Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have further questions for the Minister of Education.
The Minister has put a lot of emphasis on the inclusive schooling review which is to be released soon, and inclusive schooling has tended to focus on providing accommodations to students who are struggling. One key recommendation in the Ontario Human Rights Commission's Right to Read report was that accommodations should not be used as a substitute for teaching kids to read.
So my first question to the Minister, is there anything in the current inclusive schooling directive or handbook that specifies that accommodations such as assistive technologies, like computers, are not to be used as a substitute for teaching kids to read? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So in short, yes, accommodations help students access learning but do not replace teaching children to read. So teachers can, for example, pair accommodations with classroom instruction and then, where needed, target more intensive interventions. These assistive technologies, Mr. Speaker, are meant to complement teaching and intervention, but are not a standalone solution. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I am glad to hear that, although I haven't seen that statement specifically in the inclusive schooling directive. I am wondering if the Minister can tell us if there's anything in the inclusive schooling directive or handbook that provides guidance, then, on what proven methods teachers should be using to teach children to read who may have dyslexia or other learning disabilities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, inclusive schooling in the Northwest Territories uses a tiered responsive model, which means it starts with good teaching for everyone, and then from there you add in small group help when needed, provide extra one-on-one supports to students who need it more, so getting a tiered approach that allows teachers to kind of narrow in to smaller groups as students need it but starting with the larger cohort to begin with. The new adapted curriculum, Mr. Speaker, itself incorporates foundational early learning components that align with evidence-based approaches that are identified as well in the Right to Read report that the Member referenced in her Member statements and previous questions as well. And it's important to note, Mr. Speaker, that the inclusive schooling review and the department's response will help shape clearer territorial direction on early literacy instruction and intervention to ensure that we're consistently applying things across the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does ECE provide any guidance to schools on when to seek a costly psychoeducational assessment by a professional when a student is struggling versus when to first try science-based instructional methods that have been proven to result in breakthroughs for specific reading challenges? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, while there are assessments that take a deeper look at how a student learns, there are lots of instances where an assessment of this nature isn't necessarily needed. Schools are really encouraged to act early and not wait, and teachers are encouraged to provide additional classroom and small group support as soon as a concern emerges with a student. And students don't need a diagnosis in order for teachers to make that available to students in their schools or in their classrooms, and a formal diagnosis is not required for accommodations or intervention for a student. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Frame Lake.
