Cecv Intervention Framework
Cecv Intervention Framework
Cecv Intervention Framework
Foreword
The CECV Intervention Framework has been developed by the Catholic Education Commission of
Victoria Ltd (CECV) in the context of the values and beliefs of the Catholic Church and the mission
of Catholic schools in their communities.
The Intervention Process outlined in the Framework has been designed to support schools in
strengthening their educational endeavour in the development of the whole person and to
contribute to the centrality of the human person in the educational project of the Catholic school.
The CECV Intervention Framework provides a structure for educators to work in teams to best
understand and meet the learning needs of students. This better equips schools to meet compliance
requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and to fulfil their commitments arising
from the Catholic education ethos. An inclusive approach to meeting the needs of all students was
initially driven by agreements outlined in the UNESCO Salamanca Declaration (Ministry of Education
and Science, Spain 1994) and later reinforced by the Melbourne Declaration of Educational Goals for
Young Australians (MCEETYA 2008).
Among the intended benefits of this Intervention Framework is the belief that students receive
effective early instruction and intervention, avoiding the wait to fail scenario so common among
struggling learners. Instead, the Framework promotes high expectations for all children in Catholic
schools. This is communicated through the Principles Underpinning Intervention:
All students can learn.
Effective schools enable a culture of learning.
Effective teachers are critical to student learning success.
Learning and teaching are inclusive of all.
Teaching support matches the needs and talents of the student.
Effective teaching practices are research-based.
Inclusive schools actively engage and work in partnership with the wider community.
The Framework reflects the values of Catholic education across the four Dioceses of Victoria with
the aim of fostering a sense of community and belonging for all. It demonstrates our commitment to
welcome, partnership and service. We strive to develop the potential of each individual.
In this way the vision and mission of Catholic education are realised and the schools main purpose
and mission development of the whole person (spiritually, intellectually, morally, physically, socially
and emotionally) is fulfilled. I hope you will find this Intervention Framework useful in your ongoing
pursuit of excellence in Catholic education.
I commend this publication to you.
Contents
Foreword............................................................................................................................................i
1. Preamble.................................................................................................................................... 1
2. Overview of the Intervention Framework..................................................................................... 2
3. Structures, Practices and Principles Underpinning the Intervention Process............................... 4
4. The Intervention Process............................................................................................................ 8
5. Overview of the Intervention Process.......................................................................................... 9
6. Key Competencies of Supervising Teachers............................................................................. 15
7. Structures, Policies, Resources and Practices.......................................................................... 18
8. Guidelines for Conducting Program Support Groups................................................................ 19
9. Guidelines for Designing Personalised Learning Plans.............................................................. 21
10. Shared Terminology ................................................................................................................. 22
11. References .............................................................................................................................. 26
Appendix........................................................................................................................................ 29
iii
1. Preamble
An inclusive education system can be described as one which values diversity and celebrates
difference. Inclusive education systems seek to engage every learner to ensure the successful
participation and maximised achievement of every student (Elkins 2004, p.13) regardless of
academic, cultural, physical, social/emotional or behavioural differences.
Within this inclusive and culturally responsive context, Catholic schools develop policies and
practices that recognise and value diversity in order to provide an effective education for all students
and a welcoming environment for families. Catholic schools are continually challenged to focus
their energy on creating positive and inclusive school communities in which school improvement
strategies are directly aimed at supporting student learning. Within this inclusive and culturally
responsive context, schools develop policies and practices that recognise and value diversity.
Catholic schools are an integral part of the Catholic Churchs mission. Their belief in the ultimate
intrinsic value of each individual student is based on a distinctive educational vision inspired by the
example and message of Jesus Christ.
The integral formation of the human person, which is the purpose of education, includes the development
of all the human faculties of the students, together with preparation for professional life, formation of ethical
and social awareness, becoming aware of the transcendental, and religious education. Every school, and
every educator in the school, ought to be striving to form strong and responsible individuals, who are
capable of making free and correct choices, thus preparing young people to open themselves more and
more to reality, and to form in themselves a clear idea of the meaning of life (Sacred Congregation for
Catholic Education 1982, n.17).
School leaders, teachers and staff work collaboratively with the school community as they inquire
into their practice and collaborate across the school with a shared focus on optimising student
learning, engagement and positive sense of self. Teachers recognise the need to know their
students learning profiles and to continually consider their own professional learning needs as they
work together to promote individual, collective and systemic learning within the Catholic faith.
