Learning support services
Our aim
To work collaboratively with mainstream teachers to plan and implement appropriate strategies to enable all students with learning difficulties to maximise their learning outcomes. Support provided may include: team teaching; program specific targeted intervention; advice regarding differentiation and scaffolding; individual student focus (in both academic and practical areas); small group work; examination administration; exemplar writing for specific units of work; student observations.
Students from Years 7 to 9 may be withdrawn, with the approval of the principal, from one academic subject to access support in the LSU. Students in Years 10 to 12 are currently supported by 2 teacher aides, who liaise with senior mainstream teachers and the students themselves to tailor specific intervention whenever required. The teacher aides either work in the classrooms, or with individual/small groups of students in the library during non-timetabled periods.
The Homework Centre
The Homework Centre, coordinated by the Learning Support Faculty is available to all students, Monday to Thursday, in the Library, from 2.45 – 4.00. Attendance each week, is approximately 100 students. Students are given a healthy snack and a drink of water before commencing work. Each week a summary of daily attendance numbers and names is emailed to all teaching staff.
Literacy and Numeracy
To enhance the Literacy and Numeracy skills of all students in Years 7, 8 and 9, one hour each week is dedicated, in the mainstream classrooms, to this goal. A continuum for both Literacy and Numeracy tasks for each year level, across each of the four terms, is now in place. Following the guidelines in these documents, ensures that all concepts are covered at the appropriate stages of development. To support a differentiated approach where required, testing of all basic skills is undertaken by the Learning Support team, for all Year 7, 8 and 9 students. The results are available to all and the valuable data on this continuous standardized assessment, shows each student’s progress through their junior years.
Contact
Parents/carers are invited to call the Learning Support Services faculty on either 3824 9256 or 3824 9217, if any further information is required.