Preliminary and ASDAN Courses
The Preliminary and ASDAN courses offered at Mercedes College are provided by our Inclusive Education department.
The Inclusive Education department caters for students who may require particular considerations and special arrangements, higher levels of support, differentiated curriculum and/or specialist assistance in order to achieve their educational goals. Annually, the courses offered within the Inclusive Education department are reviewed to reflect the needs of the students. The focus of each programme is based on the general capabilities of Literacy, Numeracy, Personal and Social Capability, in particular, students with disabilities can access teaching and learning programmes drawn from age-equivalent learning area content that is relevant to their individual learning needs. Students in Year 11 and 12 have specifically designed Individual Transition Plans (ITP) to provide them with skills to transition past graduation. These plans are originally created at the end of Year 10 in partnership with parents, case manager and external support agencies.
In Years 11 and 12, the focus is on a transition curriculum which is aimed at preparing students with skills and competencies to support a life of independence, contribution and fulfilment post school. The emphasis is on the whole person, developing numeracy, literacy, intra and inter-personal skills, and communication skills. Students will study a combination of Preliminary, Certificate I and ASDAN courses.
Grades are not assigned for the courses.
Courses being offered in 2020 are detailed below.
The Religion and Life Preliminary course provides students with opportunities to learn about one or more religions. They recognise features of religion and the role religion plays in human affairs.
Through the course, students learn and apply skills that enable them to learn about religion and the role it plays in society and in the lives of people. Students learn to use information about religion and follow suitable steps that assist with, and help them to engage with their own learning.
In this course, students study the English language through the use of receptive and expressive communication. The course recognises the diversity of the student population and builds on their knowledge of how language works, relevant to their needs, skills and interests. Students develop skills to communicate and respond to ideas, feelings and attitudes, and to interact effectively with others.
In the Preliminary Mathematics course, the main emphasis is on developing a student’s understanding of the basic mathematics concepts that they need in order to make sense of, and to be able to function as independently as possible within, their home, community and work environments. This course develops students’ understanding of how our number system works in order to recognise the magnitude of numbers. Students develop basic number sense in relation to everyday routine, familiar mathematical tasks. They solve simple daily problems involving money and time, which is a particular focus for functional numeracy. Students develop the skills to solve simple everyday problems involving the four arithmetic operations, measurement, and chance and data.
The Health and Physical Education Preliminary course provides students with the opportunity to enhance their own and others’ health, safety, wellbeing, and to participate in physical activity. It offers students an experiential curriculum that is contemporary and relevant.
Certificate I in Wider Opportunities for Work is an accredited course that focuses on the development of work-related skills. It is aimed at enhancing the learner’s job readiness and offers pathways into further education and training at Certificate II and III levels as well as potential outcomes in community participation. This nationally recognised training will be ‘on-the-job’ with ongoing support from a qualified trainer.
Mercedes College has an auspice agreement with ACTIV Pathways in the delivery and assessment of this certificate.
The Units of Competency are detailed below:
| Unit Code | Unit Name |
| BSBITU201 | Produce simple word-processed documents |
| BSBLED101 | Plan skills development |
| BSBWHS201 | Contribute to health and safety of self and others |
| LWADEV101A | Develop self-awareness |
| LWAWOR101A | Develop problem solving skills |
| WOWCDV101A | Career development |
| WOWCOM101A | Communication for work |
| WOWTEC101A | Technology for work |
| WOWWPP101A | Workplace Practice 2 |
ASDAN is an Award Programme that leads to national accreditation through SCSA. The program promotes personal and social skills development. ASDAN offers a wide range of curriculum award programmes for students with a wide range of disabilities. ASDAN Award programmes blend activity-based curriculum enrichment with a framework for the development, assessment and accreditation of key skills and other people and social skills, with emphasis on rewarding achievement.
ASDAN WorkRight
WorkRight is an ASDAN accredited course that offers students the opportunity to develop a range of basic transferable employability skills. The course has been developed to be followed alongside a Work Place Learning program. The course caters to a wide range of abilities in order to develop students into employable people who are punctual and reliable, can work with other people and can complete tasks safely to the required standard.
ASDAN Foods (Meal preparation and cooking)
ASDAN Foods is an ASDAN accredited course that offers students the opportunity to assist with the development of meal preparation and cooking skills for learners with a range of learning needs. It comprises of skills that include hygiene, health and safety, food storage, using kitchen equipment, shopping and meal preparation.