/L w EDUCATION w x w Q Krii Studet materi als
Graphic desig ad layout: Susae AlmeidaKlei Cover desig: JeaFracis Chkriez Illustratios: Salvador Pefia Neva Published by Uited Natios Orgaizatio for Educatioal, Scietific ad Cultural Developmet 7 Place de Foteoy 75352 Paris 07 SP Prited i the workshops of UNESCO 0 UNESCO 1993 Prited i Frace II
Foreword This UNESCO Resource Pack has bee developed with the help of may people. I see its productio as a log, ogoig jourey. The jourey bega with a small group of colleagues explorig ways of helpig teachers to respod to special eeds i their classrooms. As the jourey progressed, this small group expaded as they made ew frieds who were iterested i similar issues. Ideed, the creatio of parterships for the purpose of extedig thikig ad improvig practice has come to be the cetral strategy withi the project that led to the creatio of this pack. Today, throughout the world, members of this iteratioal etwork of parters are usig the Resource Pack as a basis for teacher educatio iitiatives. At the time of writig, the pack is beig used i over thirty coutries ad is beig traslated ito may laguages. As ew parters joi our etwork, I hope they will keep i mid the idea of the jourey. I this respect the materials i the pack are iteded to provide supplies that may be eeded alog the way. As such they should be used flexibly, takig accout of local coditios ad circumstacks. They should also be modified ad improved i the light of experiece. The pack is meat i this way to stimulate ad support progress towards forms of schoolig that ca facilitate the learig of all childre i,the commuity. Lea Saleh UNESCO Users of this pack are iformed that there is a Special Needs i the Classroom: Teacher Educatio Guide which goes with this material, as well as three videos: Iformatio Video, Traiig Video, ad Iclusive School. These are o sale ad available upo request.
Ackowledgemets This pack was developed by a iteratioal The members of the team are: resource team. Aupam Ahuja Idia Mel Aiscow Uited Kigdom Cythia Duk Chile Gerard0 Echeita Spai Hala Ibrahim Jorda N. K. Jagira Idia Meas Machawira Zimbabwe Chipo Marira Zimbabwe Charles Mifsud Malta Joseph Mifsud Malta Sophia Ngaywa Keya Wisto Rampaul Caada Chris Rose Caada Lea Saleh UNESCO, Paris Nia Sotorrio Spai Daielle Va Steeladt Chile Grace Wag ombe Keya Zuhair Zakaria Jorda The team ackowledges the cotributios of teachers ad teacher educators from may coutries throughout the world. These materials are a tribute to a remarkable example of iteratioal collaboratio i which colleagues from differet cultures have worked together i the iterests of all childre. IV
Cotets Itroductio Module 1 A Itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom vii 1 Study material Uits: 1.1 What do you expect? 1.2 A policy for evaluatio 1.3 Learig lessos 1.4 Lookig at classrooms 1.5 Childre s learig 1.6 Schoolbased iquiry 3 17 18 20 22 23 25 Module 2 Special eeds: Defiitios ad resposes 31 Study material Uits: 2.1 Defiig special eeds 2.2 What ca schools do about special eeds? 2.3 Iclusive schools 2.4 Dealig with disabilities 2.5 Attitudes to disability 2.6 Perspectives o disability 2.7 Itegratio i actio 2.8 Lookig at itegratio 2.9 The eeds of teachers 33 46 52 55 56 60 62 63 69 70
Module 3 Towards effective schools for all Study material Uits: 3.1 Assessig ad recordig progress 3.2 Makig learig more meaigful 3.3 Chagig practice 3.4 Classroom factors 3.5 Aalysig classroom practice 3.6 Cooperative learig 3.7 Structurig group activities 3.8 Readig for learig 3.9 Problem solvig 3.10 Puttig it together Module 4 Help ad support Study material Uits: 4.1 Social climate of the classroom 4.2 Problem behaviour 4.3 Childtochild 4.4 Peer tutorig 4.5 Partership teachig 4.6 Sharig classrooms 4.7 Parets as parters 4.8 Meetig parets 4.9 Commuity ivolvemet 4.10 Exteral agecies 4.11 Practice ad feedback For further readig VI
Itroductio to the resource pack These studet materials are part of a UNESCO project to help schools ad teachers respod to pupils with special eeds. The materials are iteded to be used flexibly to fit i with differet situatios. They may, for example, be used as: 1 Part of a iitial traiig course for teachers 2 A iservice workshop for experieced teachers 3 The basis of a schoolbased staff developmet programme. The materials cosist of four modules as follows: Module 1 A itroductio to Special Needs i the Classroom Module 2 Special eeds: Defiitios ad resposes Module 3 Towards effective schools for all Module 4 Help ad support Each module commeces with Study Material which should be read by all the participats i a course or workshop. This is the followed by Uits that form the basis of particular sessios. Module 1 provides studets with a overview of the project, icludig a explaatio of the priciples aroud which it has bee developed. It also icludes a explaatio of how the sessios are to be coducted, icludig strategies for cotiuous evaluatio by participats. The material used i all four modules requires some form of active learig, usually ivolvig group work. Where writte materials are studied these are usually read by participats before the course sessio ad the used as a basis of some form of group activity. Little use is made of formal lecture iputs although course leaders or participats may add their ow iputs to course sessios as appropriate. It is assumed that those coordiatig a course or workshop will have participated i a traiig experiece related to this resource pack. They must also have access to VII
a copy of the otes for course leaders available from UNESCO. Fially those usig the pack should be sesitive to the costraits faced by teachers. Whilst the aim is to help all teachers to be more successful i respodig to pupil diversity, it is importat to remember that this is ot always so easy i situatios where there are large classes, limited resources, or policies that limit the capacity to work flexibly. Mel Aiscow VIII
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom 1
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Study material Cotets of this Module Study Material...,...,...,... 3 Discussio Material. Uit 1.1 What do you expect?... 17 Uit 1.2 A policy for evaluatio... 18 Uit 1.3 Learig lessos... 20 Uit 1.4 Lookig at classrooms... 22 Uit 1.5 Childre s learig... 23 Uit 1.6 School based iquiry... 25 2
