Learning Support
& Enrichment
New location for the LSE Department
- Understanding Learning Difficulties - Free ebook
- Update on OT Courses at the College
- After-School Study
- Maths Drop In Centre: Please note change of day!
- An “easy-PC” way to improve students’ comprehension of what they read, as well as their vocabulary, spelling, speaking and listening skills:
Understanding Learning Difficulties – A Guide for Parents
FREE ebook, valued at $30
This ebook (2016 Edition) has been designed and produced by DSF Literacy and Clinical Services, together with AUSPELD (the Australian Federation of SPELD Associations to support people with learning difficulties and disabilities). It offers parents current information and practical guidance on the most appropriate identification, intervention and support. It has been sold for $30.00 in the past but, in the interests of helping families, AUSPELD has recently made it available free to download.
Follow this link for your free ebook: http://uldforparents.com/
OT@PIUS - Update on Courses
Registrations have closed for the Term 2 courses, which are now in full swing. Anna Orchard, our occupational therapist and external provider, is currently running three afternoon courses in Touch Typing (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons), and two courses in Handwriting Skills (Wednesday and Friday afternoons).
All courses are full, with over 30 students enrolled from across the Junior and Senior Schools. Thank you to Anna for her ongoing commitment to helping our student body and to those families for making the most of this opportunity to improve these fundamental skills for their son’s success at school. The next OT intake is scheduled for the start of Term 3, 2017 so watch this space for details or contact Anna anna.louise.orchard@gmail.com or Joanne JRahebMol@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au for more details.
Maths Drop-In Centre: Please note change of day
EACH MONDAY LUNCHTIME
What is it? A place to get some additional maths help. You are encouraged to bring along your specific queries, questions, homework and problems.
Who for? Open to all students in Years 7 – 9
Where? Maths Classroom C1
Queries? Please email Ms Pence SPence@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au or Miss Offer JOffer@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
After-School Study Program
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons
What is it? A quiet time and space where you can get ahead on your homework and assignments, read or study or do research with a friend, or get some one-to-one assistance from supervising teachers.
When is it on? Each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoon of term from 3.15pm to 4.30pm
Who for? Open to all students in Years 5 – 10
Where? Senior Library, top of A Block (SRC). Library seminar rooms are also available
Queries? Please email Ms Raheb-Mol at: JRahebMol@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au, or Ms Leonardi at: CLeonardi@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
An “easy-PC” way to improve students’ comprehension of what they read, as well as their vocabulary, spelling, speaking and listening skills:
For many students, particularly those who struggle with reading lots of text, using the inbuilt Windows Narrator app on their PLDs in class and at home may be the ideal way to assist. It may help to maximise auditory processing and visual processing of the words on a page. Whether at home, or at school with the aid of earphones, your son can access this program on his PLD through the search bar on the right of the screen. This will allow him to hear and process the words as they are being read on the screen at the same time as he is viewing, following and decoding the words himself.
Once in the program, he need only click the ‘Narrator off’ box to ‘Narrator on’ and select the preferred voice etc. in each of the settings that pop up in the list. The Narrator will then read any text that he goes to highlight, and if he highlights nothing it will simply begin reading the whole page of text in any window that he has open on his PLD, including electronic worksheets, assessment task notifications, web pages for internet research, online textbooks or other ebooks.
Encourage your son to make use of this potentially very useful feature in his PLD. It may boost his skills in reading for meaning, vocabulary and spelling, as well as speaking and listening, through hearing the words on the screen being read without viewing to decode the words, and then checking back on his understanding. With a fresh semester ahead, and therefore the chance to improve on homework and assignments, this feature of your son’s PLD may be worthwhile exploring.
Please see the attachment below for a graphic that outlines step-by-step instructions on how to use the Narrator app on your son’s PLD.
Ms J Raheb-Mol - Learning Support & Enrichment Coordinator