Next Steps in Supporting Tier 2 Students

My next step was to identify all our Tier 2 students. The strategy was to accelerate their learning in literacy. It was interesting to see that students from all year levels were identified, and those working at Level 1 of the curriculum were placed into the Tier 2 programme.

This programme was to be run by our teacher aides, so I decided to set up hui with teachers to coordinate our approach. We organised for all Tier 2 students to be withdrawn during the first block of the day to focus on foundational literacy skills.

The most important task for me was to train our learning assistants, prepare resources, and model how to deliver the lessons. This process took around two weeks, during which time our learning assistants gained confidence and capability in taking the lessons themselves.

I must say, our learning assistants were fantastic at picking up new learning and applying it effectively to support students. Considering their level of understanding and enthusiasm, I decided to enrol them in the Best Start Literacy Programme through the University of Canterbury.

This course includes regular weekly Zoom hui for the learning assistants. To ensure this runs effectively, we at Tāmaki have allocated dedicated time for them to attend the sessions and practise completing the required quizzes, which are an essential part of the course.

It’s been very satisfying to see our learning assistants making such a strong effort to upskill themselves while also providing valuable support to our students