Providing for Learning Needs

The Learning Support programme is available to students who may be experiencing difficulty in some aspect of their learning and require additional assistance.

Learning Support is focussed upon early learners and seeks to ensure that Macarthur students have well-developed Literacy and Numeracy skills before they enter the Middle School.

Students with learning difficulties are nurtured, supported and encouraged to develop their skills and their individual strengths. Our guiding principle is that every child has the right to fulfil his or her potential. For some children, difficulties with learning may be transient and can be managed with additional teaching and support time. Other students may be challenged for a longer period of time during their school years. In all instances, we develop innovative, effective programmes to help each student to participate in the classroom as an active and engaged learner.

The learning programme:

• provides systematic explicit instruction

• offers a framework that provides a measure of independence but at the same time supports the learner

• specifically targets a student's weakness and providing appropriate strategies to address learning requirements

• ensures that students achieve success by being given work at an appropriate level for their skills, thus increasing self-esteem and confidence

• provides regular feedback on work and re-teaching of tasks if necessary

Assisting students with learning difficulties is a whole school effort. Learning Support staff, classroom teachers and the Heads of School work closely with parents and their children to build their confidence, independence and competence.