Up to 1 in 5 students (15 to 20%*) will have learning difficulties, so it’s important they get the support they need to thrive at school.
All teachers at Bentleigh West Primary School (BWPS) use evidence-informed best practice instruction called Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) that benefits all students (tier 1) and all teachers have intensive training in structured literacy and supporting students with dyslexia.
BWPS screens every child for learning difficulties before they start at the school. Principal Sarah Asome says it’s important to intervene early, so every student can reach their full potential.
Every child that is due to start Prep at BWPS is assessed in October of the previous year to test their fine and gross motor skills, early number and literacy skills and phonological awareness.
“The assessment is not about diagnosing or labelling a child, it’s about early intervention. If we suspect the child has a learning difficulty, then we can start intervention straight away. We can set the child up for success. Early intervention makes a huge difference – all the evidence says so and we’ve seen it here,” says Sarah.
The school’s Learning Enhancement Team provides one-on-one support to children with high needs (tier 3) two to three times a week. It supports those with moderate needs (tier 2) in small groups, two to three times a week.
The school started its kindergarten transition assessment program about nine years ago, and its NAPLAN results have improved significantly over the past few years.
Sarah says: “About one in four students at BWPS has a learning difficulty, so the results show intervention makes the world of difference for these kids and keeps their self-esteem intact. It also shows that an evidence-informed tier 1 model can enhance performance for all students.”
* Understanding Learning Difficulties: A practical guide, revised edition 2019, AUSPELD
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