Reproduced with permission. April 1996.
(E) Copyright Mackellar Girls' High School (1991)

MACKELLAR GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL

LEARNING DIFFICULTIES POLICY

Index

Rationale

Background

Principles

Identification and Assessment of Students with Learning Difficulties

Assessment

Strategies

The Role of the Support Teacher (Learning Difficulties)

Aboriginal Students

Resources

Communication

RATIONALE

"All schools have a responsibility to identify and meet the educational needs of students with learning difficulties". (N.S.W. Department of Education Policy Statement. 1987)

BACKGROUND

Mackellar students are drawn from across the socio-economic spectrum though the majority come from middle-class homes. They represent the full range of intellectual and learning abilities as is typical of a comprehensive high school.

There is a sizable and increasing N.E.S.B. population and a number of Aboriginal students from country N.S.W., who are accommodated at the Aboriginal Girls' Hostel at Allambie Heights. While contributing to the creation of a rich diversity within the school, the variety of backgrounds and competencies of the students also gives rise to special needs which it is the school's responsibility to meet.

Among these needs are those of students who experience difficulties with learning. These difficulties may vary in cause, nature, intensity and duration. Students may experience difficulties with learning because of the ways in which they learn, or the rates at which they learn. Difficulties may also result from social and cultural factors.

PRINCIPLES

Our policy for the Education of Students with Learning Difficulties is based upon the principles outlined in the Department of Education Policy Documents (1987). These principles are as follows:

1. The provision of appropriate education for students with learning difficulties is the direct responsibility of each individual teacher and of the school as a whole.
2. Each teacher should provide learning opportunities at a pace and in a style appropriate for students experiencing difficulties and should ensure that all students can attempt all tasks and experience success.
3. It is not generally desirable to separate students from their peers. Such a practice denies some students access to the full curriculum and is damaging both to their self-esteem and to their perceptions of themselves as learners.

IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES

Identification and assessment are primarily the responsibility of the class teacher. However identification may also be initiated and/or facilitated by specialist and guidance personnel, by parents or by members of the medical and helping professions in the community. Because it is recognised that learning difficulties may arise at any time throughout a Student's school life, teachers should regard the identification of students with learning difficulties as a continuing process.

Ongoing Identification

Students may be identified for support by:

• Class Teacher
• Parents
• School Counsellor
• Support Teacher (Learning Difficulties)
• Self-identification

Guidelines For Recognising Students With Learning Difficulties

The following characteristics are indications of potential learning problems. However caution should be used when interpreting students behaviour - it is the frequency and intensity of behaviour which provides evidence of problems:

• Slow rate of learning
• Level of learning below age expectancy
• Forgets quickly
• Does not transfer a learned skill or concept
• Unwilling to participate in class activities
• Has difficulty tackling problems in systematic order
• Has low self-concept
• Misbehaviour
• Work not handed in
• Poor co-ordination in practical skills

ASSESSMENT

There is a wide range of techniques and procedures for assessing students with learning difficulties. Although these may vary according to the difficulties experienced they should include skilled observation and application of appropriate test materials. In most cases, assessment should be conducted by class teachers independently or with the help of other school personnel. particular cases may require assistance additional to that available within the school

The aim of assessment is to determine:

• What the students know or can do
• Where the students should be placed in a program
• Levels or groups in a classroom

Assessment information should be used to assist in designing instructional programs for such students. Students with learning difficulties need to be identified as early as possible so that appropriate programming can be implemented. The sooner the intervention, the sooner the problem can be remedied.

As a general rule criterion - referenced tests which measure what skills a student has or has not mastered in a particular academic area are more informative and more useful in determining instructional needs than norm-referenced tests. Curriculum-based assessments (which are criterion-referenced) can be developed by any class teacher for any skill area and are a systematic way of testing curriculum material and planning instructional programs.

Although assessment is important for all students in a class, it is particularly imperative for students with learning difficulties. It cannot be assumed these students will keep up with all classroom practices or be ready to progress to more difficult work. however rather than always giving them "easier" work it is important that work is pitched at the appropriate level, then gradually made more difficult as they master particular skills.

STRATEGIES

The development of plans for students with learning difficulties should be part of the school's overall policy development.

