Academic Individualised

Auslan

Auslan is a language developed by, and for, Australians who are deaf or hearing impaired. It’s a visual form of communication that uses hand, arm and body movements to convey meaning. Auslan is uniquely Australian. Just like different languages are spoken around the world, people who are deaf use different sign languages depending on where they come from (it’s estimated there are 130 sign languages around the world). Due to historical similarities, Auslan is more like British Sign Language (BSL) than American Sign Language (ASL), which means Australians can often understand BSL and vice versa.

Auslan relies on a combination of hand shapes, movements and facial expressions to deliver messages. These can include a combination of:• Hand shapes – Auslan has 38 hand shapes with 28 variants• Orientation – This is the direction of your palm and hand in relation to your body. For example, making a sign near the head suggests ‘thinking’.
• Location – Signs are made near different parts of the body to convey meaning
• Movement – Small or large movements of the head, arms and hands can suggest different words
• Expression – Head and facial movements or expressions are used to convey emotion and emphasis.

For further information go to https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/languages/auslan/

Communication Support

Augmented Communication

Augmentative communication means to add to or supplement a child’s current ways of communicating. A child’s communications include any type of speech, gestures and/or writing abilities they may already have. There are several types of augmentative communication devices, ranging from very simple signs or gestures to high-tech electronic systems.
Some examples of augmentative communications systems are:
signs and gestures
symbols – pictures, tactile feeling boards, real objects, printed words
light/low technology systems – communication books/boards and switches
high technology systems – speech output systems, sound picture boards and computers.
Different types of systems may be useful for students, depending on the nature and severity of their communication problems. Communication problems often change from the early stages of recovery through to the final stages of recovery. Therefore, the type of communication system needed by your child may change.
Selecting the best communication system for a child involves a very thorough evaluation and assessment. The assessment is usually done by a speech pathologist. Sometimes other health professionals, including an occupational therapist, communication technologist or even an engineer, are also involved.
Several factors may influence the type of system chosen:

vision problems
memory
ability to learn new things
attention span
any physical disability
fine motor skills – the ability to make small movements
ability to access a computer
previous knowledge or use of technology
the environment – including any factors which may affect the use of a system
the child’s mobility and the size of the device
how many people the child needs to communicate with and how often
how long the system may be needed.

For further information go to https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/languages/auslan/

Key Word Sign

Key Word Sign uses manual signs and natural gesture to support communication. For children and adults with communication difficulties, it’s a great way to encourage and support language development. Key Word signing uses a core vocabulary of words to communicate concepts and ideas. Each word (concept) is matched to an Auslan hand sign.
Please see the following link for further information https://www.scopeaust.org.au/services-for-individuals/specialised-communication-services/key-word-sign-australia/

Disability Inclusion Team Referral

A Disability Inclusion referral may be made to the Disability Inclusion Team if staff require support. This may include student behaviours of concern, supporting staff to learn strategies to better engage students with or without a diagnosed disability, or ensuring appropriate educational accommodations, and reasonable adjustments have been made to support student learning within the classroom.

Please note that a referral will require classroom observations. These will be taken, recommendations put forward along with coaching for teachers and/or TA to fulfil the recommendations provided.

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=N7Ns2Ycaz0S2mzzsM0pMH1tDJDEUcv5JpK7gmDhn2ARURDAzR01SMkpUSkc4QTE3SzhXMDk1WlA3TC4u/

DET Student Support Services

The Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET) Student Support Service teams are comprised of professionals including:

psychologists
speech pathologists
social workers

They support schools in assisting children and young people facing barriers to learning to achieve their educational and developmental potential.
DET SSS staff work as part of an integrated health and wellbeing team within each area, focusing on providing:
workforce capability building for school staff
group-based and individual support
the provision of specialised services

For further information go to https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/student-support-services/policy?Redirect=1

