Learning Support
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Learning Support Programme

Principles of Learning Support

  • The learning support service in St Colmcille’s BNS is designed to ensure that all pupils achieve basic literacy by the time they complete primary education
  • Resources are directed  towards pupils in the greatest need
  • There is intensive early intervention with the emphasis being on prevention of failure
  • Pupils encountering learning difficulties are supported by a team approach which involves the pupils, class teachers, learning support teacher, resource teachers, parents and relevant support personnel such as psychologists and speech therapists 
  • Learning support programme provides for the lowest achieving pupils in the school especially those who are performing at or below the 10th percentile on the Micra T
  • Intensive prevention (junior infants to 2nd Class) and early intervention (senior infants to 2nd Class) programmes including supplementary teaching implemented
  • Supplementary teaching provided for the minority of pupils in the senior section of the school (3rd to 5th ) who are performing on or below the 10th percentile on the Micra T.
  • To develop and implement Individual Educational Programme (IEP) for each pupil in receipt of supplementary teaching, based on an assessment of needs and a specification of targets for the pupils. These programmes are drawn up and implemented collaboratively by the pupil’s class teacher, learning support teacher and parents

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Aims of Learning Support

  • To optimise the teaching and learning process in order to enable pupils with learning difficulties to achieve adequate levels of proficiency in literacy before leaving primary school
  • To enable all pupils to participate in the full curriculum for their class level
  • To develop positive self-esteem and positive attitudes about school and learning in pupils with learning difficulties
  • To enable pupils to become independent learners
  • To provide supplementary teaching and additional support for pupils in English
  • To involve parents in supporting their children’s learning through effective parent-support programmes
  • To promote collaboration among teachers in the implementation of whole-school policies on learning support for these pupils
  • To establish early intervention programmes

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Expected Outcomes of Learning Support

  • Improved learning by pupils whose achievement is at a very low level in English
  • Enhancement of basic skills and learning strategies to a level which enables pupils to participate in the full curriculum
  • The achievement of an adequate level of competence in literacy by these pupils before they leave primary education
  • The application of independent learning strategies by these pupils resulting in a commitment to, and involvement in their own learning, positive attitudes to school and high levels of self-esteem
  • Partnership between class teachers, learning support teachers, resource teachers and parents in planning and implementing supplementary teaching programmes for these pupils
  • The implementation of a tracking system at whole-school level to monitor of these pupils

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Roles and Responsibilities in Learning Support

Board of Management

  • Oversees the development, implementation and review of school policy on learning support
  • Ensures that adequate classroom accommodation and teaching resources are provided for the learning support teacher
  • Provides a secure facility for storage of records relation to pupils in receipt of learning support services

Principal Teacher

  • Has overall responsibility for the development and implementation of school policy on learning support
  • Works with teachers and parents in the development of the school plan on learning support
  • Monitors on an  on-going basis the implementation of the school plan on learning support
  • Monitors the selection of pupils for supplementary teaching
  • Has overall responsibility for  co-ordinating learning-support
  • Monitors the implementation of a whole-school assessment and screening programme to identify pupils with low achievement
  • Keeps teachers informed with regard to external assessment services and the  procedures to be followed in initiating referrals
  • Helps teachers to increase their knowledge and skills in the area of learning support, by facilitating school-based in-service and by encouraging teachers to avail of relevant of in-career development opportunities
  • Meets with the learning support teacher on a  regular basis to discuss the implementation of the school plan on learning support
  • Establishes school policies and procedures which enable parents to become involved effectively in the provision of learning support

