Re: Thomas
Dear Amy,
It seems that you have started to encounter the diverse and challenging nature of our teaching profession. We have noticed that you have a very broad and varied range of students with a large range of academic abilities in your class. Amy, this may seem intimidating but is in fact the reality of most classrooms across the state. One such student, which we have heard you were concerned about, was Thomas. His low reading abilities is obviously causing both you and him great concern. You have mentioned that Thomas is often in tears and very upset due to his poor reading skills. As his teacher it would be quite distressing watching one of your students behave in such a way and therefore it is important to try and address this issue.
Firstly Amy, you need to change the reading book boxes so that Thomas is not seen by his peers and himself as the only one on blue level. Try putting Thomas’s books in with other groups, but mark his with a special code that only he is aware of. It is also important that Thomas feels positive and comfortable whilst practising his reading; otherwise he may not want to continue learning to read. A positive social and emotional climate is very important for successful learning to occur (Marsh, 2004). Once you have changed the reading book arrangement, try thinking of some other ways you can boost Thomas’s self esteem and make him feel like a valued and appreciated class member.
As a beginning teacher Amy, it is very important you try and find out as much about your students’ prior history and backgrounds. In Thomas’s case, we would recommend that you talk to his teacher from last year and discuss how they handled his reading situation. This could really help you unlock why his reading levels are so poor and help you to develop ways to improve his reading ability. It would also be extremely beneficial to talk to Thomas’s parents about his reading and find out if they have been doing any reading practice with him at home. If they haven’t, you could suggest some ways that they could help out and discuss the benefits of having parental support in this matter. Working collaboratively with Thomas’s parents or carers will have an immense positive impact on Thomas’s learning.
Another avenue that you should definitely proceed down is looking at getting Thomas tested by the school counsellor for a learning difficulty. If Thomas is performing at his stage level in all other facets except reading, then he may have a recognisable learning difficulty such as dyslexia. Amy, it is very important in cases such as Thomas that you go to a qualified person, such as the school counsellor, and ask for specialised tests to be conducted. Don’t forget that before any of this can be done, you will need the approval and consent from Thomas’s parents or carers. The school counsellor is just one of a variety of staff that can assist teachers such as you in dealing with a wide variety of issues and problems. One of the counsellors designated roles is to assist schools to identify and address disabilities that affect students’ learning (NSW DETc, 2010).
There are also a number of other staff members at your school that you should talk to about Thomas’s progress. Some of these staff members are trained in dealing with students with learning difficulties and may be able to assist Thomas with some individual help. The school learning support officers at your school are trained to assist in classroom activities, school routines, and the management of students with special needs (NSW DET, 2010c). Thomas may be eligible to some funding, which would allow one of these staff members to assist him with his reading. However Amy, the only way you will be able to access these support services is if you ask. You need to learn to use the services and resources you have available to you. We know it is daunting having so many things on your mind, however it is your students who need you to step up and start using the networks available to you.
Another staff member who may be able to give you some advice and assist Thomas is the Support Teacher Learning Assistance (STLA). STLA’s have a role within whole school initiatives to improve outcomes for students with learning difficulties.
The STLA's role as a member of the school learning support team is to:
- Identify and assess students experiencing difficulties in learning
- Plan, implement, monitor and evaluate programs for students with learning difficulties
- Build the capacity of teachers to support students with a diverse range of learning needs. (NSW DET, 2010c)
The STLA teacher can not only benefit Thomas, but can consult with you in developing strategies to assist Thomas in his reading. They can also recommend programs such as peer tutoring which may be beneficial to a student like Thomas. For more information on the different staff support roles at your school, visit the NSW DET website: http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/
Regards,
Dear Amy,
It seems that you have started to encounter the diverse and challenging nature of our teaching profession. We have noticed that you have a very broad and varied range of students with a large range of academic abilities in your class. Amy, this may seem intimidating but is in fact the reality of most classrooms across the state. One such student, which we have heard you were concerned about, was Thomas. His low reading abilities is obviously causing both you and him great concern. You have mentioned that Thomas is often in tears and very upset due to his poor reading skills. As his teacher it would be quite distressing watching one of your students behave in such a way and therefore it is important to try and address this issue.
Firstly Amy, you need to change the reading book boxes so that Thomas is not seen by his peers and himself as the only one on blue level. Try putting Thomas’s books in with other groups, but mark his with a special code that only he is aware of. It is also important that Thomas feels positive and comfortable whilst practising his reading; otherwise he may not want to continue learning to read. A positive social and emotional climate is very important for successful learning to occur (Marsh, 2004). Once you have changed the reading book arrangement, try thinking of some other ways you can boost Thomas’s self esteem and make him feel like a valued and appreciated class member.
As a beginning teacher Amy, it is very important you try and find out as much about your students’ prior history and backgrounds. In Thomas’s case, we would recommend that you talk to his teacher from last year and discuss how they handled his reading situation. This could really help you unlock why his reading levels are so poor and help you to develop ways to improve his reading ability. It would also be extremely beneficial to talk to Thomas’s parents about his reading and find out if they have been doing any reading practice with him at home. If they haven’t, you could suggest some ways that they could help out and discuss the benefits of having parental support in this matter. Working collaboratively with Thomas’s parents or carers will have an immense positive impact on Thomas’s learning.
Another avenue that you should definitely proceed down is looking at getting Thomas tested by the school counsellor for a learning difficulty. If Thomas is performing at his stage level in all other facets except reading, then he may have a recognisable learning difficulty such as dyslexia. Amy, it is very important in cases such as Thomas that you go to a qualified person, such as the school counsellor, and ask for specialised tests to be conducted. Don’t forget that before any of this can be done, you will need the approval and consent from Thomas’s parents or carers. The school counsellor is just one of a variety of staff that can assist teachers such as you in dealing with a wide variety of issues and problems. One of the counsellors designated roles is to assist schools to identify and address disabilities that affect students’ learning (NSW DETc, 2010).
There are also a number of other staff members at your school that you should talk to about Thomas’s progress. Some of these staff members are trained in dealing with students with learning difficulties and may be able to assist Thomas with some individual help. The school learning support officers at your school are trained to assist in classroom activities, school routines, and the management of students with special needs (NSW DET, 2010c). Thomas may be eligible to some funding, which would allow one of these staff members to assist him with his reading. However Amy, the only way you will be able to access these support services is if you ask. You need to learn to use the services and resources you have available to you. We know it is daunting having so many things on your mind, however it is your students who need you to step up and start using the networks available to you.
Another staff member who may be able to give you some advice and assist Thomas is the Support Teacher Learning Assistance (STLA). STLA’s have a role within whole school initiatives to improve outcomes for students with learning difficulties.
The STLA's role as a member of the school learning support team is to:
- Identify and assess students experiencing difficulties in learning
- Plan, implement, monitor and evaluate programs for students with learning difficulties
- Build the capacity of teachers to support students with a diverse range of learning needs. (NSW DET, 2010c)
The STLA teacher can not only benefit Thomas, but can consult with you in developing strategies to assist Thomas in his reading. They can also recommend programs such as peer tutoring which may be beneficial to a student like Thomas. For more information on the different staff support roles at your school, visit the NSW DET website: http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/
Regards,
Project BEAM