Tutorial Program

The tutorial program provides individualised/tailored support that is needs-driven and enables students to experience learning growth. Literacy Intervention is promoted throughout the school community and is managed by the Literacy Intervention Committee.  This team is led by Assistant Principals who work closely with the Literacy Intervention Coordinator, MYLNS literacy teacher, Alternate Programs, tutors and members of the MEC leadership team. This committee seeks to develop effective ways to overcome barriers to learning and aims to promote effective teaching and learning for children with additional needs. They also work to establish and systematise a process for collecting, storing, analysing, and communicating relevant student data and complete assessments and reviews of current processes.  Individualised Literacy Intervention may also require the sourcing of specialist outside of the school which will be communicated to the Intervention working party so that the work can be monitored and documented. Individualised Literacy Intervention may be delivered by withdrawing the student from classes or by integrating factors into the student’s normal classes. Key aspects of individual literacy Intervention include the:

- use of and referral to specific research-based assessments
- use of research/evidence-based practices such as Levelled Literacy and phonics instruction
- collection of student data enabling a student to be tracked throughout any intervention
- support for student’s normal classroom teacher to further implement and support the intervention process
- modelling of inclusive teaching techniques to teachers through demonstrations and team teaching
- provision of professional learning sessions to meet identified needs for staff
- assistance for teachers to make realistic assessments and use these to set targets for future progress
- provision of, or support to create, prepared adapted materials for student
- analysis of relevant data and research evidence to inform inclusion policy, practice and provision within the school
- construction of a system for the consistent collection of data around student’s intervention

Reflect on Students’ IEP Goals, SSG Minutes and Student Support Plans

Previous teachers, TAs and members of the SSS team are a wealth of knowledge and can provide advice about how to adapt the environment, pedagogy and curriculum to suit students’ needs. Helpful information could include:

What are the student’s learning goals? How can I differentiate my lessons to meet these goals?
Does the student have any functional goals? How can I support the student to meet these goals?
What educational adjustments need to be put in place for this student? What else could assist?
What feedback and parents or carers shared in the Student Support Group (SSG) meetings?
Does the student have a Student Support Plan? If so, how can I support the student to remain in a calm and engaged state? How do I support the student if they are feeling escalated?

Liaise with Students’ Previous Educators

Previous supports in place to facilitate and enable learning
Specialist involvement
Parent and carer contact and involvement
Important peer and other relationships
Visual or other supports were used to facilitate learning
Student interaction with their peers, for example, close connections, working with a buddy, participating in groups, leadership roles
Independent work capacity
Systems breaks or help requests
Technology preferences and capacity
Communication with their teachers and peers
Conflict is management
Curriculum areas strengths or challenges
Strategies worth carrying over
Student playground interaction
How they learn and interact
Student interests
How staff can engage them in a new learning environment?

Middle Years Literacy Numeracy Support (MYLNS)

MYLNS is an initiative of the Department of Education that seeks to provide intervention for literacy and numeracy to students who are working at lower levels in English and Mathematics. Intervention for students is conducted by MYLNS literacy and numeracy teachers who use research-based assessment and strategies. Students participating in the MYLNS program are tracked and their progress reported on using an individual learning plan (IEP). MYLNS teachers also provide professional learning to other staff to improve the teachers’ abilities to implement intervention strategies in their classrooms.
The DET determines what year levels MYLNS will focus on and the school receives funding to deliver intervention along with the numbers of students who can participate in the program. At MEC, students’ eligibility to be a part of the MYLNS program is determined using learning data e.g. OnDemand, NAPLAN, and past reports. Students’ families are contacted to offer their child a place in the MYLNS program. Intervention through MYLNS is conducted both individually and in small groups, withdrawing students from class and/or offering in-class support.

Sensory or Busy Box

Sensory toolkits or Busy Boxes are small boxed or bags that contain few items that can help students to feel grounded. You may want to have a larger box tucked away so you can swap the items over to maintain engagement.

Optimising your toolkit

Sensory resources can help with ‘overactivated’ trigger states (anger, panic, anxiety) or ‘underactivated” trigger states (numbness, depression, dissociation).

