Individual Learning Plan Kate Johnston s00112587

Entry Skills
Mehar can
successfully
work
independentl
y on a task as
long as it
does not
involve
collaboration,
discussion or
sharing of
ideas with
peers.

Goals/Learning
outcomes
Mehar will work in
peer groups and
contribute to
discussion.

Strategy

1. Mehar will work

in small teacher
guided groups
2 days per
week.
2. Mehar will work
with a buddy
2 days per
week (Foreman,
2011).
3. Mehar will
contribute
thoughts and
ideas to his
group/buddy
during each
collaborative
session.

Cooperative
Learning
activities
(Classroom
teacher):
Peer
tutoring.
Mehar will
receive
social
support
during group
sessions.
This will act
to increase
his
confidence
in
working/com
municating
in groups. It
will also
provide
opportunitie
s for him to
practice
social skills
(Foreman,
2011).
Cooperative
Learning
activities
(Classroom
teacher):
Buddies.
Provide
additional
opportunitie
s for Mehar
to engage in
regular
social
interactions.
Facilitates
the

Assessmen
t
Observation
and regular
note taking
by
classroom
teacher.
Verbal
reports from
buddy.

Individual Learning Plan Kate Johnston s00112587

Mehar plays
alone during
meal breaks
and sits alone
in the
classroom.

Mehar will develop

friendships with peers.
1. Mehar will eat
his lunch with
his buddy
each day

development
of positive
relationships
. Provides
Mehar with
the
opportunity
to practice
learned
interpersona
l behaviour
skills
(Foreman,
2011).
Mehar will
challenge his
social
anxiety by
regularly
engaging in
modified
social
discussions
in small
quantities
(Facilitated
by classroom
teacher).
The amount
of social
engagement
will
gradually
increase as
his skills
improve and
anxiety
wanes
(Kidsmatter,
2012-13)

Cooperative
Learning activities
Classroom
teacher): Buddies.
As, above. Buddy
systems are also

Observation
by
classroom
teacher.
Verbal
report from

Individual Learning Plan Kate Johnston s00112587

Foreman,
2011).
2. Mehar will sit at
an allocated
table during
writing and
maths sessions.
3. Mehar will
apply
interpersonal
social skills in
the school yard
with minimal
scaffolding from
staff. (Foreman,
2011).

Mehar often
chooses to

Mehar will participate

in share time one day

effective at
modelling positive
social interactions
and act as a
support for Mehar
during nonacademic social
situations. Will
increase Mehars
social confidence
and enable him to
continue practicing
his interpersonal
behaviour skills
(Foreman, 2011).
Cognitive
Behaviour Therapy
(School counsellor).
Mehar will engage
in weekly sessions
with student
counsellor where
he will be explicitly
taught positive
friendship making
social skills. He will
use role play to
practice these
skills (where he will
utilise his own ageappropriate
language to
express social
skills). Mehar will
then continue to
practice these
skills during buddy
sessions and group
work with minimal
scaffolding
(prompting with
guiding cues and
questions) from
teachers (Foreman,
2011).
Coping Skills

buddy.
School
counsellor
records.

Teacher
observation.

Individual Learning Plan Kate Johnston s00112587

avoid social
situations
and
situations
that may
require him
to speak in
front of his
peers. For
example, he
usually
chooses to
pass when
it is his turn
to share a
special
thought of
the day
during share
time.

per week.

Mehar
engages in
negative
thought
patterns
when faced
with
situations
that cause
him stress.
For example,
when he is
faced with a
challenging
or new task

Mehar will challenge

his negative thoughts
and focus on
positivity.

1.

Mehar will
answer one
question from
the share time
question chart
(but does not
have to stand
up in front of
the class).
2. Mehar will
eventually
progress to
answering a
share time
question while
standing in
front of the
class (when he
feels he is
ready)

1. Mehar will
complete
stressful
tasks with
teachers
assistance
2. Mehar will
complete
stressful tasks

(School counsellor).
Mehar will learn
and practice
breathing
strategies and
positive thinking
strategies to
maintain a calm
state when
approaching a task
that causes him
anxiety.
Discouraged
avoidance
(Classroom
teacher): Mehar
will be strongly
encouraged to
have a go.
Avoidance will not
be enabled.
Instead Mehar will
engage in modified
version of activities
that cause him
anxiety. Over time
the exposure to the
activity will result
in a decrease in
anxiety
(Kidsmatter, 201213).
Emotional coping
skills (School
Counsellor):
Controlled
breathing and
positive thinking
prior to
approaching
stressful tasks.
Self-Efficacy
strategies
(Classroom
teacher). Mehar
will communicate

School
counsellor
records.

