Supporting pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in mainstream classrooms can be challenging, but research-backed strategies can make a significant difference. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) highlights five key approaches - the 'five a day' principle - that teachers can integrate into their practice to improve outcomes for all learners, including those with SEND.

What is the ‘five-a-day’ principle?

The EEF’s guidance report, Special educational needs in mainstream schools, outlines five evidence-based strategies that can enhance learning experiences and boost attainment for pupils with additional needs. The best part? These approaches align with existing classroom practices, requiring only small adjustments to make a big impact.

Why this matters for teachers and SENDCos

SENDCos play a crucial role in helping schools implement effective SEND strategies. However, teachers already juggle numerous responsibilities, and finding time to explore new research can be difficult. The ‘five-a-day’ framework provides a practical, research-supported way to embed high-impact teaching techniques into everyday lessons - without requiring a complete overhaul of current methods.

The five key strategies for supporting SEND learners

EEF recommends that teachers develop a flexible, responsive teaching approach by incorporating the following five strategies:

1. Explicit instruction – Breaking down complex concepts into manageable steps with clear explanations and modelling.
   
   
2. Cognitive and metacognitive strategies – Helping pupils understand how they learn by encouraging planning, monitoring, and self-evaluation.
   
   
3. Scaffolding – Providing structured support that gradually reduces as pupils gain confidence and independence.
   
   
4. Flexible grouping – Using different grouping methods based on pupils’ needs, rather than fixed ability groups.
   
   
5. Use of technology – Leveraging assistive tools and digital resources to enhance learning accessibility and engagement.
   

Using Clicker to support the ‘five-a-day’ principle

Clicker is a powerful tool that can be seamlessly integrated into these five strategies to support SEND learners:

• Explicit instruction: Teachers can create Clicker Sets to break down learning into manageable steps, providing clear instructions and interactive activities.
  
  
• Cognitive and metacognitive strategies: Clicker’s Word Banks and Voice Notes encourage pupils to plan and review their writing, reinforcing metacognitive awareness.
  
  
• Scaffolding: Clicker’s sentence-building and word-prediction tools provide structured support that can be adjusted to individual pupil needs, promoting gradual independence.
  
  
• Flexible grouping: Clicker can be used individually, in small groups or as a whole-class learning tool.
  
  
• Use of technology: Clicker’s speech feedback and accessibility features empower pupils with SEND by providing multi-modal learning support - including switch and eye-gaze access.

By embedding these approaches into daily teaching and utilising Clicker’s assistive features, schools can create more inclusive classrooms that support the diverse needs of all pupils.

Next steps: implementing the ‘five-a-day’ principle

To ensure a shared understanding of these strategies, consider these action points:

• Share the EEF’s ‘five-a-day’ poster with staff to ensure there is a shared understanding of these strategies and what they entail.
  
• Visit the EEF blog for an overview of the ‘five-a-day’ approach.
  
• Explore the guidance report in full, including case studies and implementation examples for each of the ‘five-a-day’ strategies.