once again, the school has been amazingly fortunate inhaving secured sponsorship from Zurich FinancialServices who agreed to fund the cost of the individualCommunication Boxes for each class. The contents ofthese boxes are being decided by a team of staffresponsible for Total Communication within school andare now in place. In-house training on their presentationand use has been undertaken by the TotalCommunication team.

Now complete, the trailrail provides the MilestoneSchool with a fully comprehensive and innovativeinformation, location and communication system.(Milestone School is in Kent and I have had the pleasureof working with staff on the campus-what an excitingproject and what good fundraising as well The editor)


The Trailrail – continued


Helpful equipment and ideas

RNID CatalogueThe RNID (Royal national Institute for the deaf) has acatalogue of aids for hearing that has several items ofinterest to IE readers.

Ear protectorsThey have some good sources of ear protection:These are priced at £8.50

• SleepSoft are ear guards worn to reduce noises asyou sleep (for all parents!)

• SwimSafe ear guards are used for swimming,especially with those who have ear infections orgrommets

• TravelFit plugs can eliminate the pain of pressure inthe eardrums whilst flying

RelaxersThere is a good selection of relaxers with a sound andaromatherapy relaxer, naturecare sound relaxer andtinnitus relaxer. These are recommended for tinnitussufferers but look excellent for use with special people.Prices start at £22.00

The sound pillow Consists of a comfortable pillowincorporating two speakers that youcan connect to a sound source suchas a Walkman or Relaxer.

This would be excellent for a child or adult who needs arestful situation and also the child who needs to hug acushion and relax to sounds they like best of all.

You can obtain the catalogue from: www.rnid.org.ukTel 0870 789 8855

Suitcase rampsThis gadget sounds like a very useful piece ofequipment. It is a single fold ramp for scooters and alltypes of wheelchairs. It is designed to bridge the gapover steps, curbs, and raised landings-all the hazardswheel chair users meet each day.

The ramps come in a variety of sizes but the most usefulone may be the 5 to 6 ft ramp to be used in conjunctionwith most minibuses.

Simply unfold the hinged ramp and position formaximum safety and support. The ramp is made ofaluminium with a durable, non-skid driving surface and It folds in half and can be carried like a suitcase.

The ramps start in price from £29.00

Further details at Simple Solutions on 01743 237761www.simplesolutions-online.co.uk/ramp

If you are looking for beeswax or otherproducts from the beehive then go towww.honeyshop.co.uk. They do blocks ofpure beeswax to smell and sniff,honeycomb to drip and taste and a widevariety of other natural products and sendby post. What a treat to arrive in the school postbox

Handy Hint

Here is a run down of some of the most interesting andthought provoking research to be published over the lastfew months...

Managing sleep disturbances in childrenwith learning disabilities.Not getting enough sleep? It is well known that sleepcan be hard for children with learning disabilities – itsalso well known that this can have a serious impact onday time behaviour and can increase sterotypicalbehaviours. This paper discusses the many physical andpsychological reasons (in both children and parents)that can contribute to these problems, and gives someinteresting case studies of how sleeping problems wereeased for 2 children. Some useful tips can be picked upfrom this paper, including how to set consistent bedtimeroutines and alter sleep cycles to prevent prolongedwaking at night. Author: B. Thorp. Nursing Times. 2005.Mar 22-28 ; 101(12):42-5.

Choice and preference assessmentresearch with people with severe toprofound developmental disabilities:a review of the literature.This useful paper discusses some of the most importantresearch in enabling choice for people with profoundand multiple disabilities in the last 20 years. A goodpaper if you want to consider the whole picture – andreview what seems to work overall, and what, perhaps,does not. It covers (for example) choice-making indaytime hours, at mealtimes and leisure hours, thedifferent ways of helping someone make a choice, andwhat the effects on people's lives can be. Theirconclusions? 'First, most people with severe-profounddevelopmental disabilities seem to be capable ofmaking choices and expressing preferences....Second,building choice opportunities within the people's dailycontext is still a rather new and limitedexperience...Third, the assumption that choice makinghas beneficial effects on the subjects needs furtherassessment. 'Authors: Helen I. Cannellaa,*, Mark F.O’Reillya and Giulio E. Lancioni. Research inDevelopmental Disabilities. 2005. 26 1–15

