Learning Assistance Program

Students who experience difficulties in basic areas of learning are supported through the Learning Assistance Program in their local school.

Students in primary, secondary and central schools may receive additional assistance in literacy, numeracy and language.

The Learning Assistance Program

The Learning Assistance Program supports students experiencing difficulties in learning in regular classes, regardless of the cause. It includes support for students with significant learning difficulties, mild intellectual disabilities and language disorders.

The Learning Assistance Program provides Support Teachers Learning Assistance (STLAs) (*.doc - 26kb) and funding to primary and secondary schools.

Principles: Assisting Students with Learning Difficulties (*.doc - 31kb)

The following PowerPoint presentation provides further information about the Learning Assistance Program.

The Learning Assistance Program (*.ppt 512kb)

Presenter's notes (*.doc 1.4mb)

Early in 2006, the Department commissioned an independent reflective study of the Learning Assistance Program in 2004-2006.  This study provides strong endorsement for the progam.

Class Teacher

Class teachers have responsibility for meeting the needs of all students in their class.
 

School Learning Support Team

The school learning support team assists teachers to plan class programs to meet the specific learning needs of all students, including those who experience difficulties in learning.

The learning support team co-ordinates the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of learning support plans.
 

Parents and Caregivers

It is important that parents, caregivers and school staff work together to support students experiencing difficulties in learning.
 

Support Teacher Learning Assistance (STLA)

Support teachers learning assistance (STLAs) assist students experiencing difficulties in basic areas of learning in regular classes. STLAs are allocated to primary and secondary schools based on the literacy, language and numeracy needs of students.

The STLA works with a school's learning support team and class teachers to plan, develop, implement, monitor and evaluate programs for students experiencing difficulties in learning through:

• team teaching
• professional support and advice
• support for peer tutoring and other learning assistance programs
• withdrawal of students for assessment or short term intensive instruction

Teachers Aide (Special)  

Students supported through the Learning Assistance Program may also recieve additional assistance from Teachers Aides Special (TAS) employed by the school.  Details of employment conditions for this role are *available on the intranet* to staff of the NSW Department of Education and Training in the Non-teaching Staff in Schools Handbook.

Regional Learning Assistance Team (Ms Word 23Kb)

Each region has a team of specialist teachers to provide further support for students with significant learning difficulties and their teachers.
Regional Learning Assistance Teams include:

Palm Avenue

Palm Avenue School / Dalwood Assessment Centre is a joint Department of Education and Training and NSW Health facility. It provides specialist services for primary age students in rural areas of NSW who have significant learning difficulties.

Palm Avenue School / Dalwood Assessment Centre provides:

• assessment
• a residential program for students with significant literacy difficulties, language problems and/or behaviour problems
• consultation and in-service support for rural schools.

Palm Avenue / Dalwood Assessment Centre services may be accessed by students from both government and non government schools.

Specialist Resource Library

The Jill Sherlock Memorial Learning Assistance Resource Library is a statewide resource for teachers, parents, counsellors and allied professionals.

The following support documents have been developed to assist teachers to identify and work with students experiencing difficulties in learning.

This practical resource can assist teachers to develop and adjust teaching strategies and class programs to meet the needs of a range of learners experiencing difficulties with spelling and writing.  This book as a whole or by individual sections is available in pdf format as follows:

Writing and Spelling Strategies: Assisting students who have additional learning support needs   (complete book) (pdf - 9.8mb); Introduction: Contents and Introduction  (pdf - 670kb); Section one: Supporting students experiencing difficulties in writing  (pdf - 339kb); Section two: Assessing students’ writing achievements  (pdf - 1,282kb); Section three: Writing instruction  (pdf - 3,162kb); Section four: Preparing students to write  (pdf - 1,594kb); Section five: Text structure and grammar  (pdf - 2,891kb); Section six: Spelling (pdf - 1,107kb); Section seven: Using technology to support writing  (pdf - 490kb); Section eight: References and resources  (pdf - 119kb)

This manual assists teachers to provide support to students identified through the Basic Skills Test (BST) as needing additional assistance in literacy. The resource provides ideas for planning, a focused individual assessment and teaching strategies. 

The PDF download for this document includes the Programming and Strategies Handbook, which is also available separately (see below).  For copyright reasons, this download does not include the section on Focused Individual Assessment, which is available below for download via the DET NSW intranet only.

This support document is also included in the Follow up to BST. It assists teachers to choose strategies and make appropriate adjustments to class programs for students needing additional support in literacy.

Each year a Focused Individual Assessment (FIA) is developed using texts from the Basic Skills Test. This assessment is for students who did not sit the BST, or who scored in Band One for literacy in Year 3 or in Band One or Two for reading in Year 5. The FIA provides detailed information about a student's reading skills.

FIA booklets are available to staff of the NSW Department of Education and Training *only via the intranet* in PDF format. 

In the following list, click the year to download the FIA for that year:FIA 1999, FIA 2000 , FIA 2001 , FIA 2002 , FIA 2003 , FIA 2004 , FIA 2005 , FIA 2006, FIA2007

This resource supports the implementation of Follow Up to BST procedures. The strategies and planning processes outlined can assist schools in providing effective teaching and learning programs for students experiencing difficulties with reading.

The Programming and Strategies Handbook - Secondary (1999) is available to staff of the NSW Department of Education and Training *only via the intranet* in PDF format.

The Programming and Strategies Handbook - Secondary (1999) provides instructional techniques for both the Support Teacher Learning Assistance (STLA) and Key Learning Area (KLA) teachers. It contains strategies for developing the reading ability of students still struggling to read the words on the page. It has extensive sections on comprehension that support the collaborative teaching model of STLAs and KLA teachers in the classroom.

The Follow Up to ELLA (FUELLA) 2007 - Assisting Year 7 students who need additional support is available to staff of the NSW Department of Education and Training *only via the intranet* in PDF format.

Follow Up to ELLA (FUELLA) 2007 - Assisting Year 7 students who need additional support contains assessments tasks based on the 2007 ELLA stimulus materials and further diagnostic tests of reading skills and knowledge.

The FIA – FUELLA 2007 provides:

• a process for the assessment of basic literacy using accuracy and fluency measures and diagnostic tests where the STLA needs information about individual students
• suggested approaches to identifying the strategies used by the student in working out what a text is about, in comprehending, using and analysing text
• a student language observation checklist.