Learning and Inclusion Update Week 5 Term 2 2016

Learning
and Inclusion at
Learning and Inclusion update
Week 5 Term 2 2016

regarding the NEPs that you have written
has been extremely positive, to the point
where we have been asked to provide a
copy of one (with names removed) to be
used as an example for other schools.
Hi everyone,
It has been yet another busy start to
the
Term
and
wanted
to
take
this
opportunity to keep all of you up to date

with aspects around Learning and Inclusion.
Last
Term
we
achieved
great
deal,
including the reorganizing of student files,

the introduction of a new NEP process and
the beginnings of our work around Positive
Education. No of this would have been
possible without all of the work that every
single one of you put in for our students to
which I am truly grateful.
effort last Term in updating all of our

NEP/ILP/IEPs.
by
documents
all
and
of
you
put
It
was
great
to
update
these
them
on
the
new
format as well as meet with parents to

have
them
all
signed
off.
was
very
impressed with the way that everyone

went about this process and work towards
setting SMATAR goals for our students.
The feedback that I have from Regional
staff
and
support
plan
folders for all NEP students have been

created and are stored in the filing cabinet
in my office. These folders contain a copy
of the updated NEP and latest reports for
each student. If you are yet to give me a
signed copy of the updated NEP can you
please do so ASAP. For access to these
folders you will need to collect them from
the filing cabinet and sign them in/out. This
will
provide
sensitive
greater
information
security
that
is
for
stored
the
in
NEP/ILP/IEP also needs to be stored on the
Thank you to everyone for your
effort
student
these files. An electronic version of the
NEP/ILP/IEPs
students
Individual
outside
service
providers
J:\Drive. I am happy to do this for you if

you would like to send me an electronic
copy.
Please remember that we have a
minimum expectation in 2016 that NEPs will
need to be reviewed by the end of week 8
in Terms 1 and 4.
SUPPORT TIME
This
term
we
have
continued
to
provide support time to all students who

have been verified as a student with a
disability with an SSO. SSOs will work to
support students with the goals that are
Student Support Services
set in the NEP. If students achieve the
This week I met with our Regional
goals set then you may be asked by the
Support Services providers to look at the
SSO to update the goals. It is not the
students who are currently on their lists.
SSOs responsibility to set new goals.
As a result of this discussion they would
Where possible we have also allocated
like us to look at our referral processes
time for supporting students with learning
here on site. I am going to meet with to
difficulties and classroom support.
develop
new
Pre-referral
form
that
How do you use your SSO support
provides them with all of the information
time? Research conducted in the UK in 2015
that they need to approve a referral. When
came
I have this new form I will forward a copy
up
with
the
following
recommendations around making the best
to you all.
use of SSO support to improve student

learning.
Since last Term we also have two

new Support Services Personnel assigned
Teaching assistants should not be
to our school, Clara Mittiga (Psychologist)
used as substitute teachers for low-
and James Green (Behaviour Couch). Our
attaining pupils.
other
Use teaching assistants to add value
Helen Kowalenko (Special Educator) and
to what teachers do, not replace
Claire Middleton (Speech Pathologist). If
them.
you are considering referring students to
Use teaching assistants to help pupils
any of these services please come and
develop independent study skills and
speak with me.
Support
Services
Personnel
are
manage their own learning.
Ensure teaching assistants are fully

prepared
for
classroom
their
through
role
out
in
of
In-School Psychology
the
class
liaison with teachers.
Use teaching assistants to deliver

high-quality
group
one-to-one
support
using
and
small
structured
interventions.
Adopt evidence-based interventions

to
support
their
small
teaching
group
assistants
and
in
one-to-one
instruction.
It is important that what students learn
from
teaching
what
they
classroom.
are
assistants
complements
being
in
taught
the
In-School
Psychology
students
Psychology
company
around
is
who
many
private
work
different
with
issues.
Their services can be accessed by our

students here at school and can be funded
through Medicare. For a student to access
they require a referral and Mental Health
Care plan from a GP. If you believe that a
student from your class could benefit from
the
services
provided
by
In-School
Psychology please come and speak with
letter/sound knowledge and decoding
me about the service and we can organise
skills for CVC words
a time to meet with parents to discuss this
Level
2:
Extending
by
word
teaching
attack
further. Our In-School Psychologist is Karen
knowledge
commonly
Stevens and she is often here on site on a
used digraphs and longer words
Friday.
POSITIVE EDUCATION
MultiLit/MiniLit
Earlier this term we sent Gill, Angela
and Tracey to some PD to be trained in the
MiniLit Program. MiniLit is an evidencebased, effective early literacy program. It
is
practical,
systematic,
explicit
and
effective model for teaching reading skills,

