Dynamic Duo!
Supporting teachers of learners with psychiatric and learning disabilities
When our students do well it is very rewarding and exciting.
Deborah Trevan-Catling
A network to improve assessment strategies, podcasting of lessons and a DVD training resource are just a few of the exciting initiatives these teacher consultants are exploring.
TAFE NSW has one of the most innovative and comprehensive services in the world for students with disabilities. TAFE Teaching Consultants support teachers to support learners. They use their specialist expertise to ensure that these learners can complete their studies.
Deborah
Trevan- Catling is Head
Teacher Consultant, Intellectual and Learning Disabilities at OTEN and
Northern Sydney Institute. Deborah will soon be moving to NSI full time
as Teacher Consultant for Intellectual and Learning disabilities.
'Our roles straddle teaching, counselling, administration and networking,' says Deborah. 'Networking is very important for Teacher Consultants – but people are now recognising how important it is for professional development as well.'
Deborah and Peta have teamed up to develop a teaching, learning and assessor’s network across NSW that will allow teachers to support each other and share strategies for working with learners with psychiatric and learning (hidden) disabilities. Members communicate in face-to-face meetings, using an online forum, via email, telephone, videoconferencing and teleconferencing.
Industry areas with skills shortages have been targeted – hairdressing, automotive, welfare and business studies. Corrective Services, a consumer group for people with psychiatric disabilities and school counselors have all been included to get the best outcomes for students.
Peta Smith is Head Teacher
Consultant for Students with a Psychiatric Disability at
Sydney Institute.
'At the first meeting there was an amazing exchange of information!’ says Deborah. ‘We found that each of us had all sorts of knowledge that others needed. It was like 'Oh wow! You have that information. I want that!’ - it was really powerful.'
Improving assessment strategies for people with hidden disabilities is the focus. ‘Sometimes teachers can be a bit rigid when it comes to assessing competencies in training packages,’ says Peta. ‘It is possible to make small adjustments to accommodate learners with disabilities. It can mean the difference between the student completing their training or not.’
The pair is also busy developing a DVD resource of video and teaching resources. ‘We’ll be disseminating it so that people can give staff development sessions in their own Institutes’ says Deborah.
Not only does Peta publish a regular newsletter of study, exam and stress management tips to empower her students, she is also implementing Podcasting as part of a LearnScope project. This means putting audio recordings of lessons onto the web for students to download and listen to on their MP3 players. ‘Podcasting will be great for our students who have problems with memory and concentration’ she says.
So, how can TAFE keep innovative and enthusiastic people like Deborah
and Peta motivated?
‘Provide recognition!’ Deborah says quickly. ‘Most of the time we feel like we’re fighting to survive. We’re often seen as a nuisance – a great big hole that funds disappear into.’
Peta believes the first step is acknowledgement of the workload, on a day to day basis, for teacher consultants involved in working with students who have cognitive difficulties. The support provided by the teacher consultant is not only for over 400 students each year, but for teachers, management and counselling staff who are also involved with students with mental health issues.
Deborah adds, ‘Often the work we do goes unaccredited - we do need a pat on the back occasionally.’
‘Management often don’t understand that there are little things they could do that would make a big difference,’ says Peta. ‘For example it can be very difficult to counsel a student who’s having a psychotic episode in a room that’s inappropriate and where the voices from the classroom next door come in loud and clear.
‘But, success stories really motivate me,’ Peta continues ‘and there are plenty of them. I keep in touch with all my old students - I like to know how they’re going and what they’re doing. One student, who has schizophrenia, is now at uni doing a masters degree in computing, for example. That’s very satisfying.
‘For some reason a lot of our students want to go into library services! Anyway… I was very happy the year that six of the 60 graduates of the Grad Dip in Library Services were receiving educational support for issues relating to their psychiatric disability. All six had a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Three of them are now employed. Actually, the stats show that our students have an equal or better than average module completion rate.’
Deborah adds, ‘Sometimes people are forced into menial work because of a hidden disability. We had one student who was stuck doing delivery work because he struggled with reading and writing as a kid - no one had diagnosed his learning disability. He was a bright guy and was very frustrated in his work. Through a mixture of OTEN and face-to-face study he got his Electronics Certification and has now established an electronic installation business.
‘When our students do well it is very rewarding and exciting.’
Resources for teachers of learners with psychiatric and learning disabilities
Working with
Students with Psychiatric Disabilities: A Teaching Resource
Managing Untypical or Disruptive Behaviours in Inclusive
VET Settings
Australians
Working Together - Learning By Contract for students with psychiatric disabilities
OTEN, 1995, Working with people with disabilities Open Training and Education Network, Redfern NSW.
You will find this useful resource in most TAFE libraries.
Opening All Options II
Discusses the difficulties for students with learning disabilities and includes strategies that can be used.