Where you have a pupil you believe is struggling, you can invite them to sit down and complete a SWOT on their own. This has the advantage of you being able to support and encourage them through the exercise. You can talk about solutions on a one to one basis.Alternatively, you can still get the information by doing a whole class exercise and examining their responses individually. This has the advantage of not singling out any one individual and it may encourage more honesty and engagement. You have to make your decision based on your knowledge of the students and the class dynamics. Below we have an example of a completed SWOT, filled in by a 12-year-old boy who has been struggling to keep up in class. He doesn’t have a diagnosis of any condition but you suspect he might have ADHD.
For the individual pupil:
| Strengths I can concentrate for hours on lego Fidgeting helps me concentrate I like maths | Weaknesses It’s hard to hold a pencil I forget things a lot Not good at catching |
| Opportunities I like learning from videos Short breaks in class would help me I would like a fidget toy at school | Threats I don’t like it when it is noisy I don’t being singled out People teasing me |
Having collected the information from the SWOT you can then develop solutions for the pupil. This is something you may want to do in consultation with colleagues and professionals.
| Strengths | Solution to improve the environment and make it more inclusive | Weaknesses | Solution to improve the environment and make it more inclusive |
| I can concentrate for hours with Lego Fidgeting helps me concentrate I like maths | Create learning situations/curriculum opportunities around building Enable the child to fidget – sticky tack or fidget toys can be helpful. Create learning situations/curriculum opportunities around maths | It’s hard to hold a pencil I forget things a lot Not good at catching | Look at the length/width/weight/grip of the writing object used and try different types. Research strengthening exercises. Allow the pupil to use a laptop to type or use speech to text. Makes notes/memory games Use larger objects/play tracking games Consider referral to an occupational therapist |
| Opportunities | Threats | ||
| I like learning from videos Short breaks in class would help me I would like a fidget toy at school | Find short videos to reinforce learning. These can be set as homework Create opportunities for short breaks – perhaps incorporate stretching and moving exercises into the day for all. Find a suitable fidget toy that won’t disturb or distract others | I don’t like it when it is noisy I don’t like being singled out People teasing me | Try to make quiet spaces, or consider noise cancelling head phones Avoid choosing pupil unless they raise their hand. If you want to praise an achievement, consult with pupil first. Investigate teasing further to ascertain extent and nature of teasing. |