The Multi-disciplinary Team
The Psychology Department functions as an integral part of the transdisciplinary team; working together with parents, teachers, speech-language therapists and occupational therapists.
Functions of the Psychology Department
1. Therapy for Learners with Learning Disabilities
The main concern of the Psychology Department is to provide support to learners with a specific learning disability as these learners often display the following characteristics, which may hamper their cognitive and emotional well-being:
- Hyperactivity
- Attention/concentration problems
- Emotional immaturity
- Impulsiveness
- Poor social skills
- Fear of foreign situations
- Poor perseverance
- Poor self-image and poor self-confidence
- Planning problems
- Problems with coordination, laterality and dominance
- Memory dysfunction
- Anxiety
The Psychology Department is equipped to provide psychotherapy to address emotional problems and to implement crisis intervention strategies where necessary.
Therapy is short-solution focused and external referrals may be made if necessary.
For information on Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) contact the Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Support Group of South Africa (ADHASA).
2. Training and Consultation
The Psycho-Social Department is involved with the in-service training and support of staff members in managing the emotional and social aspects of the child with a specific learning disability within the classroom environment. Panel and class discussions take place in order to monitor the progress learners make and to decide on appropriate intervention strategies where necessary.
- Parent Effectiveness Training :
3. Assessments
Emotional and intellectual assessments are performed as required. Vocational assessment and career guidance is also provided, however, only when requested by the parents. Please be advised that the vocational assessment programme offered at SOA is preferably reserved for learners currently completing their senior high school phase i.e. grades 10 to grade 12.
4. School-Based Support Team (SBST)
The Psycho-Social Department plays an active role in terms of the provision of consultative services, geared at empowering and supporting educators, during shcool-based support team meetings. These meetings are also utilised as a point of referral for psycho-social intervention; and for 'wrap-around' sessions regarding the planning and implementation of intervention strategies.
5. Psycho-Social Camps
During the course of the year the Psycho-Social Department present a grade 7, grade 8 and grade 12 leader orientation camp respectively. Emphasis is placed on leadership and coping skills in order to aid the grade 8 learners with their transition into High School. The grade 12 camp is alternatively geared towards stress-management skills.
6. On-line Information
For more information, please contact the Psychology Department