Curriculum
Alma School is divided into 32
groups / classes divided in 7
different learning Grades:
1.
Support Grade
2.
Grade R
3.
Grade 1
4.
Grade 2
5.
Grade 3
6.
Grade 4
7.
Grade 5
Support Grade:
The Support Grade aims to teach learners
who need more individualised support in a
smaller group.
The support given to the learners is
individualized, according to each child’s
individual capabilities and needs. We focus
on language and communication (including
alternative communication for learners with
little or no speech), life skills (with the focus
on sensory stimulation and independence
skills) as well as visual perceptual and
cognitive skills (hands-on and real-life
experiences of colours, shapes and concepts
such as big/small).
The Junior group works in a multi-sensory
way. Activities are kept short and focused on
sensory stimulation and the acquisition of
some basic craft and food preparation skills.
The class environment is less formal than in
other classes, but still structured, with a fixed
daily routine.
The Senior groups build on and expand the
skills taught to the juniors. They also work on
everyday food preparation skills, basic
household skills and basic gardening skills.
We also take the learners out to shopping
centres to “dress up and shop” so that they
have practical learning experience regarding
the value of money, appropriate social skills
in public and acquire a sense of how to dress
smartly.
Grade R:
In Grade R our learners learn through play.
We embrace our learners with love and
structure and educate them in the following
three learning areas: Language, Mathematics
and Life Skills. We strive for our learners to
accomplish basic communication skills and
use alternative and augmentative
communication.
Activities are planned to develop fine muscles
and gross motor skills.
Academics:
1.
Language: Teaching new vocabulary
(with sign language) themes.
Encouraging social interaction with
songs and rhymes.
2.
Mathematics: Basic counting, learning
colours and shapes. Learning daily
routine to enable effective routine in
school.
3.
Life Skills: The goal is to teach the
learner social skills and to achieve their
full physical, intellectual, personal,
emotional and social potential through
the following study areas:
a.
Personal & social well being
b.
Creative Arts
i.
Performing Arts: Gross motor
development through playing
games and dancing. On hand
therapist assistance for
optimum development.
ii.
Visual Arts: Stimulating fine
motor development and
sensory stimulation we focus
on finger painting, holding big
crayons correctly and cutting
with scissors.
c.
Physical education
Grade 1:
We strive to:
•
Get our learners as independent as
possible regarding to basic self-care
skills.
•
Equip our learners with basic
communication skills, stimulate
interaction and create AAC-systems for
learners with little or no speech.
•
Prepare learners for the skills they will
need later in school and in society by
developing their fine motor skills.
•
Expose our stronger learners to sight
reading (names, brand names, first
letters of names).
•
Teach our learners socially acceptable
behaviour so that they can fit in school
and in society.
•
Ensure that our learners are prepared to
adapt successfully in the more advanced
Grades of the school and ultimately
develop into functional members of
society in the following aspects: ADL,
Communication, Basic literacy, Fine
motor skills, Gross motor skills, and
Social and emotional development.
The learners in Grade 1 build upon the
stimulation they have received in the Grade
R. The same basic developmental skills
taught in the stimulation Grade are being
taught, but on a little higher level.
1.
Activities of daily living:
a.
Most children in this Grade are
already able to take themselves to
the toilet and feed themselves.
They are expected to start taking
care of their own belongings (e.g.
packing and unpacking of bags) and
learn a little more advanced hygiene
rules / skills.
2.
Language development:
a.
Each child is met on his/her level of
language development.
Augmentative and alternative
communication is still used often.
Planned vocabulary expansion takes
place.
3.
Sensory and perceptual stimulation:
a.
More formal perceptual stimulation
takes place than what was taught in
the stimulation Grade, e.g. colours,
shapes, counting and puzzles.
However, learners still tend to
progress quite slowly with these
although differentiation takes place
daily.
4.
Gross motor skills:
a.
Learners with physical disabilities
still work on the next Grade of their
possible development, or are
helped to maintain their current
physical condition. Able-bodied
learners are developing their gross
motor skills by doing balancing
exercises, running and jumping
games, and various other fun
activities.
5.
We do music, song and movement
regularly.
6.
Creative activities are a little more
advanced than in the stimulation Grade.