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Study material Guide This study material provides a itroductio to the Special Needs i the Classroom project. It explais a little about how the project materials were developed ad how they are iteded to be used. The project is based upo a umber of strategies that have bee foud to be successful i helpig teachers to develop their thikig ad practice. These strategies ca be used i all classrooms whether the studets are adults or childre. Also icluded i this study material is a outlie of all the modules ad uits i this resource pack. This ca be used i order to decide which sectios of the pack are relevat to particular groups of participats. A 3
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Study material Itroductio This resource pack is part of a project developed by UNESCO to help schools ad teachers i differet parts of the world to respod to childre who experiece difticulties i school. It is expected that the materials will be used i may differet ways to make them suitable for differet atioal cotexts. Cosequetly the emphasis is o flexibility. Use the materials i whatever ways seem sesible to you ad your colleagues. The project materials were developed with the help of teachers ad teacher educators i may differet coutries. So, whilst they were coordiated by oe author, the ideas ad experieces of may people are reflected i the text. I this study material we will look at the backgroud to the project icludig the aims ad features of the materials, ad the make some suggestios as to their use. The developmet of the project The project Special Needs i the Classroom was iitiated by UNESCO i 1988. The aim was to develop a resource pack of ideas ad materials that could be used by teachers ad teacher educators i differet parts of the world. The cocer was with helpig ordiary schools to respod positively to pupil diversity. The iitiative for the project grew out of UNESCO s cotiuig work i ecouragig member states to develop strategies for respodig to childre s special eeds i ordiary schools. A survey of fourtee coutries, commissioed by UNESCO ad carried out by a research team from the Uiversity of Lodo, idetified three major priorities for policy developmet. These were: 1 The provisio of compulsory educatio for all childre i the populatio; 2 The itegratio of pupils with disabilities ito ordiary schools; ad 3 The upgradig of teacher traiig as a meas of achievig the first two priorities. The fidigs of this survey were used as the basis of a series of regioal workshops. A outcome of these evets was that UNESCO was urged to assist i the dissemiatio of teacher traiig materials that could be used to facilitate improvemets with respect to meetig special eeds i ordiary schools. The regioal workshops also geerated more specific recommedatios a9 to the cotet ad emphasis to be placed withi ay materials that might be produced. Clearly the desig of suitable teacher educatio materials represeted a eormous challege. I particular there was the cetral issue of how to produce a pack that would be relevat to ad take accout of such a wide rage of atioal cotexts, especially those i developig coutries. This beig the case a umber of measures were take durig the formulatio of the materials i order to achieve a level of flexibility that could take accout of diverse settigs. These were as follows: A pilot workshop for teachers ad teacher educators from various Africa coutries was held i Nairobi, Keya i April 1989. This allowed various materials ad approaches to be evaluated. Further trials were carried out i Turkey durig September 1989. 4
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Study material Advisory teams cosistig of teacher educators ad teachers were created i differet parts of the world. These teams provided commet o draft materials ad cotributed materials ad ideas of their ow for iclusio i the pack. Special educators ad others ivolved i teacher developmet aroud the world read ad commeted upo draft materials. A iteratioal resource team was created to fieldtest ad evaluate pilot materials. This team is also ivolved i the further developmet of the materials. I April 1990 two coordiators from each of eight coutries (i.e. Caada, Chile, Idia, Jorda, Keya, Malta, Spai ad Zimbabwe) took part i a twoweek workshop/ semiar at the Uiversity of Zimbabwe. The group icluded uiversity lecturers, educatioal admiistrators, teachers ad oe headteacher. The first week took the form of a demostratio workshop durig which materials from the resource pack were used to coduct a series of course sessios for the coordiators ad a further group of local teachers ad studet teach ers. I the secod week, the demostrated workshop was evaluated durig a semiar i which the iteratioal coordiators plaed together the ways i which they would fieldtest the resource pack i their ow coutries. This fieldtestig was completed by March, 1991 ad each team of coordiators prepared a evaluatio report about their work. The mai aim of the fieldtestig was to gather iformatio that could be used to iform the further developmet of the resource pack ad to pla its future dissemiatio. I this way, it was possible to develop the 16 coordiators ito a iteratioal resource team who are ow collaboratig with colleagues i may coutries i the promotio of the project. The evaluatio reports idicate that i all of the fieldtestig sites the materials were used as iteded ad that course leaders worked i ways that were cosistet with the thikig of the project. The reports reflect a sese of acceptace ad optimism about the approaches that were used. Overall, the evidece supports the view that the cotet of the materials i the resource pack was appropriate for teachers i each of these atioal cotexts, focusig o issues that they foud meaigful ad relevat. Furthermore it seems that the activities ad processes used are successful i helpig teacher educators ad, i tur, teachers to develop their thikig ad practice. The desig of the project materials I the light of the accout of the developmet of the resource pack you will recogize that desigig suitable teacher educatio material for the project has preseted may difficulties. How ca such materials be relevat to such a wide rage of coutries? As you will see this issue is addressed i the materials by adoptig a series of approaches that are emphasised throughout the project. Ideed the assumptio is made that these approaches apply i all teachig ad learig situatios, whether this is the lecture room i a college, a iservice workshop for experieced teachers, or the classrooms of your school. Cosequetly these approaches will guide your participatio i this project. We hope that you will also adopt them i teachig the pupils i your classes. 5