Deputy Principal and Learning Support Teacher

  • Co-ordinates the learning support services
  • Maintains a list of pupils who receive supplementary teaching
  • Maintains a record of attendance of pupils who receive supplementary teaching
  • Supports the implementation of a tracking-system at whole school level to monitor the progress of children with learning difficulties
  • Advises parents on procedures for availing of special needs services
  • Liaises with external agencies such as psychological services to arrange assessments
  • Advises the principal teacher on issues that arise in the day-to-day implementation of the learning support programme
  • Assists in the implementation of a broad range of whole-school strategies to prevent learning difficulties
  • Develops an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) for each pupil who is selected for supplementary teaching in consultation with class teachers and parents
  • Completes a Progress Record each week in respect of groups or individuals in receipt of supplementary teaching
  • Delivers intensive early intervention programme in English to small groups of pupils (aim is that the maximum size of group would be 4) in the Junior Section of the School (1st and 2nd Classes) in the setting that is deemed most appropriate to the pupils’ needs (own classroom or learning support room)
  • Provides supplementary teaching in English for pupils in the senior section of the school (3rd to 5th Classes) who have low achievement
  • Co-ordinates implementation of whole-school procedures for the selection of pupils for supplementary teaching in line with specified selection criteria (all pupils on 10th percentile or lower on Micra T and selected other pupils who would benefit from intensive short –term supplementary teaching)
  • Provides advice to class teachers on assessment tests
  • Contributes at school-level to decision-making regarding the purchase of learning resources, books and materials to be made available to pupils with learning difficulties
  • Consults with mainstream class teachers with regard to the implementation of programmes to prevent learning difficulties
  • Consults with mainstream class teachers with regard to the selection of pupils for supplementary teaching
  • Assists in the interpretation of the outcomes of diagnostic assessments
  • Provides support for children experiencing learning difficulties for whom supplementary teaching cannot be provided, or has been discontinued

Resource Teacher for Pupils with Special Needs in Junior Classes

  • Screens pupils in junior infant classes who are experiencing learning difficulties
  • Provides learning support for those pupils in junior infant classes who are experiencing learning difficulties
  • Involved in team-teaching in junior infant classes
  • Advises class teachers on individual pupil assessment, programme planning in addition to approaches to language development, reading, writing and mathematics for pupils experiencing learning difficulties
  • Contributes at school-level to decision-making regarding the purchase of learning resources, books and materials to be made available to pupils with learning difficulties

Resource Teacher for Travellers

  • Monitors pupils in senior infant classes who are experiencing learning difficulties
  • Provides learning support for those pupils in senior infant classes who are experiencing learning difficulties (these pupils are taught at the in the same groups as the Traveller pupils in senior infants)
  • Involved in team teaching in senior infant classes
  • Advises class teachers on individual pupil assessment, programme planning in addition to approaches to language development, reading, writing and mathematics for pupils experiencing learning difficulties
  • Contributes at school-level to decision-making regarding the purchase of learning resources, books and materials to be made available to pupils with learning difficulties

Class Teachers and the Learning Support Programme

The class teacher has primary responsibility for the progress of all pupils in her/his classes, included those selected for supplementary teaching. The  class teacher has a responsibility to create a classroom environment in which learning difficulties can be alleviated, if not prevented. This is best achieved by grouping pupils for instruction, adapting materials for lower-achieving pupils, providing strategies for reading and problem-solving, and liaising with parents.

The Class Teacher

  • Implements teaching programmes which optimise the learning of all pupils
  • Implements school policies on screening and selecting pupils for supplementary teaching in English, and scoring appropriate screening measures
  • Collaborates with the learning support teacher and the resource teachers in drawing up an Individual Education Plan
  • Differentiates the class curriculum appropriately to meet the needs of all pupils (c.f. note on Individual Differences in Special Needs Policy Document)
  • Advises on the selection of pupils for diagnostic assessment
  • Discusses the results of screening measures with learning support teacher and resource teachers
  • Reviews the progress of each pupil receiving learning support
  • Makes parents aware of school’s concern about a child’s progress
  • Outlines school policies and procedures regarding the administration of diagnostic tests by the learning support teacher and seeks the approval of the pupil’s parents for such an assessment to be undertaken
  • Outlines to parents the support that is available in the school
  • Bring to the attention of the learning support teacher any concern  with regard to a pupil having a general or specific learning disability

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Whole School Planning and Organisation for Learning Support

Strategies for Preventing Learning Difficulties

  • School plan for English contains agreed approaches to language development and to other aspects of English in order to ensure continuity and progression from class to class
  • Additional support (Learning Support Teacher and Resource Teachers) provided for pupils who need it
  • Parents involved in paired reading and other strategies to support pupils’ learning
  • On-going structured observation (class teachers and resource teachers) and assessment of the language and literacy of pupils in infant classes to facilitate early identification of possible learning difficulties

Strategies for Implementing Early Intervention Programmes

  • Principle of early intervention underpins school policy on learning support
  • Programmes are set within specific timeframe (13 weeks approximately)
  • Supplementary tuition given daily
  • Strong focus on oral language and phonemic awareness
  • Pupils engaged in oral and silent reading of texts at appropriate levels of difficulty and comprehension of those texts is monitored

