This page has been designed to support educational professionals, sharing all our educational resources to support learners with Williams Syndrome (WS) in order to ensure their full inclusion in the classroom and school. These resources are all research based and provide information about the challenges of WS as well as practical advice and tips which can be applied within the classroom / school. We are very fortunate to be supported by a Professional Advisory Panel which includes a number of senior academics who have dedicated their careers to researching WS – specifically how learners with WS develop and how this development can be best supported to help them achieve their potential. If you have any additional / specific questions regarding educational support, please feel free to contact us on ask@williams-syndrome.org.uk.

Courses 

Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND): Developing Quality Inclusive Practice

We are pleased to announce University College London (UCL) has launched a short course on Williams Syndrome that is aimed at educational professionals about how to support students with WS in the classroom. More information and details can be found by clicking the below link:  
Course Information

NEW! OWL Guidelines by Dr Fionnuala Tynan and Dr Jo Van Herwegan.

My Own Williams Learning (OWL) – a child-friendly, engaging and understandable educational resource that will help children with WS throughout their school years. 
 
Click here to find out more Click here to download a copy

Guidelines for Educators

Our WSF Guidelines for Educators contains essential information, studies and research on children with WS in an educational setting.
 
These guidelines were created to give educators a clearer understanding of children with WS, to help and support them through their learning journey.
 
FREE to download or available to buy from our online shop. WSF members with WS children in education are eligible for a free hard copy. 
 
Download

Anxiety

Download our guidelines on anxiety depending on which stage your child is at: 

Anxiety - A guide for supporting children in primary school with WS Anxiety - A guide for supporting children in secondary school with WS

ECHP Guidelines & Clinics 

A guide to understanding EHCP’s and information on our unique clinics with Dr Jo Van Herwegen and Olympia Palikara.
 
“As the Educational Needs Advisor for the Williams Syndrome Foundation, I have been able to offer an ‘education support clinic’ to WSF members to help parents with the EHCP process and provide evidence or to provide advice for schools to help support a child with WS in the classroom by making evidence based suggestions for assistance with learning.” Jo Van Herwegen
 
EHCP Guidelines for Parents

What to do if your child has an EHC plan, but the provision set out in it is not being made? IPSEA have written some guidance explaining what you can do if you’re in this situation – find it here: https://buff.ly/3G8OvCi

WiSHES by Dr Fionnuala Tynan

 
WiSHES – Williams Syndrome Holistic Educational Strategies – is written by Fionnuala who is a Lecturer in the Department of Reflective Pedagogy and Early Childhood Studies at MIC. 
 
This is first book in Europe to be published on promoting inclusive learning in children with Williams Syndrome (WS).
 
The book outlines a way forward for supporting learners with WS and moves away from a medical model of disability to a more holistic profile that acknowledge the biological, social and psychological aspects of learners with Williams Syndrome.
 
Read more

Blogs

By Dr Jo Van Herwegen and the Child Development and Learning Difficulties Clinic at UCL

Education guidelines for children and young people with WS Supporting children with WS in the classroom School transition from primary to secondary school in children with WS

Spatial Reasoning

Spatial reasoning is the ability to visualise and manipulate objects in two and three dimensions. It’s also known as spatial thinking or spatial awareness.

Early Childhood Maths Group - Spatial Reasoning University of Surrey - Spatial reasoning toolkit and resources

Facebook Group 

A Facebook group aimed at professionals (e.g. teachers, teaching assistants, health visitors and other medical professionals, speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, academic researchers etc) who are currently working with a child, student or adult who has Williams Syndrome.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/WilliamsSyndromeProfessionals