Learning from home for students with disability during COVID-19

This week we have been reflecting on the impact of learning from home or students with disability, in particular students with communication and social needs. In this podcast I chat with Gail Williams, Deputy Principal of a special school in Queensland and Dr Bree Jimenez, Research Consultant with Mater Dei School in NSW and Research Associate with the University of Sydney.

Both acknowledge the energy and commitment of their teachers over the last couple of weeks in shifting their practice to support their students with learning from home. They identify the particular challenges for their students that include the nee to see and hear their teachers as well as addressing learning needs that go beyond the learning areas.

They highlight the importance of harnessing genuine person-centred planning as the way forward – a shared responsibility in identifying student/family prioirities and ways to support these priorities. We may need to slow down and give consideration to the fact that learning does not always have to be about something new, it could be about providing opportunities for repeated practice of what we’ve already been doing.

You can listen to the full podcast by selecting the play button below.