SPEC Programme 2024

This year has been the first year in which we have run a class called the SPEC programme. This programme is aimed at senior school students working at Level 1 or 2 of the NZ curriculum.The programme develops key competencies (as outlined in the NZC document), such as self-management skills, communicating & relating with others, thinking & problem-solving skills – along with functional literacy and numeracy skills required for day-to-day living. Learning goals are written to meet the learning needs and level of the student, and students learn to plan and self-manage by breaking learning activities and tasks down into small steps. 

Each term we have worked through one or two modules. When 11 modules are completed to satisfaction, students will be awarded an NZQA qualification, the New Zealand Certificate in Skills for Living for Supported Learners .

We have had an incredibly successful year with a small group of ākonga. We have learned about money which involved planning and running a fundraising sausage sizzle for the SPCA. Also time, including ākonga planning and undertaking a bus trip into Tūranga library and, realising we were learning the five times tables at the same time.

We have also learned 10 pin bowling and new card and board games and how the scoring systems work. This term we have looked at all things Kiwana which has included tasks like baking pavlova, weaving harakeke and learning about geothermal activity.

Within SPEC class, we also run the Steps Web structured literacy online programme. It has been amazing to see the positive outcomes from this and see the improvement in the ākonga’s other classes.

We can’t wait to see the ākonga’s burgeoning independence grow and bloom in 2025! Poipoia te kākano, kia puāwai!

By the SPEC class team