Blog Posts

"Listening with your whole brain and body."

"Body in the group!”

"Think with your eyes."

These are words that you might hear when talking to students and staff at Ten Broeck Elementary School.  After looking at different data points and considering the experiences of the students in the school, the team was curious about how to support social skills both inside the classroom and on the playground.

Enter: "We Thinkers.”

Have you ever heard of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)? The Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) Department recently held a campaign to mark DLD Awareness Day on October 18th.

In British Columbia public schools, Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TSVIs) provide a vital link and learning opportunities for students with visual impairments or other exceptionalities such as deaf-blindness. TSVIs are guided by the Expanded Core Curriculum, which covers nine essential skill areas impacted by blindness and visual impairments. These include braille instruction, the use of low-vision devices and technology, and adapted skills for daily living, sports and recreation.

In BC public schools, Teachers for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TDHH) work with low-incidence populations who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (Designation F) and Deaf/Blind (Designation B). Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing represent a culturally and linguistically diverse low-incidence population. Being a D/HH person is more than simply a description of one’s hearing level.

The classroom gets quiet, and then students call out, “Is Baby Charlotte coming today” or “Is Baby Milo coming to see us soon”. Two classrooms at Irene Kelleher Totí:ltawtxw have spent the school year learning from two tiny teachers. Baby Charlotte first visited Ms. Brittney Wallace’s Grade 4/5 class in October 2022 at about 3 months old. Mrs. Jennifer Vallance’s Grade 5 class connected with Baby Milo at about the same time.

Shining Through is an 18-minute film showcasing the strengths and talents of two middle school students in BC, one from right here in Abbotsford.  The film highlights an FASD-informed approach that educators can adopt and cultivate.  This story shares the simple truth that when we build from our strengths, we all experience more success. 

Did you know that we have a whole team of people here at the Curriculum Department ready to support you in learning more about Curriculum, Assessment and Instruction?

The EA Peer Mentor program started as a pilot three years ago and is now in its 2nd year of permanence. It currently has two full-time Education Assistant Peer Mentors, Connie Hampson and Alicia Kroeker, who support any/all EAs interested in the voluntary program. Upon registration, the two parties schedule their time together with the convenience of the mentees’ schedule in mind. EA Peer mentors collaborate with mentees to support them in their role and work together to help the mentee feel more confident, provide encouragement, and strengthen their skills.

Noticing a shift in literacy instruction across the district? Wonder what is going on in the classroom down the hall?  

Imagine going to work every single day and failing to understand what your boss is saying, despite your best efforts. Worse yet, your colleagues don’t seem to be struggling at all. This could be how some of your students experience school. Next time you observe a student in your class who struggles to follow your instructions, who never seems to know what to do, who talks around and around what he wants to say, who misses jokes or sarcasm, consider DLD.