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Study material Learig is more likely to occur where there is: Active learig Negotiatio of objectives Cotiuous evaluatio Demostratio, practice ad feedback I. =) Salppo~t 6
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Study material Put simply the approaches are as follows: Learig is more likely to occur i classrooms where there is: Active learig i.e. Approaches that ecourage participats to egage with opportuities for learig. Negotiatio of objectives i.e. Approaches that eable activities to take accout of the cocers ad iterests of idividual participats. Demostratio, I practice ad feedback i.e. Approaches that model examples of practice, ecourage their use ad provide opportuities for feedback. Cotiuous evaluatio i.e. Approaches that ecourage equiry ad reflectio as ways of reviewig learig. Support i.e. Approaches that help idividuals to take risks. Let us look at each of these five poits i tur, particularly with respect to teacher educatio. As we do so, keep i mid possible implicatios for your ow classroom. 1 Active ivolvemet Active approaches to learig, i which course participats work collaboratively to develop their skills ad uderstadig, ad solve commo problems, have may advatages over traditioal approaches to teacher educatio. I particular they ecourage ivolvemet ad help idividuals overcome some of the fears associated with chage. Throughout your ivolvemet i this project, therefore, you will fid yourself asked to work with other people. We believe that this will help you to lear by sharig with others. We also thik it will make learig a ejoyable experiece. 2 Negotiatio of objectives Each participat has their ow ideas, experieces ad cocers. Cosequetly it is ecessary to allow idividuals to work out their ow priorities, their ow learig objectives. It may well be, that these objectives chage as a result of readig the various study materials ad participatig i the related activities. 3 Demostratio, practice ad feedback Research evidece suggests that the itroductio of ew ways of workig ito schools is more likely if these three elemets, demostratio, practice ad feedback, are used collectively. Throughout this project, therefore, you will have opportuities to see teachig approaches demostrated, to practice them yourself ad to receive helpful commet o your attempts. To help with this you will be ecouraged to work i collaboratio with your colleagues. 4 Cotiuous evaluatio Sice we will be watig you to determie your ow learig objectives withi this project, it also makes sese for you to take resposibility for moitorig progress. We believe that this will ecourage you to make greater effort to improve your practice. Our aim is to get you to see yourself as a learer, learig alogside the pupils i your classroom. We also wat the process of cotiuous evaluatio to be used as a meas of ifluecig the course activities ad priorities. I this way the course should be helpful to idividual participats. 5 Support Fially, throughout this project, whether withi the cotext of preservice or iservice teacher educatio, emphasis will be placed o the importace of support withi the classroom. Learig ca be a stressful busiess for studets ad teachers. If this stress 7
I Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Study material becomes too great, learig will be less likely. Classrooms that are characterized by support help all participats, teachers ad studets, to lear more effectively. The implicatio of these five approaches is that you as a participat i this project will have a lot to do. Ideed the mai purpose is to help you to take resposibility for your ow learig. This is a useful motto that you should keep i mid. Poits to cosider What do you feel about these five approaches? Do you use ay of these approaches with the classes you teach? Cotet The desig of the project materials was iflueced by the evidece of the survey of fourtee coutries summarized above, the views expressed at the various1 regioal workshops ad experiece of other teacher educatio iitiatives. They were the rewritte as a result of the fieldtestig ad research i eight coutries. The overall aim is as follows: To help teachers to develop their thikig ad practice with respect to the ways i which they respod to educatioal difficulties. As was said o erlier, the materials should be used flexibly to take accout of differet atioal cotexts ad to meet the idividual eeds of course participats. I geeral terms it is assumed that they are likely to be used i oe of the followig cotexts: 1 Iitial teacher traiig courses held i colleges or uiversities. 2 Iservice courses or workshops for groups of experieced teachers. 3 As part of schoolbased staff developmet programmes for all members of staff withi a particular school. Throughout the project material emphasis is placed o seeig special eeds as a curriculum issue. I other words, whilst it is assumed that educatioal difficulties occur because of the iteractio of a rage of factors, our resposibility as teachers must be to provide the coditios that will help all childre to lear. Recogitio of this leads to a more optimistic frame of mid. It meas that what teachers do, the decisios they make, the experieces they provide, ad the relatioships they have with their pupils, all have a major ifluece o childre s progress i schools. This approach also takes accout of possible dagers associated with the idea of labellig. Istead of groupig some childre together because they are see as beig i some* way special, we should recogize that all childre are special. Cosequetly our aim must be to respod to all pupils as idividuals, recogizig idividuality as somethig to be respected. It would surely be a sad world if everybody were the same! 8
