Maria Offermans is our visiting Department of Education speech-language pathologist (SLP). Maria works collaboratively with the educational team to identify and support students who experience learning barriers because of their special needs in communication. This support can take many different forms and may target one or more of the following areas:

• Oral Language:  Understanding directions, questions and different types of word and sentence structures;  expressing information, knowing the words for things (vocabulary), and asking questions.
• Speech:  Being able to say sounds correctly.
• Phonological Awareness:  Being able to identify, segment, blend and manipulate sounds.
• Pragmatics (Language Use):  Using language appropriately to be able to relate to peers and teachers.
• Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC):  For students requiring high and low tech communication aides, such as key word signing or voice output applications.
• Eating and Drinking:  For students who have difficulties with oral motor control required to eat and drink safely.

Maria works at our school every 2^nd Friday.

End of Term Direction Meetings

During the term, teachers gather data about their students, continuously monitor their progress and work collaboratively with their year level colleagues and coaches to develop specific strategies to support all students. Year Level Direction meetings are held at the end of every term. This is a time for teachers to review their students’ reading data and create their curriculum plan for the following term.

At the end of last week and the beginning of this week, teachers across each year level have been released to hold a Data Talk with Carmel, our Principal, Sandy Chambers, our Support Teacher:  Literacy & Numeracy and their year level coach to review their students’ reading progress. Trends are identified within and across the year levels and effective intervention strategies discussed and actioned. Following these Data Talks, teachers have worked with Rachael Siebuhr, our Curriculum Coordinator, to plan quality curriculum Term 2 programs.

In the first two weeks of next term, teachers again will be released as a year level to further discuss and collaboratively plan the differentiated teaching and learning opportunities to cater for all students.