A strong and effective partnership between teachers and SLSOs benefits everyone in the classroom environment – students with and without disability, teachers, and SLSOs. In this video, teachers and SLSOs from Tumbulgum Public School and Fernhill School describe some of the tangible ways in which they work together to create an inclusive environment in which all students are able to fully participate.

Teachers and SLSOs describe their roles in the partnership, and highlight specific ways in which communication, feedback, reflection, and connecting with other staff help them work together to promote student agency and independence within an inclusive classroom environment. 

Reflection questions:

1.     In this video, Kerryn talked about the importance of stepping back and providing guidance that facilitates students completing tasks for themselves. Thinking about some of the students you work with, how can teachers and SLSOs work together to support student independence? 

2. Some of the strategies teachers and SLSOs identified as helping build effective partnerships included: 

• Deliberate planning for teachers and SLSOs to connect. 

• Openness to feedback and reflection.

• Building communication into their approach (for example, displaying learning intentions and success criteria). 

Thinking about your school, what strategies could be built into processes and practices to facilitate opportunities to connect, reflect and communicate?