Ask the student what will help
Suggestion for implementing the strategy ‘Identify student needs and how to provide support’
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Ask what helps
Ask what helps
Ask students, “What do I do that makes learning easy? What do I do that makes learning hard?”
Discuss possible supports and make these available to all students.
Tate from Onslow College explains what works for him in the classroom.
Support self-advocacy with learner profiles
Support self-advocacy with learner profiles
Having students create a learner profile for themselves is a great way to have them develop a better and fuller understanding of who they are as learners …
This develops their independence and places them in a better position to self-advocate for the tools, learning materials, and presentation options that can optimise their learning experiences.
Naryn Searcy
Personalise learner profiles
Personalise learner profiles
A learner profile is created by students and whānau.
Students can choose to present information in any media.
![6357 [Learner-profile2.png]](/assets/inclusive-education/example-images/_resampled/ScaleWidthWyIxMDg2Il0/Learner-profile2.png)
Take a strengths-based approach
Take a strengths-based approach
Know your learners – understand what they can do, what their strengths are, and what their specific needs are.
Find out about:
- what motivates them
- what they are good at and enjoy doing
- what rewards them and reinforces their behaviours
- important people in their lives
- cultural connections and experiences and languages spoken
- how they like to unwind and relax
- dislikes and things they avoid
- how they like to learn and what helps them learn
- things that make it hard for them to learn
- what they do when they need help.
Create a safe environment
Create a safe environment
Create an environment where your students are comfortable asking for what they need.
![11839 [IMG-6183.jpg]](/assets/inclusive-education/example-images/_resampled/ScaleWidthWyIxMDg2Il0/IMG-6183.jpg)
Source: Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga
Useful resources
Useful resources

Developing learner profiles
Read time: 3 min
Publisher: Ministry of Education | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga
Download PDF (211 KB)

Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Identify student needs and how to provide support”:
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Current page Ask the student what will help
Return to the guide “Dyslexia and learning”
![11437 [Dyslexia-and-learning.jpg]](/assets/inclusive-education/guides/featured-images/_resampled/FillWyIxMDQiLCIxMDQiXQ/Dyslexia-and-learning.jpg)
How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: Dyslexia and learning
Understand:
- Understanding dyslexia
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Understanding dyslexia and literacy acquisitionShow suggestions for Understanding dyslexia and literacy acquisition
Strategies for action:
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Develop a schoolwide approachShow suggestions for Develop a schoolwide approach
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Identify student needs and how to provide supportShow suggestions for Identify student needs and how to provide support
- Ask the student what will help
- Partner with whānau
- Organisations, programmes, and resources
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Support early literacy development through a structured literacy approachShow suggestions for Support early literacy development through a structured literacy approach
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Helpful classroom strategies in years 1–8Show suggestions for Helpful classroom strategies in years 1–8
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Helpful classroom strategies in years 9–13Show suggestions for Helpful classroom strategies in years 9–13