Itinerant support teachers
Itinerant support teachers visit schools and other approved educational centres to help support students and young children with confirmed disability.
Itinerant support teachers will work directly with your child, and in partnership with you, classroom teachers the school's learning and support team and other support agencies to plan your child’s personalised learning and support.
All itinerant support teachers specialise in particular areas. You can learn more about these areas below.
Itinerant support teachers (hearing and vision)
These teachers, led by an Assistant principal hearing or vision, will work in NSW public schools with your child if they have a confirmed hearing and/or vision loss before they start school. They could visit your child at specific times throughout the week, and work in partnership with your child’s class teacher.
They can provide advice on reasonable adjustments for your child from the age of diagnosis through to Year 12.
The adjustments will address your child’s teaching and learning needs in their classroom and school environment.
These adjustments are directly associated with hearing or vision loss and:
- respect your child’s choice
- recognise your child’s ability and access needs
- respond to access needs by providing high quality learning.
Itinerant support teachers (hearing or vision) work in a multi-disciplinary team with you and your child, school learning and support teams and other professionals.
They may carry out student assessments, take part in review meetings, support school staff in making teaching and learning adjustments and provide professional learning for school staff.
Itinerant support teachers (conductive hearing loss)
Itinerant support teachers (conductive hearing loss) provide support and advice to schools for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who have a conductive hearing loss.
Itinerant support teacher (early intervention)
These teachers work with your child throughout the year prior to them starting school, and continue to provide support into your child's first year of school.
Itinerant support teachers (early intervention) help by:
- supporting the staff of early childhood classes to provide personalised learning and support
- developing individual, coordinated transition plans to support children moving from early education into school
- establishing and maintaining links with a range of local services in the community.
Support teacher transition
Support teachers transition help teachers and high school students in mainstream and special schools with the transition from school to adult life. They can also help support parents and carers.
Their work may include:
- providing advice on curriculum options and subject selection
- providing advice on vocational preparation, work experience and entry to HSC Vocational Education and Training courses
- assisting with the transition planning involved in leaving school, which may include employment and further education, helping to prepare for transport and mobility issues, and organising recreation and leisure pursuits
- liaising with a range of government and non-government providers
- assisting students and their families to access specialist programs and support provided by other government agencies.