Learner Support

LEARNER SUPPORT

Wynberg Girls’ Junior School acknowledges that children have different learning styles, strengths and abilities.  Our teachers are motivated to support our learners emotionally, socially and academically within the classroom. We also recognise the importance of support for learners who have learning or emotional difficulties or those who require additional extension.  These learners receive additional tuition individually or in small groups.

If our teachers are concerned that a learner is in need of additional support, these needs are discussed at an Educator Support Team (E.S.T) meeting held weekly.  The members of the E.S.T are the remedial teacher, the school counsellor, the school principal and one other remedially trained teacher – each member of the team contributes knowledge from a different area of expertise.  Together we decide on a plan of action that will holistically support the learner’s needs.  This may include remedial intervention, volunteer assistance (at the SUCCESS Centre), counselling or enrolment in the Enrichment Programme.  We may also recommend a referral to outside professionals such as Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists or Psychologists.

SUCCESS Centre

(Success Unlimited in a Child-Centred Support System)

Parents of, or families connected to girls at the school volunteer to assist at our SUCCESS Centre.  The SUCCESS Centre volunteer programme aims to support our teachers and learners in raising levels of achievement in language (both reading and writing) and Numeracy, through the provision of volunteer support.  We also aim to improve the self esteem and confidence of our learners.  The SUCCESS Centre volunteer programme benefits our learners in many ways.  It provides learners with interested and committed adults and positive role models and allows for more individual support and attention for learners.  Learners also benefit from regular opportunities for discussion on a one-to-one basis which improves their communication skills.

We also train Grade 7 learners as reading partners for Grade 1, 2 and 3 learners.  These trained Grade 7’s read with their younger partners three times a week for the first ten minutes of the day.

Remedial Programme

Educators may detect learners experiencing difficulties in the areas of Literacy and Numeracy.  The EST panel may recommend remedial intervention and based on the findings from parent and teacher interviews as well as formal remedial assessments, our remedial teacher will recommend appropriate intervention.  We believe in a ‘team-based’ approach and aim to work closely with all individuals concerned.

Once a learner is included in the Remedial Programme, sessions usually take place twice a week for half an hour.  The focus is on lessening or removing barriers to learning, be they within the child or within the environment.  An important aspect of our support is to provide opportunities for the learner to experience success.  This in turn encourages and motivates their learning and their willingness to try.

We endeavour to draw on the learners’ strengths and to assist them to discover their own learning styles.  Whilst some learners require ongoing support throughout their school career, others require intervention for a limited period only.

Counselling

WGJS has the benefit of a full-time Clinical Social Worker.  Her role is multi-faceted:

• Individual counselling for learners experiencing emotional, social or behavioural distress.
• Parental support, guidance and advice.
• Implementation of support and management strategies in the classrooms, where needed.
• Referral to outside practitioners and specialists where indicated.
• Supervision of UNISA and UCT students who offer therapeutic and/or support groups to our learners.
• Planning and implementation of community outreach programmes, for example, food collections for organisations such as Sisters Incorporated.
• Planning and implementation of Parent Education Programmes.
• Overseeing the Big Sister Mentor Programme whereby our learners are linked with role models/mentors from WGHS.
• Implementation of Emotional Intelligence Programme at WGJS – aimed at learners, educators and parents.

Extension Programme

Wynberg Girls’ Junior School is committed to ensuring that learners who show superior abilities, those who require further extension during the school day and those who may be underachieving despite above average abilities, are able to fulfil their potential. 

We recognise our responsibility to identify and meet the needs of these learners, to provide extra creative mental stimulation and intellectual challenges through a wide range of themes and topics that promote and encourage the use of higher order thinking skills.

We aim to stimulate curiosity and foster independence in gifted and talented learners as they explore ideas and take risks, with the facility to fail without threat, in an environment alongside like-minded people, in which imaginative and divergent thinking is encouraged.  Self-esteem and enthusiasm is promoted as individual learners develop an appreciation of their own abilities, talents and gifts.

Each term, in collaboration with class teachers, six learners per grade are selected to take part in the Extension Programme.  These learners are withdrawn from class to attend a one-hour lesson per week and are rotated on a termly basis to afford more learners the opportunity to participate in the programme.