Learning Support Vision Statement

Toogoolawah State School aims to support students with learning difficulties and special needs to help them achieve their full potential through the utilisation of available human and or material resources.

Programs

Support-A-Reader/Support-A-Writer

The aim of these programs is to give children who need additional assistance with their reading or writing, the opportunity to read or write regularly with a supportive adult on a one-to-one basis. Therefore, the children selected will work with a tutor each day for fifteen to thirty minutes. Volunteers are important to these programs and are trained in the delivery of the programs; dependent on the number of volunteers determines how many children can be supported in this area. Programs start in term 1 and continue until the end of the year. Children will remain on the program until the end of the term.

Phonological awareness for literacy intervention – UQELF/UQPAL

The UQELF Program (grades 1-3) develops students’ knowledge of sounds and teaches them to relate this knowledge to written words. The aim of the program is to provide students with strategies to boost their literacy, including listening, spelling, reading, handwriting, and a range of other motor skills important for school participation.

The UQPAL Program (grades 4-7) - Much of the teaching component of the program is based on nonwords. This encourages the students to directly interpret and predetermine words rather than rely on the use of their existing sight vocabulary. The Program consists of three levels, which are worked though one after the other.

Sessions will be in small groups or an individual level. Sessions for UQPAL can be 30mins to 1 hour long. Each group will receive a minimum of one and half hours and a maximum of two and half hour per weeks. Whereas sessions for UQELF are 30 mins two to three times a week. Teacher Aides are trained in the delivery of program.

UQELF and UQPAL run over a semester. Any child involved in these programs will have a note sent home. Children are also tested prior to going on the program and on completion to check for improvement.

Teacher Aides

TA’s can assist within a class by supporting children with their work or by supporting a teacher to implement their program. TA’s can also take small groups out of the class room for more intense learning.