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Study material All of this meas that istead of provid that takes accout of idividual pupil variaig separate learig experieces for tios. This is the topic you will be cosidgroups of special childre, teachers i ordi erig as you read the study materials ad ary schools should be seekig effective participate i course activities with your ways of providig a cpmmo curriculum colleagues. Poits to cosider w Do you believe that all childre are special? 1 Is it possible to provide a commo curriculum for all childre? Fidig your way aroud the course materials The four Modules cosist of Study Material that provides a overall itroductio to the topic ad a series of Uits that form the basis of activities withi the course. Normally you will be expected to read some itroductory otes relatig to a particular Uit before the course sessio. This way the sessios ca be made more active ad, cosequetly, more learig should take place. The ext few pages of this study material is a outlie of the various Mod ules ad Uits i the pack. By readig these summaries you ad your colleagues will be able to choose the sectios that are most relevat. It is ot expected that groups ivolved i a course or workshop will use all the materials i the resource pack. Rather you should work with those sectios that are relevat to your work. I this way ypu ca desig a programme of activities that will be of maximum help., 9
Module 1 A itroductio,to Special eeds i the classroom Study material Summary of the cotets Module 1 A itroductio to Speciql eeds i the classroom Study material 1 This material provides a itroductio to the project, icludig a accout of its developmet through a process of iteratioal collaboratio ad research. This led to the developmet of five approaches that make the materials associated with the project relevat to teachers i differet coutries. Courses ad workshops based upo the materials have to be coducted i a flexible way i order to take accout of the iterests of idividual participats. The aim is to ecourage participats to take resposibility for their ow learig. Uits i Module 1 1.1 What do you expect? Participats are expected to determie their ow learig objectives withi the geeral aim of the course. This activity helps idividuals to review their expectatios. 1.2 A policy for evaluatio Cotiuous evaluatio is see as beig a crucial part i the use of these materials. This uit provides some suggestios as to how this evaluatio should be udertake. 1.3 LRarig lessos This course is all about learigchildre s learig ad adult learig. The purpose of this uit is to help participats to thik about themselves as learers. 1.4 Lookig at classrooms This uit begis the process of ecouragig participats to review their ow practice as teachers. It also helps i the refiemet of learig objectives for the course. 1.5 Childry s learig I this uit participats cotiue thikig about learig. Here the cocer is with the learig of childre. 1.6 School based iquiry Participats are expected to review areas of their ow classroom practice. This uit provides advice o how to carry out such iquiries. Mobule 2 Special eeds: defiitios ad resposes Study material 2 This material provides a accout of chages i thikig that are ifluecig developmets i may coutries. These chages redefie special eeds i terms of the curriculum. They require teachers to develop their practice i order to help all pupils to lear. Pupils experiecig difliculty ca be see more.positively as providig feedback o existig classroom arragemets. Improvemets made i respose to this feedback will be to the beefit of all pupils. Respodig positively to special eeds is a way of improvig schools for all. 10
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Study material Uits i Module 2 2.1 Defiig special eeds Special eeds are see as arisig from a iteractio of a rage of factors, some withi the child, some i the commuity ad, critically, others related to. the resposes of schools. This activity helps teachers to recogize these factors. 2.2 What ca schools do about special m&i? This exercise is iteded to pipoit those factors i schools that ifluece pupil learig ad which, therefore, ca be maipulated to overcome difficulties. 2.3 Iclusive schools i Throughout the world there are examples of schools that are successful i respodig positively to pupil diversity. Studyig these schools ca help us to develop our uderstadig. 2.4 Dealig with disabilities Ievitably special eeds occur whe schools are uable to deal with childre s disabilities. Child studies are used as a basis for cosiderig strategies for dealig with disability i schools. 2.5 Attitudes to disability This uit provides a opportuity to cosider differet attitudes to disability. It also helps idividuals to review their ow thikig. 2.6 Perspectives o disability A exercise i which teachers have the opportuity to meet disabled adults ad discuss their experieces i school. Visual aids may also be used to help participats to become familiar with people who have disabilities. 2.7 Itegratio i actio Usig a series of stories writte by teachers i differet parts of the world, this uit begis to idetify the importat features of practice that are importat for dealig with special eeds i ordiary schools. 2.8 Lookig at itegratio Based o school visits, this uit cotiues the ivestigatio ito good practice i dealig with special eeds. 2.9 The eeds of teachers Assumig a curriculum view of special eed there has to be cosideratio of the professioal eeds of teachers. Teachers who feel cofidet i themselves are better placed to respod to difficulties experieced by their pupils. This uit looks at ways i which teachers should deal with persoal stress. Module 3 Towards effective for all Study material 3 schools This material explores the practical implicatios of adoptig a curriculum view of educatioal difficulties. The cocer is o respodiqg to idividual pupils withi a commo ;curriculum rather tha devisig separate programmes. Give this argumet the questio is: How ca teachers improve their practice with respect to ways of respodig to idividuals withi a class? The emphasis is o learig from experiece, usig colleagues to provide support ad stimulatio i establishig a reflective attitude. This beig the case there is also a eed to establish strategies for evaluatig classroom practice ad respodig o the basis of iformatio collected. It is also very importat to adopt a whole school policy that provides support to idividual teachers. 11
