Learning Support Publications
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Poipoia ngā ākonga kanorau ā-roro
This report provides a Māori-centric view of ākonga kanorau ā-roro, learner neurodiversity. It will help practitioners and educators to work with ākonga kanorau ā-roro and their whānau to provide culturally responsive and effective education and care. It also points to…
Author(s): Dr Melanie Riwai-Couch
Date Published: August 2021
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Te Ara Whakamana: Mana enhancement evaluation
AATEA Solutions presents this report on the evaluation of Te Ara Whakamana – Mana Enhancement Programme (Te Ara Whakamana) developed and delivered by Ako Solutionz (the developers). In December 2019, this evaluation was commissioned by the Ministry of Education (the…
Author(s): Kiwa Hammond, AATEA Solutions Ltd. Report for the Ministry of Education
Date Published: July 2021
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Incredible Years Autism: Parent and teacher training programmes
The Incredible Years Autism programmes are part of a series of interconnected evidence-based parent and teacher training programmes developed by child psychologist and researcher, Dr Carolyn Webster-Stratton. The Incredible Years Autism – Parent (IYA-P) and Incredible Years Autism – Teacher…
Author(s): Associate Professor Laurie McLay, Dr Cara Swit, Professor Neville Blampied, Dr Anne-Marie McIlroy, and Dr Dean Sutherland. University of Canterbury
Date Published: July 2021
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Learning Support Coordinators Evaluation: Phase 1 Formative and process evaluation
Phase 1 of the Learning Support Coordinators evaluation has been completed to provide feedback on initial implementation of the new role of Learning Support Coordinators (LSCs) a long-awaited, fully-funded, in-school learning support role and inform the success of future delivery.…
Author(s): Sarah Andrews, Dr Sarah Appleton-Dyer, Zaffar Ansari, Emilia Masari, Hera Clarke, Synergia Ltd.
Date Published: March 2021
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Responding to neurodiversity in the education context
This report presents findings of an integrative literature review designed as one response to Priority 4: Flexible supports for neurodiverse children and young people, articulated in the New Zealand Learning Support Action Plan 2019 – 2025. The review explored research…
Author(s): The Donald Beasley Institute
Date Published: July 2020
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It's, like, trying to make us better people - My FRIENDS Youth final evaluation report
This evaluation report shows that the My FRIENDS Youth Resilience Programme aligns with government strategies, is consistent with the New Zealand Curriculum key competencies and the health and physical education curriculum, and can be effectively facilitated by teachers for all…
Author(s): Jo MacDonald, Roseanna Bourke, Melanie Berg and Jacky Burgon, New Zealand Council for Educational Research. Report prepared for the Ministry of Education.
Date Published: December 2016
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Patterns of student progress in the Intensive Wraparound Service
Intensive Wraparound Service (IWS) is designed for the small number of children and young people with highly complex and challenging behaviour, social or education needs, including those with an intellectual difficulty. IWS in New Zealand is a relatively new and…
Author(s): Jacky Burgon, Melanie Berg and Nicole Herdina, New Zealand Council for Educational Research. Report for the Ministry of Education.
Date Published: March 2016
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A Positive Culture of Support: PB4L School-Wide Final Evaluation Report
This report summarises the findings from the final phase of an evaluation of Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) School-Wide. It describes the extent of implementation of School-wide in Schools, identifies short-term shifts and considers the longer term sustainability of the…
Author(s): Sally Boyd and Rachel Felgate, New Zealand Council for Educational Research. Report for the Ministry of Education.