In November 2008, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed on some key ways
to lift the quality of education for all students. All States and Territories, alongside the Australian
Government, agreed to work together to deliver reforms that will contribute to improving educational
outcomes, particularly for those students most in need. In line with this reform agenda, the four
Catholic education dioceses in Victoria have collaborated to develop an intervention process.
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The Framework promotes high expectations for all children in Catholic schools. This is
communicated through the Principles Underpinning Intervention:
The Framework provides a structure for educators to work in teams to best understand and meet
the learning needs of students. It seeks to support schools to meet compliance requirements under
the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the associated Disability Standards for Education 2005.
The Disability Standards clarify and describe more explicitly the rights of students and the obligations
of schools under the Act. The Standards are intended to give students with disabilities the same
rights as other students. They are based on the proposition that all students, including students
with disabilities, should be treated with dignity and enjoy the benefits of education and training in
an educationally supportive environment.
An inclusive approach to meeting the needs of all students was initially driven by agreements
outlined in the UNESCO Salamanca Declaration (Ministry of Education and Science, Spain 1994)
and later reinforced by the Melbourne Declaration of Educational Goals for Young Australians
(MCEETYA 2008). The intent is that schools are proactive and students receive effective early
instruction and intervention, avoiding the wait to fail scenario. The challenge is to effectively and
systematically put in place structures and processes that clearly identify student need and inform
the selection of instruction/interventions, thus promoting very high-quality teaching for every child at
every level in every context (Ministry of Education Ontario, 2005).
The CECV Intervention Framework draws strongly from a number of current education documents,
resources and relevant legislation, including:
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership - Australian Professional Standards for
Teachers <http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professional-standards-for-teachers>.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992, <www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/dda_guide/dda_
guide.htm>.
The Disability Standards for Education 2005, <https://education.gov.au/disability-standardseducation>.
Education for All: The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy and Numeracy Instruction
for Students with Special Education Needs, K 6, Ontario, Ministry of Education, 2005,
<www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/reports/speced/panel/index.html>.
The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. Ministerial Council for
Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA) 2008, <http://www.
curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_
Australians.pdf>.
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data, <http://www.schooldisabilitydatapl.edu.au/>.
Response to Intervention, <www.rti4success.org>.
Schools for All Kinds of Minds, MD Levine 2010, <www.allkindsofminds.org>.
Universal Design for Learning, <http://www.cast.org/udl/>.
The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers are a public statement of what constitutes
teacher quality. They define the work of teachers and make explicit the elements of high-quality,
effective teaching in 21st century schools that will improve educational outcomes for students.
The Standards do this by providing a framework which makes clear the knowledge, practice and
professional engagement required across teachers careers. The development of the Australian
Professional Learning Standards for the teaching profession is an integral part of ensuring quality
learning and teaching in Australian schools. <http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professionalstandards-for-teachers/standards/list>
These Standards build upon the significant work undertaken previously in Australia. They are
a fundamental component of the reforms agreed to by governments to realise the goals and
commitments set out in the Melbourne Declaration.
The Australian Curriculum in Victoria (AusVELS) has been developed to ensure that curriculum
content and achievement standards establish high expectations for all students. Every student is
entitled to enriching learning experiences across all areas of the curriculum. Students in Australian
classrooms have multiple, diverse and changing needs that are shaped by individual learning
histories and abilities as well as cultural language backgrounds and socioeconomic factors.
The objectives of AusVELS are the same for all students. The curriculum offers flexibility for teachers
to tailor their teaching in ways that provide rigorous, relevant and engaging learning and assessment
opportunities for students with special education needs.
Most students with disabilities can engage with the curriculum provided the necessary adjustments
are made to the complexity of the curriculum content and to the means through which students
demonstrate their knowledge, skills and understanding.
For some learners, making adjustments to instructional processes and to assessment strategies
enables students to achieve educational standards commensurate with their peers.
For other students, teachers will need to make appropriate adjustments to the complexity of the
curriculum content, focusing instruction on content different to that taught to others in their age
group. It follows that adjustments will also need to be made to how the students progress is
monitored, assessed and reported.
