Learning & Teaching
Extension and Accelerated Learning at Marian College
A priority of our Marian College School Improvement Plan is ensuring that every student is able to “succeed and flourish”. With our philosophy centred on personalised learning and maximising learning progress for all students, we aim to provide learning opportunities that are diverse and flexible to respond to the differences among students in all classes. We aim to support each student to extend their knowledge, skills and capabilities. An essential aspect of this is providing appropriately differentiated curriculum and opportunities for gifted and talented students and high achievers.
Academic Assessment Services Testing (AAS), in conjunction with other data sources, allows us to identify candidates for our Alternative Learning Track (ALT) Program at Years 7 and 8. A personalised learning plan, designed to challenge and extend their already high levels of understandings and skills, is developed with these students, each linked with an ALT Learning Mentor. The ALT Program enables students to participate in extension incursions, excursions, competitions and co-curricular activities that enrich and challenge them, supplementing their regular class learning program.
Further to this, we offer a targeted Core Mathematics Program in Years 7 to 9 where, again based on data, some students are selected for the Mathematics Extension Classes. These classes should enable students to not only address their year level Mathematics Understandings and Skills but also complete activities that involve higher-level analysis and problem solving. Participation in this program should provide students with a level of challenge that increases their progress, meaning that they could be working above year-level standard. This could prepare students for continued advanced or accelerated studies in mathematics at Marian College. In the Year 9/10 Program we offer additional math-related electives that students may choose, in addition to their Core Mathematics Units. In Year 10 there are Mathematical Methods and General Pathways available. Furthermore, some students can accelerate into a VCE Mathematics Study in Year 10.
The exciting Marian Year 9/10 Program, referred to above, was launched in 2023. In these years, our students have the opportunity to enrol in semester units, both core and elective, from an incredibly diverse range of options. These electives are pitched at different levels of literacy, numeracy and conceptual-thinking challenge. There are opportunities for students to follow advanced pathways, selecting electives pitched at a higher level. Most elective classes cater for Year 9 and 10 students together. In addition, we have integrated ways to ensure that students are provided with opportunities to explore areas of interest deeply. Providing the students with greater choice and flexibility is enabling them to have more agency in designing their own learning program and pathway.
Alongside the Year 9/10 electives, accelerated VCE options support pathways to the early completion of VCE Units. Students may be approved to study one or two accelerated Unit 1/2 VCE subjects in Year 10 and Unit 3/4 subjects in Year 11. Year 12 students are offered opportunities to enrol in tertiary units and we are currently planning further development of our links with different tertiary institutions.
Our curricular programs are supplemented by a wide range of academically-oriented co-curricular opportunities and competitions.
With these programs in place, complemented by our College Wellbeing Program, we are confident that our gifted, talented and high-performing students have every opportunity to “succeed and flourish” at Marian College.
Jane Goddard
Assistant to the Principal - Learning & Teaching
ALT LITERACY TERM 1 EVENT
The 2024 Accelerated Learning Track (ALT) students spent the morning on Wednesday 20 March exploring a range of literacy activities, including public speaking and debating. Through collective engagement and a shared morning tea, the ALT students explored several contemporary debating topics and refined their capacity to speak effectively, with the purpose to argue and shape different beliefs. Topics addressed issues in science, education and the arts. Our Principal, Ms. Angela Romano, then spoke to the students about the program and the importance it holds in celebrating and nurturing the academic excellence of its students.
The students will have the chance to build upon these important literacy skills when they attend an excursion to the State Library of Victoria in May. Here, the students will work towards a set of debating topics, with prizes awarded to the winning teams and the best speaker of the day. The winning team will also have the chance to debate some Year 12 students in the College Auditorium in June, which has been an annual tradition over several years, and often attracts a crown of over 100 students. We eagerly await this exciting event.
We look forward to championing the literacy skills of our Year 7 and 8 ALT students throughout the year and extending their capacity to speak and write effectively, for a number of different purposes. Stay tuned for future literacy-based ALT events in Term 2.
Vito Milana
Director of School Improvement & Innovation