Skip to content

Diverse Learning Needs

Diverse Learning

At St John’s we aim to cater for all students in ways that bring out the best in each individual. Students participate in a range of learning experiences based on the regular syllabus outcomes and content. Teachers differentiate the learning experiences to provide an appropriate level of challenge, and to make learning relevant for all students. 

A suite of interventions are available to support the learning and development of all students. At St John's we draw on a range of programs and approaches to cater for individual needs and use assessment data to collaboratively select the most appropriate interventions that will empower students to access the curriculum in the most effective way. A range of Gifted and Talented opportunities are also utilised to promote independent learning and discovery. 

A Learning Support Team (LST) was established in 2019 to provide direct and timely specialist assistance to students in mainstream classes with a disability and/or additional learning and support needs. The Learning Support Team uses a collaborative and consultative approach so that students themselves and their parents and carers are supported and informed of the level of assistance being provided.

Individualised programs and interventions at St John’s Dapto: 

  • Letters & Sounds Systematic Synthetic Phonics Instruction     
  • Reading Recovery
  • MiniLit (Meeting Initial Needs in Literacy)
  • Multi Sensory Structured Language (MSL) Approach 
  • Project X Code Reading Intervention
  • SPLICED (Stretching Potential through Learning in Interactive Challenging Environments)
  • Maths Olympiad 
  • DaVinci Decathlon
  • Genius Hour
  • MacqLit (Macquarie Literacy Program for small group instruction)
PERSONALISED PLANS

From time to time, students present with diverse needs and the teacher provides comprehensive support within the classroom, and where needed may seek further support from the school, the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong and outside agencies.

All students who require reasonable adjustments according to the Disability Standards for Education 2005 are provided with opportunities to participate in education ‘on the same basis’ as students without a disability. These students have a Personalised Plan (PP) developed collaboratively with parents, teachers and relevant health professionals.