Teacher Aide: Our Akonga – Inclusive Practice

This module introduces the principles of inclusive practice relevant for diverse learners and prepares them for supporting ākonga in an educational context.

Teacher aides examine their attitudes and assumptions about disability and diversity and how they impact on ākonga and their ability to learn. 

They will explore how to recognise barriers and identify ākonga strengths and use this information to support learning.

This is a self-directed learning module with Zoom support. If you are registering through the Ministry of Education Teacher Aide fund, e-mail [email protected] with your name and ARN number so that we can provide you free access.

Focus of workshops/modules:

• Inclusive practice – supporting children’s physical and personal care and communication and how teacher aides are a valuable resource providing this.
• Supporting students who require a high level of physical care and or high communication needs
• Barriers to learning, what can these be and how can we remove or minimise them?
• Supporting students with an individual education plan
• Neurodiversity – what is this and what it can look like in a learner
• Relationships – know your learner, relationships, specialist intervention and teamwork
• Meeting sensory needs, developing communication and social skills, encouraging flexible thinking
• Support in managing meltdowns, coping with change and working with students’ strengths.
• Effective practice and assessment is an ongoing process of noticing, recognising and responding to student learning