Duration: 1:34
Kate Friedwald teaches Years 5 and 6 at Wairakei School. In her classroom groups are needs-based rather than ability-based. She and Daniel, a student with ADHD, talk about how this approach has helped him to be a successful learner.
Kate Friedwald
So when it comes to reading, writing, and maths, groups are needs based, they’re not necessarily ability based.
Daniel
The Beasts are the one I’m in. It’s Felix, Flynn, and Daniel T.
Kate Friedwald
When we work in groups, I pull students out of different areas to work on a specific need. So that need might be punctuation, it might be adding in parts in maths. So, I will pull Daniel into a group with other people that have that same need. That’s how we structure it. So, he fits in alongside different people for different needs, rather than the same people learning at the same level for the same curriculum area. They all have skills that they can help each other with, Daniel included. Especially when it comes down to working with different words. Daniel’s advanced so much in his app that he’s actually helping students that are even working a level above him in writing.
Daniel
I’ve been helping other people in the class with iWordQ because I’m the person who has been on iWordQ the longest in the class, besides Miss Oliff. But I think I know more things than Miss Oliff.
Kate Friedwald
He knows a lot more than me on it, and that’s ok, because he needs it for his needs rather than me needing it for my teaching needs.
Daniel
I taught my friend Felix how to use it and it sounds like he’s been doing a very good job with it, so I think I taught him well!