comprising
high
quality
two-day
Professional Development Workshop and a

comprehensive
resources
to
Kit
with
the
required
implement
the
program.
MiniLit targets the bottom 25% of students

and is specifically aimed at struggling Year
1 readers, but may also be appropriate for
at risk Foundation, and some struggling
Year 2 students. It is a Tier Two schoolbased small group program (up to four
students per group) within a Response to
Intervention Framework.
The next focus for our exploration of

Positive Education is to investigate
Flow .
W hat is Flow ?
In
short,
flow
states
are
enjoyable,
challenging
and
interesting
experiences.
The
concept of flow is defined as a

state of intense absorption and
optimal experience that results
from taking part in intrinsically
motivating challenges. Flow is a
peak experience of engagement,
when people are most immersed,
focused,
and
energised.
The
concept of flow is closely related

to
positive
engagement.
Engagement is said to consist of

three
MiniLit
is
an
integrated
and
balanced
program of 80 carefully structured lessons,

divided into two levels of forty lessons
each:
Level
1:
Teaching
the
basics
of
related
concentration
sustained
(curiosity
and
components:
(absorption
attention);
and
enjoyment
and
interest
inquisitiveness);
(feelings
of
accomplishment and satisfaction)

States of flow represent times in
life
when
these
three
components are maximised.

Geelong Grammar School
Having more experiences of flow on a daily
basis
is
strongly
connected
to
our
wellbeing. If you would like to nurture

more
flow
in
your
life
consider
the
following ideas:
Make a list of all the activities you

do on a daily basis. Look over the list
and identify which activities you are
passionate about or would like to be
more engaged in?
Now consider the activity itself. Are

you becoming bored with it? If so,
this is a good sign you need to up
the
challenge.
Are
you
bit
overwhelmed by it? If so, you may

need to up your skills and/or reduce
the challenge. In essence, you are
looking
to
identify
where
your
skills
the
and
moment
challenge
meet.
SPECIAL EDUCATION EXPO
The 2016 DECD Special Education EXPO will
be held from July 11-13 at the EDC and
SERU. Details of the EXPO are attached to
the email that this update was sent in.
Thank you all for your support over the

first half of the Term. Please continue to
stop by my office to discuss your students
and the magnificent learning environment
that we have here at Fulham North. Have a
great weekend everyone and I will see you
all next week.
Russell

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Learning

Learning and Inclusion update

Week 5 Term 2 2016

opportunity to keep all of you up to date

including the reorganizing of student files,

effort last Term in updating all of our

format as well as meet with parents to

impressed with the way that everyone

folders for all NEP students have been

NEP/ILP/IEP also needs to be stored on the

Thank you to everyone for your

these files. An electronic version of the

J:\Drive. I am happy to do this for you if

provide support time to all students who

support students with the goals that are

Student Support Services

set in the NEP. If students achieve the

This week I met with our Regional

goals set then you may be asked by the

Support Services providers to look at the

SSO to update the goals. It is not the

students who are currently on their lists.

SSOs responsibility to set new goals.

As a result of this discussion they would

Where possible we have also allocated

like us to look at our referral processes

time for supporting students with learning

here on site. I am going to meet with to

difficulties and classroom support.

How do you use your SSO support

provides them with all of the information

time? Research conducted in the UK in 2015

that they need to approve a referral. When

I have this new form I will forward a copy

recommendations around making the best

use of SSO support to improve student

Since last Term we also have two

Teaching assistants should not be

to our school, Clara Mittiga (Psychologist)

used as substitute teachers for low-

and James Green (Behaviour Couch). Our

Use teaching assistants to add value

Helen Kowalenko (Special Educator) and

to what teachers do, not replace

Claire Middleton (Speech Pathologist). If

you are considering referring students to

Use teaching assistants to help pupils

any of these services please come and

develop independent study skills and

speak with me.

manage their own learning.

Ensure teaching assistants are fully

liaison with teachers.

Use teaching assistants to deliver

Adopt evidence-based interventions

Their services can be accessed by our

Psychology please come and speak with

letter/sound knowledge and decoding

me about the service and we can organise