Pre-requisites

Secondary: ES626 Literacy and Numeracy Across the Curriculum: Professional Experience 1B OR
Primary; ES712 Primary Specialist: English & Professional Experience 1B OR
ES713 Primary Specialist: Mathematics & Professional Experience 1B

Co-requisites

ED724 Learners, Educators and Social Contexts: Professional Experience 2A

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

• Apply knowledge and understanding of legislative requirements and teaching strategies to support the participation and learning of students with additional needs and disabilities, including teachers’ professional responsibilities as described in The Victorian Teaching Profession Code of Conduct and in relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers at school stage

• Apply research and a Christian perspective in justifying strategies to differentiate teaching to cater for the learning needs of students with additional needs and disabilities, including the use of independent learning plans and the use of a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement

• Apply knowledge and understanding of a range of physiological, psychological and sociological factors that need to be considered when identifying students with additional needs and disabilities and when planning to support their learning

• Apply understanding of the roles of external professionals, parents/carers and community representatives in diagnosing and supporting students with additional needs and disabilities in school environments, as well as other sources of professional learning for broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice

• Describe school considerations or alterations that are required for students with additional needs and disabilities to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities, including students’ well-being and safety working within school, system, curriculum and legislative requirements

• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers and other stakeholders to involve them in the educative process

• In the context of a placement apply knowledge of students, learning theory, curriculum and content, to plan and implement effective lesson sequences in response to the learning strengths and needs of all students including those with additional needs and disabilities (including challenging but achievable learning goals, a range of differentiated teaching, assessment, recording and feedback strategies, and appropriate resources, including ICT); and organise classroom activities, providing clear directions and using a range of communication and classroom management strategies that support the engagement, safety and well-being of diverse students

• In the context of a placement critically reflect on your teaching practices, seek, evaluate, and apply advice and feedback from experienced teachers in order to evaluate and improve your teaching practice, and demonstrate an increasing knowledge and understanding of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and The Victorian Teaching Profession Code of Conduct, and their application to professional practice and identity

Unit Description

This unit covers the conditions and needs associated with diagnosed and undiagnosed additional needs (sensory impaired, behavioural/emotional, physical, or developmental) that students may present in class, for example: vision and hearing impairments, autism, dyslexia, processing disorders, Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, oppositional defiance disorder, anxiety, cystic fibrosis and gifted students. In this unit you will explore appropriate responses, including a Christian response to students with disability.

The unit analyses physiological, psychological and sociological factors that should be considered in identifying and supporting students with additional needs. It explores strategies and resources available to help teachers cater for children who require extra support and provisions in a school environment. The unit examines relevant legal and educational requirements to support students with additional needs to enable them to participate in learning experiences and achieve learning outcomes. In this unit you will engage with The Victorian Teaching Profession Code of Conduct and relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies, their implications and application for practice in order to meet the needs of students with additional needs and create inclusive environments and teaching and learning experiences, including the development of Individual Learning Plans. You will also develop knowledge of strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers, and will learn about the role and responsibilities of other professionals in planning and managing plans for students with additional needs. The unit also examines the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice regarding students with additional needs.

This unit is attached to a professional experience placement. The professional experience component of this unit entails a block of 10 consecutive school days continuing in the placement school attended for ED722. Under the supervision of an experienced teacher you will continue applying and developing your teaching practices teaching whole classes for whole lessons, taking the equivalent of a full-time teacher’s load as negotiated with your supervising teacher based on your progress and performance and the school timetable.

You will attend preparation classes prior to the professional experience placement and a debrief class after its completion. During the placement your supervising teacher will provide you with advice, support and feedback to support your progress and improve your practices, and will assess your teaching against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at the graduate level. You are required to incorporate digital technologies in your teaching, learning, preparation and assessment practices displaying improving personal proficiency. As you progress through the Professional Experience, you are expected to demonstrate increasing competence and professional growth and become well immersed in school life.

This unit and its professional experience must be undertaken in the same semester as ED724.

Topics

• Foundations of inclusion, Christian perspectives and legislative requirements
• Learning disabilities and the Victorian Education Disability website
• ADHD and managing behaviour
• Autism and Sensory processing disorders
• Specific Leaning Disability - reading (dyslexia) and literacy and the Victorian Education Disability website
• Planning for inclusion - stakeholders and whole school planning
• Assistive Technology and ACD disability website
• Independent Learning Plan (ILP) and Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
• Educational support group, and working with an education support officer
• Language & communication disabilities – verbal and supporting literacy competencies for students with learning difficulties
• Planning for gifted students
• Special Development Schools (SDS) – non-verbal communication
• Preparing for Professional Experience in school
• Reflecting and debriefing on your professional experience in school

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Unit offerings

Face to face: Semester 1, 2025 and Semester 1, 2026 (Every Year, Semester 1)

Please note

The Unit Offerings listed above are a guide only and the timetable for any year is the final authority. The College may vary offerings based on demand, regulatory requirements, continual improvement processes or other conditions.

This unit may be available in different modes of delivery i.e. online and face-to-face as listed above. The unit content will not differ between these modes of delivery. There will possibly be a difference in the schedule and/or the prescribed assessment tasks, however both will cover and assess the same content.