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SPELD

Victoria
We provide information and
services to children and
adults with Specific
Learning Difficulties and
those who care for, teach,
and work with them.

20th April 2016

Who is SPELD Victoria?

SPELD Victoria is a not for profit organisation that is advocating


support for dyslexia and other learning disabilities. They have a
shared vision that every Victorian child has the opportunity to
reach their learning potential. By saying this, part of their work
is to meet with their members, government, schools and the
community to put this vision into action and help children with
Inside specific learning disabilities (SLD).
The types of services that
2 SPELD has been working with many children, approximately 1 in
SPELD Victoria provide
10 Victorians over the past 48 years who have SLDs to assist
and reach their learning potential.
The responses /strategies/
3 treatments provided by
They have found that many young people with SLDs are
SPELD Victoria
becoming high risk with the potential of leaving school early to
Implications for educators be in prisons and mental health systems. With this is mind, SPELD
& legislation that is
4 believes that people with LSDs can be successful if they can
reflected within the agency learn in a way that it suited to them, if there is a change within
Victorian schools that is leading to a social justice movement.
Issues of social justice &
5 referral procedures
- Adapted from SPELD Victoria (2016) About Us.
Contact details for SPELD 6
Victoria & References
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byline
[Name]

What are the types of services that SPELD


Victoria provides?
The services provided by SPELD are: trained to effectively support children
Assessment/Feedback discussion with LSDs
Cognitive tests to help understand Consultations ($150 an hour)
strengths, weaknesses and speed of Parents can sit and discuss the
learning opportunities that SPELD Victoria
Educational assessments to help offers
understand an individuals reading, Professional development training course for
writing, spelling and mathematics specific learning disorders particularly for
skills Dyslexia
After the assessments are finished, the Specific courses for teachers
psychologist will provide feedback to Specific courses for parents/carers
the individual or parent or guardian Online support for parents and teachers
about the tests and offer strategies to
address the issues. However, a Provide information and other services that
detailed report will be sent to the can assist children with SLDs.
individual after 4 weeks of the For example, local tutoring through Learning
assessment by the psychologist Difficulties Australias tutor matching service,
Free professional information line online tutoring packages and free resources
1800 051 533 to tutor at home
infoline@speldvic.org.au
Reading action plans- for schools (SPELD Victoria, 2016, Services)
Response to Intervention (RTI) is a
framework that addresses a whole
school approach where staff are

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What are the responses/strategies/treatments


provided by SPELD Victoria to address issues
particularly for students with culturally and
linguistically diverse backgrounds?

There is no clear information that address issues for students


from cultural and linguistic diverse backgrounds. Perhaps this is
something that the company could work on and make more
culturally and linguistically friendly. As opposed to MacKillop
Family Services (2016), encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander children to be cared for as much as any other child.
They offer specific agencies within each state that people are
able to enquire about if they are interested in fostering
Aboriginal children or young people (MacKillop Family Services,
2016, Aboriginal Foster Care Agencies). They also offer
multicultural playgroups around Melbourne suburbs. MacKillop
Family Services are also in a working partnership with Wirraka
May Aboriginal Health Service to provide foster care within
some regions of Western Australia (MacKillop Family Services,
Oscar 2016, Aboriginal Foster Care - Pilbara, Western Australia).
This cartoon represents a young
boy who suffers from dyslexia

Oscar is 12 years old and has only been


living in Australia for 10 years now with Another possible area that could be included within SPELD
his family. As SPELD Victoria suggests, Victorias website is for anyone who notices that a child with a
a good family-home partnership is learning disability is being neglected for who they are. Teachers
essential with assisting individuals with
are mandated to report any non-accidental behaviour by
LSDs. Considered within
Bronfenbrenners ecological theory, the parents, caregivers, other adults that is outside the norms of
mesosystem complements this in stating conduct and entails a substantial risk of causing physical and
that within this system, the process of emotional harm to a child (Price- Robertson & Bromfield, 2009,
two or more settings within the
microsystem (e.g. school and parents)
p.1). It is important to consider a child with a learning difficulty
interact together to help develop an as a person first, not because of their disability (Foreman &
individuals learning (Bowes & Grace, Arthur-Kelly, 2014). Therefore it would be beneficial to include
2012). Furthering on from this, an
an area on the website, how to address children who are
agency such as SPELD Victoria would be
considered within the exosystem because neglected with a learning difficulty and some services that
it has no direct contact with the would help dealing with this issue.
individual but when pursued will help
develop the individuals learning
Another topic that could be included on the website is dealing
experience and potentially their life
learning through strategies and with the wellbeing of children that have learning difficulties. For
treatments that they provide (Bowes & example, children with LSDs can suffer poor self-esteem as they
Grace, 2012). Therefore, an individual
such as Oscar will benefit from an can compare themselves to others and realise that they may
agency such as SPELD Victoria because not be as good as others (Fraillon, 2004). Therefore I believe
they will be able to provide certain
strategies that is reviewed by a qualified
that certain approaches such as the GRIP framework could be
psychologist to help Oscar in his learning listed on the website on how to better respond and deal with
environment and make it feel safe and childrens wellbeing issues (Response Ability, 2008).
inclusive among other peers (SPELD
Victoria, 2016, Assessment Services).

