SESSION 2
DAY 2: 10.05 – 10.55
Retaining Indigenous students and supporting Indigenous EAL/D learners
Presented by: Christopher Day and Renee Crilly
The 2021 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Year 10 to Year 12 student apparent retention rate for Queensland state schools was 63.0%, down from 64.8% in 2020. Year 12 completion is crucial for achieving essential life skills, and is one of the key factors likely to contribute to reducing Indigenous inequality. This presentation unpacks an investigation into the characteristics and behaviours which have an independent and cumulative effect on a student’s likelihood of being retained to Year 12. This presentation will also provide audiences with insight pertaining to Indigenous students for whom English is an additional language or dialect and the supports available to ensure that every student succeeds.
DAY 2: 10.05 – 10.55
Beyond good intentions: the work and reward of inclusive education
Presented by: Kerrie Heath and Tabatha Kellett
Melba Copland Secondary School is a years 7-12 school in the ACT. In 2020 we launched an exciting journey to develop a holistic approach to inclusive education. The process has been a rich learning experience for our school community that is focused on the best personalised pathways through and beyond school for all our students. Leading transformational change requires strong consultation, collaboration and creativity to build a culture that reflects our school values CONNECT-LEARN-THRIVE. We designed learning spaces, professional learning for teachers and paraprofessionals and dynamic programs of learning to capture the interest and strengths of students. This presentation will showcase the experience and outcomes of the Melba Copland Secondary School community over the past 18 months with practical strategies on how to embrace the work and ultimately the rewards of inclusive education.
DAY 2: 10.05 – 10.55
Better Together: Using a Coaching Model to Support Teachers’ use of Evidence-based Practices with Students on the Autism Spectrum
Presented by: Dr Jessica Paynter
Almost all students on the autism spectrum experience educational restrictions that impact their learning and participation at school (92.3%; Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018). Teacher delivered evidence-based practices (EBPs) can improve student outcomes; yet, translating these from research to practice can be challenging (e.g., Brock et al., 2020). The need to provide tailored supports, such as coaching, has been highlighted as potential strategy in international research to bridge this gap (e.g., Ruble et al., 2013). However, there is limited evidence, drawing on the views and experiences of teachers, to guide the development and implementation of such models in general education to inform tailored solutions and build capacity for sustained change.
DAY 2: 10.05 – 10.55
Bilingual kindergarten opening doors through language and play
Presented by: Michelle Thompson, Bronwyn Green and Taylor Charles
The Deaf and hard of hearing Services (DHHS) team, in partnership with Early Childhood and Education Improvement (ECEI) Division, Yeerongpilly Early Childhood Development Program (YECDP) in Metropolitan Region, and Toowong Kindergarten and Childcare Centre (TKCCC), a Uniting Early Learning centre, commenced a pilot in 2021 providing a bilingual bicultural kindergarten program for Deaf children who use Auslan. This ground-breaking program has seen a small group of Deaf children enjoy a fully accessible 15-hour kindergarten program with their hearing peers. This session will outline:
- the inclusive model of extensive outreach based on evidence-based best practice in early childhood education and early intervention for DHH children and their families
- the power of collaboration and sharing of expertise that enable this innovative program to continue to strengthen
- the outcomes for children, families and staff and program success factors
SESSION 3
DAY 2: 12.05 – 12.55
NSW Rural and Regional Schools Supporting Students with Complex Needs
Presented by: Prof Therese Cumming and Dr Ellen Lee
Historically, students attending school in rural and regional New South Wales have experienced poorer outcomes than their peers attending metropolitan schools. The lack of coordinated support services for students with complex support needs compounds this issue. Wraparound models of support have been successful in improving outcomes for students with complex support needs, and the New South Wales government has prioritised the establishment of strong relationships between schools and communities to overcome the limitations of geographic isolation. The aim of the current study was to explore wraparound support for students with complex support needs attending schools in rural and regional New South Wales. Interviews with stakeholders identified current successes, barriers, and needs. These will be detailed and discussed with participants. The presenters will discuss recommendations to enhance the capacity of rural and regional NSW schools to provide wraparound support for students with complex support needs. A summary of evidence-based wraparound implementation tips will be provided.
DAY 2: 12.05 – 12.55
From Worrier to Warrior: A Community Approach to Anxiety
Presented by: Tanya Appleby and Michelle Stokes
Anxiety disorder according to Sniadach, Szymkowiak, Osip and Waskiewicz (2021), is a serious condition that if not effectively identified and treated may lead to chronic disability. The prevalence of which, is most commonly evident in adolescence and often associated with impairment of school performance (Mazzone, 2007) and school refusal (Hanie & Standard, 2009) and a general sense of not belonging. There is little doubt according to Reger, Stanley & Joine (2019) that this has been compounded by the outbreak of COVID-19. While this presentation will not focus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic per say, it is pertinent to position the context in which schools are operating. The Resilience in our Teens (RIOT) Program undertaken at St Ursula’s College, demonstrates a community approach to embracing intervention strategies through anti-anxiety transactional conversations. This presentation will provide opportunity to interrogate the data to consider the anecdotal experiences of families and staff trialing these strategies and consider, what next?
DAY 2: 12.05 – 12.55
Student consultation and professional collaboration: Two ingredients supporting inclusive education
Presented by: Haley Tancredi and Gaenor Dixon
The Disability Standards for Education 2005 require that teachers of students with disability make reasonable adjustments and consult the student when designing and implementing adjustments. Genuine consultation processes are accessible. Barriers must be removed or minimised to enable students to both understand the process of consultation and contribute their perspectives. For students with so-called “hidden” disabilities that impact attention, language and/or working memory, collaboration offers the opportunity for school teams to deliver accessible consultation processes and use student insights to design adjustments that directly address the barriers that students face. In this paper, we draw on research data from the Australian context to describe how consultation and collaboration can be enacted in schools. We propose that consultation both upholds students’ rights in education and supports students to develop life-long self-advocacy skills. Further, collaboration can build workforce capacity and is an important driver in the systemic restructuring of school-based inclusive teaching practices.
DAY 2: 12.05 – 12.55
Hearing, language, literacy - Powerful collaborations transforming futures
Presented by: Dr Gayle Hemsley
Hearing loss significantly impacts language and literacy learning outcomes at school. First Nations students are over represented in data sets, with significantly higher rates of middle ear disease and hearing loss impacting development in the early years. Improved learning outcomes requires medical management paired with school support, addressing the impact of hearing loss and lost learning time in the context of the curriculum. This session will present the Hearing Pathways initiative: a collaboration between the Department of Education and Queensland Health to improve learning outcomes for vulnerable students in the early years of school. The use of a whole school approach to hearing, language and literacy ensures increasingly personalised support for students with identified needs. Data provides a clear line of sight to student needs, and a platform for evidence informed differentiation, adjustments and tailored supports.