Arahunga Special School curriculum and assessment framework
Arahunga Special School curriculum and assessment framework designed to focus on the long term goal in each curriculum strand, while setting goals to be worked on over the time frame covered by the current or next IEP.
| Vision Working together allows individual talents to be used, to enhance and enrich society, so that all students can lead active lives in the community |
| Tools for better learning Why we do things - Values. What we do - Curriculum. How we do it - Pedagogy. Where to next? - Assessment. |
| Values Safety, Striving, and Sharing are action words for the values of Democracy: Freedom Individual voice Responsibility. | Curriculum Child centred and integrated so that it is broader, wider, deeper, more significant and meaningful. | Pedagogy The three dimensions of thinking recognise each individual's talents and use them to enhance an individual's educational opportunities. Dimension One - academic thinkers Dimension Two - experiential thinkers Dimension Three - social thinkers | Assessment Assessment should be child centred, formative and shared by all involved: the student, the teacher and the parent. |
| The Five Strands of the Curriculum. A student may have goals set in all of or some of the following five strands at their IEP. Communication Self-management Physical self-Care Cognition and Community interface |
| Strand 1 Communication The main goal for communication: students are increasingly able to understand and to be understood. Articulation Signing Speech Therapy Reading Spelling Visual supports Writing P.E.C.S. Responding | Strand 2 Self-management The main goal for self-management: students are increasingly able to make sense of their own emotions and activities. Turn taking Choosing Waiting Self regulation Self assessment Work and study skills Social and co-operative skills Decision making Identifying feelings | Strand 3 Physical self-care The main goal for physical self-care: students are increasingly able to maintain a balance life style. Eating P.E. Ball skills Physiotherapy Leisure Hygiene Swimming Sports Recreation | Strand 4 Cognition The main goal for cognition: students are increasingly able to make sense of and manipulate the world around them. Cause and effect Numeracy Thinking Inquiry Maths Science Problem solving Object permanence Time | Strand 5 Community interface The main goal for community interface: students are increasingly able to lead an active life in the community. Peer tutoring Work experience Star Courses Buddy class Mainstreaming Inclusion Tertiary courses Work. |
Sensory Integration
Sensory integration is the ability to take in information through the senses; touch, movement, balance, smell, taste, vision and hearing, to put together with prior information, memories, and knowledge stored in the brain, to make a meaningful response.
The interrelated components of sensory integration;
Sensory registration - something different is happening.
Orientation - That something different is happening over there.
Interpretation - That something different is familiar, sound, touch and smell. It means something good is about to happen.
Organisation of a response - "I'll put my arms out to be picked up (physical), I am excited and happy (emotional), and I know I am going to experience comfort (cognitive)."
Execution of response - "I'll put my arms out to be picked up and wave them and look at my mother, smile and babble and focus all my attention on getting a cuddle and feed.
Sensory interaction is an individual's sensory input throughout the day that helps the individual to stay alert and adapt (optimal level of arousal) so that the individual is able to function to the best of their ability in the environment. An optimal level of arousal is the balance between under and over aroused.
A sensory diet is; planned sensory interaction of just the right combination of inputs to maintain an optimal level of arousal, specific and time oriented routines, some activities are quick pick me ups others have long lasting effects, and there is no recipe that works all the time.
Vestibular activities include; swinging, jumping, bouncing, rolling, spinning, rocking, hanging, climbing, dancing, walking, wheeled, riding, playground equipment, and gross motor games.
Proprioceptive activities include; rough and tumble play, tug of war, crawling, pulling/pushing, catching throwing a heavy weighted ball, wheelbarrow walking, scooter board activities, hitting a punch bag, pulling apart resistant object, squeezing, joint compressions, heavy exercises, hammering, pounding/rolling out large play dough, hanging, vibration, massage and gross motor activities - obstacle courses, and stretching and toning exercises.
Tactile Activities include; brushing, massaging, sensory play, tactile discrimination activities, face and body painting, bubble bath and body painting.
Calming strategies include; slow rocking, slow linear swinging, vibration, deep pressure massage, joint compression, snuggling, weighted vest or collar, lycra/spandex clothing, rhythms, heavy lifting, carrying, pushing/pulling, warm bath, stress ball, chewing, sucking and a hide out in a quiet corner with large pillows.
Alerting activities include; fast swinging, spinning, quick bouncing, wheeled toys, chewing ice chips, sucking popsicle or frozen grape, drinking ice water, tag, cold water play, playing loud musical instruments and using cause and effect sound/light toys.
The Three Dimensions of Thinking
| Multiple intelligence | Dimension | Cognitive Style | Learning Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic intelligence Logic intelligence | Dimension one | Word | Short term memory |
| Music intelligence Kinaesthetic intelligence Picture intelligence | Dimension two | Picture | Long term memory |
| Interpersonal intelligence Intrapersonal intelligence | Dimension three | Global | Both short and long term memory |
The students that we work with are talented in areas not traditionally recognised or measured. IQ tests have only ever measured the academic potential of an individual due to IQ tests focus on linguistics (literacy) and logic (numeracy). IQ tests where designed and developed by academics dimension one (1) thinker to identify other potential academics with no regard for the other five intelligences; interpersonal, intrapersonal, music, kinaesthetic and picture. The education system needs to change its focus from programs designed and delivered by dimension one (1) thinkers to programs designed to met the needs of dimension two (2) and three (3) thinkers.
The three dimensions of thinking are an extension of Harold Gardner's work on multiple intelligences. In his earlier work he identified seven intelligences: linguistic, logic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, music, kinaesthetic and picture intelligence. These seven intelligences can be grouped into three dimensions of thinking.
Dimension one (1) thinkers, file information and use words as attributes to link many files with many others not to dissimilar to a filing cabinet full of files. This is in very fast, effective and efficient storage and retrieval system for word thinkers. Dimension one thinkers are most likely to have talents in either or both of the academic intelligences of linguistics and logic.
Dimension two (2) thinkers or experiential thinkers find words of little uses or relevance. Experiential thinker's talents are most likely found in the sensory intelligences of music, kinaesthetic and picture. The best description of on experiential thinker's memory system is that they remember the entire experience as a full length motion picture with all the other sensory detail of emotions, smells, tastes, etc. related to that experience. They don't have the words to describe their thinking. Each experience is like a small rubber ball - an entity in its own right with few links or connections.
Dimension three (3) thinkers are most likely to have well developed people skills and view the world as the sum total of all its parts. While assimilating new knowledge, the new knowledge may well bounce around like a rubber ball, until it finds the best fit, with all the previously acquired knowledge. Dimension three (3) thinkers have talents in either the interpersonal or intrapersonal intelligences.
Dimension one (1) thinkers have a memory that might look like a filing cabinet. Dimension two (2) thinkers looks more like a bubble gum machine. Dimension three (3) thinkers file their memories as though inside a balloon with the thinker standing suspended in the centre viewing all their memories as an interconnect interrelated whole.
Knowledge of how an individual thinks leads to knowledge about how an individual learns. Dimension two (2) thinkers remember everything they experience but lack the words to express or explain their thinking. An education programe that links their experiences to language and uses their talents to reinforce the process is required. There is evidence to show that a programe designed for dimension two (2) thinkers will advantage and enhances the educational opportunities for both dimension (1) one and three (3) thinkers.
As a school we Are committed to providing a safe working environment in which students can strive to do their very best. We Are equally committed to sharing our ideas with others. It is our hope that through sharing our resources and our ideas we can do things smarter, wiser, better in the future.
James Abernethy, Arahunga Special School, Poynter Piece, WANGANUI - Ph/Fax 06 348 7139
A Framework for Thinking
