Standard+2.3.6

=Provide advice and support to colleagues to implement a range of literacy strategies to meet the needs of all students, including: =
 * =Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students =
 * =Students with Special Education Needs =
 * =Non-English Speaking Background students =
 * =Students with Challenging Behaviours. =

Having taken on 2 year 12 Biology classes at the beginning of 2008, I was still trying to gauge their abilities. One student, in particular, was having great difficulty with written expression. This was not immediately obvious as:- i) While shy, her verbal responses were comprehendible ii) Previously submitted written work had been done over time (and I later found out, with the aid of a tutor!)

Having sought a [|meeting] regarding specific students’ difficulties with English comprehension and expression I shared my finding with my colleague over several discussions regarding the best/most efficient ways to prepare our students for their HSC.

** “ ** [|ESL] Teaching Technical/Abstract Language ** ” ** and “[|Strategies to Support ESL Students]” suggested the use of visual glossaries ~ a strategy I already use but the breakdown of questions as a scaffold giving particular emphasis to the specific language (rather than the intent of the question) was a strategy I started to use. I also ask students to restate what they have read or what I have just told them, in their own words so that I am able to determine whether they understand the idea.

Making students aware of the variety and versatility of language within the context of Science

Our school has about 10 Indigenous students from various areas. I do not actually have any of these students in any of my classes; however, I have gathered a range of resources [Embedding [|Indigenous Science]] which I used to develop learning materials which will give our indigenous students an opportunity to do research within either their own cultural area with which they familiar, or to learn about their own cultural background. I also feel that it is important that the rest of our students are able to appreciate the indigenous culture [e.g. [|Myths & Legends]].