Module 1 A iptroductlo to Special eeds i the classroom Study material Ults i Module 3 3.1 Assessig ad recordig progress What is recorded i a classroom teds to have a major impact o the curriculum provided. This uit looks at orietatios to assessmet ad recordig, ad icludes a cosideratio of some examples. 3.2 Makig learig more meaigful Difficulties i learig occur whe pupils perceive the curriculum as beig irrelevat or lackig i meaig. Priciples of good curriculum practice are preseted ad used as a meas of evaluatig the appropriateess of provisio made i the classrooms of course participats. 3.3 Chagig practice I this uit the issue of chage i educatio is cosidered. If teachers are to develop their ow practice, they eql to recogize the difficulties they face ad the coditios that facilitate chage. 3.4 Classroom factors This uit examies some of the methods teachers use to respod to idividual pupils i their classes. These factors provide a ageda withi which course participats ca cosider their ow curret practice. 3.5 Aalysig Classroom practice Usig systematic observatios of classroom practice this uit seeks to examie i more detail the factors that facilitate the progress of idividual pupils. 3.6 Cooperative learig There is icreasig evidece to suggest that cooperative learig strategies are effective i helpig pupils to achieve their academic goals. They ca also facilitate the itegratio of exceptioal pupils ad ecourage persoal ad social developmet. 3.7 Structurig group activities Cooperative learig is oly successful whe group activities are plaed to ecourage positive iterdepedece betwee group members. This uit looks at practical strategies for usig group learig i the classroom. 3.8 Readig for learig Classroom readig material ca cause particular difficulties for some childre. This uit examies strategies for helpig all pupils to read more effectively. 3.9 Problem solvig Whilst the mai emphasis is o improvig the curriculum there is still the occasioal eed to devise additioal resposes to help pupils overcome particular difficulties. This uit provides a framework for the developmet of such resposes. 3.10 Puttig it together This uit provides a opportuity for participats to use ideas from the other uits to devise, implemet ad evaluate a lesso pla. Module 4 Help ad support hudy material 4 Whilst the importace of selfhelp is stressed throughout this project, the value of support should ot be uderestimated. Effective teachers recogize the importace of developig a support etwork. I particular they are skilful i gaiig help from their pupils, their colleagues, parets ad others i the commuity, ad, where available, exteral support agecies. Successful schools have a commitmet to collaboratio as a meas of creatig positive learig coditios for pupils ad teachers.
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Study material Uits i Module 4 4.1 Social climate of the classroom Successful teachers create a atmosphere i their classrooms that ecourage learig. Such a atmosphere also reduces disruptio. This uit explores these issues. 4.2 Problem behaviour This uit cosiders ways of respodig to behaviour that iterferes with learig. It builds upo the problem solvig approach preseted i Uit 3.9. 4.3 Childtochild This uit itroduces participats to the thikig ad practice of Childtochild, a approach to peer tutorig that is used successfully i may parts of the world. 4.4 Peer tutorig A rage of strategies for ecouragig childre to help oe aother i the classroom are itroduced i this uit, particularly paired readig. 4.5 Partership teachig There is cosiderable evidece to show the value of teachers collaboratig to develop their practice. This has bee show to be a particularly powerful meas of supportig idividuals as they attempt to implemet ew ways of workig i their classrooms. 4.6 Sharig classrooms The presece of more tha oe adult i the classroom provides the basis for a more flexible rage of resposes to idividual pupils. It ca also preset additioal difficulties, however, particularly where the partership is ot well plaed. This uit examies strategies for sharig classrooms successfully. 4.7 Parets as parters Research has also show the impact that parets ca have upo the progress of their childre. Seeig parets as parters i the process of learig is essetial to this approach. Strategies for developig positive relatioships betwee home ad school are explored i this uit. 4.8 Meetig parets Meetigs betwee parets ad teachers ca be stressful for both groups. I this uit ways of makig such meetigs more positive will be examied. 4.9 Commuity ivolvemet This uit looks at the relatioships betwee schools ad the commuities they serve. It is argued that successful educatio requires a shared uderstadig as to the purposes of the curriculum. O a more pragmatic level the resources of the wider commuity should be available as a source of support to teachers. 4.10 Exteral agecies Whilst the availability of exteral support agecies varies from area to area, it is importat to recogize that the key issue is to make effective use of those that are available. This uit looks at strategies for settig up appropriate forms of commuicatio with other professioals. 4.11 Practice ad feedback The materials i the resource pack Special Needs i the Classroom ca be used i a variety of settigs, icludig as part of school developmet. This uit provides a opportuity for participats to practise usig sectios of the pack for teacher developmet activities. I.3