For a small percentage of students whose learning is well below the standards at Foundation,
additional curriculum content is required. Most of these students have a significant intellectual
disability. The Towards Foundation Level AusVELS materials, taken as a whole, provides the
additional curriculum content and standards to ensure the curriculum is inclusive of every learner.
For more advice in regard to curriculum provision and students with disabilities, please see the
AusVELS Students with Disabilities Guidelines (PDF). Additional advice and support is also available
from the DEECD Abilities Based Learning and Education Support (ABLES) website <http://ausvels.
vcaa.vic.edu.au/Personal-Learning/Overview/Diversity-of-learners>, which will be avaiable to all
Catholic schools from 2015.
The Disability Standards for Education 2005 clarifiy and describe more explicitly the rights of
students and the obligations of schools under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. The Standards
are intended to give students with disabilities the same rights as other students. They are based on
the proposition that all students, including students with disabilities, should be treated with dignity
and enjoy the benefits of education and training in an educationally supportive environment which
values and encourages participation by all students.
Principles
The following seven principles reflect contemporary theory and research concerning student
learning and educational pedagogy. In Catholic schools these principles underpin a commitment to
intervention practices that enable all students to experience learning success.
All students can experience success in learning when they are actively engaged and supported
through learning. Teachers can ensure students success by adopting assessment principles for
learning so that clear evidence is used to set learning goals and drive achievement. This is used in
conjunction with explicit feedback to students and self-monitoring by students to plan future learning
goals.
Effective schools have agreed expectations and coherence around the quality of teaching required
to impact on student performance. A constant focus on learning and teaching is entrenched in
their culture.
Supported by effective leadership, effective schools provide ongoing learning opportunities for
teachers to develop the skills, knowledge and dispositions necessary to teach to higher professional
standards, such as those outlined in the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership
(AITSL) National Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL 2011).
Effective schools are defined by an agreed vision and goals, purposeful teaching and high
expectations for student learning. They have rigorous systems of accountability and stimulating and
secure learning environments. They are also distinguished by professional leadership motivated by
the desire to build a vibrant, professional learning community.
Effective teachers know their students and how they learn. The Australian Institute for Teaching and
School Leadership presents professional standards that require teachers to:
1.1 demonstrate knowledge of the physical, social and intellectual development of students
1.2 understand how students learn
1.3 demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies to support students with diverse linguistic,
cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
1.4 employ strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
1.5 differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range
of abilities
1.6 demonstrate strategies to support full participation of students with disabilities.
Students with diverse needs may receive important support and programming from a number of
people, but the key educator for literacy and numeracy development is the teacher(s). Teachers
are ideally placed to gather ongoing assessment data and monitor student learning. They have the
advantage of knowing the student and can provide valuable feedback for others working with the
student. Here, the communication between the students teacher/s and the Learning Support Officer
(LSO) is crucial.
The Australian Government articulates a vision for social inclusion and defines a socially inclusive
society as one in which all Australians feel valued and have the opportunity to participate fully in the life
of our society. In this society all Australians will have the resources, opportunities and capability to:
learn by participating in education and training
work by participating in employment, in voluntary work and in family and caring
engage by connecting with people and using their local communitys resources
have a voice so that they can influence decisions that affect them.
In education, inclusion is often related to students with disabilities and in many cases is applied
to the idea of students with disabilities being placed in general education classrooms. However,
inclusion is much more than that. It is the foundation on which learning for all students should
be based. Inclusion is a belief system. It is the understanding that all students those who are
academically gifted, those who are average learners, and those who learn differently for any reason
should be fully active members of their school community and that all professionals in a school share
responsibility for their learning. The term inclusion only has meaning when it is applied to an entire
school because this belief system cannot be made into a reality when it is only applied to individual
students, teachers, or classrooms and teams.
Treating all students exactly the same means that students who need adjustments to the program
in order to succeed will be disadvantaged. Some students require more or different support in order
to work at a level appropriate to their abilities and needs. Adjustment intensity should be dynamic,
research-based and at the point of need.
Under the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) model, teachers use their professional,
informed judgement to determine the level of support (adjustment) required in regard to:
which of their students are being provided with a reasonable adjustment because of disability,
as defined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (the DDA) and the Disability Standards for
Education 2005
the level of adjustment that students with disability are being provided with, in both classroom
and whole of school contexts
the broad category of disability under which each student best fits.