Date Published: August 2015
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"It's who we are" Stories of practice and change from PB4L School-Wide Schools
This report summarises the findings from case studies of seven schools that are part of the Positive Behaviour for Learning School-Wide (PB4L-SW) initiative. Schools were selected for their effective practice. In this report, commonalities and differences in practice are summarised,…
Author(s): Sally Boyd, Alex Hotere-Barnes, Lesieli Tongati’o, and Jo MacDonald, New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
Date Published: June 2015
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PB4L School-wide Evaluation: Preliminary findings
This report presents indicative findings from the first phase of an evaluation of Positive Behaviour for Learning: School-Wide (PB4L: School-Wide). The report discusses the implementation and short-term shifts for schools that began PB4L: School-Wide in 2010/11. The findings suggest that…
Author(s): Sally Boyd, Rachel Dingle and Nicole Herdina, New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
Date Published: June 2014
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Successful transitions from early intervention to school-age special education services
The purpose of this report is to explore what is currently ‘not working’ in transitions from EI to school-age services from the perspectives of people involved in these transitions—to identify ‘what we can do better’ and explore how to improve…
Author(s): Jacky Burgon with Joanne Walker, New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
Date Published: September 2013
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Transitions from early intervention to school-age special education services
This paper presents an overview of the international literature related to transitions between early intervention services and special education services for school-aged children. The review describes, firstly, families’ perceptions of services during the transition period, and, secondly, key factors associated…
Author(s): Research Division, Ministry of Education.
Date Published: September 2013
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Understanding special education from the perspectives of Pasifika families
The aim of this report is to identify the strengths of current service provision; barriers to accessing SE services for Pasifika; and the extent to which cultural perspectives on disability and SE and the low numbers of Pasifika professionals affected…
Author(s): Lila Mauigo-Tekene, Lin Howie, Dr Bill Hagan, School of Education, Manukau Institute of Technology.
Date Published: July 2013
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Supporting deaf learners using visual modes of communication within mainstream schools to access the curriculum
Many deaf learners are geographically dispersed and many attend local mainstream classes, which can result in linguistic isolation with little access to natural visual language models. There is concern that they don’t always have adequate access to the curriculum because…
Author(s): Fitzgerald and Associates. Commissioned by Sally Jackson and Yvonne Hope, Special Education Strategy, Ministry of Education.
Date Published: June 2012
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Evaluation of the 'tips for autism' professional learning and development programme
In June 2007, the Ministry of Education contracted a team from Massey University to evaluate ‘tips for autism’ – a professional development programme for people who work with and/or care for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The evaluation spanned…
Author(s): Jill Bevan-Brown, Roseanna Bourke, Philippa Butler, Janis Carroll-Lind, Alison Kearney, Mandia Mentis, Massey University College of Education.
Date Published: November 2011
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Review of developmental orientation and mobility service delivery
The purpose of the review was to provide the Ministry with ideas and options for how best to meet children’s DOM needs within existing resource constraints. The Ministry wanted the review to consider the funding, management, service models and provision…
Author(s): Dr Barbara Disley
Date Published: September 2011
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Evaluation of Two Autism Spectrum Disorder Parent Education Programmes
Since 2001, the Ministries of Education and Health have co-purchased autism spectrum disorder (ASD) parent education programmes for parents and whānau of young children (from 0 to starting school age) with ASD. Over this time, two programmes have been purchased:…
Author(s): Litmus, Prepared for the Ministry of Education
Date Published: September 2011
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Summary of submissions in response to the Deaf Education Discussion Paper 2010
In June 2010, the Ministry of Education released the Deaf Education Discussion Paper 2010 (the Ministry, the Discussion Paper, the Paper). The Review of Special Education sought feedback on a broad range of issues. In deaf education there are a…
Author(s): Ministry of Education
Date Published: October 2010
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Scoping support for New Zealand Sign Language users accessing the Curriculum Part II: A New Zealand overview
Language instruction to children with hearing loss requires the highest level of competency at the earliest age levels in order to optimize neural plasticity providing the child the best opportunity to develop age or cognitively appropriate language development. This document…
Author(s): Prepared by Fitzgerald & Associates for the Ministry of Education
Date Published: October 2010
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Scoping support for New Zealand Sign Language users accessing the Curriculum Part I: An international literature review
This literature review has focused on the needs of those deaf children for whom visual communication through a Sign Language is beneficial for their educational development. The aim is to allow the sector to constantly and critically re-examine its work…
Author(s): Prepared by Fitzgerald & Associates for the Ministry of Education
Date Published: October 2010
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