Curriculum

Learning Areas

English

“English is the study, use, and enjoyment of the English language and its literature”

It can be communicated orally, visually, and in writing for many purposes. At Kaka Street, for many of our students, language grows and develops in meaningful contexts when there is a need to know and a reason to communicate. Effective communication reinforces a holistic development of a concept of self. Students will be given opportunities to engage with and enjoy language in all its varieties. Students will be exposed to stories and symbols of their own and other cultures and be encouraged to discover and develop different ways to be creative and expressive.

Our school has a whole school literacy goal, this ensures that every student experiences literacy at their level, enhancing their communication and engagement with the curriculum in relevant and meaningful contexts.

At Kaka Street, every student will have an I.E.P. goal that has a long term communication goal which is linked to an appropriate key competency. This will be evidenced in their I.E.P. and teacher planning.

Health and Physical Education

“In Health and Physical Education, the focus is on the well being of the students themselves, of other people, and of society through learning and health-related and movement contexts” . Our students will be supported at a variety of levels that develop and nurture resilience, independence and self worth. They will be encouraged to accept challenges which focus on their wellbeing, and be exposed to the importance of gaining knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

Programme planning will ensure that all areas of self care lead to opportunities to take increasing responsibility for their own health and well being. They will develop skills to enable them to enhance their relationships with other people and they will participate in creating healthy communities by taking responsible and critical action to the best of their abilities. It is important for them to develop an understanding that movement is integral to expression and contributes to pleasure and life enhancement.

Health and physical education at Kaka Street can be experienced in a variety of ways, examples may include:

• Self care programmes

• Regular physiotherapy to maintain or extend current abilities

• Riding for the Disabled

• Regular hydrotherapy sessions

• Ten Pin Bowling

• Access physical challenges in the community such as Argos Gym/ martial arts/ Waimarino/ Sport bay of Plenty/Special Olympics etc

• Perceptual motor programmes and fine motor programmes

• Regular walking and biking programmes for fitness and road safety

• Mainstream P.E. and EOTC opportunities

• Classroom physical education to develop skills

• TacPac – sensory motor programme

Te Reo Maori and Learning Languages

All students will be exposed to and have the opportunity to engage with and use te reo Maori across the learning areas. Each whole school topic will reflect the related key Maori values of:

• Whakawhanaungatanga – in the sense of whanau and school working together to reflect the community’s values

• Manaakitanga – caring for and respecting each other

• Atawhai – whanau and school working together to nurture the students

• Tu pono – knowing oneself, one’s identity

• Mahi ngatahi – working collaboratively

For a few students the opportunity to learn an additional language will be appropriate and will be based on their expressed interest.

English, New Zealand Sign Language and the use of symbols e. g. Picture Exchange Communication System, objects of reference, are the core languages of instruction at Kaka Street. Some students will be engaged in Intensive Interaction as the most appropriate way for them to engage in communication. Intensive Interaction is an approach that uses behaviour the learner will recognise as his own to develop a two way dialogue, through which fundamental communication skills and enjoyment of social interaction can be learnt.

Mathematics

“Mathematics is the exploration and use of patterns and relationships and quantities, space, and time. Statistics is the exploration and use of patterns and relationships and data” .

Maths skills and concepts will be taught based on students’ experiences and prior knowledge. They will be presented in a variety of visual, aural, tactile and kinaesthetic ways, within the context of everyday experiences, interests and events meaningful to them.

Students will have the opportunity to explore a wide variety of mathematical ideas appropriate to their capabilities and relevant to their needs.

Science

Learning in science is fundamental for our students to understand the world in which they live and work. The nature of science promotes open mindedness and questioning. Students will have opportunities to extend knowledge and understanding of the familiar world, and be supported to explore and act on issues and questions that link their science learning to their daily living. They will have authentic contexts for problem solving, creating explanations and communicating ideas. They will be involved in investigating the living, physical and material aspects of their environment and making sense of them through exploration, observation, discussion, questioning, guessing, classifying, hypothesising, processing and applying.

Social Sciences

This learning area is about how societies work and how people are able to participate as critical, active informed citizens. The conceptual strands of Identity, Culture and Organisation, Place and Environment, Continuity and Change and the Economic World provide appropriate and relevant contexts for our student learning.

Understanding the links across home, school and the community will give them the opportunity to become more actively engaged in society and in the multi-cultural nature of New Zealand.

Our students will experience an environment in which:

• Opportunities to learn with and alongside others are encouraged

• They know that they have a place

• Connecting links with the family and the wider world are affirmed or extended

• They feel comfortable with routines, rituals and regular events

• They begin to recognise and apply their understanding of the limits or boundaries of acceptable behaviour in a variety of contexts

• There are equitable opportunities for learning irrespective of gender disability, age, diversity or background

• They are affirmed as individuals

Technology

Technology is about designing and using practical and intellectual resources to develop and use products and systems that allow our students access to a wider world. The strands of Technological Practice, Technological Knowledge and the Nature of Technology, not only interconnect but are also able to be integrated across the other learning areas. This not only allows for meaningful acquisition of technological skills and understanding in a variety of contexts but also allows students to be able to access the other learning areas in a variety of ways.

In whatever forms our students access technology, the aim is to meet their needs and provide opportunities for them to realise the many experiences that are available to them in life.

Through technology, students will learn about being adaptive and innovative enabling them to solve problems through;

• The use of everyday technologies

• The use of materials and resources available within the student’s environment

• Understanding how and why things work and the relevance of these technologies in their lives

Students will experience an environment in which they learn strategies for active exploration, thinking and reasoning. They will experience an environment in which they can develop working theories for making sense of their world.

The Arts

The arts are powerful forms of expression. They embrace and recognise the different cultures in NZ. They allow for students to participate, engage and perform by creating and interpreting their ideas in a variety of media working both individually and collaboratively. The arts allow for stimulation, conceptual thinking and social interaction. Students will experience and learn the language and conventions appropriate to each of the four disciplines; dance, drama, music and the visual arts.