Where there is evidence at a school to demonstrate that a student is being provided with a
reasonable adjustment to meet long-term (10+ weeks) specific needs associated with disability, in
consultation with the student or their parents or carers, then the student is eligible to be counted in
the national data collection on students with disability.
Effective teaching practices are founded on research, and tempered by informed teacher judgment
and sound pedagogical content knowledge. Students with diverse needs benefit most when teachers deliver programming informed by both professional judgment and domain knowledge, supported
by empirical evidence. Good pedagogy is based on good research. Basing instruction on sound
research will avoid the pitfall of following trends that lack efficacy.
7. Inclusive schools actively engage and work in partnership with the wider community.
The larger community has a place in the process of educating all students. Student success is
optimised when schools are outward-facing and engage with the community to both seek and
offer support.
Schools work in partnership with school leadership, classroom teachers, learning support officers,
parents/families and community support agencies. Families and community support agencies are
crucial contributors. In turn, schools have a responsibility to be a resource to the wider community.
Everyone has a place in the process, including the student and parents. The latter are respected and
are actively encouraged to be involved in decisions about their childrens diversity of educational needs.
Teachers enhance their effectiveness by working with colleagues in schools and other educational
services and, when required, with other professionals from allied fields, in particular the health sector.
The CECV Intervention Framework identifies key principles, structures and processes which need to
be considered in developing effective school practice. In order to further support schools, the steps
have been outlined as an ongoing Intervention Process encompassing accurate identification and
ongoing monitoring of individual students, with particular emphasis placed on identifying students
who may require an adjustment in support to actively and successfully engage in appropriate
learning.
The steps are outlined in an intervention process and encompass: Identification, Targeted
Assessment, Analysis & Interpretation, Learning & Teaching and Evaluation (refer Figure 2).
The Appendix of this resource presents a series of guiding questions that can be used by teachers
to assist them in working through the Intervention Process.
Figure 2: The steps in the Intervention Process
The CECV Intervention Process has been informed by the Response to Intervention (RtI) Model.
Response to intervention is defined as the change in behaviour or performance as a function of an
intervention (Gresham 1991). The response to intervention (RtI) model is a multi-tiered approach to
providing services and intervention for students, at increasing levels of intensity, based on progress
monitoring and data analysis. This model integrates assessment and intervention within a multi-level
prevention system to maximise student achievement, promote positive classroom interactions and
reduce behavioural problems. The CECV recognises that this model offers schools a means to better
understand and support students with diverse learning needs.
The RtI model is based on the belief that teachers have the responsibility to create the best possible
learning environment for each and every student through effective screening, progress monitoring
and data-based decision-making processes utilising a multi-level decision-making system (refer
Figure 3).
The first tier of support is also known as Tier 1, the universal tier. In Tier 1 some supplementary
adjustments may be made, as part of regular classroom teaching. Students needing substantial
adsjustment are identified as requiring a second tier of instruction Tier 2, involving more focused
and intentional strategies to meet the needs of a smaller and more targeted audience. Should further
support be required, students are able to access more intensive strategies through a third tier of
instruction and extensive adjustment Tier 3. It is expected that students will move between and
within the tiers of instruction (refer Figure 4).
Figure 4: The Intervention Process at each tier using the Rti model
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The RtI triangle can be used to represent actual data distribution against the optimal distribution
being Tier 1 representing most; Tier 2 some; and Tier 3 few. The Rti triangle can profile whole
school data, smaller cohort data and individual profiles of strengths and challenges as can be seen
in Fgure 5, where one students profile is represented. The triangle assists teachers in deciding what
support needs to be put in place, and at what point, in order to facilitate student learning.
Figure 5: Continuum of support - a student profile
(Adapted from <http://www.pbis.org/common/cms/files/pbisresources/Lewis_Keynote_Australia.pptx>)
Math
Science
Writing
Italian
Italian
Reading
Social Studies
Social Skills
Music
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a set of principles for curriculum development that give all
individuals equal opportunities to learn.
UDL provides a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that
work for everyone not a single, one-size-fits-all solution but rather flexible approaches that can be
customized and adjusted for individual needs.
UDL is an approach to curriculum that minimises barriers and maximises learning for all students by
seeing all students as having diverse needs.