Emotional well-being for all: mentalhealth and people with profound andmultiple learning disabilities.This article looks at the emotional well-being of peoplewith profound and multiple learning disabilities. This is aissue that is frequently ignored and yet so vital to thepeople concerned. Nind and Sheehy discuss the factorsthat can lead to someone with PMLD experiencingmental ill health, and call for people (especially carersand families) to come together to highlight the problemsand find the solutions. Understanding some of thesefactors can help prevent the possibility of ill health forpeople we all work with in the long term so its wellworth a read. Authors: Kieron Sheehy and MelanieNind. British Journal of Learning Disabilities. March2005. Volume 33. Issue 1. Page 34.

Interested in...

...reading a review of one of these articles in InformationExchange? Just let us know. If enough requests come foran article I will happily review it for you.

...getting hold of one of these articles? Try British LibraryDirect on their website http://direct.bl.uk/bld/About.do

You can buy individual articles for a small fee whichthey will either email to you, or send in the post. If youdo not have a computer at home or they are just notyour thing, go to your local library (most havecomputers for the public to use and will help you). Theymay also be able to order you the article themselves onan 'Inter Library loan'. Alternatively try your localUniversity library (if you have one!).. They will oftenissue you a day pass if you speak nicely, and adviseyou on how to locate the article. You can usually searchtheir catalogue on-line to see if they have the journalbefore you make a wasted journey

Please note, this is not intended as an exhaustive, orrepresentative review of all current literature! Nor can Ivouch for the articles themselves, this is one for you tomake your own mind up on!


Research Forum – Sue Granger

What did we hear about the new colour in Information Exchange?

Some comments from you!

The Christmas IE is superb!

Congratulations on the new format IE-the best of the old with a glossyState-of-the-art clarity

I thought the new IE looked beautiful

I have just received the first copy of Information Exchange in colour. What a great additionto an already superb resource. The colour enhances the products and brings the articlesalive.Thank you for all you and the team do to produce such a valuable teaching resource

Information Exchange has left the seventies and zoomed into the twenty first century-well

Making a den-a secret hidey-holefrom Sue Grangermember of the editorial board

Did you ever make a den or a special secret clubhousewhen you were small? Den making is common to kidsplay in all cultures all over the world, all children lovethem. There is something really magical and excitingabout making a den of your own, your own privatespace where no one else can go (unless you invite them!)and which is full of your own favourite and special things.They can be a safe place, and a private expression ofwho you are.It is possible to make some very special dens byspending time with a child who may not be able to makeone by themselves. Paul loved stairs – but is rarelyallowed to sit on them (wonder why??!!). We made aden together recently by finding some stairs whichhappened to be free for the afternoon (!) and usingemergency sacs for a roof and walls (his choice – heloves shiny). We offered Paul a range of his favouriteitems, such as string, some menus (collected from variousfriendly cafes), shiny salad tongs and a cheese grater.Some he chose to take into his den, some he refused. Hetook a colander of his own accord. Cushions and othercomforts were also offered but obviously did not meet thekind of macho 'look' he was going for. Once he seemedhappy with the look of his den, he chased us all out quitehappily. He spent a happy afternoon there doing hisown thing, chasing off anyone who came to close, andgrinning like a mad thing as he did so.

You could also make a den to share with a few friendsand follow it up with a secret feast! Make them indoors,outdoors, in nooks and crannies or in the middle of theroom. But be prepared to get chased out by the principledesigner(s) afterwards - If your name is not on the list youain’t getting in!Thank you Sue for reminding us all of the importance ofdens for everyone!

pg 2 or 3

Fill-ins

A Bright Idea!

If you are working in a dark room or a darkened area then here is a useful way to illuminate a small area.

Attach a small bright torch to the peak of a baseball cap and you will light up the area you are looking at quite effectively. Italso leaves your hands free to work.

Thoughts for the day

If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail. ~ Abraham Maslow

Don't judge this day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.

I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once.

If you can't be a good example - then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.

This poem has been taken from the Archives of Information Exchange. It is a poem all about objects of reference written byBeryl Brookman from Somerset. Beryl, if you are still reading this magazine, get in touch!

This is a timely reminder about our use of objects of reference and how we can occasionally forget……..

