STLD position description change

Proposed changes to the STLD position description put forward by the department in June were the subject of considerable negotiations with DET in term 3. The negotiations have resulted in a document that we believe that QTU members will be comfortable with. Despite a ‘rocky’ start to the process, (outlined in last month’s journal) the officers of DET have worked constructively with the QTU in order to achieve a positive resolution. The final version is very similar to one that members of State Council considered in August and were comfortable with. We would encourage members to look at the final version of the changed position description and contact John McCollow with any comments. Once the document gets approval from the QTU Executive it will be voted on at November Council. An outline of the process and significant positive changes achieved are listed below.

The main areas of concern in the first draft were:

  • the emphasis on the collection, analysis and maintenance of data on literacy and numeracy achievement;
  • that working with students was the last dot point in the duties section;
  • a smaller ‘pool’ of students that the STLD’s was to work with. The focus was to be on students from nationally recognised at-risk cohorts: 
  • the constant references made to ‘literacy and numeracy’ - the document failed to acknowledge the myriad of learning needs that underachieving students have that go beyond literacy and numeracy. 
  • the concern that those children who would have difficulty in ‘improving’ the school’s data in national benchmark tests would be miss out on support (or the equally disturbing view that all children can reach these benchmarks through a ‘teach to the test’ focus);
  • the lack of clarity regarding the statement that ‘Support Teachers may be reassigned to classroom duties should there be an operational requirement to do so’; and
  • the removal of any reference to students with learning difficulties.

The QTU also expressed concerns over the renaming of the role to ‘Support Teacher - Literacy and Numeracy’. It is our preferred position that the position remain, ‘Support Teacher – Learning Difficulties’, or be renamed ‘Learning Support Teacher’. This is, however, one area that the QTU has compromised on in order to make significant positive changes within the position description. The changes we were able to achieve are consistent with the views of the majority of people who gave feed back to the QTU. Most people commented that, whilst the title was important, the concerns about the name could be addressed if the document itself was well written.

New Position Description

The new document has a far ‘broader’ definition of children who require learning support and many of these references are made without attaching the term ‘literacy and numeracy’ to them. The QTU feels that the new document acknowledges that a wide variety of learning needs must be catered for and that ‘improvements in students’ learning’ is the goal of the learning support teacher. The document notes that ST LaNs encourage students to ‘work toward attainment of their potential’. This tone is significantly different from the first draft.

Examples of this new emphasis include references such as:

  • students requiring additional support;
  • supporting underachieving students;
  • improving learning outcomes;
  • improving students’ learning; and
  • improving students’ educational outcomes.

These terms were almost non-existent in the first draft. Whilst the term ‘learning difficulties’ has not re-appeared in the final version (due to the legal issues related to the difference between the terms ‘disabilities’ and ‘difficulties’, and the legislative obligations that DET must meet by providing support to those with diagnosed ‘learning disabilities’), the QTU feels that the terms used in the dot points above give sufficient scope to describe the children that learning support teachers work with. The document does still refer to ‘supporting children underachieving in the literacy and numeracy demands of the KLAs’, however, these references are made only 6 times compared to 12 in the first document. The QTU felt that these changes signified a significant shift in emphasis.

The other issues of concern have been addressed and are listed below:

  • The statement about ‘re-assignment to class duties’ has been removed.
  • The duties listed reflect balance and do not overly emphasise data collection at the expense of other aspects of the role. They are similar to the balance of duties in the current position description that STLD’s work under. 
  • Working with children is recognised as an important part of the role. 
  • The emphasis on ‘improving students’ learning’ rather than ‘successful achievement of students from nationally at-risk categories’,  allows teachers to work on assisting each child to reach their potential rather than focus on narrow, point-in-time assessment regimes.

DET are still working on some grammatical/structural problems in the ‘Work Environment’ section that have not yet been changed, but these changes will not effect the general tone of the document. Similarly, DET’s legal team are looking at the ‘Additional Factors’ section to ensure that all legislative issues have been appropriately considered.

I have attached three documents for your perusal. They are

I had significant feedback from members of the QTU’s State Council in August about the changes that we were proposing. The final version negotiated with DET is very similar to the document that these Council members viewed.

Lin Esders
Acting Research Officer

[page updated 1 October 2009]