SUPPORT SERVICES | ONDERSTEUNINGSDIENSTE
COUNSELLOR
- Referrals for placement of visually impaired learners can be done directly via the psychologist.
- Preschool support service is offered to prospective candidates; support and counselling in terms of stimulation, eye conditions and school readiness are offered during the sessions, because early identification of and intervention with visually impaired learners are top priority.
- Psychotherapy for the spectrum of psychological needs of learners, as well as counselling with regard to subject choices, career opportunities and study methods are offered.
- Resource centre services to mainstream schools with regard to identification, treatment and support of learners with visual barriers are offered.
- Assessment accommodations are available.
ORIENTATION & MOBILITY
WHAT IS ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY?
In order to enable persons with visual impairment to move with more ease independently or with a sighted guide and to know where they are, it is necessary that they learn special skills and techniques.
ORIENTATION enables you to know where you are, where you are going and which things are to be found in your environment. A visually impaired person does this by using the senses available to him and by using other aids. It is therefore possible even for a totally blind child to know where people are in the house and what they are doing by listening to their voices, footsteps and movements.
MOBILITY is the ability to move from place to place. Children who are visually impaired, have to learn how to do this independently, with safety and competence. The subject through which these two skills are acquired systematically, is Orientation and Mobility (O&M).
WHAT IS THE TASK OF THE TEACHER OF ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY AT THE PIONEER SCHOOL?
- Evaluation of functional vision
- Training in the utilizing of remaining vision
- Programs for the development of sensory and motor skills and concept development
- Training in orientation & use of tactile maps
- Preparation for the use of the long cane
- Training in the use of the long cane
- Training in a city environment
- Exposure to electronic mobility aids
WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE TRAINING
Pupils receive individual lessons in Orientation and Mobility, but the teacher also utilizes other facilities at the school such as occupational therapy and psychological and medical services on an ongoing basis.
THE USE OF ECHOLOCATION IN ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY TRAINING
Echolocation – to “see” with sound
We start by sensitising students to echoes, usually by having them detect and locate easy objects, such as large wooden panels and plastic trays. Once they can do this, we move on to learning to recognise more complex echoes such as staircases, metal poles, walls, openings, windows and doorways.
They actively create sounds, such as by tapping their canes, lightly stomping their feet or by making clicking noises with their mouths or fingers.
By interpreting the sound waves reflected by nearby objects, a person trained to orientate with echolocation can accurately identify the location, density and sometimes the size of nearby objects and not only use this information to steer around obstacles and travel from place to place, but also detect small movements relative to objects.
SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT
Established August 2024
The Social Work Department was established to provide specialised psychosocial support within our school community. We recognise that learners’ academic progress is closely linked to their emotional wellbeing, social development, and home circumstances.
Our role is to support learners holistically by addressing social challenges that may impact their ability to learn, develop confidence, and participate fully in school life.
We work collaboratively with educators, therapists, hostel staff, management, parents, and external service providers to ensure coordinated and meaningful support.
Our Services:
Individual Support
- One-on-one counselling
- Emotional and behavioural support
- Support for anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and adjustment challenges
- Crisis intervention and safety planning
- Assistance with family-related concerns affecting school performance
Group Interventions
- Therapeutic and support groups
- Social skills development
- Emotional regulation and resilience-building programmes
- Peer relationship and anti-bullying support
- Life skills development
Family & Community Support
- Parent guidance and support
- Home visits (where appropriate)
- Referrals to community-based services
- Collaboration with external professionals
- Preventative awareness programmes within the school
SCHOOL NURSING SERVICES
- The school nurse focuses on preventative, promotative and curative interventions in order to promote the optimum physical, emotional and social development of learners through identification of health-related barriers to learning and accommodation thereof in the learning and living environment.
- Primary, secondary and tertiary health care services are offered.
- Referrals to relevant specialist services; administering of medication; adaptations within the learning environment; awareness of barriers and implications; support services within resource centre; visual screening; early intervention, support of learners with multiple disabilities and learners with deaf blindness within the learning environment; adaptations for visual impairment in the learning and living environment.
- Co-ordination of health clinics according to learner needs, e.g. eye care and dental care.
- Transport to services in Worcester is at no cost, but for transport towards services outside Worcester a special rate will be charged.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
- Pioneer School makes provision for learners who would not be able to function or learn optimally in a mainstream school, due to a variety of learning barriers and high support needs.
