Course Title: Support students with learning difficulties and learning disabilities

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2014

Course Code: TCHE5856C

Course Title: Support students with learning difficulties and learning disabilities

School: 360T Education

Campus: Brunswick Campus

Program: C4326 - Certificate IV in Education Support

Course Contact : Soosan Kian

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 9183

Course Contact Email:soosan.kian@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Lorraine Rodrigues lorraine.rodrigues@rmit.edu.au  9925 9494

Soosan Kian soosan.kian@rmit.edu.au  9925 9183

Nominal Hours: 50

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

No specific pre-requisite and co-requisite.

Course Description

This course deals with the skills and knowledge required for education support workers to provide support to students who have a range of learning difficulties and/or learning disabilities


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

CHCEDS413A Support students with learning difficulties and learning disabilities

Element:

1. Identify problems experienced by students with learning difficulties and learning disabilities

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Explain the difference between learning difficulties and learning disabilities
1.2 Identify learning difficulties associated with literacy
1.3 Identify learning difficulties associated with numeracy
1.4 Identify learning difficulties associated with learning how to learn
1.5 Identify learning difficulties associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
1.6 Identify learning difficulties associated with conditions affecting processing visual information
 

Element:

2. Contribute to team planning for students with learning difficulties in a supportive education environment

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Provide observations to the education team to inform the process for planning for students with learning difficulties
2.2 Develop expectations for students with the education team
2.3 Plan strategies to increase student access to learning with the education team
2.4 Identify and assemble required resources
 

Element:

3. Provide support to students with learning difficulties

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Use assistive technologies where appropriate
3.2 Use planned strategies to meet the needs of individual students
3.3 Provide students with regular opportunities for practising new skills
3.4 Monitor student progress and inform teachers on a regular basis
 


Learning Outcomes


This course applies to education support work in a variety of education contexts, working with guidance and direction from the teacher/s.  Education support workers will apply knowledge of appropriate educational responses as part of a team supporting students with learning difficulties and learning disabilities.  On successful completion of this course, you will have developed and applied the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate your competency in the above elements.


Details of Learning Activities

This unit is part of Certificate IV in Education Support program. You will study this unit with several other units on the same day. Your program consists of face to face teaching, Directed Study and you are expected to participate in professional placement. It is highly recommended that students attend at least 85% of class time as crucial learning activities, assessment task preparation some assessment tasks are completed in class. You are not required to attend to complete Directed Study, however you are expected to complete all work given and will at times be required to show evidence that the work has been completed in this unit. Directed Study is a very important part of your program. An outline of your Directed Study will be given by your teacher and is published in the Weekly Program Delivery Plan.

The student learning experience will be facilitated through participation in a range of activities: 

Group discussion 

Research assignments

Guest speakers

Oral and/or written questions on "What if?" scenarios

Realistic simulations and role play
Practical demonstrations and direct observation of actual work and simulated work practice
Oral Presentations
Individual and group projects - Completing the projects will include negotiated independent study time and practical work relevant to the unit of competency. 

Professional placement 


Teaching Schedule

Program Dates: 10th Feb 2014 to 20th June 2014

Term Breaks : 21/4/2014 to 27/4/2014

Public holidays: 10/3, 18/4, 9/6

This unit will be delivered weekly. The times will be outlined in the program delivery plans which are updated each week.
Please note: While your teacher will cover all the material in this schedule, the weekly order is subject to change depending on class needs and availability of speakers and resources. Should the teaching schedule change students will be advised via blackboard.
Library Orientation & an RMIT Online Systems Information Session will be scheduled during the first two weeks of your program. Information about student services, rights and responsibilities is contained in your student diary.
 

Week 1-4

Identify problems experienced by students with learning difficulties and learning disabilities

Identify learning difficulties associated with literacy

Identify learning difficulties associated with numeracy

Assessment Task 1: Research one specific Learning Disability

Week 5-8

Identify learning difficulties associated with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity.

Identify learning difficulties associated with conditions affecting processing visual information.

Identify learning difficulties associated with learning how to learn - learning styles

Roles and responsibilities of the Education Support Worker

Assignment tasks; small group presentation

Week 9-12

Use of assistive technologies - Alternative and Augmentative communication strategies

Working in partnership, consultation and collaboration with the education team

Assessment 2: Work with your team on an Education/Disability related, current media topic.

 Mid Semester Interviews

Week 13-16

Developing expectations for students with the education team.
Identifying appropriate resources to support the student in the classroom
Strategies when working with students with a Learning Difficulty and /or Learning Disability

Week 17-18

Positive Behaviour Support Plan

Goal Planning & Implementing Individual Education Plans.

Assessment 3: Adaptations, Adjustments and Modifications for students with disabilities

Review folio of final assessments
Evidence of practical experience fostering and supporting an effective learning environment; e.g. Observation/Demonstration, Third party
Folio – Presentation (oral and written)


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

TEXTS AND EQUIPMENT

There are no set texts in this course. RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through handouts, our online systems and access to facilities and relevant software. You will also have access to the library resources. It is recommended that you bring:

• Display folder with plastic sleeves
• Highlighter pens
• Notebook or loose leaf paper
• Headphones (use your own or they can be purchased from the Brunswick Library very cheaply)
• USB (Memory stick)


Overview of Assessment

You must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of the competencies in order to be deemed competent.
Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks. You may be assessed by:
• Direct observation of actual and simulated work practice
• Oral or written questioning
• Assignments and projects
• Presentation of a portfolio of evidence which may comprise documents, and/or photographs and/or video and audio files
• Work-based activities
• Third-party feedback from a work supervisor/employer
Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions, through individual and group feedback on practical exercises and by individual consultation.
If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or the Disability Liaison Unit if you would like to find out more.
An assessment charter (http://mams.rmit.edu.au/kh6a3ly2wi2h1.pdf) summarises your responsibilities as an RMIT student as well as those of your teachers.
Your courses assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies and procedures which are described and referenced in a single document: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=ln1kd66y87rc
 


Assessment Tasks

Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks. You may be assessed by:
• Direct observation of actual and simulated work practice 

• Oral or written questioning 

• Assignments and projects 

• Presentation of a portfolio of evidence which may comprise of documents, and/or photographs and/or video and audio files 

• Review of work produced through work-based or course activities 

• Third-party feedback from a work supervisor/employer 

Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions, through individual and group feedback on practical exercises and by individual consultation.
Assessment tasks in this course are either formative or summative. Formative tasks provide the basis for ongoing feedback and can be considered essential building blocks for the more substantial summative assessment tasks. Summative assessment tasks in this unit are assessed using the following competency based results:

CA – Competency achieved
NYC – Not Yet Competent
Please note:
Assessments tasks may include other Units of competency from the program.

All Assessment tasks should be submitted by the deadline. If an extension is required you must ask your teacher for one before the due date.
 


Assessment Matrix

The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant Unit of Competency.
These are available from the course contact person (stated above).
 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview