Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.
- What is an I.E.P?
- Can a student have an I.E.P without being identified?
- What type of help is available in the Learning and Enrichment Centre ?
- What is the advantage of the Board's reading and writing software?
- How do I obtain the free reading and writing software?
- What are the main differences between the Essential Classes and Able classes?
- What is the TLD program?
- Do identified students in the Applied program have to take French?
- Do students within the Essential program take French?
- Are meetings to review IEPS held in the same manner as at Elementary School?
- Do all students have to take the grade 10 literacy test? Why?
- What if my child fails the grade 10 literacy test?
- How can I help my child prepare for the grade 10 literacy test?
- Can my child use the computer and / or special reading software on tests?
What is an I.E.P?
An I.E.P is an individual education plan which specifies the learning
identification of a student as well as the types of accommodations needed
within the classroom for that student to be most successful in the areas of
instruction, the setting and assessment. It also includes an area which
outlines a transition plan.
Can a student have an I.E.P without being identified?
Yes. I.E.Ps are often made for students who are struggling but have not been
formally identified with a learning need such as a Learning Disability or a
Visual Impairment. However, our school board is beginning to move away from
writing I.E.Ps for unidentified students, especially at a high school level.
What type of help is available in the Learning and Enrichment Centre ?
Students who wish to have extra time to write a quiz or exam, as well as
students who want to work in a quiet area, are welcome. This is in addition
to 1-1 assistance, access to a library of resources and an assistive
technology lab. Preference is given to identified students, but when space
permits, all are welcome. Students within the Applied and Academic programs
are encouraged to learn self-advocacy skills in order to learn more about
their needs and how to voice them appropriately. It is presupposed that
students within the Essential and ABle programs have most of their needs met
within their smaller classroom groupings and by means of their modified
curricula. However, teachers of those classes can consult with the Resource
Room teacher and sometimes this results in having the student attend the
room for short-term, skill or subject-specific support.
What is the advantage of the Board's reading and writing software?
The reading and writing software available in the Lambton-Kent schools (as
well as at home as a free download) provides a number of features for every
type of learner in every grade:
-Students that read very well but can't remember what they read are often
helped by hearing the information at the same time. (memory challenges)
-Students who can read a passage fluently, but can't answer questions about
what they have just finished, often find that by FIRST hearing the passages
they can understand what they have read. They also have the advantage of
clicking on any word and accessing a definition. ( comprehension challenges)
-Students who have trouble spelling or finding the right word can use the
word prediction features of the software so that by merely typing out a few
letters, the computer will give them a list of probable words to choose from.
-If your child has problems seeing the grammatical errors that he/she has
just typed, the computer can read back the sentence. Often, the student
hears that the sentence is missing words or makes no sense.
-Some of the software allows students to make speaking electronic study
notes. They can take parts of a novel or text book, highlight them and then
extract those pieces and save them in a new file. The student can listen to
them on a computer, or use a text-to-audio program to change them into an
MP3 file which he/she can listen to on a cd player. (for auditory learners)
-Many manuals and items online which are used in classrooms, are produced in
what is called a PDF format.
One of the board programs allows students to hear the text within those
pages read as well.
How do I obtain the free reading and writing software?
Go to the "Free Software for Families" button. There are full descriptions
of the software and how to download it as well as short step-by-step
instructions.
You must call the school (Learning Centre)for the password and login code.
What are the main differences between the Essential Classes and Able classes?
Essential classes are for students who are performing in school between an
early grade 5 level and late grade 7 level within their subjects. (if you
are not sure at what level your child is performing, look at his/her IEP
under the modifications section)
It is possible to take an Essential class in one subject and an Applied
class in another. It is also possible, if a student obtains consistently
high marks (i.e 85+) in all subject areas to be moved to the Applied program.
Students receive the same graduating diploma within the Essential
class as they would if in the Applied (college/apprenticeship bound) or
Academic (college/university bound) programs.
The ABLE program is for students who are performing under a grade 5 level,
and /or for students whose social skills may need to be addressed in a
somewhat more sheltered environment. If a student obtains 85%+ in all
his/her ABLE subjects it is possible for him/her to be moved to the
Essential program, provided there are no other circumstances which warrant a
more sheltered setting.