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Study material Evaluatig progress To get the best out of your participatio i this project you should try to take resposibility for your ow learig. I particular you should: 1 Liste Listeig to the views of others is i itself a active learig process that will help you to develop your ow ideas. 2 Share Help the developmet of discussios withi course sessios by cotributig your ow ideas ad sharig your experieces. 3 Challege If you hear somethig said with which you disagree, or do ot fully uderstad, you must speak up. I the same way you must expect your ideas to be challeged by others. 4 Relate At all times you should attempt to relate course discussios to your ow classroom, seekig to fid ways of improvig your ow practice. 5 Have fu! There is o evidece to suggest that learig has to be paiful. By ad large effective classrooms are places where studets ejoy themselves. I additio you should also cotribute to the ogoig evaluatio of the course. Here there are two iterrelated elemets. They are: 1 The evaluatio of your ow progress; 2 The evaluatio of the course as a whole. Your course leader will discuss with you ad the other participats a policy for orgaizig evaluatio. Possible strategies that may be useful are as follows: 1 Keepig a learig joural This is a persoal diary i which you record your ow objectives ad write commets about your progress towards their achievemet. You might also write occasioal reflectios o the course as a whole. 2 Negotiated statemets Here you ad the course leader discuss ad try to agree a writte statemet recordig your progress so far. 3 Group discussio You ad your colleagues may meet o a regular basis i small groups to discuss progress. Summaries of coclusios are the read out to the whole course group. You may thik of other approaches that could be used to help with the process of evaluatio. Whichever approaches are used it is importat to remember that the mai purpose of evaluatio is oe of improvemet. (e.g.. How ca I achieve my objectives? How ca the course help me to achieve my objectives? ). Therefore, commets made should always aim to be positive ad costructive, whether these are to do with the progress of idividuals or, ideed, the course as a whole. 14
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Study material The Special Needs i the Classroom materials are meat to help you to respod to educatioal difficulties. The cotet of the materials is based upo the followig ideas: Learig is more likely to occur i classrooms where there is: 1 Active ivolvemet of learers 2 Negotiatio of idividual learig objectives 3 Opportuities for demostratio, practice ad feedback 4 Cotiuous evaluatio of learig 5 Support for learers ad teachers. This course will be based upo these ideas. The mai purpose will be to help you to take resposibility for your ow learig. I this way you will lear how to become a better teacher.
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds I the classroom 1 Study material The six uits that follow will help you to cosider i more detail issues raised i the study material. Your course leader will explai how these uits are to be dealt with. Cotets of the Uits 1.1 What do you expect?... 17 1.2 fj policy for evaluatio... 18 1.3 Learig lessos... 20 1.4 Lookig at classrooms... 22 1.5 Childre s learig....23 1.6 School based iquiry... 2.5 16
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Uit 1.1 What do you expect? Uit aim To review the expectatios of idividual participats. Activities 1 With a parter discuss what each of you would like to gai from this course. 2 Joi up with aother pair of course participats ad explai to the other pair your expectatios. 3 Form up with the other groups ad agree a geeral list of course expectatios. This list should be helpful i guidig the establishmet of course priorities ad activities. Evaluatio issues 1 What are your mai priorities for the course? 2 What strategies will you adopt to esure that you achieve these priorities? 17
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Uit 1.2 A policy for evaluatio Uit aim To agree o procedures for evaluatig the course. Activities 1 Read the discussio material, Evaluatio ad Learig. 2 I small workig groups formulate a possible policy for course evaluatio. Such a policy should: help idividuals moitor their ow learig iform the course leader of matters related to the course i geeral provide support to all participats ot take up too much time. 3 Preset your proposal to the other groups ad the together agree the policy that you propose to use. (N.B. These egotiatios may take some time. Remember, however, that this is a crucial part of the course which should help to esure its success. The process of discussio may also help you to get to kow more about the other participats.) Evaluatio issues 1 I the light of the agreed policy what actios do you eed to take to evaluate your ow learig? 2 What problems, if ay, do you aticipate? 18
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Discussio material Evaluatio ad learig Evaluatio should be a importat part of ay learig experiece, whether for adults or childre. The major aim of evaluatio should be to improve the quality of learig of all participats. However, this aspect is ofte overlooked i teacher educatio programmes. Possible reasos for this are: 1 It may create a egative reactio from some participats. 2 There is sometimes cofusio about the aims of evaluatio. 3 The termiology ad techiques associated with evaluatio seem to be complex. 4 It is timecosumig. Durig.this course we wish to evaluate two iterrelated aspects: 1 Your progress towards achievig the objectives you set for yourself; ad 2 The ways i which the course is helpig you to achieve these objectives. Keepig these two issues i mid there is, therefore, a eed to address the followig questios i order to establish a policy for evaluatio withi the course: What iformatio is eeded? Who eeds to kow? Who should take resposibility? Uit 1.2 A policy for evaluatio 19
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Uit 1.3 Learig,lessos Uit aim To help participats to reflect upo themselves as learers. Activities 1 This course is about learigchildre s learig ad adult learig. Thikig about ourselves as learers ca help i two ways: we will get better at learig ad at supportig the learig of our colleagues we will uderstad more about childre as learers 2 Sped a few miutes thikig about yourself as a adult learer. (For example, how did you lear to ride a bicycle or drive a car? Ca you remember learig to read?) 3 Workig o your ow complete the seve seteces o the attached paper. 4 Share your resposes with aother participat. What do they tell you about yourself as a learer? l What implicatios are there for the way you teach your pupils? 5 Discuss your coclusio with the whole group. Evaluatio issues 1 What measures should you take to help yourself to lear successfully durig this course? 2 Could these same measures help childre i your classes? 20