- These barriers to learning include: sensory integration difficulties, muscle tone related difficulties, poor motor planning skills, under-developed gross- and fine-motor skills, and perceptual difficulties.
- Learning barriers are identified by the occupational therapist through thorough assessment, as well as observation in various environments, such as classroom, playground, sport, hostel, home.
- Barriers are addressed during direct individual or group therapy, as well as in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team, educators and parents/caregivers.
- Environmental adaptations are recommended to accommodate and support learners in the classroom.
- The visually impaired learner also needs specific skills and techniques with regard to independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADL). This is addressed through direct therapy, ADL programmes in the hostels and training of caregivers.
- Visually impaired pre-school children and babies are assessed by the occupational therapist as part of the resource centre’s involvement. Counselling and home programmes are provided, aiming to address and minimize learning barriers as early as possible.
SPECIALIZED SERVICES
- Learner support for partially sighted and blind learners in the teaching environment
- The support services are available to assist in class (Holistic approach)
EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE
The following specialised equipment are available:
- Perkins Braille machine
- Braille textbooks, examination papers, tests, etc.
- Acrobat Reader (partially sighted learners)
- Dark green lined paper and writing books (partially sighted learners)
- Correct lighting in classes (partially sighted learners)
- Apex braille note
- Magnifiers
- Individualized teaching approach and ITP
- Small class groups
- Question papers/text books/notes are provided in Braille, large print, small print and on audio tapes depending on the needs of the learners
- Learners answer question papers in Braille, in writing or on the computer
- Amanuensis is available for certain learners who qualify for it
- Mainstream tuition in small class groups with learner support, interventions, examination support and audio-visual aids
- A supportive code of conduct for the strengthening of positive behaviour/life skills
- An orientation and mobility course is presented during school hours
- Adapted study material for RNCS (mainstream curriculum)
CLASSROOM ORGANISATION
- Enough space between desks
- Special desks adapted for blind pupils
ROUTINE
Weekly timetable is followed, fixed school routine (no unnecessary changes)
Intervention consists of:
- Learning support (remedial teaching)
- Repetitive tuition
- Reading and spelling programme
- Individual programme
- Meeting between parent, teacher and support services
DURING EXAMS & ASSESSMENTS
The following concessions are available during examinations and assessments:
- Extra time
- Audio support
- Amanuensis (Assisting with reading and writing of examination papers)
OTHER SUPPORT:
- Promote efficient life skills
- Support with study methods
BERADER
- Verwysings vir plasing van visueelgestremde leerders kan direk via die sielkundige gedoen word.
- Voorskoolse ondersteuningsdienste word aan voornemende kandidate gebied; ondersteuning en voorligting in terme van stimulering, oogtoestande en skoolgereedheid word tydens die sessies verskaf, aangesien vroeë identifisering van en intervensie met visueelgestremde leerders vir ons ‘n top prioriteit is.
- Psigoterapie vir die spektrum van sielkundige behoeftes van die leerders, sowel as voorligting rakende vakkeuses, loopbaangeleenthede en studiemetodes word aangebied.
- Bronnesentrumdienste word aan hoofstroomskole gebied rakende die identifisering, behandeling en ondersteuning van leerders met visuele hindernisse.
- Assesserings akkommodasies is beskikbaar
ORIëNTASIE & MOBILITEIT
WAT IS ORIЁNTASIE EN MOBILITEIT?
Om ‘n persoon met siggestremdheid in staat te stel om makliker alleen of met ‘n siende persoon te stap en om te weet waar hulle hulle bevind, is dit nodig om vir hulle spesiale vaardighede en tegnieke te leer.
ORIЁNTASIE stel ‘n persoon in staat om te weet waar jy is, waarheen jy gaan en waar dinge in jou omgewing is. ‘n Siggestremde persoon doen dit deur van die sintuie waaroor hy wel beskik en van hulpmiddele gebruik te maak. So kan selfs ‘n geheel blinde kind weet waar mense in die huis is en wat hulle doen deur te luister na hulle stemme, voetstappe of bewegings.
MOBILITEIT is die vermoë om van plek tot plek te beweeg. Kinders met siggestremdheid moet leer om dit op ‘n onafhanklike, veilige en behendige manier te doen. Die vak waardeur hierdie twee vaardighede stelselmatig aangeleer word, is Oriëntasie en Mobiliteit (O&M).
WAT IS DIE TAAK VAN DIE ONDERWYSER VAN ORIЁNTASIE EN MOBILITEIT BY PIONIERSKOOL?