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Implications for Educators

SPELD Victoria doesnt share a lot of specific strategies and


ideas for supporting children with dyslexia or other learning
difficulties because you have to pay to access supportive
material like:
Action plans ($175)
o 1 hour session with a specialist teacher to assess
reading and provide feedback to the parent or
carer
Professional Development Training Course for teachers
(from $999) How are legislations
o Understand specific learning disorders and reflected in SPELD
discover strategies to assist Victoria?
Assistive technology programs (not provided by SPELD
Victoria, but have listed suppliers contact details)
o Softwares that are designed to help: Legislation is provided as a
Letters, sounds and words supportive material for
Reading parents if schools are
Numeracy unresponsive about asking
Literacy about their childs needs
and support. SPELD
Victoria suggests to make a
complaint as every
Australian school has to
follow the Disability
Discrimination Act (1992)
and Disability Standards for
Educations (2005) (SPELD
Victoria, 2016, Frequently
Asked Questions).

As a lot of supportive material is fee incurred, SPELD Victoria


offers links to other website or resources that are free to help
support children with dyslexia and other learning difficulties.

The main support program that SPELD Victoria highly


recommends is having an efficient home-school partnership to
better improve their educational opportunities (SPELD Victoria,
2016, Information for Parents- Primary School Students). Having
a strong home-school partnership has been found to increase
a students learning no matter of their cultural or disability
(Department of Education, Employment and Workplace
Solutions, 2008). By schools and families working together, it
can help identify strengths of the individual with dyslexia which
recognises the students skills, knowledge and resources to
reach their learning potential (Fenton, 2008).

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Does SPELD Victoria seek to address issues of


social justice?
Found all over the website, it is stated that it is their mission to work with Victorian
children who have SLDs to increase their learning opportunities
One of SPELD Victorias main goals is to work within education to develop a deep
understanding with teachers about dyslexia and learning difficulties. Therefore this
could create inclusive environments within schools as teachers have a deeper
knowledge and efficient strategies to cater to all student needs. However, by
teachers having an understanding of dyslexia, also helps teachers give advice to
parents as they can work in a home-school partnership (SPELD Victoria, 2016, For
Parents)
Dickins and Denziloe (2003) argue that a growing number of people believe that
inclusion has the potential to become our most powerful tool in changing societys
attitudes towards disability and combating the injustices and inequalities that result
(p.18). I believe SPELD would highly agree with this statement as part of their mission to
advocate for change within schools- making all children, with or without disabilities, to
have the resources and support to reach their potential. It is one of SPELDs goal to create
an inclusive environment to all children by educating their teachers with resources and
support services so they can cater to all students needs.

Every Victorian child has the opportunity


to reach their learning potential
- SPELD Victoria

How does a family be referred to SPELD


Victoria?
SPELD Victoria is more of an information website that helps careers/parents and teachers
access information about dyslexia and other LSDs that could be vital for their
understanding and offer outside services that could further extend their knowledge.
However, they do offer an assessment if parents believe that there child suffers from a
specific learning disorder. If parents are unsure about consultations, they can complete a
pre-assessment checklist and receive a call from a SPELD member to discuss any further
action to take place. Alternatively, they are welcome to book an appointment directly
with SPELD Victoria online there website (SPELD Victoria, 2016, Assessment Services).

As well as, they offer information sessions where people can be referred by word of
mouth from friends or colleagues (SPELD Victoria, 2016, Events & PDs). SPELD Victoria also
advertises there agency through social media: Facebook, twitter, YouTube, email, linked
in. (SPELD Victoria, 2016, Contact Us).

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SPELD Victoria

assists by:
Providing Educational Assessments for people of
all ages
Provide seminars and workshops for parents of
children with SLDs
Train teachers and schools to better support
students with SLDs
Support people with SLDs and those that work
with and care for them through networks and
information services
Advocate as the peak body for SLDs in Victoria as
a member of the AUSPELD network nationally

(SPELD Victoria, 2016, About Us)

20/04/2016

Bowes, J. & Grace, R. (2012). Children, Families & Communities. Contexts and

References Consequences. (4th ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Dickens, M., & Denziloe, J. (2003). All together: How to create inclusive services for
disabled children and their families. (2nd ed.). London, England: National
Childrens Bureau.

SPELD Department of Education, (2005). Disability Standards for Education. Accessed from
www.dest.gov.au

Victoria Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Solutions. (2008). Family-


School Partnerships: A guide for schools and families. Retrieved from:
http://www.familyschool.org.au/files/3013/8451/8364/Family-
school_partnerships_framework.pdf

Contact at: Fenton, A. (2008). From strength to strength: An educational research journey using a
Strengths Approach. International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 4(5)
p.90-103.
60 High Street
Preston, VIC3072 Foreman, P., & Arthur-Kelly, M. (Eds.)(2014). Inclusion in Action (4th ed.). South
Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning.
http://www.speldvic.org.au
Fraillon, J (2004). Measuring Student Well-Being in the Conext of Australian Schooling:
Discussion Paper. Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and
Youth Affairs. p 1-54.

Price-Robertson, R., & Bromfield, L. (2009). What is child abuse and neglect? Resource
Sheet. National Child Protection Clearinghouse, Australian Institute of Family
Studies, 6(2).p 1-5.

MacKillop Family Services. (2016). About MacKillop. Retrieved from


https://www.mackillop.org.au/about

Response Ability. (2008). Risk and Resilience: A Teachers Guide to Mental Health-
Responding to Mental Health Problems. Retrieved from:
https://leocontent.acu.edu.au/file/74cdee09-b046-4413-0d4c-
8179dc83458d/1/ResponseAbility%202008%20Mental%20health%20problems.p
df
SPELD Victoria.(2016). About Us. Retrieved from http://www.speldvic.org.au/about-us
Brodie Thulborn
S00170742
EDFD221 Assignment 2

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