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An effective Individual Learning Plan requires input from all key stakeholders. Getting everyone around a table is only the first step. Deciding what to discuss is even more important. This will be different for each student, but consider including the following topics:
Year 9
- Student Pathways Planning
- Exhibitions
- Career Education
- Vocational Education and Training
- Independent Travel Training
Year 10
- Work Experience and associated Career Education
- Independent Travel Training
- Transition process Year 10 - Year 11 (including transfer of assistive technology, if applicable)
- Vocational Education and Training
Year 11
- Work Experience and associated Career Education
- Vocational Education and Training
- Independent Travel
Year 12
- Work Experience and associated Career Education
- Vocational Education and Training
- Independent Travel
- Post-School Support Agencies
Vocational Education and Training (VET) in schools
Year 9 - 12 students are able to enrol in Vocational Education and Training (VET) subject units or courses in school, including Australian School-based Apprenticeships (ASBA). VET subject units are designed to provide knowledge and skills relevant to a particular area of employment.
VET subject units:
- Are competency based - students demonstrate their skills in the workplace (or simulated workplace) environment
- May have a period of "on the job" training with an employer
Students who undertake VET courses can:
- Complete subject units that are accredited towards a VET course at TAFE or similar institutions
- Gain practical work related skills that employers recognise
- Gain credit transfer and/or advanced standing into other training courses
- Gain a nationally recognised vocational qualification
Year 9 Exhibitions
All students in ACT government schools undertake an 'exhibition' in Year 9, a real-life research project involving a diverse set of tasks promoting student centred learning and increasing their independence as a producer and user of knowledge.
Each student presents their project to a roundtable (a small panel that includes both school and community members (school staff, community agency staff, parents, students etc.) including information about their learning process and answering questions from the roundtable. The roundtable provides the student with immediate feedback and is designed to value and support the young person's achievements.
The public demonstration of learning adds significance to their achievement and provides authentic assessment because it indicates what an individual can do and what they have genuinely achieved.
Exhibitions provide a different type of opportunity for young people with an intellectual disability to increase their self-confidence and self-determination skills. They can also offer a different type of learning experience that goes beyond the traditional student-teacher education format.
When deciding on an exhibition project, consider projects that may reinforce and/or compliment your teenager's priority learning areas and incorporate a community-based element. Think about how the project could provide opportunities to develop and demonstrate Employability Skills (Communication; Initiative and Enterprise; Learning; Planning and Organising; Problem Solving; Self Management; Teamwork; and Technology)
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