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Discussio material Myself as a learer Workig o your ow complete these seteces: 1 ci lear slowly whe..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9........................................................................................................................ 2 I lear quickly whe...........,....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9........................................................................................................................ I fid learig easy whe...... CLearig i groups...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9........................................................................................................................ Learig from books......................................................................................... GI lear well from someoe who.,....:........................................................................................................................................................................................ 9........................................................................................................................ I ejoy learig whe................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 9........................................................................................................................ P Uit 1.3 Learig lessos 21
Module 1 A Itroductio to Special eeds I the classroom Uit 1.4 Lookig at classrooms Uit aim To provide a opportuity for participats to review their ow classroom practice. Activities 1 ^ 2 3 4 O your ow, draw a picture of your ow classroom. Try to show by illustratio the thigs that you feel are importat. This is ot a test of your artistic ability so feel free to draw i whatever way you like. Use cartoos, colours or words to emphasize particular poits i.f you wish. You may also like to talk to other course participats as you draw. The aim is to use drawig to help you to thik about your ow classroom. With aother participat talk about your picture. What are the problems that you face i your teachig? Try to agree a list of commo issues ad problems. Form ito groups of four ad compare your lists of commo issues ad problems. Fially discuss geerally the poits that have arise from these activities with all the other course members. Evaluatio activities 1 What are the mai problems about your classroom that have emerged from this activity? 2 What objectives are suggested that might be addressed durig this course? 22
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Uit 1.5 Childre s learig Uit aim To help participats to thik about childre s learig. Activities 1 2 3 4 5 Read the discussio material, What do we kow about learig? Workig o your ow, look over the six statemets about learig,ad make some otes of examples that illustrate or cotradicteach statemet. Use examples from your ow experiece as a learer, both ow ad i the past, ad examples of childre s learig i your workplace. Workig i small groups of four or five, discuss each of the statemets ad the examples you have oted with your colleagues. Thik about the implicatios of each statemet for your practice, ad your workplace. Workig i the same groups of four or five, select oe of the six statemets ad discuss how its message might be icorporated ito your workplace. Make a poster that will illustrate the group message Preset your posterto the rest of the course participats. Evaluatio issues 1 What are the implicatios of these discussios for your classroom practice? 2 Are there particular aspects of your teachig that you might wat to develop i the light of these discussios? 23
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Discussio material What do we kow about learig? P, 1 2 3 4 5 6 Learig is ever complete Eve as adults, our uderstadig cotiues to develop as we test our ew ideas agaist previous kowledge. Old ideas ca be chaged i the light of ew experieces. Learig is idividual Eve if a whole group of childreor adultsis exposed to the same experiece, the learig that takes place will be differet for each idividual. This is because each idividual, child or adult, brigs to every situatio a uique bled of previous experiece. Lamig is a social process Some learig takes place i a group. Sharig learig with others ca be stimulatig. barig ca be ejoyable This is somethig that may adults seriously doubt, whe they thik back to their ow schoolig. However, learig ca be hard, ad ejoyable at the same time. Eve makig mistakes ca be part of the fuhow may times did you fall off whe you leared to ride a bike? Learig is active Someoe else ca teach us, but o oe else ca do our learig for us. Learig requires our active egagemet, i doig ad talkig. Learig meas chage The Chiese writte character for chage is a combiatio of the characters for pai ad opportuities. As adults we are resposible for keepig the balace maageable for idividual childre. For us, too, learig may mea paiful chages. Sometimes we eed to let go of deeply held covictios. The challege of chage through learig may be experieced as exhilaratig or as dautig. Ofte it is both, This material is reproduced with permissio from: Drummod, M. J. et al. (1989). Workig with Childre: Developig a Currikulum for the Early Years. Natioal Childre s Bureau. Uit 1.5 Childre s learig 24
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Uit 1.6 School based iquiry Uit aim To provide advice o collectig iformatio to support teacher developmet activities. Activities 1 Read the discussio material, Doig school based iquiry 2 Choose oe of the followig topics ad work with other group members to pla a iquiry: w Improvig. My use of group work my skills i usig questios Attitudes of parets i my school N My classroom rules The way I teach readig 3 Explai your pla to the other groups. Evaluatio issues 1 I what ways might you use school based iquiry to develop your teachig? 2 What problems do you aticipate? 25
