Supporting pupils and learning 

General remedial teaching responds to support needs and challenges that are identified early and at the group level. It can help prevent difficulties in advance and ensure pupils understand the taught topics and progress in their studies. General remedial teaching may involve previewing the upcoming things or reviewing previously learnt material, and it can be applied to all subjects. General remedial teaching can also respond to short-term support needs due to sick leaves. Such teaching can be given either during or outside of the regular lessons. 

Instruction provided by a special education teacher in connection with other teaching refers to teaching grounded in special pedagogical expertise delivered by the special education teacher, complementing preschool, classroom or subject teaching. The support is provided by a special education teacher, either through co- or team teaching or in a smaller group. However, in such cases, the group is temporary and flexibly formed, rather than a regularly organised small group. The special education teacher can’t simultaneously provide group-based support and pupil-specific special education teacher’s instruction in connection with other teaching. 

A pupil unable to complete the comprehensive education syllabus due to insufficient proficiency in the language of instruction has the right to remedial teaching in the language of instruction. The remedial teaching in the language of instruction is primarily focused on strengthening the pupil’s literacy skills in the language of instruction and different branches of knowledge. In addition to pupils with a migrant background, the remedial teaching in the language of instruction is intended for, for example, pupils with language development disorders and pupils with language development disorders related to mental handicaps, multiple complex development disorders or autism. This form of support is intended for supporting the acquisition of sufficient proficiency in the language of instruction, and it can’t substitute for other support the pupil receives based on other learning difficulties, for example. Remedial teaching in the language of instruction doesn’t refer to teaching basic language skills, rather, it focuses on providing support for acquiring sufficient proficiency in the language of instruction. It also doesn’t refer to Finnish or Swedish as a second language education, which is one syllabus of the mother tongue and literature subject. 

Remedial teaching in the language of instruction is comparable to general remedial teaching at least when it comes to its organisation and implementation. However, its content is especially aimed at supporting pupils in the acquisition of sufficient proficiency in the language of instruction, ensuring them to better follow lessons and progress in their studies. 

If a pupil cannot be sufficiently supported through group-based forms of support or if they have a need for regularly provided support, pupil-specific support must be arranged for the pupil. 

The evaluation of the need for pupil-specific support begins when the pupil’s teachers determine that group-based forms of support are insufficient to meet the pupil’s learning and schooling needs. 

Pupil-specific support is provided regularly based on the support need evaluation and plan, as well as the administrative decision made based on them. 

Pupil-specific support includes 

1. Instruction provided by a special education teacher partially in a small group and in connection with other teaching, 
2. Instruction provided either by a special education teacher or a special class teacher in a small group, 
3. Instruction provided by a special class teacher in a special class, or
4. Individual interpretation and assistive services and devices required for participation in teaching. 

Pupil-specific support measures are primarily arranged at the pupil’s own school. 

Seven teaching assistants work at the school. The following criteria are used to determine the placements of teaching assistants in support roles: 

• Need for school attendance guidance arising from the support required for learning and school attendance 

• Need for school attendance guidance based on a medical certificate 

• Need for school attendance guidance identified by the well-being group 

• Need for school attendance guidance based on the teaching staff’s assessment. 

Decisions on the teaching guidance resources are made by the rector based on a proposition. 

The homework club is available to pupils from Mondays to Thursdays from 13:00 (1 PM) to 15:00 (3 PM). Teaching assistants guide the pupils in the homework club. 

• The teacher takes care of providing a clear, written assignment. 

• The homework club of the primary school classes is located at the Tukiraitti, and the homework club “Mahis” of lower secondary school classes is held on Wednesdays from 14:00 (2 PM) to 16:00 (4 PM) at the D-section of the library.