Such plans should:

• build on information gained from identification and assessment of each student's learning needs;
• acknowledge that students with learning difficulties like all students, need to learn at a pace and in a style both appropriate and challenging for them;
• recognise that many learning difficulties may be overcome by only slight modifications to regular class programs while more complex problems will require comprehensive planning and provision;
• acknowledge the relationship between learning difficulties and other areas of stress or disability;
• provide for differences in the duration of programs depending on individual needs of the student;
• establish and continue to evaluate curriculum and programs.

It is recommended that teachers should be familiar with and adapt to their own requirements the guidelines suggested in the Dept. of Education Learning Difficulties Package for enhancing the learning opportunities and achievement of students with learning difficulties. These are as follows:

• Immersion in print medium (especially Subject Specific Vocabulary);
• Demonstration of how written medium is used;
• Positive expectations given by teacher to class;
• Responsibility for own learning;
• Approximation (encouraging students to "have a go");
• Employment (regular use for variety of purposes);
• Response (feedback).

(For further elucidation of the above see Learning Difficulties Kit, Department of Education, Sydney, p.25.)

In selecting, adapting, devising and evaluating materials, techniques and programs suited to the needs of students with learning difficulties teachers should take account of the importance of the following:

• Are skills well-sequenced and logical?
• Are opportunities provided for practice?
• Is material clearly presented?
• Is subject specific vocabulary taught and revised throughout?
• Are activities appropriate?
• Is interest level adequate?
• Are revision items included?
• Is language at an appropriate level?

Students with learning difficulties learn according to the same principles as everyone else but may learn more slowly (either because of pervasive slowness, or greater than normal intermittent periods of non-availability for learning) and may need to be taught systematically what other students learn incidentally. Therefore it will be necessary to break down the learning tasks into smaller "bites" and to isolate and specifically teach the skills required.

THE ROLE OF THE SUPPORT TEACHER (LEARNING DIFFICULTIES)

"It is the responsibility of the Principal to ensure that the work of the Support Teacher (Learning Difficulties) is an integral part of a whole school commitment to meeting the needs of students with learning difficulties." (Dept. of Education Policy Statement 1987)

The Support Teacher service is provided to assist schools to cater for those students, in regular classes, who are experiencing difficulties in basic areas of learning. The Support Teacher should not be attached to any particular faculty. Allocation of time to any faculty or faculties should be flexible and all teachers/faculties should have access to Support Teacher assistance. There should be regular and ongoing communication between the Support Teacher and all staff. Although assistance in the junior years is most likely to be productive in the long term, students in the senior years should also be helped as required on the advice of class teachers. The Support Teacher's time-table should be flexible and modifiable according to perceived needs as requested by class teachers.

The work of the Support Teacher (Learning Difficulties) may be summarised as follows:

• Assists in identification of students with difficulties in conjunction with class teachers, School Counsellor and parents.
• Assists in assessing student needs and responding individually to those needs.
• Consults regularly with E.S.L Staff and School Counsellor and refers students to them where appropriate.
• Since all students should have access to the full curriculum the Support Teacher should use withdrawal sparingly and rather work primarily in a team teaching role with class teachers. This may take several forms, for example:
  • working alongside the class teacher in the classroom
  • giving individual or group assistance outside the classroom if both Class Teacher and Support Teacher feel this is necessary to reinforce/practise/revise aspects of curriculum
  • consultation in planning programs/setting tests/finding resources/evaluating suitability of texts.
• Support teacher should take initiative in informing staff of facilities/resources available and in liaising between teachers/faculties to encourage sharing of successful programs and strategies.
• Time should be allowed to assist students having difficulties with completing set work and assignments and Support Teacher should help such students to learn how to go about such tasks, how to organize time, set priorities and develop independent study skills.
• Work with teachers to help build positive attitudes to school work and increase self confidence.
• Advise teachers in selection of materials and tests.
• Communicate with and advise parents as required.
• Attend appropriate meetings and in-services where possible.

ABORIGINAL STUDENTS

Aboriginal students are often, though not always, among those experiencing learning difficulties. This can be attributed to a variety of reasons such as:

• intermittent schooling;
• non-literary cultural backgrounds;
• lack of incentives/encouragement;
• failure of schools to meet their needs;
• irrelevance of most teaching materials and the frequent misunderstanding by White Australia of their language, culture and skills.

