Student Support
Remember ALWAYS use your sound field system to amplify your voice.
Shepherdson proudly supports all children in the community. Wherever possible within the classroom with quality differentiated teaching practice. But sometimes with extensive support from our Gandjarr Gurrpan Dalkunharaw special needs unit or our school counselor. For behavioural issues please refer to our Behaviours for Learning and Applied Classroom Behaviours.
If you feel that a child in your class is in need of extra support, you are correct.
At any given time expect 30% of your class to currently have hearing issues and 95% will have had hearing issues at some point, emotional/behaviour needs are also high, and in mainstream schools 5% of students have high level special needs. Without a dedicated special needs school to take these high needs students at Shepherdson they are included within your class. First check in StudentRecords to see if they have already been identified and if so what quality differentiated classroom practice or other support is suggested in their Individual Learning Plan (ILP).
If you need more support for a child, email a Learner Profile (Primary, Secondary) to StudentSupport@elcho.org illustrating your concerns and what you have already tried in helping them access the curriculum.
When dealing with student support issues email StudentSupport@elcho.org , this will inform a confidential group including counselor, SN coordinator and APs. For the department to consider extra support for a student, the classroom teacher must have trialled a student support plan for 10 weeks.
The SDQ survey may help you decide if a student is in need of more social/emotional support.
The NCCD record will let you know if the student already has an identified need, you can see this via StudentRecords below.
StudentRecords or L:\Students\Reports\StudentRecords.xlsx will give you a link to your students files
This is where you need to file all evidence of disabilities and classroom adjustments made to cater for your students.
Special needs PD
Learning support
Behaviour support
It is important to note that we as teachers are the experts in children and behaviour management. When you talk with parents do not simply tell them of the issues you are facing in the classroom, go with plans and options for behaviour management, reward systems and encouragements. Plan a way forward with the family.
To include the whole of your class:
Have short active, goal focussed tasks.
Use non-verbal instructions whenever possible.
Always use visual prompts and timetables for daily routines, rules and targets.
Give short, clear simple instructions.
Highlight, point, and direct to focus information.
Give at least 20 seconds wait time (silence) between your question and their answer.
Break extended tasks into small chunks.
Give affirmation and specific feedback at every opportunity.
Give positive feedback and rule reminders when class rules are being followed.
Use distraction and diversion when there are signs of agitation or opposition.
Change tempo, use whole body activities, exercise and movement.
Give calm, unemotional time out when necessary. (Max 1 minute for every year of age)
Avoid ‘why did you …?’ questions
Clearly state the rule broken and give immediate consequence.
Never raise your voice or threaten.