While both the Essential and ABLE programs involve the students
moving from one room to another, students in the ABLE class stay together as
a group and there is the possibility of developing closer relationships
within this setting. It is possible for an ABLE student to take a class at
an Essential level or one within the DD Lab. Graduating students from the
ABLE program receive a Certificate. However, they are exposed to the working
world and work-related skills through mandatory co-operative education
placements in grade 11.
In addition, graduating students from the ABLE program who qualify may move
on to the OPTIONS program which involves up to an additional 2 years of
training and work placements. The OPTIONS program is held at the ST. Clair
College Campus. Special applications must be made in order to apply for the
program which is available to students from both the Separate and Public
education systems. Many students have been hired by employers because of
their performance during the OPTIONS work placements. Ask your Resource
teacher for more information.
The Essential program is capped at 15 students; the ABle program is capped
at 13 students.
What is the TLD program?
The TLD or Transition program for students with (identified) Learning
Disabiliies, is a one year program for grade 9 students who are working at
the Applied level and is exclusive to JMSS. They are students for whom it is
felt would be successful and gain great benefits by being trained in the
use of assistive technology.It is also a class that shares the same teacher
for English and Math in the morning so it provides a bit of a comfort level
for some students making the transition from the Elementary to the Secondary
system. Students with problems with reading and/or written expression and
who are also motivated to learn and who will use the assistive tech are the
best candidates. Learning skills is taught (this year) first semester, with
Geography second semester. The other class is chosen by the student and so
it might be physical education, tech, business etc. Math and English are
held across both semesters. The usual number of students is 8-10 but I
understand it has been as high as 12 some years past.During the afternoon
the students attend classes within regular Applied programs.If you are the
parent of an elementary student and wish to explore the possibility of
having your son or daughter in the program, please talk to the Resource
Teacher at your school.
Do identified students in the Applied program have to take French?
No. A substitution can be made, if appropriate for students who have a
Ministry of Education identification such as "Communication/Learning
Disability". The decision is made at the first high school IPRC meeting
(held in early Spring--before the grade 9 year).
Do students within the Essential program take French?
No. A Learning Skills course is substituted for this subject.
Are meetings to review IEPS held in the same manner as at Elementary School?
At Elementary school, parents are usually contacted and invited to IEP
reviews, sometimes up to three times yearly. At a secondary level, the IEPS
are sent out in October with a consultation form. A second consultation form
is sent out usually in late February or March. Parents are invited, within
the consult forms, to make suggestions or contact the school directly.
Face to face meetings are also welcomed and are usually upon the request of
the parent(s).
Do all students have to take the grade 10 literacy test? Why?
Students who are in the Essential, Applied or Academic programs have to take
the grade 10 literacy test in order to qualify for a graduation diploma.
Students in the ABLE program do not have to take the test.
What if my child fails the grade 10 literacy test?
Students are given a second chance to take the test the next year, and if
they fail that then they must take a special class for a full semester, and
be successful, in order to get their final graduation diploma.
How can I help my child prepare for the grade 10 literacy test?
The test is comprised of several writing and reading tasks. The Writing
tasks include being able to write summaries, newspaper reports, a 5
paragraph opinion essay and create short answers to reading passages--all of
which must meet the minimum of a level 3 standard of grammar, style
and written expression.
The reading tasks include not only picking out factual information from a
reading passage but having an understanding of higher level thinking: for
example, understanding inference, making predictions,evaluating and making
judgements. Practice in any of these areas will help. Yout child's English
teachers and resource teacher can also give you ideas and resource material
to use. Give your child as many opportunities to read different types of
text as possible: bus schedules, menus, novels, the newspaper, graphic
novels and magazines--all of which will broaden his/her vocabulary and
reading experience.
Can my child use the computer and / or special reading software on tests?
Yes--if he/she has this listed in the IEP, and has been using assistive
technology to read and hear text for writing, word prediction and so on,
then the same accommodation can be made for the OSSLT or literacy test,
exams, class quizzes and any test. The same pertains for the use of a scribe
at exam time.