A list of possible items to place in your toolkit

Manipulatable

A beaded necklace or bracelet
Fidget toys
Putty or plasticine
Pipe cleaners
Temperature changing
Hand warmers
Heating pad
Cooling lotion or salve with peppermint or menthol
Gel eye mask (kept it in the fridge)
Instant cold packs

Sight

Images or photos of a few people, places or pets that evoke positive feelings or memories
Images or art with soothing colours
Notes with meaningful quotes or affirmations
A snow globe or glitter jar
Flameless colour changing candles

Sound

Earbuds or noise cancelling headphones
A calming playlist, with music, meditations, stories or nature sounds

Touch

Soft, squeezable
Stuffed animal
Body pillow
Weighted blanket
Craft feathers or pom-poms

Scent

Essential oils added to cloth or bean bags

Calming and soothing scents: Lavender, vanilla, sandalwood, neroli.
Energizing scents: Citrus, eucalyptus, peppermint

Cognitive

Puzzles
Jigsaws
Construction toys e.g. Mecano
Pens, textas crayons.
Paper, colouring in or activity sheets

Disability Inclusion Profile Application

The new Disability Inclusion model will replace the Program for Students with Disabilities. A Disability Inclusion Profile (DIP) will be developed for students with diverse needs.

Severe Language Disorder

If a Severe Language Disorder application meets the eligibility criteria for Disability Inclusion, an allocation of additional funding will be provided as part of the Student Resource Package of the school/s that the student attends in accordance with enrolment details.

implement identified adjustments and strategies to meet the needs of the student
build the capacity of the school and teaching staff to provide support for students with additional learning needs
increase the student’s ability to independently access learning.

Disability Inclusion resources can be used in a number of ways to support students, including providing:

evidence-based teaching strategies and programs e.g. direct instruction, response to intervention etc.
teaching staff
specialist staff (e.g. Special Needs Coordinator, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, board-certified behaviour analysts)
teacher professional development
specialist equipment/materials, including assistive technology
education support staff.

Specialist Setting Placement

Maryborough Education Centre Specialist Setting is nestled within the whole MEC Prep to 12 and Special School. Our school is a caring, happy and student-focused environment offering an extensive range of programs, in state of the art facilities. The Specialist Setting has approximately 70 students drawn from the Clunes, Maryborough, Newstead, St. Arnaud and local rural communities. The school is easily accessible by an efficient network of Specialist School buses. Students are cared for by a chaperone who has expertise and experience in special needs.

We are the only school in this area providing seamless Prep-12 and Specialist education. We offer a diverse curriculum and a wide range of co-curricular activities. All students are encouraged to strive for their personal best in a positive learning environment that provides pathways to individual career plans.

We strongly believe that learning takes place more effectively when home and school are in harmony. We invite your active support and participation in your child’s education.

Please refer here for further information.

Teacher Assistant Support

Effective teacher-teacher assistant teams are one of the greatest joys in education. The teams can increase learning and engagement exponentially. Teacher assistants have many roles and responsibilities which include:

Assist teachers and therapists
Collection information on student progress
Implementing Student Support Plans as set out by the teacher
Organise classroom materials and environment
Providing basic physical and emotional care including medicating, feeding, toileting and lifting
Providing duty of care for students.

Key aspects include:

1.Develop an understanding of the DET Vision for Learning and MEC Visions and Values
2.Develop an understanding of the DET Practice Principles
3.Develop an understanding of the DET E5 Pedagogical Model
4.Develop understanding High Impact Teaching Strategies
5.Empower students using Amplify strategies
6.Implement support plans using MEC Student Support Plans.
7.Assist with Therapy and Hydrotherapy Referrals
8.XUNO Entries, Postcards and Publications
9.Professional Reading & Surveys
10.Orderly Environment according to the Orderly Environment Schedule
11.Contribute to IEPS & and attend SSGs as required
12.Communication. Respond to parents, carers and colleagues in a timely manner.
13.Meetings. Contribute to meetings in a positive manner.
14.Therapeutic Support. Undertake therapeutic support in line with therapist and teacher guidance.
15.Assisting students with feeding in a hygienic and proficient manner
16.Transportation. Safely transport students via our buses using role description guidelines.
17.Yard Duty. Yard Duty Guidelines.