It is the provision of academic care, attention and guidance for those boys in Years 9, 10, 11 and 12 who have been diagnosed with a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). The focus of support is helping boys achieve academically. Academic Support Teachers liaise with House Heads, subject teachers and parents to complement academic monitoring.

Your first step is to contact your son’s House Head and raise your concerns.

Boys in the Senior School are identified for academic support via a diagnosis of a Learning Disability by an appropriate health professional including a Psychologist, Speech or Occupational Therapist, Psychiatrist or Paediatrician. Boys suspected of having an underlying Learning Disability are investigated by their House Head. Those whose difficulties are not accounted for by other factors (such as gaps in learning) are reviewed by the School Psychologist who may recommend referral to an outside professional for appropriate testing.

Parents will be informed of their son’s Academic Support Teacher prior to the commencement of the academic year.

An Academic Support Teacher (AST) support teacher will support a student with learning in the classroom by liaising with your son and the subject teacher

The AST supports the House Head and subject teacher in tracking progress and differentiation.  AST provide an additional lay of academic monitoring.

An AST is a Senior School teacher and member of the Academic Support Team, assigned to those students within a year group who have a Specific Learning Disability. The AST works with students individually, parents, subject teachers, appropriate House Head and the Senior School Psychologist to support academic achievement.  AST meetings occur in The Residence.      

The Year 9 Academic Support Teacher:

• supports the transition to Senior School
• meets boys on a needs basis
• liaises with House Head, appropriate teachers and parents
• helps boys understand and manage their Learning Disability
• ensures boys can access and participate in the curriculum
• helps boys build independence and resilience
• helps boys foster an acceptance/skill of asking for help
• assists with organisation, study skills and time management
• monitors management strategies are helpful and being implemented in the classroom
• ensures boys have access to accommodations in class to which they are entitled (eg. extra working time, non-working time, laptop, scribe, enlarged print)
• promotes available academic services within the College (before school tutoring, after school academic workshops)
• provides support and preparation for NAPLAN

    The Year 10 Academic Support Teacher :

• meets boys on a needs basis
• liaises with House Head, appropriate teachers and parents
• monitor the appropriateness of the LAP (management strategies and accommodations)
• does not complete work for the boys, but adheres to the philosophy of Academic Support, “Do with, not for.”

Year 11/12 Academic Support Teachers:

• meets boys on a needs basis
• liaises with House Head, appropriate teachers and parents
• builds your son’s independence in learning, planning for assignments, assessments and examinations
• coaches your son in using his accommodations effectively

Year 12 Academic Support Teacher:

• assists your son in applying to the governing body, School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) or IB, for Special Examination Arrangements (SEA).

An Educational Assistant is a trained professional who provides assistance and support to the classroom teacher.   This includes a variety of support techniques eg 1-1 instruction, small group remediation.

A Specific Learning Disability (SLD) is less common than a learning difficulty. Identification is important as early intervention and appropriate support can reduce the long-term impact of a SLD.

There are all sorts of reasons why a boy may struggle to learn or achieve his academic potential. Any learning difficulties that are not learning disabilities may include:

• gaps in learning
• social/emotional issues impacting on the ability to focus and learn
• English being a second language
• physical issues (hearing, vision)

The Learning Adjustment Plan is a summary of information about your son’s learning issues. It contains an overview of your son’s condition/learning issues and teacher management strategies most helpful to him and accommodations to which he is entitled. The Senior School psychologist compiles this profile from reports forwarded to the College.

Teachers are guided by the Learning Adjustment Plan (LAP). The LAP summarises your son’s learning issues, teacher management strategies as well as listing accommodations available to him. AST will talk with both the subject teachers and your son to ensure the LAP remains active and relevant.

Learning needs are flagged on class lists. Teachers access more detailed information through SEQTA (the school’s administration system) which displays the Learning Adjustment Plan (LAP). Meetings are held between the College Psychologist, Academic Support Teacher, subject teachers and House Head when appropriate.

As the first educators of their children, parents are in a great position to help their son understand and accept their learning challenges. Learn about your son’s condition and talk to him about the strengths and challenges that he may face. It is helpful that your son is aware he has an identifiable, common, measurable and treatable (not curable) condition. Many people with a SLD are highly successfully individuals and it helps to know that these successful people are willing to talk about their disabilities. For example, Kerry Stokes, Jamie Oliver, Steve Jobs and Sir Richard Branson all have Dyslexia; Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld are on the Autism Spectrum; Michael Phelps, Justin Timberlake and Michael Jordan have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The most important role you can take is helping your son’s self-understanding and acceptance of his condition.

Literacy is reinforced across the curriculum. Scotch College staff receive ongoing professional development in intervention strategies and cater for boys who may need extra support. English teachers are available for additional support in literacy during before school tutoring in The Residence.

Curriculum teachers in Mathematics offer targeted support as part of Mathematics classes. Scotch College staff receive ongoing professional development in intervention strategies and cater for boys who may need extra support. Year 12 tutors are available for additional support in numeracy during before school tutoring in The Residence and targeted workshops are available after school.

You need to contact your Academic Support Teacher and discuss. It may be that your son is not wanting to access accommodations at this point.

NAPLAN preparation sessions run at The Residence prior to the set dates for assessments. Dates and times will be advertised to the boys via email and House Heads. English and Mathematics classes also target NAPLAN preparation.

For students in Years 9 to 11 with a diagnosed Specific Learning Disability (SLD), The Academic Support Teacher ensures equitable access to assessments (EAA) are trialled. This is a matter for discussion in a meeting with the Academic Support Teacher, you and your son.

The Year 11 and Year 12 Academic Support Teachers work with your son to prepare the application to School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) or IB in March and April of Year 12. Academic Support Teachers are in contact with parents over the period of Year 11 and Year 12 regarding the requirements for this application. It is important to ensure that your son has a valid psychoeducational report (within two years and 4 months of the date of application) as part of this application process.

Scotch College has and continues to have boys with learning challenges enrolled in the IB Diploma and they have been successful. Appropriate accommodations/entitlements are ascertained by the school’s Psychologist and the IB Diploma Coordinator. The IB are very generous with accommodations. Their criteria are very different to WACE requirements.

If your son has a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) or other disability, he may be eligible for arrangements in accordance with the Guidelines for Disability as issued by School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA). The arrangements are applied for school-based assessments and the Externally Set Task (EST) in Year 12. Academic Support Teacher liaise with teachers, the Careers Advisor and the Workplace Coordinator to ensure that your son’s programmes are suitable to his needs.

An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a documented plan created for your son, by your son’s Academic Support Teacher in consultation with you, your son, subject teachers and House Head. This plan outlines academic goals and describes a set of strategies to address your son’s particular needs. IEPs are reviewed each term. Academic Support Teacher liaise with teachers, the Career Advisor and the Workplace Coordinator to ensure that your son’s programmes are suitable to his needs.