What lessons can we take from inclusive practice to open up learning to all? For example, making things easy to read and using clear language helps dyslexic and autistic learners. But shouldn’t it be part of our normal routine when planning teaching, learning, and assessment?
In this podcast series, I speak to professionals inside and outside education, as well as parents, carers, and learners themselves about their experiences of inclusion and what lessons we can all learn to make learning as universal as possible.
Visit our website at https://universallearning.education/
Growing Up with Dyslexia with Vikki Ray and Jordan Convertino
This is the final episode of the first season of Universal Learning. It’s also the most personal episode for me, as I am talking to Vikki Ray and Jordan Convertino, a mother and son who I first met when Vikki was looking for a tutor to help Jordan. He faced a number of challenges growing up due to the fact that Jordan is dyslexic and Vikki was getting to the point where she felt he needed extra help with his GCSEs.
Although Jordan was predicted low grades of 4 and 3 in English Language and Literature respectively, with his hard work and some help from me and his family, he achieved high grades of 6 and 8 in English.
We discuss a range of topics including the difficulties of getting a dyslexia diagnosis and support, what motivates families to persevere in the face of these challenges, and how pre-teaching helped Jordan to defy low expectations and succeed.
Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC). Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY).
Visit https://universalLearning.education for more information.
Subscribe to Universal Learning at https://anchor.fm/universal-learning
9 Jun 2021
Action Research in Practice with Jo Fletcher-Saxon
This is the second episode in a two-part special on action research, a term used to describe research that is done by practitioners themselves in the environments they work in. If it's done well, it can greatly improve our practice which results in better outcomes for students.
In part two, I’m talking to Jo Fletcher-Saxon about action research in practice. Jo is Assistant Principal at Ashton Sixth Form College and has worked tirelessly over the last few years with Sam Jones of the Bedford College Group to promote action research in further education. Jo discusses a variety of issues including why she wanted to bring more scholarship into further education, how research helps both staff and students to flourish, and what senior leaders cynical about action research need to consider.
You can find Jo on Twitter @JFletcherSaxon (https://twitter.com/JFletcherSaxon)
Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC). Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY).
Visit https://universalLearning.education (https://universallearning.education/) for more information.
Subscribe to Universal Learning at https://anchor.fm/universal-learning (https://anchor.fm/universal-learning)
2 Jun 2021
Action Research in Theory with David Powell
This is the first episode in a two-part special on action research, a term used to describe research that is done by practitioners themselves in the environments they work in. If it's done well, it can greatly improve our practice which results in better outcomes for students.
In part one, I’m talking to David Powell about action research in theory. David is a senior lecturer in teacher education based at the University of Huddersfield and he promotes the use of action research. David covers a huge amount of ground including how action research is about values as well as methodology, why messiness in research can be a good thing, and how brave research can lead us to a world worth living in.
You can find David on Twitter @DavidPowellHud (https://twitter.com/davidpowellhud)
Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC). Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY).
Visit https://universalLearning.education (https://universalLearning.education) for more information.
Subscribe to Universal Learning at https://anchor.fm/universal-learning (https://anchor.fm/universal-learning)
26 May 2021
Culture Change with Lou Mycroft
Listeners to this podcast series will hopefully get ideas about how to make their own practice more inclusive. But how do you deal with the challenges of effecting positive change in the culture of organisations? In this edition of Universal Learning, I’m talking to Lou Mycroft, a nomadic educator, researcher, and writer, particularly but not only in the fields of community education and adult education. We discuss numerous topics including how Lou's career in public health and adult education has shown her the power of changing communities, why professional development in further education is moving away from the 'sage on the stage' and what organisations can do to tap into the values of Generation Z.
You can find Lou on Twitter @LouMycroft (https://twitter.com/LouMycroft)
Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC).
Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY).
Visit https://universalLearning.education (https://universallearning.education/) for more information.
Subscribe to Universal Learning at https://anchor.fm/universal-learning (https://anchor.fm/universal-learning)
19 May 2021
Autistic Lecturers and ALS Learners in Further Education with Mike Scott
Many learners in education have additional needs. But what is life like when you're teaching them and you have your own additional needs? In this edition of Universal Learning, I’m talking to Mike Scott, an autistic lecturer working in further education. Mike teaches creative media to ALS (additional learning support) learners. We discuss a range of issues including what it's like to be diagnosed as autistic when you're an adult, how being neurodivergent helps Mike to reach his ALS learners, and how the rise in blended learning during the pandemic points the way to a better future for students with additional needs.
