Teachers at Mackenzie State Special School collaborate to design units that align with the Australian Curriculum. These units ensure our students engage in purposeful and age equivalent curriculum and cater for their individual needs and skills. This approach addresses all Learning Areas across cohorts, promoting a well-rounded education.
Students in Prep to Year 10 have Different Year Level Partial (DYL-P) and Highly Individual Curriculum Plans (HICPs) that specify how each student is accessing the curriculum and capture the differentiation and pedagogy needed to maximise their learning.
The focus for students in Years 11 & 12 is to deliver individualised curriculum using the Guide for Individual Learning (GIL) as a framework that leads to a Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement (QCIA). These students engage in various post school preparation programs, both on and offsite, to acquire skills outlined in the GIL, with a focus on Communication and Literacy foundation tools for overall learning improvement.
Mackenzie Special School places significant emphasis on literacy and numeracy, employing explicit teaching methods across all grades. Each year, the school outlines a specific focus for improved student learning in its Annual Improvement Plan.
Functional literacy and numeracy opportunities are integrated into class programs, while micro-industries and specialist lessons allow students to apply and generalize their developing skills in meaningful holistic contexts.