Learning Support
Learning Support
In keeping with the Australian Government’s Melbourne Declaration (2008), St Aloysius aims to be an inclusive school that attends to individual learning needs so that all students experience growth, and achieve their full potential. The College supports students with diverse learning needs according to a student’s individual needs within the mainstream educational environment. Students recognised as experiencing long term learning challenges will usually have a Learning Plan that is developed by parents and teachers with input from teacher assistants, other allied education or medical professionals and sets out the goals, learning program and strategies for that student. At a classroom level, teachers aim to differentiate, or modify their programs for students to meet their individual student goals and ambitions as articulated through the Learning Plan. For more information in relation to learning support:
Director of Learning Support: jessica.agius@catholic.tas.edu.au (K- Year 11)
Junior Campus:
The Junior, Kingston campus works in the foundational learning years specifically around speech development, speech articulation and identification of students requiring speech modality intervention. Areas of literacy and numeracy are executed in accordance with the Early Years Framework.
As speech is a major indicator of phonics, phonemes and aspects of language, developmental delays and awareness of literacy, numeracy and social development can be flagged as student progress from Kindergarten through to Year 2.
Kindergarten sees the introduction of literacy groupings. This is where children receive appropriate exposure to literacy skill development. Any intervention identified occurs from Prep through to Year 4 at a Tier 1 (class or larger group) or Tier 2 (small group), depending on student needs.
The Early Years Framework see St. Aloysius Catholic College engaging in Australian-based certified literacy intervention programs. Once the student commences Year 2, Literacy support occurs at a Tier 1 or 2 level using the globally recognised approach of Yoshimoto Orton-Gillingham.
Early and Middle Years Numeracy has interventions for identified learners using certified programs at a Tier 2 level.
Once identified in Early Years students can be screened and tested from Year 2, with the intention of informing learning groupings, interventions or for the purposes of further testing or investigation of learning challenges and in development of possible Learning Plans.
Learning Plans are developed collaboratively involving the student’s classroom teacher, the parent(s)/carers, the Learning Support Teacher and any allied health or allied medical care team as the need arises. A Learning Plan is a document that supports the partnership between the parent(s)/carers and the school in the learning and growth journey of the student.
For more information in relation to learning support:
Junior Campus: emma.callanan@catholic.tas.edu.au (Kindergarten - Year 4)
Middle Campus:
Throughout the Middle Campus Years, St Aloysius Catholic College continues to provide the most appropriate inclusion models according to the needs of the student.
Differentiation and modification of curriculum occurs to ensure the student can maximise their time in the classroom and learn alongside their peers. Any curriculum modification undertaken is done with parent consultation and is evident in the student’s Learning Plan.
As the complexity of the day changes once the student matures to the secondary school years, Learning Plans are created and updated in ongoing partnership between the family/primary carers, subject teachers, Learning Support Staff and any allied health care members relevant to the needs of the student.
Targeted intervention takes place through Years 5-8 at a Tier 2 (small group) level. Over the course of these years, students have age appropriate literacy interventions delivered, with a multi-pronged approach of developing literacy access through the Yoshimoto Orton-Gilligham approach and developing skill sets in assistive technology knowledge and engagement. The intervention does require a commitment from the family and student, as the short classes operate just outside of school hours.
For more information in relation to learning support:
Middle Campus: tara.lewis@catholic.tas.edu.au (Years 5-10) (Year 11, 2023)
Senior campus:
Students attending Senior Campus will have had consultation and collaborations around the most appropriate pathways for community engagement and/or employment opportunities with their educational and care team. When and where applicable, students will be encouraged to have input to their own Learning Plans, goals and objectives as well as advocate for changes and developments as the need arises. Through course selection and information sessions, both parents and students can establish a subject suite for transparent understanding around curriculum and individualised goal attainment. Some of the subject choices available to the students can cater for areas of strength, talent and challenge, as much as interest and pathways.