You can find Mike on Twitter @MobileMScott (https://twitter.com/MobileMScott)
Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC).
Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY).
Visit https://universalLearning.education (https://universalLearning.education) for more information.
Subscribe to Universal Learning at https://anchor.fm/universal-learning
13 May 2021
Adult Education and Social Justice with Mel Lenehan
How can adult education transform lives as well as respond to the social issues affecting all of our lives today? In this edition of Universal Learning, I’m talking to Mel Lenehan, Principal and CEO of Fircroft College of Adult Education in Birmingham, UK. Fircroft is one of only two residential FE colleges left in the UK and was founded over a century ago thanks to the philanthropy of the Cadbury family. We talk about a plethora of issues including the importance of treating learners as individuals, how social justice is woven into the DNA of Fircroft, and why senior leaders need to remember that the numbers on a spreadsheet also represent real people.
Find out more about the work of Fircroft College of Adult Education by visiting their website: https://www.fircroft.ac.uk/ (https://www.fircroft.ac.uk/)
You can find Mel on Twitter @MelLenehan (https://twitter.com/mellenehan)
Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC).
Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY).
Visit https://universalLearning.education for more information.
Subscribe to Universal Learning at https://anchor.fm/universal-learning
6 May 2021
Autistic Children and Young People with Elaine McGreevy
Are educators doing enough to respect the human rights of autistic children and young people? In this week's edition of Universal Learning, I’m talking to Elaine McGreevy who is a speech and language therapist. Many of the children and young people that Elaine has worked with over the years are autistic and she has become a powerful advocate for the rights of autistic people to be treated fairly and with dignity. We discuss a variety of topics including how Elaine became an ally of autistic children and young people, why well-intentioned practices in education can be discriminatory, and the myths and misconceptions around autism that still persist.
You can find Elaine on Twitter @ElaineMcgreevy
Elaine's consultancy Access Communication CIC can be found on the web at https://accesscommunication.org.uk
Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC).
Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY).
Visit https://universalLearning.education for more information. Subscribe to Universal Learning at https://anchor.fm/universal-learning
29 Apr 2021
DanceSyndrome with Sue Blackwell
In this week's edition of Universal Learning, I’m talking to Sue Blackwell, who co-founded the charity DanceSyndrome with her daughter Jen. Jen has Down’s Syndrome and DanceSyndrome’s mission is to empower learning-disabled individuals like Jen through inclusive dance classes and other activities. We talk about the impact of discovering that your newborn baby has Down's Syndrome, the challenges Jen's family faced to provide her with a nurturing education, and how DanceSyndrome was founded through necessity as nothing else like it really existed at the time.
You can find DanceSyndrome on the web at https://dancesyndrome.co.uk (https://dancesyndrome.co.uk)
Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC).
Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY).
Visit https://universalLearning.education (https://universalLearning.education) for more information.
Subscribe to Universal Learning at https://anchor.fm/universal-learning (https://anchor.fm/universal-learning)
22 Apr 2021
Assistive Technology with Tom Starkey
In this edition of Universal Learning, I’m talking to Tom Starkey, an assistive technology adviser working in higher education. Tom has had a varied career including working as a teacher in schools and pupil referral units or PRUs, as well as writing about teaching in a variety of publications, and consulting for educational technology companies. As well as discussing assistive technology, we cover numerous topics including alternative provision, the benefits of family learning, maths and English resits in further education, and how our own schooling can affect our attitude towards education.
You can find Tom on Twitter @tstarkey1212
Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC).
Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY).
Visit https://UniversalLearning.education for more information.
Subscribe to Universal Learning at https://anchor.fm/universal-learning
15 Apr 2021
Autism and Inclusive Practice with Nicola Beldham
In this first edition of Universal Learning, I’m talking to Nicola Beldham, an inclusion specialist who like me works in further education with post-16 learners. But what she has to say about inclusion I think is relevant to all phases of education in some way. We discuss a wide range of topics including how she ended up working in education, her experiences of supporting autistic students, and the effect of the pandemic on learners with additional needs. You can find Nicola on Twitter @NicolaBeldham
Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC).
Sound FX: Soft Blip E Major by New Age Soup via Freesounds, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY).
Visit https://UniversalLearning.education for more information.
Subscribe to Universal Learning at https://anchor.fm/universal-learning
28 Mar 2021
Universal Learning with Saj Mohammad
A preview of my new podcast, Universal Learning with Saj Mohammad. Music: Sinara by Blear Moon, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC).
Contact Universal Learning with Saj Mohammad
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