Using this approach, adjustments are possible for all students as part of the curriculum design by
1. Presenting information in different ways
2. Providing multiple means of expression
3. Providing multiple means of engagement ... for all students.
Figure 6: UDL Three Primary Principles (Source: <http://www.cast.org/udl/>)
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Intervention Fidelity
Irrespective of the pedagogical or delivery model chosen or the personnel involved in the
implementation of an intervention, there is a need to ensure that the intervention is implemented as
designed or intended. Regular and ongoing management and supervision are required to ensure a
high level of intervention fidelity. Intervention fidelity is defined as the degree to which an intervention
has been implemented as designed or intended (Gearing, El-Bassel, Ghesquiere, Baldwin, Gillies &
Ngeow 2011; Perepletchikova, Hilt, Chereji & Kazdin 2009).
Five common aspects of fidelity include: adherence, exposure, program differentiation, student
responsiveness, and quality of delivery (Dane & Schneider 1998; Power, Blom-Hoffman, Clarke,
Riley-Tillman & Kelleher 2005).
An example of each of these aspects of fidelity is:
Adherence: the intervention/program is implemented as intended and is in line with the principles
underpinning interventions (see pages 57 of this resource).
Exposure: the duration and frequency of sessions is at an acceptable level.
Program differentiation: an individual students needs are met through differentiation; however,
changes to the teaching need to be within the intended parameters.
Student responsiveness: the intervention/program maintains student active engagement.
Quality of delivery: the intervention is implemented at a high standard.
Numerous researchers have noted that the fidelity of the implementation of an intervention has
considerable importance (Brown & Rahn-Blakeske 2009; Gearing et al. 2011; Hogue, Liddle &
Rowe 1996; Leff, Hoffman & Gullan 2009; Noell 2000; Perepletchikova et al. 2009). The ability to
evaluate how closely intervention provision upholds the initial design allows for a judgment on the
intervention itself, by permitting conclusions to be drawn regarding the intervention and eventual
outcomes (Gearing et al. 2011; Hogue et al. 1996; Perepletchikova et al. 2009). This strengthens
the knowledge base regarding specific interventions and enables practitioners to make predictions
regarding those elements that are key components to success (Leff et al. 2009).
In 2009 Perepletchikova found that there were several barriers to the collection of data to measure
intervention fidelity. These included time constraints, cost resources and labour issues, in addition
to a lack of theoretical information and formalised guidelines to direct the information gathering.
However, Perepletchikovas findings provided consistent acceptance that the collection of data
on intervention fidelity was becoming increasingly important in evaluating the effectiveness of
interventions, particularly in professions that were progressively promoting the use of evidencebased practice. The practice of gathering information and data regarding the implementation of
an intervention provided an evidence base and opportunity to accurately evaluate an individuals
response to an intervention.
Any evaluation of intervention fidelity should include an analysis of data relating to key aspects
of delivery. These should include the nature of the setting, the duration and frequency of
sessions, the individual students attendance, and the adherence to implementation guidelines
and program content.
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A supplementary document, the Effective Practices Framework for Learning Support Officers,
is intended to be used in conjunction with the CECV Intervention Framework. The Effective Practices
Framework for Learning Support Officers sits within the Learning and Teaching elements of this
intervention process (refer Figure 7 on page 14).
Learning Support Officers are school-based employees, trained and/or untrained staff, who work
alongside teachers to support the education of all students or, at times, specific students, including
those with disabilities. A range of terms is currently used to refer to the individuals who hold these
positions. These terms include but are not limited to the following: aide, teacher aide, teacher
assistant, learning support assistant, paraprofessional, instructional assistant, and school officer.
Throughout this document these support personnel will be referred to as Learning Support Officers
(LSOs). The learning and teaching process outlines the role of the Learning Support Officer (LSO)
when working in collaboration with teachers to support all students, including:
i. the broader range of students in the class or cohort
ii. a smaller, specifically identified group requiring targeted instruction
iii. an individual student when implementing a particular aspect/s of his/her PLP.
Effective Practices Framework for Learning Support Officers also promotes effective school
processes and practices to:
accurately identify student needs
plan and document appropriate educational pathways for students based on carefully
constructed goals and measurable outcomes
match these pathways with appropriately trained and qualified educators and/or Learning
Support Officers.
More information about the Effective Practices Framework for Learning Support Officers is
presented in section 6 of this resource.