Cutting, drawing, painting and pasting
are aimed at creating a very simple
product and at the same time
developing fine motor muscles.
Grade 2:
The areas in which the learners receive
instruction, are as follow: Languages –
Afrikaans and English, Mathematics and Life
skills. We follow differentiated Curriculum
for Grade 2 (DCAPS) tailored to each child’s
unique abilities and learning needs. The
following topics are utilized to convey the
content. Term 1: Me and my community.
Term 2: Seasons and different types of
animals. Term 3: Transport, people who
help us, fuit and vegetables. Term 4: Water,
Our country South Africa, communication in
our world, night life.
1.
Grade 2 programme is based on DCAPS
– Gr. 2 with adapted assessment
standard.
2.
Work is divided into three subjects:
a.
Life Skills
b.
Language
c.
Mathematics
3.
Assessment standards are divided into
basic components to allow learners with
different capabilities to master it.
4.
Assessment is done on a continuous
basis.
5.
Specific aims are determined for each
learner in the Grade.
6.
Well trained assistants available in the
Grade.
Additional activities:
•
Gross motor activities
•
Music and Song
•
Occupational therapy in class or groups
•
Individual and/or Group based
physiotherapy
•
Fully equipped playgrounds
•
Fully equipped training track for bicycle
riding and road safety awareness
Grade 3:
Learners in this Grade receive perceptual
training and follow an adapted national
Curriculum for Foundation Grade (DCAPS).
The content, instruction and assessment
standards are scaled down into simplistic
steps. When they have attained their
academic potential, we concentrate on life-
and prevocational skills.
1.
The classes programmes are based on
DCAPS – Grade 3, with adapted
assessment standards.
2.
Work is divided into three subjects:
a.
Life Skills
b.
Language
c.
Mathematics
3.
Differentiation is done with each learner
to help him/her to reach the aims in the
programme.
4.
Each learner can work on his/her own
level and tempo to reach the different
outcomes.
5.
Assessment is done on a continuous
basis.
Learners in the Grade are also being
exposed, on a weekly basis, to achieve
different skills:
•
Computer skills / Smart board skills /
Tablets
•
Gross-motor activities / physical
activities
•
Music, Song and Dance
•
Occupational therapy
•
Individual and/or group based
physiotherapy
Grade 4 & 5:
In these Grades’ learners are instructed in
Languages, Mathematics, Life Skills (including
Creative arts & Physical education), and a
choice of three of these five skills subjects:
1.
Art & Crafts: Produce art & craft
products, accumulate creative ideas to
design a craft product, develops
entrepreneurial awareness within craft
products, make a variety of craft
products.
2.
Consumer Studies: Food production,
food & nutrition, hygiene & safety,
entrepreneurship
3.
Agricultural studies: Gardening and
plant production
4.
Nail and beauty: Nail and beauty
technology. The purpose of nail and
beauty technology is to develop self-
directed skills and knowledge for
learners to use once they enter adult life.
It is designed for learners who wish to
extend their range of skills in the
industry. The learners will be able to
integrate the generic salon requisite
skills, knowledge, values and attitudes
with those specific to the beauty
industry. This learning program will
enhance the self-image of the learners
when she becomes more professional.
5.
Maintenance: Maintenance is a study of
various interrelated skills in the
maintenance sectors such as health and
safety, cleaning and good housekeeping,
basic metalwork, mechanical, electrical,
plumbing, building and construction
skills. This subject equips learners to
assist in maintaining and servicing of
plant and equipment at various private
and public sites. The learner will be able
to assis a qualified artisan, semi skilled
artisan or be able to follow a
supervisor’s instructions. Maintenance
skill and the content embedded in the
skills are taught over 2 years in grade 4
with differentiation and 3 years in grade
5 with differentiation.
Administration and Marketing
The administration department is responsible
for the accurate recordkeeping of all the
aspects of the school.
Complete databases of learner and parent
information are kept, as well as information
of debit order holders and Alma Friends. The
same goes for staff records and information.
This department also compiles the fortnightly
newsletter and ensures efficient
communication with parents and other
stakeholders.
We provide administration services to all
learners, parents, visitors and staff.
The administration department assists with
all school related marketing and fundraising
events.