Molly makes her way

Key competencies

As Molly becomes familiar with the school environment, she is beginning to participate and contribute with confidence and independence in a variety of school settings (participating and contributing).

Molly shows how she is developing by using the communication tools provided; for example, BIGmack and the visual timetable (managing self).

Molly is accessing the visual timetable to anticipate what is coming up and to stay calm while reading (using language, symbols, and texts).

Molly is taking turns in groups and is being generalised at news time and at playtime games. She is socially responsive to her peers; for example, smiling after greeting (relating to others).

How might these stories strengthen Molly’s identity as a learner?

Molly is becoming familiar with her new school environment. She is responding to assistance offered by adults and peers. Molly is able to join her peers in class and playground activities; for example, sharing personal news, participating in games (agency).

Molly had transferred her knowledge of turn taking from the classroom in news group, to participating in a game at play time. She was able to transfer her personal news from home, to news group, to written language. Molly was an observer during news and reading time, but she has become an active participant in the news group, reading, and in the playground (breadth).

As Molly experiences her school programme and observes as it follows the same daily routine, she is able to focus and become involved (continuity).

Molly is preparing at home with her parents for her personal news. With help, she uses her BIGmack to record her personal news. Now she is beginning to verbally contribute her news when prompted. Adult support is being faded out to ensure Molly learns how to respond independently to peer social interactions, such as greetings (depth).

For more information on the four dimensions of agency, breadth, continuity, and depth (ABCDs), refer to Narrative assessment: a guide for teachers.

Learning areas

Level 1 English

This learning is situated in both the strands of Listening, Reading, and Viewing and Speaking, Writing and Presenting: language features, and processes and strategies.

Molly is learning that speech conveys a message and this message can be shared with her peers using BIGmack at news times and in greeting her peers in the playground. Molly is developing an awareness of the connections between oral and written language as she points to each word of the story while listening to the previously recorded sentence being replayed.

Level 1 health and physical education

Molly is learning to develop relationships with other people. She is beginning to participate with support from her peers and to co-operate in groups.

Effective pedagogy

What does this tell us about teaching and learning in this setting?

Molly’s peers are interested in her. They initiate interactions with her and seek her company in games. The teacher supports all children’s learning in this classroom by encouraging children to work and learn together in co-operative and socially supportive groups. This provides a positive environment for Molly to be included in the group and to learn. The teacher can observe children’s interactions and teach Molly’s peers how to include her in their activities in ways that keep her calm. Adults in the classroom support Molly’s learning by showing her peers how to talk with her and keep her comfortable (creating a supportive learning environment).

The teacher can deliberately set up contexts in the classroom to support Molly’s learning. We have observed Molly learning from and with her peers, so we know these contexts do not always have to include adults. These learning stories show how peers can learn how to include Molly in their games, and how to engage her in their conversations and activities. Teachers can build on these natural interactions and ensure there are opportunities throughout the day for children to learn together. These situations can be deliberately planned, or teachers can be alert to and encourage spontaneous learning situations. They can observe these interactions to support all children to learn about each other.

Molly feels happy and ready to participate when she has reasonable personal space around her. The physical environment can be set up to ensure this is possible and peers can be supported to understand that this is Molly’s preference and that some space around her will help her to feel calm and able to learn. Molly has begun to reduce this space herself, as illustrated in the photographs. The teacher can observe and respond to Molly’s progress by encouraging and rewarding her for sitting closer to her peers and staying in the group (facilitating shared learning).

Adults provide direct support by reassuring Molly and keeping her calm to ensure she is able to remain as a member of the group.

Adults reinforce class routines and schedules using pictures and photographs so Molly knows what is happening and what is ahead. This keeps her calm and she remains part of the group.

Showing Molly how to do something first gives her important information about what is expected and how to be successful. The teacher can provide opportunities for both adults and children to show Molly what to do, then give Molly time to do what is required by herself (providing sufficient opportunities to learn).

Reflective questions for the reader

“How can the specialist teacher be used to support a student’s learning as a fully participating member of the class?”

“How can I help shift the support of a student’s learning (like Molly’s) from adults in class (most of the time) to include peers more?”

Useful resources

Prizant, B.M., Wetherby, A.M., Rubin, E., Laurent, A.C., & Rydell P. J.(2006). The SCERTS model, a comprehensive educational approach for children with autism spectrum disorders. Volume 1: assessment. Baltimore, Md.: Paul H. Brookes Pub. Co.