There has been a recent shift within Catholic schools to measure student progress and monitor
the effectiveness of the delivery by calculating effect sizes (Hattie 2011). These, along with direct
and indirect observation of student performance, can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of an
intervention (Hattie 2012). In addition, these data provide an opportunity for self-reflection on current
practice and provide evidence for the development and provision of ongoing professional learning for
teachers and LSOs (Groom 2006).
Broadbent & Burgess (2003) and Groom (2006) consider the LSOs as frontline workers and
acknowledge that the particular knowledge, skills and attributes that they bring to their roles can
provide valuable insights into the phenomenon of supporting students. They also note that these
insights are valuable in further informing the development of inclusive policies, as well as directing
the roles, responsibilities and professional relationships of the LSOs.
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14
Description of Competency
3. Instructional support
5. Public relations
6. Training
7. Management of LSOs
Using the CECV Intervention Process as a core resource, the diagram below (Figure 8) may assist
supervising teachers and LSOs to clarify their respective roles and responsibilities in working
collaboratively to strengthen student learning.
15
Figure 8: Teacher and LSO Relationships and Roles in the CECV Intervention Process
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The role of LSOs can be varied and complex. An LSO may provide support, under the direction of
a teacher, to one child or more than one child with disabilities, or to groups of students with similar
needs across various teaching spaces in a school.
An LSO may provide support for a students academic learning, behaviour program, physical care,
or social progress throughout the entirety of a school day, including class and recess times.
LSOs may play many different roles and they require the ability to adapt their skills over time.
Four key practices are critical, both for the school and the LSO, in employing and deploying an LSO.
These are:
1. Clarification of the role developing a clearly defined role description for the LSO in
accordance with his/her conditions of employment.
2. Identification of tasks clarifying the specific tasks to be undertaken by the LSO. The tasks
should be incorporated into a students Personalised Learning Plan and specify the LSOs role in
data collection.
3. Establishment of clear pathways for communication identifying for the LSO communication
pathways with the student/s teacher/s and parents (through a PSG).
4. Identification of training establishing prior experience and ongoing training required by the
LSO to complete the identified tasks (i.e. LSOs who have the experience and expertise, or who
have immediate access to the expertise, or who will require training opportunities to strengthen
confidence and competence).
Again, using the CECV Intervention Process as a core resource, LSOs sit within the Learning
and Teaching element of the Intervention Process.
For more information on the roles and responsibilities of LSOs, see the supplementary document,
the Effective Practices Framework for Learning Support Officers.
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Aims
PSG Members
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PSG Minutes
By the end of the PSG meeting there should be a written summary or plan of agreed actions. These
should include the issue, the action, the person responsible and when the action is to be completed.
In addition:
Agreed actions should be read back to the group at the end of the meeting.
All members of the group should receive a copy of the minutes.
It is recommended that the Student Support Group Guidelines document published by the
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) be utilised as a detailed
reference in this area. <http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/school/teachers/teachingresources/diversity/studentsupportguidelines2013.pdf> Note that this document is updated regularly.
Another resource covering this area is Positive Education Planning: Supporting Students with a
disability in Victorian government primary schools (2nd Edition 2012) <http://acd.org.au/positiveeducation-planning-resource/>
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Adjustment
Adjustments are modifications made for students with disability and the school-based processes
central to ensuring students with disability participate in education on the same basis as their peers
(NCCD 2013).
There are four levels of adjustment to consider:
Supplementary adjustments are provided at the time of need to complement the strategies and
resources already available within the school and may require accessing specialist support services.
Substantial adjustments address the specific nature and significant impact of the students disability.
These adjustments address the more significant barriers to their engagement, learning, participation
and achievement.
Extensive adjustments are provided when specific measures are required across all learning areas to
address the individual nature and acute impact of the students disability and the associated barriers
to their learning and participation. These adjustments are highly personalised, comprehensive and
ongoing.
Differentiation
Students work on the same curricular area, but interact in different ways with teachers and
resources. They have some or all of the assignments, learning targets, resources, teaching methods
and student groupings planned to differentially take account of their aptitudes and the levels of their
current strengths, attainments and needs.
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Inclusive education
Inclusive education reflects the values, ethos and culture of an education system committed to
excellence by enhancing educational opportunities for all students. Inclusive education relies on a
school communitys ability to embrace diversity and be flexible in its approaches where the school
system and structures change to fit the needs and strengths of a child, rather than attempting to
change the child to fit the system, and where the benefits derived from overcoming barriers to
the access, participation and achievement of particular students have a positive impact upon the
learning and teaching environment for all.