- Evaluering van bruikbare visie
- Opleiding in die gebruik van oorblywende visie
- Programme vir die ontwikkeling van sintuiglike en motoriese vaardighede en begripsvorming
- Opleiding in oriëntasie en gebruikmaking van taktiele kaarte
- Gereedmaking vir die gebruik van die langkierie
- Opleiding in die gebruik van die langkierie
- Opleiding in ‘n stadsomgewing
- Bekendmaking met elektroniese mobiliteitshulpmiddels
WAT IS DIE AARD VAN DIE ONDERRIG?
‘n Leerder ontvang individuele lesse in oriëntasie en mobiliteit, maar die onderwysers maak ook deurlopend gebruik van ander fasiliteite van die skool, soos arbeidsterapie, die sielkundige dienste en die mediese personeel.
DIE GEBRUIK VAN EGGO-LOKALISASIE (“Echolocation”) IN ORIëNTASIE & MOBILITEITSOPLEIDING
Eggo-lokalisasie – om te “sien” deur middel van klank
Ons begin deur studente sensitief te maak vir eggo’s, gewoonlik deur hulle te vra om maklike voorwerpe op te spoor, soos groot panele en plastiese skinkborde. Wanneer hulle dit kan doen, leer ons hulle om meer komplekse eggo’s soos trappe, metaalpale, openinge, vensters en deuringange te vind.
Hulle skep aktief geluide, soos om hul kieries op die grond te tik, hul voete liggies te stamp of deur klapgeluide met hul mond of vingers te maak.
Deur die klankgolwe wat deur die nabygeleë voorwerpe gereflekteer word, te ontleed, kan ‘n persoon wat vertroud is met eggo-lokalisasie die plek, digtheid en soms ook die grootte van nabygeleë voorwerpe bepaal. Hul gebruik die inligting dan nie slegs om die voorwerpe te omseil of om veilig van plek tot plek te beweeg nie, maar ook om kein bewegings in verhouding tot die voorwerpe te bespeur.
MAATSKAPLIKE WERK AFDELING
Gestig Augustus 2024
Die Departement Maatskaplike Werk is gestig om gespesialiseerde psigososiale ondersteuning binne ons skoolgemeenskap te bied. Ons erken dat leerders se akademiese vordering nou verbind is aan hul emosionele welstand, sosiale ontwikkeling en tuisomstandighede.
Ons rol is om leerders holisties te ondersteun deur sosiale uitdagings aan te spreek wat hul vermoë kan beïnvloed om te leer, selfvertroue te ontwikkel en ten volle aan die skoollewe deel te neem.
Ons werk samewerkend met opvoeders, terapeute, koshuispersoneel, bestuur, ouers en eksterne diensverskaffers om gekoördineerde en betekenisvolle ondersteuning te verseker.
Ons Dienste:
Individuele Ondersteuning
- Een-tot-een berading
- Emosionele en gedragsondersteuning
- Ondersteuning vir angs, depressie, trauma, rou en aanpassingsuitdagings
- Krisisintervensie en veiligheidsbeplanning
- Bystand met gesinsverwante bekommernisse wat skoolprestasie beïnvloed
Groepintervensies
- Terapeutiese en ondersteuningsgroepe
- Ontwikkeling van sosiale vaardighede
- Programme vir emosionele regulering en veerkragtigheidsbou
- Ondersteuning vir portuurverhoudings en teen-afknouery
- Ontwikkeling van lewensvaardighede
Gesins- en Gemeenskapsondersteuning
- Ouerleiding en ondersteuning
- Huisbesoeke (waar toepaslik)
- Verwysings na gemeenskapsgebaseerde dienste
- Samewerking met eksterne professionele persone
- Voorkomende bewusmakings-programme binne die skool
SKOOL MEDIESE DIENSTE
- Die skoolverpleegkundige fokus op voorkomende, bevorderende en genesende intervensies ten einde die optimale fisiese, emosionele en sosiale ontwikkeling van leerders te fasiliteer deur die identifikasie van gesondheidsverwante hindernisse tot leer en die akkommodasie daarvan in die leer- en leefomgewing.
- Primêre, sekondêre en tersiêre gesondheidsdienste word gebied.
- Verwysings na relevante spesialisdienste; bestuur van medikasie; aanpassings binne die leeromgewing; bewustheid van hindernisse en implikasies; ondersteuningsdienste binne bronnesentrum; visuele sifting; vroeë intervensie, ondersteuning aan leerders met meervoudige gestremdhede en doofblindheid binne die leeromgewing; aanpassings vir visuele gestremdheid in die leer- en leefomgewing.
