Glenfield College

We used the individual programme on a 1:1 basis with students who had significant learning disabilities and found that the students loved the highly structured, multi- sensory qualities of the programme. With booklets and computer reinforcement of skills in fun ways with medals as rewards, it was a hit.

In 2013 we were offered part funding from the RTLB Service to set up STEPS in our Learning Support Centre. We discussed the idea with our own Staff and other professionals and decided to set up a bank of six computers in our area and apply for the STEPS programme for the beginning of 2014.

We purchased new screens, headphones and computers and we were away.

How we use Steps

One of my teacher aides is really proficient at running STEPS and so she enrols the selected students on the programme and does the Schonell pre-test, prints off two copies, one for the student and one for our records. She goes through the spelling test with the student looking at where the problems lie and then we have a discussion as to what workbook level we start with. Sometimes we might go down a level depending on the maturity of the student as the higher level booklets have quite sophisticated adult language in them.

We use the comprehension, word searches and reading material provided on STEPS e.g. Volcanoes, The Pacific with students on higher level books. We also make our own material which the students can access to use on the STEPS Programme by using short stories, items from school journals, high interest reports, and core subject topics. You can enter the key words and produce vocabulary lists for understanding not spelling tests, word finds, and sentences which they can access on the STEPS computer programme. It is constant reinforcement of what the students are doing in class. We are only just scratching the surface of the ways in which we can use STEPS.

We have around fifty four students accessing STEPS across the year levels from Year 9 to Year 12, most of our students are obviously in the junior school. We do not use it with whole classes and some of our students have no particular literacy difficulties but we use it to focus them into good work habits, good behaviour and how to remain focused enjoying learning new skills without being distracted.