IEU member Jane Wenlock on the demands and delights of additional needs teaching

As the Learning Support Coordinator for Year 7 and 8 at Kolbe Catholic College, Greenvale, Jane Wenlock is involved in all aspects of the life of a student with learning needs.

She is deeply engaged with a student’s academic performance, social and emotional wellbeing, and often that of their family.

As you will read, hers is an extremely challenging vocation, but it is also fulfilling.

“It is said that ‘teachers touch the future,’ and this is especially true working in the Learning Diversity area,” Jane told The Point. “Having a positive impact and seeing change within students who have many barriers to not only their learning, but their social and emotional development is extremely rewarding. But by far the greatest pleasure is seeing the ripple effect that occurs within the whole school community as everyone learns to embrace all people no matter their ability.”

Jane is passionate about the need for a dedicated course addressing additional needs teaching “across the teaching degree.”

“Often, I hear from teachers who have recently graduated that there was nothing, or very little, on Learning Diversity within their degree. One-off lessons do not prepare pre-service teachers for the reality of the modern-day classroom. The number of students with additional needs are increasing within our schools. Having a dedicated subject that spans the entire degree and covers the multifaceted area of Learning Diversity is essential.”

A day in the life of a Learning Diversity leader

Jane arrives at school with a long to-do list.

“Emails are checked first, and any pressing issues are dealt with. This could involve discussing a student with a teacher, replying to a parent about an academic or behavioural issue, organising parent meetings with allied health professionals, discussing issues with Learning Support Officers or replying to a student’s identified need.”

All those interactions and communications need to be documented and placed on the learning management system.

As the day “starts to unfurl,” Jane deals with students “deregulated from an incident at home, in the yard before school or having become unsettled in class.”

She discusses what went wrong with the student and how the situation can be changed or solved.

“Often students are not able to go back into class, so if work can be completed it is either accessed from the teacher or other work is given. Some students are not able to do any work so other activities to assist with calming the student are used.”

Some students work in Jane’s area, on a significantly altered curriculum “to ensure that the student’s dignity and their self-esteem is maintained.”

Then there are meetings—with teachers to adjust the curriculum for students' needs, and with year-level leaders, directors of students, and deputy principals to update them on student needs, programs, situations, and outcomes.

Meetings also determine the special provisions that students require to demonstrate their understanding on a level playing field.

Jane and her team also liaisewith allied health professionals who test students, meet with parents, or provide therapy for individuals, all of which needs to be co-ordinated and documented.

After school, staff often seek assistance to write Personal Learning Plans, discuss curriculum adjustments for different students, and address student-related events.

And all the Learning Diversity team also teach classes! They all go home with little on the to-do list completed and more items added.

The funding of special needs students

Jane says the complexity of students’ needs within schools is increasing and the number of students with additional needs is rising.

“There is never enough money to adequately provide assistance in class for the needs of all students. Schools receive approximately $35,000 per student who needs extensive assistance”.

However, an audit revealed that many of Jane’s students who needed extensive assistance were calculated at “costing” around $80,000. Jane says her school funds the shortfall in funding and provides her department with enough LSOs to assist students.

“But it is always a balancing act. We try to provide LSOs equitably to all students based on their needs, but we are always left feeling that we should be doing more.”

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD)
Jane says the NCCD, implemented in 2015, allows schools to identify more students who need adjustments and modifications in the classroom but don’t necessarily have a disability that meets the strict criteria of a diagnosis.

The increase in funding has been welcome; however, the NCCD has “placed a lot of stress and extra administration on teachers and Learning Diversity Leaders.”

“According to the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 25.7% of student enrolments receive educational adjustments due to disabilities. By any measure, that is a lot of students within a school that need to have the appropriate level of documentation.”

It’s a lot of students who need the compassion and commitment of experts like Jane and her colleagues.