What is SEN?

'Technology is excellent for supporting language learners with special educational needs. An important principle is to focus on learning needs starting from what somebody can do rather than what they can’t do'' (Dexter, P. in Hockly, N. 2017, p. 161).

SEN stands for ‘special educational needs”, a term used “to refer to learners with a wide range of needs that require special supports in the language classroom”. (Hockly, N. 2017)

The term ‘special educational needs’ is used to refer to learners with a wide range of needs that require special support in the language classroom.

The term SEN covers a range of needs. These can include cognitive and learning challenges like mild dyslexia. Students with dyslexia find it difficult to process information, typically resulting in issues with reading, writing and spelling. Dyslexic students frequently have problems linking sounds to the corresponding written words, with the process of reading (letters seem to change and move around the page for them as they read), and with short-term memory, which means they find it difficult to remember something that has just been said. Additional challenges for dyslexic students include sequencing and organisation, and numerical skills. Using graphic organisers such as mind maps can help dyslexic students with sequencing and organisation by displaying information in a more visual format.

Reference:

Hockly, N.(2017) Unit 45: 10 things to know about SEN students and technology. EtPedia: Technology.pp.