Inclusive education
Differentiated learning
At Babinda P-12 State School we believe that all students:
are capable of learning
can and should reach their potential
want to learn
should experience success
and need to be valued as individuals.
At Babinda P-12 State School differentiated learning is all about adjusting the curriculum, providing resources and coordinating expertise so that every student can succeed in the best possible learning environment. On a day to day basis teachers and support staff adjust and tailor learning activities and the learning environment to meet the needs of individual students.
All students are capable of successful learning when they are provided with a supportive and engaging environment that is safe, respectful, tolerant, inclusive and promotes intellectual rigour. At Babinda P-12 State School every child matters everyday!
Babinda P-12 State School is committed to identifying and addressing the learning needs of individual students. By pooling and targeting our support resources (staff time, expertise, funds, facilities and materials) we are able to cater for students who require learning or behaviour support, those who are gifted, those that have a disability, those who have English as a second language or those who are Indigenous, to ensure that all students learning needs are addressed in a targeted manner.
The team
The responsibility of the Differentiated learning team is to ensure that learning is supportive and engaging for all students by providing a range of support services that assist teachers to meet the diverse educational needs of all students. The personnel providing the support services include specialist teachers, trained teaching assistants and visiting specialists including Advisory teachers specialising in specific areas of disability and behaviour management, Guidance officer, Speech/language Pathologist, Physiotherapist, Occupational therapist, Transition officer and Vocational training organisations.
Special education program
Part of the Differentiated Curriculum includes a Special education program specifically catering for the needs of students that are verified as having a disability in the following areas:
Babinda P-12 State School is committed to providing equitable educational opportunities to ensure that all students have access to, participate in and gain positive outcomes from schooling through a range of curriculum options delivered across prep, primary and secondary years of schooling. To support this commitment, a flexible model of delivery of educational services is implemented through highly individualised programs.
The Special education program assists students with a diagnosed disability to access the curriculum in an inclusive setting. Students with disabilities are provided with the opportunity to participate in programs that meet their individual needs and ability. Individual educational programs and support levels vary according to the identified areas of need expressed through the Education adjustment programs (EAP). For some students this means the curriculum is extended to include programs that explicitly teach social skills, communication skills, self-care skills, organisational skills and/or study skills.
School house facility
At Babinda P-12 School a ‘Home Base’ has been established for students that require additional support to deal with the pressures of what can an often be a confusing and unpredictable environment. Students are allocated to a case manager who oversees their educational and social progress at school. By providing a safe, consistent place to go to, ‘Home Base’ helps address and reduce the challenges presented by social misunderstandings, communication breakdowns, and restricted areas of interest.
At ‘Home-Base’ each student:
is welcomed each morning by support staff and peers
has facilities to store his personal possessions and school materials in a safe place
receives specific school-wide information relevant to each session of the school day
receives support to organise equipment for classes
can access required support at any time during the school day
is able to access Home base if/when classes become confusing, frustrating or too demanding
can complete class/homework tasks, assignments and exams in a quiet and supportive environment
can practice social and communication skills and strategies in a safe and supportive environment
can access advice and pre-skilling for impending tasks and situations
can spend break-time away from the busy, noisy and confusing playground
can relax and unwind from the stresses of the school environment
can enjoy preferred leisure activities.
Focus on post-schooling
Babinda P-12 State School offers students with a disability a range of options in the senior years of schooling. These include vocational education subjects, supported work experience programs, school based apprenticeships and traineeships and some TAFE courses. We work collaboratively with training organisations and community service providers to ensure that every student has a positive pathway to further training, employment or supported life-style options upon leaving school.