Te Whakaaro me te Tautoko

Overview

This two-part 90-minute lesson supports Year 13 Social Sciences learning through two connected tasks: writing a 500-word report about how educational policy impacts a school and classroom environment, and presenting/understanding Learning Support in a school/kura, including key components and support features for two learning disabilities. Activities integrate panui haere and tuhituhi, with handouts, visual aids, and clear success criteria to match a learner who benefits from structured, image-supported learning.

Learning intentions

• WALT write a 500-word Social Sciences report describing the impact of educational policy on a school and classroom environment.
• WALT use evidence and clear structure to explain cause-and-effect between policy decisions and classroom experiences.
• WALT explain Learning Support in a school/kura by identifying key components and how support is organised.
• WALT describe two learning disabilities and outline supportive systems/features in a kura setting.

Success criteria

• I can organise my report with an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
• I can link educational policy to specific changes in school/classroom environment (people, processes, spaces, or resources).
• I can identify key components of Learning Support and explain how they work together.
• I can describe two learning disabilities and name support systems/features that help students learn.

Curriculum links

• Te Ao Māori framework — strengthen learning through relationships, belonging, and kura-based approaches to wellbeing and identity.
• Social sciences reporting — integrate sources of information, processes, and strategies purposefully, confidently, and precisely to form and express ideas.
• Writing (tuhituhi) and reading for understanding (panui haere) — use structured texts and guided reading to extract and apply information.
• Learning Support — demonstrate understanding of systems that support access to learning in a school/kura.

Lesson structure (90 minutes)

Part 1: Policy impact report writing (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Whakatuwhera (hook). Teacher displays a large visual: “Policy → School Changes → Classroom Changes → Student Experience,” and reads the guiding question aloud; students indicate which link they find easiest using animal/nursery rhyme quick prompts.

• Student task: point to one arrow and say one idea (or write one word) into a “Tīmata” box on the worksheet.

2. 5–15 min · Panui haere (guided reading). Teacher gives a short handout: “Educational Policy: What it does in schools.” Students follow along (teacher reads, then students track text) and highlight only sentences that show “impact.”

• Student task: circle keywords (policy, funding, inclusion, assessment, staffing, learning needs, classroom).

3. 15–25 min · Planning with a paragraph frame. Teacher models a 4-paragraph plan on the board using headings: Introduction, Policy impact, Classroom environment, Conclusion.

• Student task: complete a graphic organiser with 4 brief dot points and one sentence starter per paragraph.

4. 25–40 min · Tuhituhi (independent drafting). Teacher provides a report frame and word-count support (target 500 words, suggested 125 words per paragraph). Teacher encourages “say it first, write it second.”

• Student task: draft their report using the frame; aim for at least 450 words.

5. 40–45 min · Quick self-check. Teacher and student use a simple checklist aligned to success criteria.

• Student task: read aloud their own draft and tick: structure present, policy-to-impact link clear, conclusion included.

Part 2: Learning Support presentation + disability features (45 minutes)

6. 45–55 min · Visual teaching: Learning Support wheel. Teacher shows a “Learning Support Wheel” poster: Early identification, assessment for learning, planning/IEP goals, teaching strategies, in-class supports, monitoring, family/whānau partnership.

• Student task: label 4 sections on the wheel using provided word bank cards.

7. 55–70 min · Handouts: two learning disability features. Teacher provides two mini-sheets (one page each) with pictorial supports and headings:

• Disability A: Dyslexia (reading/spelling difficulties) with supports: phonics support, multisensory practice, assistive tech, extra time, explicit spelling patterns.
• Disability B: ADHD (attention/self-regulation difficulties) with supports: structured routines, visual schedules, movement breaks, goal-setting, clear instructions.
• Student task: match each disability to 3 support features by drawing lines.

8. 70–82 min · Present learning support (short talk). Teacher provides a “Speak and show” script with sentence starters and optional cue cards.

• Student task: deliver a 1–2 minute presentation covering: (1) key components, (2) Disability A supports, (3) Disability B supports, (4) how kura environments can help.

9. 82–90 min · Exit ticket (panui + tuhituhi). Teacher gives an exit ticket with 4 sentence stems.

• Student task: complete stems in 2–4 words per gap:
• “Learning Support helps because…”
• “One key component is…”
• “For dyslexia, a support feature is…”
• “For ADHD, a support feature is…”

Resources

• Handout 1: “Educational Policy: What it does in schools” (short, high-contrast text)
• Handout 2: Policy impact graphic organiser (4 boxes + sentence starters)
• Report frame: headings + paragraph prompts (500-word target)
• Word bank cards: policy, impact, inclusion, assessment, staffing, classroom environment
• Large visual: “Policy → School Changes → Classroom Changes → Student Experience”
• Learning Support Wheel poster (printable)
• Handout 3: Learning Support key components (wheel labels + brief explanations)
• Handout 4: Disability A (Dyslexia) one-page pictorial features + supports
• Handout 5: Disability B (ADHD) one-page pictorial features + supports
• Cue cards for presenting (sentence starters)
• Exit ticket (sentence stems)
• Coloured highlighters/markers, pencil, eraser
• Timer (visible), word-count ruler (or strip) for 450–500 words target

Assessment

• Formative: teacher observation during panui haere highlights (impact sentences identified).
• Formative: checklist after drafting—structure, policy-to-impact clarity, conclusion.
• Formative: teacher listens to presentation—key components named and two disabilities supported with accurate features.
• Exit ticket completion—checks key understanding quickly.

Differentiation

• Provide sentence starters and a pre-structured report frame to reduce cognitive load.
• Use visual word banks, colour coding, and cue cards to support panui haere and tuhituhi.
• For support during writing, allow “one sentence per paragraph” first, then expand to reach word target.
• Extension option built-in within the same tasks: add one whakataukī or short kura-based example of support and belonging in the conclusion if time allows.
• Keep instructions short and repeat with visuals; allow oral responses converted into writing by teacher support if needed.

Part 1 Handouts (ready to print)

Handout A: Policy Impact Planner (graphic organiser)

• Introduction (125 words): Sentence starter: “Educational policy affects schools by…”
• Policy impact (125 words): Sentence starter: “When policy changes, schools may…”
• Classroom environment (125 words): Sentence starter: “In classrooms, this can lead to…”
• Conclusion (125 words): Sentence starter: “Overall, the policy impacts students by…”

Handout B: Report Frame (500 words)

• Title: __________________________
• Paragraph 1: What policy is and why it matters
• Paragraph 2: Policy impact on school systems (staffing/resources/assessment)
• Paragraph 3: Impact on classroom environment (learning activities/adjustments)
• Paragraph 4: Summary + one kura-based implication for wellbeing and belonging

Part 2 Handouts (ready to print)

Handout C: Learning Support Wheel (label these 4–6 parts)

• Early identification
• Assessment for learning
• Planning/IEP goals
• Teaching strategies
• In-class supports
• Monitoring + review
• Family/whānau partnership

Handout D: Dyslexia supports (match 3 features)

• Reading/spelling difficulties Supports to match: explicit phonics, multisensory practice, assistive tech, extra time, explicit spelling patterns

Handout E: ADHD supports (match 3 features)

• Attention/self-regulation difficulties Supports to match: visual schedule, movement breaks, clear steps, goal reminders, consistent routines

---