*FULLY UPDATED FOR 2024
If you’re applying for a Victorian Education Learning Specialist role, in addition to your resume, you’ll need to prepare responses to the key selection criteria. Our Learning Specialist selection criteria examples will inspire you to write your own responses for roles with the Victorian Department of Education.
What Are the Learning Specialist Key Selection Criteria?
(These tend to be the same across all Victorian roles, note also that Leading Teacher selection criteria also often similar):
We have highlighted how these criteria differ from standard teaching roles below, with the bold/ italic sections representing additional components not included in the standard teaching key selection criteria.
SC1 Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant curriculum. Demonstrated ability to model exemplary teaching practice, including the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum, and implement school priorities.
SC2 Demonstrated expertise in the implementation and modelling of high impact teaching strategies that respond to student learning needs. Demonstrated ability to support teachers to evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth.
SC3 Demonstrated exemplary ability to model the monitoring and assessment of student learning. Demonstrated ability to support others in using data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.
SC4 Demonstrated exemplary interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to engage in collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, parents and the broader school community to support student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.
SC5 Demonstrated ability to model behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated ability to support others to reflect on their practice and facilitate school-based professional learning.
Learning Specialist Selection Criteria Examples #1
Here is an example for responding to Learning Specialist Selection Criteria #1:
SC1 Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant curriculum. Demonstrated ability to model exemplary teaching practice, including the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum, and implement school priorities.
At ABC High School, I was tasked with championing literacy and numeracy improvement across the school, in alignment with the Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) and School Strategic Plan (SSP). Nominated as a Middle Years Literacy and Numeracy Support (MYLNS) Improvement Teacher, my focus was on supporting Year 10 ESL (English as a Second Language) students who were struggling to meet literacy and numeracy benchmarks.
I worked closely with the Learning Specialists (LS) in literacy and numeracy, who oversaw small teams delivering support programs, to enhance the skills of ESL students and ensure they achieved the required academic standards. I collaborated with the Learning Specialists (LS) in literacy and numeracy to design and implement effective support strategies. The LS teams provided oversight and resources, while I, along with other non-LS teachers, delivered targeted support sessions.
I participated in regular meetings with the LS teams to discuss progress, share insights, and adapt strategies to meet the specific needs of our students. To model exemplary teaching practices, I co-taught lessons with classroom teachers, focusing on integrating literacy and numeracy skills into different subjects. This included teaching specific segments of lessons, such as vocabulary development exercises during English classes or real-world applications of mathematical concepts during science classes.
I utilised formative assessments to monitor student progress, ensuring that teaching strategies were adjusted to address learning gaps. Additionally, I conducted joint planning sessions with the LS literacy and numeracy teams, creating cross-curricular projects that reinforced both literacy and numeracy skills. I also facilitated training sessions for other teachers, demonstrating how to seamlessly incorporate literacy and numeracy instruction into their teaching, supported by the Learning Specialists.
The collaborative efforts and co-teaching approach significantly improved the literacy and numeracy skills of ESL students. Students demonstrated marked improvements in reading comprehension and mathematical problem-solving abilities, reflected in higher classroom performance and NAPLAN results. The integration of literacy and numeracy across the curriculum became a standard practice, adopted by other teachers, leading to a more unified approach to teaching these critical skills. These initiatives helped the school successfully meet its literacy and numeracy targets outlined in the AIP and SSP, showcasing the effectiveness of collaborative and innovative teaching methods.
You’ll note this example meets all aspects of the criterion: Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant curriculum. Demonstrated ability to model exemplary teaching practice, including the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum, and implement school priorities (via the AIP and SSP). You’ll also note these examples are written in the preferred STAR format.
What Else Can You Include In Your Examples?
You might want to refer to:
- PLC Leader/ Faculty Leader roles
- Leading a team or project e.g. through a curriculum change project
- Leading Teacher roles e.g. timetable, head of faculty, year level coordinator
Need help writing your application? We are experts in Learning Specialist and Leading Teacher selection criteria applications. Contact us for a quote.
