Understanding Leads to Helping

As part of our Student-free professional development (PD) days at the start of the year, we were introduced to Classmats. It is a brilliant format to see where each student is at regarding grades, attendance, effort and behaviour and any support provisions the teacher should be aware of. My supervising teacher and I refer to these often to differentiate lesson plans to suit certain students.

Communication with all stakeholders is crucial to providing a holistic learning environment for all students. The email below is an example of communication received regarding one of our students. It informs us of meeting outcomes, strategies and hints to create an inclusive learning environment for the student and the rest of the class.

PD throughout the year allows us to learn more about the All Kinds of Minds (AKOM) Learning Framework foundation that guides our understanding and responses to students with learning needs. The framework is fascinating and has been a great source of information on identifying and responding to certain situations. It has been made clear that we are not psychologists and, as such, do not need to provide or offer clinical medical diagnosis, but it does give us a guide to how to help.

APSTS

Support Provisions Communication

1. Knowledge and understanding:
1.1 Knowledge and professional understanding: This standard emphasises a teacher’s ongoing learning and understanding of effective teaching practices and catering to diverse student needs. Communicating support provisions demonstrates knowledge of available resources and strategies to support a student’s learning needs.
1.2 Knowledge and understanding of the specific content and teaching strategies of the learning area(s) you teach (if applicable): Understanding the specific learning objectives and potential challenges the student faces in a particular subject area is crucial for effectively tailoring support provisions.
2. Professional practice:
2.2 Uphold the profession and the professional teaching standards: This standard emphasises ethical behaviour and commitment to student success. Communicating support provisions demonstrates a commitment to ensuring students have equal learning opportunities and success.
2.4 Engage in professional learning and reflection: Teachers might participate in professional development related to inclusive education or differentiated learning strategies. Communicating support provisions aligns with ongoing learning about effectively supporting students with diverse needs.
3. Planning for and implementing effective teaching and learning:
3.2 Apply teaching strategies to meet student’s diverse needs: Communicating support provisions is essential to differentiating instruction and meeting students’ specific learning needs.
3.3 Use teaching strategies to develop conceptual understanding: The chosen support provisions should help students grasp key concepts and learning objectives despite challenges.
4. Creating and implementing engaging learning experiences:
4.3 Use knowledge of student learning to design teaching activities: Understanding student’s learning styles and needs allows for selecting appropriate support provisions to keep them engaged in the learning process.
5. Assessment and providing feedback:
5.1 Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning: Communicating support provisions can involve ongoing monitoring of the student’s progress and adapting the chosen strategies based on their learning data.
5.3 Develop teaching programs and assessment strategies that cater to students’ diverse needs and learning styles: The chosen support provisions should be reflected in the assessment strategies used to ensure a fair and accurate evaluation of student’s learning.
6. Professional engagement:
6.4 Develop professional relationships with colleagues, parents/carers and the community: Effective communication of support provisions often involves collaboration with parents/carers, learning support specialists, and other teachers. This standard highlights the importance of building positive relationships within the school community to support student success.

Communicating support provisions for students demonstrates aspects of several APSTs. It showcases the teacher’s commitment to student success, ability to differentiate instruction, and commitment to building positive relationships with all stakeholders involved in the student’s learning journey.

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