Day 4 – St Aloysius Cronulla – David & Lauren.1

Day 4 – St Aloysius Cronulla – David & Lauren.1

How are they using data to inform decision making?

St Aloysius is very similar to our schools in their data collection using the same methods and very similar tests i.e. ACER, BERT, Torch etc.

They store this data in a central excel document in which this updated so they can track the progress of students and the grades and address needs when necessary.

With their maths programs in particular they pretest to determine their maths groups across the stages and then post test to see how the children have progressed. From this pretesting they develop a core section of students and an extension group. The extension group are withdrawn and extended in the particular area of a fortnightly cycle. The core group gather in the hub where they have a group session on explicit teaching then. They are split into smaller groups to cater for individual student needs. With children at risk being targeted more closely and more directed activities to assist these children.

Literacy Group working on a Google doc

 With in the classrooms in literacy groups children are put into ability groups with the possibility of some overlapping to enable students to model for others and to push and extend children.

Year 6 Working Collaboratively

When collaborative groups are in action students are encouraged and directed to different groups to enhance their learning, with the teacher having in mind the ability of the students. However it is evident that the majority of students make positive choices of their own accord most of the time.

What approaches are taken to cater for the diverse range of student learning needs?

Stage maths

St Aloysius is a single stream school and therefore has had to be creative in creating flexible learning groups to cater for the diverse range of students academic needs. Stages 2 and 3 have created flexible maths groups across the stage. Students are pre-tested for each concept and grouped into an extension and a core group. The extension group is taught in both stages by the Assistant Principal. The staff have expressed how beneficial grouping the extension students together has been as it has catered for their learning needs but also reduced the number of students in the class (every class at St Aloysius is approx 33 students). The core group works in the learning hub and is taught by the stage teachers. Within the core group students are broken into smaller ability based groups to complete activities.

Morning maths club

Each Wednesday morning at 8.15am the Assistant Principal and Year 6 teacher work with a group of students in maths club. This club was created as a support group for students requiring additional practise of number skills. Students were nominated by class teachers and a note was sent home to parents. Year 6 students assist running the club as peer tutors. The morning begins with a maths warm up (generally a counting activity eg counting races). Students are then broken into grade groups and work on number games with a Year 6 student working wih each group. The morning concludes with a game. We witnessed a game "Gladiator Challenge", similar to a shoot out style game.

Reading Recovery

Reading Recovery runs Monday- Friday in the morning.

Flexible learning spaces

Flexible learning spaces are used to cater for students individual choices of work areas. A number of options are provided to students from kneeling, laying, sitting on the floor or at a desk. These are also intentionally designed by the teacher to cater for their lesson needs.

Multimodal lessons

Multimodal lessons are used to engage students in meaningful learning experiences. The teachers recognise that students learn in a variety of ways and utilise a range of modes when teaching to meet these needs.

Gladiator Challenge

Maths Club Game

Maths Club Activity Folder