Inclusive Curriculum
In the 19th century, special needs learners, particularly students with disability have to be segregated in the special schools. However, over the past decades, humanity’s progress has occurred in acknowledging that students with special needs enjoy the same education rights as their peers. Nowadays, this group of student cohort has access to mainstreaming schools and inclusive education. In Australia, today’s classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse. According to Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), student diversity may include general students, students with disability, gifted and talented students and students for whom English is an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) (ACARA, 2014).
Meanwhile, the change of the student cohort in the mainstreaming classroom make teaching job more challenging and complex than before. Due to a wide range of individual differences, general education curriculum may be inappropriate to meet individual needs of the growing diverse student population, particularly, student with disability or culturally and linguistically diverse background. As a result, modern education system calls for adapting general education curriculum and developing a broad and inclusive curriculum. The aim of inclusive curriculum is to ensure all students could have access to the content knowledge and engage in the learning process so as to maximize their achievement (Foreman, 2013). In the light of this,
Furthermore, knowledge of social disadvantage, cultural diversity, and inequality of students can broaden educators' understanding. Knowledge in these areas can be understood as forming part of the ‘hidden curriculum’. Blaise & Nuttall (2011) describe the hidden curriculum as unintentional actions which surround curriculum (p. 82). Due to the importance of the impact of factors in the hidden curriculum, it can be understood that it is critical for teachers to develop a broad understanding of the hidden curriculum so that they can be mindful while interpreting and delivering curricular experiences. Teachers need to consider the hidden curriculum to ensure children's needs are acknowledged and that a safe environment that is free from stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination is
Students use basic skills every day from looking at the clock to tell the time to handling money when paying and making change. Students who have jobs need to
Inclusive practice is about adapting what is being delivered to make learning accessible to everyone regardless of ability, special education need (SEN) or any other barrier that might exist. When planning to meet the needs of everyone in the group it is essential that the teacher has as much information about everyone as possible. (The City and Guilds textbook level 3 Award in Education and Training). Features of inclusive teaching and learning starts with knowing which learning styles your learners prefer, to do this you can use VARK (visual, aural, read/write and kinetic) test which was designed by Neil Fleming to help learners and teachers know what learning methods they are best suited to e.g. in the first lesson my tutor asked for us
1.1. Inclusive learning is about recognising that all your students have the right to be treated equally and fairly, have the same access to all products, services and have the opportunity to be involved and included. As a teacher you need to be aware that all students are not the same as they all do not learn in the same way, the ways in which a teacher can overcome this is using the Teaching and Learning Cycle, using visual, auditory and kinaesthetic materials (VAK) and agreeing on individual learning plans (ILPs). Other features could include self reflective exercises, quizzes and providing opportunities for students to reflect on their own
In a contemporary Australian school setting, inclusion is the ongoing collaboration of all members of the school community to effectively meet the diverse needs of all students, including those with additional needs (Blackmore, 2009; Lyons, 2014). All students regardless of their cultural background or ability level should experience an enriching education where they feel included and supported. Creating inclusive cultures, producing inclusive policies and evolving inclusive practices are the best ways to promote learning and participation in schools for all students (Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education, 2012; Dempsey, 2014).
An inclusive environment is a condition where everyone has an opportunity to fully participate. In education, this means everyone has the same opportunity, there should be no borders such as ethnicity, gender or disability. All students should feel valued, be able to mix and participate with all members of the group be in a safe and positive environment.
Creating an inclusive learning environment is an extremely important aspect of modern education, which, according to Gravells (2008: p18), ensures that “[…] all learners are entitled to be treated with respect and dignity. Everyone is an individual, with different experiences, abilities and needs.” She also offers a brief explanation of inclusivity (2008: p18), which is “[…] involving all learners in relevant activities rather than excluding them for any reason directly or indirectly.” Inclusion has also been defined by John Tomlinson (1996: p26) as “the greatest degree of match or fit between individual learning requirements and provision”. In the other words, inclusive learning environment nurtures individual potential of all learners,
Inclusive learning is about making sure that every learner in the classroom has their needs identified and met. It is about realising that every learner will have specific individual needs and it is the job of the teacher to accommodate the needs of all of their learners. Booth et al. (2000) state ‘Inclusion is seen to involve the identification and minimising of barriers to learning and participation’ (Booth et al., 2000: 13).