Today within the Catholic education system, increasing numbers of parents are choosing their local
Catholic school for the education of their children with diverse learning needs. While legislation such
as the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 , and the Disability Standards for Education
2005 support this right, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the principles of social justice and equity for
all underpin the practice of inclusion within our schools.
Classrooms in the Archdiocese of Melbourne are multi-dimensional, made up of students with
differing ability, gender, ethnicity, age, physical attributes and backgrounds. Our challenge as
educators is to provide learning environments:
Individualisation
Aspects of the curriculum and/or approaches to learning and teaching are altered to take account
of the personalised educational needs of individual pupils or students.
Intervention
Adjustments to learning and teaching are implemented for students who are identified with additional
learning needs. The support may be with an individual, a small group or within the classroom.
Intervention fidelity
Intervention fidelity is the extent to which any intervention has been implemented as originally
specified or intended (Gresham, MacMillan, Beebe-Frankenberger & Bocian 2000). Any evaluation
of intervention fidelity should consider the data collected relating to particular aspects of delivery,
including setting, duration of sessions, frequency of sessions, attendance, and direct observation
or observable phenomena and student performance. (Refer to section 5 of this resource for further
explanation of this concept.)
Long term (annual) goals are specific statements describing the expected behaviour or skill to
be achieved by the end of the school year. Long term goals need to be specific, measurable,
achievable, relevant and time bound (DEECD 2012).
Paraprofessional
Paraprofessional is a job title given to persons in various occupational fields, such as education and
healthcare, who are trained to assist professionals but are not themselves qualified at a professional
level. The paraprofessional is able to perform tasks requiring significant knowledge in the field, and
may even function independently of direct professional supervision, but lacks the official authority of
the professional (DEEWR 2011).
23
The term Personalised Learning does not imply learning in isolation of others.
Personalised learning recognises the individual strengths, needs and goals of students and the
need for schools to respond to these differences. It involves a commitment to identifying each
students learning needs, then designing and applying the curriculum so all students can achieve.
Personalised learning may include individual, small-group or whole-class instruction.
Personalised learning focuses on working with each student, in partnership with a students parents/
carers, to develop a plan that reflects the students goals and current capabilities and includes
specific learning targets.
Descriptions and definitions of personalising education have emerged at national and international
levels. As a key driver of education reform, personalising education has the following common themes:
Research-based practice (RBP) means using the best research-proven assessments and practices
in our day-to-day teaching. This means each educator upholds his/her responsibility to stay in
touch with the research literature and to implement best practice as a part of all decision-making.
Implementing research-based practice means a real commitment to lifelong learning, expressed in
the best possible education of all students (Sackett, Rosenberg, Muir Gray, Haynes & Richardson
1996).
Hempenstall (2006), following the 2005 National Inquiry in Australia into the Teaching of Literacy,
asserted that teaching, learning, curriculum and assessment need to be more firmly linked to
findings from research-based research indicating effective practices, including those that are
demonstrably effective for the particular learning needs of individual children (p.9). The National
Inquiry recommended a national program to produce research-based guides for effective teaching
practice, the first of which is to be on reading.
Short term goals are developed by identifying the sub-skills that are required for a student to achieve
a long term (annual) goal. Short term goals specify what is to be achieved in periods ranging from
a week through to a semester. They also need to be specific. Short term goals are set/reviewed at
each Student Support Group meeting (DEECD 2012).
Universal design for learning (UDL) is a concept that originated in the field of architecture and was
applied to education in the early 1990s through work completed at the Centre for Applied Special
Technology (Hitchcock, Meyer, Rose & Jackson 2002). UDL applies this idea to curriculum and
instruction.
A universally designed curriculum has built-in flexibility and options for all learners from the
beginning at the planning stage and this leads to more elegant, integrated, and seamless
educational opportunities. The application of UDL that teachers can use daily is differentiation
<http://www.cast.org/udl/>.
24
Acronyms
DDA
DSE
PLP/ILP/IEP
LSO/LSA/SSO Learning Support Officer / Learning Support Assistant / Student Support Officer
LTGs
Long-term goals
NCCD
PSG/SSG
STGs
Short-term goals
25
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28
Appendix
Guiding Questions for working through the Intervention Process
29