Learning Supports available in School
Class/Subject Teacher
The first line of support for a student with dyslexia is the class teacher. The class teacher or subject teacher has an essential role to play in being aware and considerate of each student’s strengths and weaknesses. Even if students attend learning support or resource classes, they still spend the majority of their school week in the general classroom. Classroom and subject teachers are expected to differentiate their teaching to accommodate the varying needs of the pupils in their classroom. Teachers may also be able to give some additional support in the regular classroom to students with learning difficulties such as dyslexia. Reasonable accommodations in the classroom can also be negotiated, e.g. a reduced number of spellings to be learned, advance notice of reading passages.
Learning Support Teacher
Students with SLD/Dyslexia, which is not severe enough to qualify for Resource teaching, may receive supplementary support in their school from the Learning Support teacher. This help is usually in a small group setting, and is usually organised on a withdrawal basis from the regular class. Generally, students whose reading and spelling falls below the 12th percentile are entitled to help from the Learning Support teacher.
Resource Teacher
Resource teaching is specialised one-to-one tuition which is available to students who have been diagnosed by a psychologist with a specific learning disability, who have average or above average intelligence, and whose basic skills in reading, writing or maths fall at or below the 2nd percentile. The maximum number of hours of resource teaching available to such students is 2.5 hours per week, i.e. one 30 minute class per day. Students who are above the 2nd percentile are the responsibility of the Learning Support and/or the Class teacher. Students who qualify for Resource Teaching may also qualify for the additional resource of a computer/laptop and specialist software.
Find us on...