Resource information
Mark Barlow, a Year 6 classroom teacher, describes the structure of the school’s Program Support Group (PSG) meeting. He outlines the benefits of sharing experiences and strategies that focus on supporting the student with disability transition from primary to secondary school. The consultation process involves the student and their parent to provide further context and understanding of the diverse learning needs of the student.
In the PSG meeting, Mark plays a vital role by providing insights to his social interactions as well as his differentiated teaching approaches in building a strong rapport with the student. Mark and the primary school’s learning diversity leaders collaborate with the parent in sharing reasonable adjustment strategies that the secondary school learning diversity leader can gather, as well as providing responses related to the support provided in the secondary school context.
Mark reiterates the importance of consistent communication with all members of the PSG in having clear understandings of the goals that can best support the needs of the student with disability throughout the transition process.
Discussion questions
- What strategies does the classroom teacher implement in establishing a relationship to understand the specific learning needs of the student with disability?
- What were the benefits of the Program Support Group (PSG) meeting in unpacking the reasonable adjustments to support full participation of the student with disability?
- What key elements did the diversity leaders and classroom teachers implement to ensure a respectful and collaborative relationship with the parent and the student with disability during the PSG meeting?