Teacher
observation.
School
counsellor
records.

Individual Learning Plan Kate Johnston s00112587

he is
reluctant to
engage
stating he
cant do it
because (he)
is not as
smart as the
others
(classmates)
.

Mehar shows
classic signs
of
depression.
For example,
he is
excessively
tired at
school due to
difficulties
sleeping. He
expresses a
lack of
interest in
music and
visual arts
which he
used to enjoy.
Mehar often
sits idle at his
desk during
independent
working time
due to
boredom
with assigned

without
teachers
assistance and
discuss his
successes and
difficulties with
the teacher
following the
completion of
the task.

Mehar will use skills

and strategies to fight
his depression and the
issues associated with
it.
1. Mehar will
follow a specific
and regular
routine each
day
(Kidsmatter,
2012-13).
2. Mehar will
engage in
physical activity
each day
(Kidsmatter,
2012-13)
3. Mehar will
recognise and
challenge
pessimistic/
melancholy
thoughts
(Foreman,

with the teacher

the aspects of the
task that is causing
him stress. He will
then be reminded
of similar tasks he
has already
successfully
completed in the
past (Past
experiences). The
knowledge of
experiencing
success in a similar
task previously is
likely to increase
his self-efficacy
regarding the
completion of the
current task (Lox et
al, 2010).

Depression
management
strategies
(Classroom
teacher): Sticking
to regular routines.
This will keep
Mehar busy and
reduce the amount
of time he can
spend focussing on
sad thoughts and
feelings
(Kidsmatter, 201213).
Depression
management
strategies
(Students family):
Daily physical
activity. This will
promote the
release of
endorphins and
reduce overall

Teacher
observation
s
Daily
schedule
Emotions
chart
Meetings
with parents
once a term
or when
needed.
Minutes
from
previous
meeting (to
make
informed
comparisons
of student
progress)

Individual Learning Plan Kate Johnston s00112587

tasks.

2011;
Kidsmatter,
2012-13)

stress levels
(Kidsmatter, 201213)
Cognitive
behaviour therapy
(School
counsellor): Selfrelated behaviours.
Mehar will be
explicitly taught
positive thinking
strategies such as
repeating a
negative thought
over and over to
the tune of a
familiar upbeat
song. He will
practice utilising
these strategies
when he
recognises the
beginning of a
negative thought
pattern (Foreman,
2011).
Cognitive
Behaviour therapy
(Classroom
Teacher): Selfrelated behaviours
(Foreman, 2011).
Mehar will
complete a feelings
chart where he will
draw smiley/sad
faces next to
particular activities
throughout the day.
He will record short
comments
regarding the
thoughts that
occurred during
that happy/sad
moment. This will
enable a pattern to

Individual Learning Plan Kate Johnston s00112587

emerge which will
assist him in
recognising the
beginning of a
negative thought
pattern.
Mehars
emotional
reaction to
negative
comments
and criticism
is often
excessive.
For example
Mehar cried
hysterically
when another
student
criticised his
writing.

Mehar will effectively

manage his emotions.
1. Mehar will use
calm language
to verbalise his
emotions when
he feels they
are becoming
overwhelming
(Foreman,
2011)
2. Mehar will
utilise the quiet
reading corner
when he feels
overwhelmed
with
stress/anxiety
or emotion.

Communication
strategies (School
counsellor). Mehar
will be taught, and
he will practice
verbalising his
emotions to others
when he feels
them. This will act
as an alternative to
emotional
outbursts
(Foreman, 2011).

School
counsellor
records
Teacher
observation.

*ILP to be reviewed at the completion of each term (or when needed).

Student support group members: Student (Mehar), Students parents, school
counsellor, classroom teacher, school principal.

REFERENCES:

Individual Learning Plan Kate Johnston s00112587

Association for Children with a Disability. (2012). Supporting Children with a
Disability in Victorian Government Primary Schools. (2nd ed.) [Booklet]. Retrieved
from http://www.acd.org.au
WEBSITE
ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/interpersonal-development/overview/introduction
Foreman. P. (2011). Inclusion in Action (3rd ed.). Melbourne: Cengage Learning
Australian
Kidsmatter (2012-13). About Anxiety. [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from
https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au
Kidsmatter (2012-13). About Depression. [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from
https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au
Kidsmatter (2012-13). Belonging and Connectedness. [Fact sheet]. Retrieved
from https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au
Lox. C, Martin Ginis. K.A, & Petruzzello. J. (2010). The Psychology of Exercise:
Integrating Theory and Practice. Arizona: Holcomb Hathaway Publishers Inc