Poorer-quality and less flexible mainstream teaching is likely
both to generate and not to provide adequately for those with
learning difficulties. However, even with high-quality and
flexible mainstream teaching, it may be necessary to
supplement the conventional one teacher/one class model with
additional staff inside, and sometimes outside, general lessons.
Some of these additional staff may require knowledge and
skills relating to rare and high-level adaptations to common
teaching approaches, what we call specialist knowledge and
skill. Where high-level teaching adaptations are judged to be
beyond what can be accommodated in mainstream classes, and
where special classes and schools are required, this is still about
a more intensive and explicit expression of common teaching
approaches. So, according to the position we are outlining, if
there is any justification for separate teaching settings for SEN,
this is not necessarily because there are distinctive teaching
strategies, but better opportunities to provide appropriate
adaptations to common teaching strategies to meet unusual
individual needs.