Learning Support

THS is dedicated to ensuring that our students and the whole school community benefit from the many contributions made by culturally, linguistically, neurologically, and academically diverse students and teachers.A comprehensive learning environment needs to cater to the varied strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges faced by the students. Our Learning Support program provides support for students who are struggling for any reason, or who simply need a little extra support. This ranges from catching up in English as it may be a second or even third language to providing an optimized environment for a student with a specific learning impairment. 

Unlocking the best requires understanding our students’ individual differences and providing the structure for them to thrive in an engaging environment. The Harbour School is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and it shows in our approach to Learning Support.

Accommodation Plans

Accomodation Plans are the first line of defense in supporting struggling students. They are blueprints put together by a learning support coordinator, classroom teachers, and any  appropriate Learning Support Specialists. Accommodations Plans will draw on existing IEPs or psychoeducational reports, if they are available. The present specific teaching strategies, accomodations, classroom and curriculum modifications, and differentiations that will help increase the student’s learning outcomes. Classroom teachers are ultimately responsible for implementing and executing accommodation plans, though grade cluster learning support staff collaborate closely as needed. This level of support does not require enrollment in the learning support program. 

 

Push In Services

Push In Services are a way to support students that are able to access their grade-level curriculum or near enough, by providing additional support within the classroom. Push in support follows the general education curriculum with differentiation and accommodations provided by a learning support teacher. The classroom teacher provides a summary of progress and a grade, and works with learning support to make any ongoing optimizations necessary. Meanwhile, the learning support teacher outlines strategies that can be implemented and updates the student’s IEP on an ongoing basis. By working in conjunction in this way Push In Services helps students get the most out of their time classes.

 

Pull Out Services

Pull Out Services provide a higher level of intervention whereby students are pulled out of specific classes to receive additional instruction. This is typically done with students who are 18 or more months behind grade level in a given area, or 12 or more months behind in multiple areas. Support services are planned and conducted by Learning Support Teachers, but may also involve external specialists who come into the school. . The Learning Support Teacher provides a summary of progress, effectiveness of strategies and accommodations, and a report card grade or alternative for the student’s IEP.

 

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Our specially designed program will provide targeted instruction on improving their overall academic achievement, particularly in research and narrative writing, comprehension and summarisation of assigned academic readings and overall fluency in technical vocabulary for all subjects.

Students will also benefit from an overall increase in other areas of the curriculum with information acquisition while developing social skills and increasing self-confidence among a community of learners with a safe space in which to practice their language acquisition skills.