During the ten years that I have worked in primary education inclusivity has played an increasingly important part when considering how the curriculum can be delivered and how a classroom can be managed to ensure that it is accessed by all children. Experience of working within a primary classroom has shown that the accommodation of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and the delivery of inclusive lessons have had a vital part to play when determining classroom
Through my theoretical and small practical understanding of inclusive education I will be embracing the concept and practice of inclusion through the use of the term Curriculum Differentiation, which is all about arranging the classroom learning environment to be more suitable for students of all types, abilities and learning capacities to have the chance to reach their own individual maximum potentials (Carpenter, 2010). Through researching and learning about inclusion I have come to believe and agree with the statement of “Diversity not Deficit” when teaching in an inclusive school or classroom (Queensland Government, 2005). This statement reflects my own personal philosophy of inclusive education, as it pushes my strong belief that education is about not seeing any of the students, their families or the
For years children with special needs were ushered off to separate classes and schools. Children with special needs have the right to attend classes with their same aged peers in the same classroom with support. Students with special needs deserve the same opportunities they would have if circumstances were different. Inclusion gives those students with special needs the chance to be part of the community; able to form relationships outside of the family unit. All students benefit from inclusion; students with disabilities develop social skills and develop friendships while non-disabled students learn tolerance and acceptance.
In first being able to define inclusive education, it is necessary to understand the diversity of the student population. Disability comes in my varying forms and can be physical, sensory, intellectual, mental health and emotional, developmental, and non-visible (e.g. asthma). If disability was the only agent to consider in the diversity scenario things would be easier for teachers but there are a number of other classifications of students to consider: Gifted or talented; English as a second language (ESL); Indigenous students; and many other classifications which fall under the societal/family/personal heading (Ashman & Elkin, 2012).
A lot of people do not agree with inclusion in classrooms. They say, “the disabled student might be disruptive” or “the other students might get upset when the teacher has to slow down for the disabled student.” All students have their right to an education, whether it be inclusive or not. If a student is disruptive, the teacher should be able to handle it. Although people think inclusion has many disadvantages, there are far more advantages and benefits for all students, teachers, families and even for communities. Since everyone can benefit from inclusion, we as society should make schools and communities inclusive.
Inclusive education is concerned with the education and accommodation of ALL children in society, regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, or linguistic deficits. Inclusion should also include children from disadvantaged groups, of all races and cultures as well as the gifted and the disabled (UNESCO, 2003). Inclusion tries to reduce exclusion within the education system by tackling, responding to and meeting the different needs of all learners (Booth, 1996). It involves changing the education system so that it can accommodate the unique styles and way of learning of each learner and ensure that there is quality education for all through the use of proper resources, suitable curricula, appropriate
Every child has the ability to learn, but the way a child learns and processes knowledge can be very different, especially for a child with special needs. (Mainstreaming Special Education in the Classroom) As a society we owe all children the chance to reach their full potential, thus we must set up an environment where this accessible. Integrated education unarguably allows the must vulnerable and excluded children this chance. According to Inclusiveschools.org, “Inclusion” does not simply mean placing students with physical or mental disability in general mainstream classrooms, but rather offers fundamental change to school community and how children learn altogether. Effective models of inclusive education according to various sources, is the right model of education for special needs students because it allows greater access to mainstream curriculum, preparation for integration in an inclusive society, and promotes a tolerant and inclusive society. (Full inclusion: Has its time arrived?, The Benefits of inclusive Education.)