Procedures and Criteria for Identifying and Selecting Pupils for Supplementary Teaching

  • Administration, scoring and interpretation of standardised screening measures, or of appropriate ckecklist (BIAP, Thackray and Thackray, Young, Aston Index). This can be administered by class teacher or by resource teachers or by learning support teacher)
  • Selection of pupils for diagnostic assessment by the learning support teacher (or resource teachers, in the case of junior and senior infant pupils)
  • Administration of diagnostic tests by learning support teacher or resource teachers
  • Nature of intervention determined
  • Learning targets identified and Individual Education Plan developed

Procedures and Criteria for Continuing /Discontinuing Supplementary Teaching for Pupils

  • Progress of each pupil in receipt of supplementary teaching reviewed at the end of each instructional terms (13 weeks)
  • After consultation with class teacher and parents of pupil, a decision is taken about the level of support to be provided for the next instructional period
  • IEP to be revised after review

Strategies for Communicating Information

  • Parents contacted by class teacher with regard to concerns about pupil’s progress
  • Following diagnostic assessment, the learning support teacher (or resource teachers) discuss the outcome of the assessment and the type of intervention best suited to the pupil’s needs
  • Regular communication between the learning-support teacher and the pupil’s parents is maintained during the period of supplementary teaching
  • Regular communication between class teacher and learning support teacher (or resource teachers) during each instructional term. Period allocated on time-table for this purpose

Referral Procedures to Out of School Agencies

Cf. Special Educational Needs Policy Document

Procedures for Monitoring the Progress of Individual Pupils

  • Ongoing monitoring of each pupil’s progress in relation to short-term objectives. Period allocated on weekly time-table for this purpose
  • More detailed review at end of 13 weeks. This process will involve learning support teacher, class teacher and principal.
  • Individual Profile and Individual Education Plan maintained

The Provision of Resources for Learning Support

  • Detailed list of all resources made available to every teacher by Mr Mc Guinness
  • Detailed list of ICT resources made available by Mr S. Byrne.

Time-tabling and Work-Schedule of the Learning Support Teacher

Principles

  1. Supplementary teaching is in addition to the regular class teaching in English
  2. Pupils should not miss out on the same curricular area each time they receive supplementary teaching
  3. Flexible approach to time-tabling
  4. There is not an over-emphasis on withdrawing pupils from their classrooms in order to receive learning support
  • Time is allocated to non-teaching activities such as conducting diagnostic assessments, record-keeping, consulting with parents, teachers and outside agencies.
  • Priority given to pupils who are performing at or below 10th percentile in English reading
  • Other pupils (up to 12th percentile) may be selected for supplementary teaching for short period
  • Maximum group size of younger pupils (1st and 2nd) is 4 pupils
  • Supplementary teaching given to 30 pupils at any given time during the school year
  • Duration of supplementary teaching will not exceed 3 years for any pupil
  • 30 to 40 minutes is the time allocated for each supplementary teaching session
  • Supplementary teaching will be made available to pupils with low achievement in Mathematics on a phased basis over the next three years as the school’s needs in English are reduced.

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Supplementary Teaching: Selection and Implementation

  1. Preliminary Screening (by class teacher)
  2. Selection for Diagnostic Assessment
  3. Diagnostic Assessment
  4. Programme Planning
  5. Programme Implementation
  6. Programme Review at End of Instructional Term
  7. Discontinuation of Supplementary Teaching or Continuation of Supplementary teaching for a Further Instructional term

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Monitoring the Implementation of  Whole School Plan on Learning Support

  • Meeting between principal, learning support teacher and resource teachers on agenda of each regular staff meeting
  • Comprehensive review of Learning Support programme every three years – the next review is scheduled for 2002
  • Resource teachers and learning support teacher meet each week
  • Resource teachers and learning support teacher meet with mainstream class teachers to provide feedback on progress on a monthly basis
  • Resource teachers and learning support teacher meet regularly with parents of pupils who receive learning support

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Use of ICT

There has been a substantial investment by the school in IT hardware and software. A detailed inventory is available from Mr S. Byrne and Mr O’ Reilly. Software packages such as Wordshark are used to build up phonemic awareness, sight vocabulary, listening and reading comprehension.

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