The O.O.R's Lament

I'm an Object Of ReferenceI'm as lonely as can beI sit for hours and hours on endAnd no one looks at me.

I long for human contactTo ask for that's not muchBut it seems so very clear to meI will get no human touch.

The minutes tick on by And still I sit and wait For hours and days I'm in this boxWondering what will be my fate.

Will I always be forgotten?Am I of no earthly use?If so what am I doing hereWhen I could be on the loose?

I could be quite importantI could be of some useI could be helping all of youSo why make me a recluse?

Please don't just ignore me

Over the last year, I have been to Lister Lane School inBradford and had the pleasure of meeting and workingwith an amazing group of educators. We have hadcorrespondence and the school has sent me all sorts oflovely photos of individually based equipment.

Lister Lane School has a very special Base within itswalls, called Base 3.The teach is Mrs M Saint and theextra special assistants are Fiona, June and Petula.They have a group of students who work very hard at amultisensory curriculum using materials especiallydevised for them. The staff have taken a new look athow the students learn, by working out how they fit intothe framework of multiple intelligences and learningstyles (devised by a chap called Howard Gardner andused a lot in mainstream schools). They have very kindlysent me some excellent ideas and these will be printedin Information Exchange in coming issues.

Here are the first batch, hope you enjoy them as muchas I did!

A note from FionaWe have been very busy recently creating a sensoryActivity Bank. Staff have researched the learning stylesof each of the pupils in the class. Here are some of therange of individual activities made to support the gapsin strengths and weaknesses across the curriculum i.e.literacy science and numeracy.

The sensory tactile boards and floor mats were made forvisually impaired special people using black and whitepatterns and also bright and bold contrasting colours.We try to use a whole range of objects to smell, touch,and explore to promote engagement in experientiallearning.

All items used in our project can be absolutely anythingcollected around the home, and those marvellous £shops such as peg hangers and plywood which you candrill holes in to thread elastic through and hang things on.

Flo and Maria get to grips with some of the exciting materialsin base 3

Examples of clearly defined black and white activity boards forvisual scanning and the beginning of reading the world around

Here is a familiar chocolate box full of moving images to trackand what a joy to shake as well!

What a way to engage with exciting visually vibrating imagesby rolling on the mat and discovering them as you move around


Lister Lane School Multisensory Resources


Education

Shoe Box Stories ByFlo Longhorn andAvenue School ReadingShoebox stories are simply a sensory way in which toinvolve everyone in a story session. Often, in such asession, a reader may be at a simple level of reading ormay find it difficult to see or follow the story. Theshoebox gives the opportunity to access the storydirectly through a 3-D dimensional picture full of colourand movement. Hands can also enter the story throughreaching and touching the story very easily.

It is a very individualised story and the reader can buildup a repertoire of reading through having a choice ofstory boxes. The boxes can also be used in othercurriculum areas such as humanities, take a visit toanother country or science by going into a fish orplanets shoebox story.

Below you will find examples of stories, the editor andothers have devised some by staff at Avenue school inReading, where they held a very successful glueysession with Flo!

Black fluorescing material art box

Firework night

A fishy view of under the sea

Touch and explore many shapes and forms

The elephant's trunk and the tail of a mouse

The head teacher's anti- stress shoebox!


Education

Shimmery shapes A cold and icy box

Spider in the bath A bear story

Come and Play, a project run by4Children that gives disadvantagedchildren access to music-makingopportunities, has produced a resourcefor musicians and play workers. Toorder A guide for music leaders call030 7512 2112 and ask for 'Comeand Play'.

A set of inclusion materials forprofessionals who work with youngdisabled children has been launchedby disability organisation Scope andhemiplegia charity HemiHelp. Theinformation pack is available atwww.scope.org.uk

New Reading postersThe National ReadingCampaign haslaunched a new set offree readingpromotion posters,featuring WorldWrestlingEntertainmentSuperstars. The set of three features;WWE Champion John Cena, WWESmackDown Superstar Rey Mysterioand WWE RAW Superstar SheltonBenjamin. Posters are available free ofcharge to all those working to promoteliteracy in the UK, including schools,colleges, libraries, workplaces adultliteracy providers, health centres,bookshops and community venues.

Ordering detailshttp://tinyurl.com/bpkuf

Documents

Information Exchange - Spring 2006