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Discussio material Doig schoolbased iquiry Iquiry is a essetial way of becomig a better teacher. By gatherig iformatio as we teach we have a better picture of our ow practice. Much of the iformatio eeded is collected i a atural way as we work with our pupils. Observig, talkig ad listeig all help us to get feedback from our pupils i order to develop our practice as teachers. Sometimes it helps to be slightly more specific i collectig iformatio to help review aspects of teachig. Ideed some of the Uits i this resource pack require a more detailed iquiry ito areas of classroom activity. I carryig out such a ivestigatio you eed to keep i mid the followig questios: H What do I wat to kow? (ad why?) How ca I fid out? What does the iformatio tell me? What should I do about it? There are may differet ways of collectig iformatio about schools ad classrooms. Give limited time, however, the followig are likely to be the most useful of the available methods: 1 Observig classrooms Fidig ways of gatherig iformatio about what goes o i classrooms is ot easy. There is a traditio of privacy amogst teachers which meas that visits from outsiders are viewed with suspicio. Further, the presece of a observer teds to _ distort the atural eviromet of the classroom ad makes it difficult for the observer to decide what to focus upo. All of this assumes, of course, that somebody ca be foud who has the time to sped observig classroom life. Certaily there is much to be gaied i terms of professioal developmet i fidig ways of eablig colleagues to observe oe aother at work. Regrettably teachers have little opportuity to observe practice ad yet there is cosiderable evidece to suggest that this ca be a powerful meas of helpig idividuals to reflect upo ad develop their ow teachig. Aother possibility is for teachers to collect iformatio themselves about their ow practice. This idea is cosistet with the view that improvemets i professioal practice ca best be achieved by ecouragig reflectioiactio. I other words, teachers should be attemptig to aalyse their ow approaches with a view to fidig ways of developig their ow practice. Various forms of audiovisual recordig may also be helpful i providig iformatio that ca help teachers to. review aspects of their classroom behaviour. Uit 1.6 School based iquiry 26
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Discussio material 2 Iterviews I simple terms a iterview is merely a coversatio aimed at gatherig iformatio. It ca take may forms ad it is this variety that is oe of its greatest stregths. Differet forms of iterviews ca be used depedig upo the ature of the iformatio that is beig sought ad takig accout of cotextual factors ad costraits. Iterviews may be short or log; they ca be highly structured based upo a predetermied set of questios or loosely focused; they may ivolve idividuals or groups of people. The great advatage is that uexpected commets ca be pursued ad resposes that are uclear ca be clarified by further discussio, I plaig iterviews the followig issues eed to be cosidered: who should be iterviewed the format of the questios to be asked the creatio of a appropriate cotext how resposes are to be recorded Preparatio is vital if the iterview is to geerate useful iformatio. 3 Holdig meetigs Give that a iquiry is likely to ivolve the eed to gather iformatio ad views from a umber,of people, meetigs have become a obvious way of workig. Schools ted to have lots of meetigs ad, ideed, it is ot ucommo to hear teachers complai about the amout of time these meetigs take up. Cosequetly if meetigs are to be a cetral strategy i the review it is importat that they are coducted i ways that are purposeful ad stimulatig for participats, ad cost effective. If meetigs are to be regarded as purposeful they should be arraged ad coducted i a busiesslike maer. Experiece has show that the followig steps ca help: 1 Participats should be provided with iformatio about what is to be discussed beforehad i order that they ca prepare their ow ideas. 2 Meetigs should be see to arrive at coclusios. Teachers ted to ejoy talkig about their work ad if discussios are ot focused o some clear purpose they ca become aimless. 3 At the ed of a meetig it is helpful if coclusios ad/or decisios are summarized. 4 Where appropriate after a meetig, coclusios ad/or decisios should be writte up ad each participat issued with a copy. Uit 1.6 School based iquiry 27
Module 1 A itroductio to Special eeds i the classroom Discussio material Meetigs i schools ca have egative effects o teacher attitudes ad morale if participats feel ucomfortable or uethusiastic about the ways i which they are coducted. For example, idividuals may be embarrassed if they feel that they are likely to appear foolish i frot of colleagues. Others may lose iterest whe meetigs are see to be meaderig or are domiated by oe or two cotributors. The aim should be to make meetigs as ejoyable ad effective as possible. 4 Usig questioaires O the surface the use of questioaires seems to provide a relatively simple ad straightforward meas of gatherig iformatio quickly from large groups of people. Experiece suggests, however, that it is a approach that ca be loaded with difficulties. Too ofte the questioaires that are used have bee poorly desiged ad, as a cosequece, fail to provide the quality of iformatio that is required. It is worthwhile to ivest time i fidig out a little more about questioaire desig. Questioaires may iclude closed or opeeded questios. However it has bee said that opeeded questios ofte produce such uforesee resposes that the iformatio collected may prove difficult or eve impossible to aalyse. Geerally the most effective questioaires cosist of questios for which the form of respose that is required is clearly defied. The mai issues that eed to be cosidered i questioaire costructio are: questio cotet, questio wordig, forms of respose ad the sequecig of items. O all these matters it makes sese to carry out some form of pilotig before usig the questioaires fully. 5 Aalysig documets Documets may provide a further source of useful iformatio. These may iclude atioal or local authority policy documets, school documets or examples of childre s writte work. The followig is a ageda for aalysig documets: 1 What kid of documet is it? 2 What does it actually say? 3 Who provided it? 4 How did it come ito existece? 5 Is it typical or exceptioal of its type? 0 Is it complete? Has it bee altered or edited? There is a wealth of data i most schools which has ot bee formally documeted, but which ca cotribute sigificatly to a process of iquiry. For example, patters of subject choice by pupils, attedace records, or examiatio results, especially viewed over time, ca reveal iterestig treds. Uit 1.6 School based iqulty 28