Aboriginal students who come to Mackellar choose to do so and are supported by their local communities in their aspirations to improve their educational levels. Nevertheless, the trauma of displacement and separation from their families and friends can create stresses which affect their school achievement.

Staff need to be aware of, and sensitive to, the fact that these students come from environments very different from our own, while at the same time we need to recognise their individuality and the diversity in their cultural and social backgrounds.

Frequently the students come to us with a strong sense of inferiority and low self esteem and are then overwhelmed by their arrival in a large, predominantly white, middle class school in a large urban environment.

Staff therefore need to be particularly understanding and sympathetic while at the same time establishing clear guide-lines for standards of work and behaviour. Staff who teach Aboriginal students should regularly consult with those who have responsibility for Aboriginal Education in the school:

• Aboriginal Education Assistant;
• Support Teacher (Learning Difficulties);
• Head Teacher Administration).

Classroom Strategies For Aboriginal Students

In addition to those mentioned in the general policy, teachers of Aboriginal Students should try to familiarise themselves with the Department of School Education Policies and Guidelines on Aboriginal Education.

Some useful suggestions are:

• Recognise and accept Aboriginal English as a valid variant to Standard English.
• Do not always correct spoken language as this discourages participation.
• Move slowly in correction of writing.
• Introduction of Standard English forms can be done gradually as students develop confidence in writing.
• Avoid singling out students for class tasks (e.g. reading aloud) until their skills have been assessed and their confidence established.
• Allow students to draw on their own knowledge and experience whenever possible.
• Try to include materials which have relevance to Aboriginal students.
• Include, whenever possible, group work and co-operative learning experiences.
• Encourage participation in all classroom activities, particularly in oral and practical work.

RESOURCES

A range of resources, both human and material is available to assist teachers with the design, implementation and evaluation of programs for students with learning difficulties.

Resource personnel available within the school include:

• Principal and Executive
• The Support Teacher (Learning Difficulties)
• The Aboriginal Education Assistant
• The School Counsellor
• The E.S.L Teacher
• The Head Teacher, Welfare
• The Year Advisers Parent and Peer Tutors
• The Librarian
• The Careers Adviser Class Teachers who have taught L.D. units
• The Computer Co-ordinator

Resource Personnel outside the school:

• The School Counsellor can refer students for further testing and diagnosis to the Queenscliff Community Centre.
• Where appropriate, the assistance of itinerant support services - Metropolitan North, Hornsby may be requested for students with visual, hearing and behavioral disorders.
• Freshwater High School and Chatswood High School both conduct I.M. (Moderately Intellectually Disabled) units. Their teachers may be worthwhile contacts in preparing L.D. units of work.
• The area has a Manly-Warringah Learning Difficulties Parents Support Group.
• Manly-Warringah Evening College runs literacy programs for older students
• The House Parents and Tutors at Biala Hostel.

Material and Information Resources include:

• Units of work suitable for L.D. students on file in subject departments.
• A "module bank" of ideas on various subjects at Naremburn Professional Services Centre.
• Special Education Services from the Dee Why E.R.C. (Educational Resources Centre).
• Recommended professional reading (available from L.D. teacher or Library)
• Secondary Literacy Inservice Course (S.L.I.C). This has exemplary programs especially for Science.
• Learning Difficulties Package for Secondary Teachers.
• Educational Software: There is a range of computer software available which can be used directly or adapted for students with learning difficulties.

New resource material is continually being published. Apply to the Learning Difficulties Teacher, the Computer Co-ordinator, the E.S.L. Teacher, or the Librarian.

COMMUNICATION

Communication concerning students with learning difficulties should operate on two levels - within the school and with parents/guardians. Where a student experiences difficulties in more than one subject her teachers should endeavour to consult with each other and with support staff to ensure concerted efforts. Referral forms, by which Class Teachers may communicate their concerns about student difficulties to the S.T.(L.D.) are available in each staff-room. Communication with parents/guardians is recommended so that their co-operation and support can be enlisted wherever possible.

LEARNING DIFFICULTIES COMMITTEE

P. Wyatt
M. Dendy
A. Galway
J. Oesterlin
N. Kent-Vote
S. Martin
E. Stevens
A. Lucas
R. Wellings
S. Nixon
J. Isles
W. Clarke
A. Leverment
A. Harvey (Convenor)

End of document.

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