- Koördinering van gesondheidsklinieke volgens leerderbehoeftes, bv. oog- en tandesorg.
- Vervoer na dienste in Worcester is gratis, maar vir vervoer buite Worcester sal daar ‘n spesiale tarief gehef word.
ARBEIDSTERAPIE
- Pionierskool maak voorsiening vir díé leerders wat moeilik in ‘n hoofstroomskool sal funksioneer (weens ‘n verskeidenheid leerhindernisse ) en dus hoë vlakke van ondersteuning benodig.
- Hierdie hindernisse kan insluit gebrekkige sensoriese integrasie, spiertonus-verwante uitvalle, swak motoriese beplanning, onvoldoende growwe en fyn motoriese vaardighede en onvoldoende perseptuele vaardighede.
- Leerhindernisse word identifiseer deur individuele evaluering asook waarneming in die klaskamer tydens onderrig, en word aangespreek in samewerking met die multi-dissiplinêre span, die opvoeders en die ouers/ versorgers.
- Leerders word behandel in groepsverband en/of individuele terapie, afhangende van hulle behoeftes.
- Aanbevelings word gemaak t.o.v. aanpassings in die klaskamer.
- Die visueelgestremde leerder benodig ook spesifieke vaardighede en tegnieke ten opsigte van hulle onafhanklikheid in Aktiwiteite van die Daaglikse Lewe (ADL). Dit word aangespreek d.m.v. direkte terapie, ADL programme in die koshuise en opleiding aan die versorgers.
- Voorskoolse kinders en visueel gestremde babas word deur die arbeidsterapeut evalueer om reeds so vroeg as moontlik insette te gee om leerhindernisse te verminder.
- Voorligting en tuisprogramme wat daarop gemik is om leerhindernisse aan te spreek en te minimaliseer, word aangebied.
GESPESIALISEERDE DIENSTE
- Leerondersteuning aan swaksiende en blinde leerders in die onderrig-omgewing
- Hulpdienste is beskikbaar vir hulpverlening in die klas (holistiese benadering)
APPARAAT BESKIKBAAR
Die volgende gespesialiseerde apparaat is beskikbaar:
- Perkins Braillemasjien
- Braille handboeke, eksamenvraestelle, toetse, ens.
- Acrobat Reader (swaksiende leerders)
- Donkergroen lyntjiespapier in skryfboeke (swaksiende leerders)
- Korrekte beligting in klaskamers (swaksiende leerders)
- Apex Braillenotas
- Vergrootglase
- Geïndividualiseerde onderrigbenadering en ITP
- Klein klasgroepies
- Vraestelle/handboeke/notas word in Braille, grootdruk, kleindruk en op oudio verskaf, afhangende van die behoeftes van die leerders
- Leerders beantwoord toetse en vraestelle in Braille, handskrif of op die rekenaar
- Amanuensis is beskikbaar vir leerders wat daarvoor kwalifiseer
- Hoofstroom onderrig in klein klasgroepe met leerondersteuning, intervensies, ondersteuning en oudiovisuele hulpmiddels
- ‘n Ondersteunende gedragskode om positiewe gedrag/lewensvaardighede te versterk
- ‘n Oriëntasie en Mobiliteitskursus word tydens skoolure aangebied
- Aangepaste studiemateriaal vir HNKV
KLASKAMER ORGANISASIE
- Genoeg spasie tussen banke
- Spesiaal aangepaste banke vir blinde leerders
ROETINE
Weeklikse klasrooster word gevolg, vaste skoolroetine (geen onnodige veranderings)
Intervensies bestaan uit:
- leerondersteuning (remediërende onderrig)
- herhalende onderrig
- lees- en spelprogramme
- individuele programme
- vergadering tussen ouer, opvoeder en ondersteuningsdienste
TYDENS EKSAMENS & ASSESERINGS
Die volgende konsessies is beskikbaar tydens eksamens en assesserings:
- Ekstra tyd
- Oudio-ondersteuning
- Amanuensis (hulp met lees en skryf van vraestelle)
ANDER ONDERSTEUNING
- Bevorder effektiewe lewensvaardighede
- Hulp met studiemetodes
BRAILLE MUSIC GALLERY
LIBRARY GALLERY
+27 (0)23 342 2313 (T) | +27 (0)23 342 3959 (F)
marketing@pioneerschool.org.za
20 Adderley Street, Worcester, 6850
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