Professional Documents
Culture Documents
IEL 6
UNIT 1
Pedagoga en Ingls
Code : PIN1238
Credits : 15
Nature : Compulsory
Type : Course
Schedule :
Course Description:
This is an Integrated English Language course designed to guide students to reach a lower
advanced level of English competence (CEFR C1) in listening, speaking, reading and writing as well
as critical thinking, and appreciation of literature and culture of English speaking countries. The
course also offers opportunities to develop appropriate pronunciation of English as well as
accurate control of language structures, frequently used vocabulary and vocabulary related to
the topics of the course. Additionally, in this course students will analyze the teaching
methodologies used in class as the foundation for their training as effective future English
language teachers.
Learning aims:
At the end of this course the student will be able to:
1. listening:
a) identify specific information in specific contexts,
b) identify the main longer stretches of message corresponding to academic situations.
2. reading:
a) Identify authors intention stated in the text,
b) Infer different types of messages from academic texts
3. Speaking:
a) produce longer stretches of speech respecting elementary elements of sounds and
prosody,
b) give orally explanations and providing arguments in conversations or other instances of
oral discussion.
4. writing:
a) write a non-canonical variety of sentence types linked with linking words
b) use basic mechanics (frequent uses of commas, full stops / periods, exclamation marks
and question marks) correctly.
5. pronunciation:
a) Utter specific sounds and intonational patterns in context.
b) Know concepts and terminology to identify prosodic features.
6. lexico-grammar:
a) analyse syntactically structural patterns of a series of sentence types in texts.
b) identify parts of the sentence
7. literature:
a) appreciate the value of reading literary pieces by linking their content to personal
experiences, social and cultural trends
b) Identify literary elements such as character, plot, setting
8. critical thinking:
a) distinguish facts from opinions on topics of the course
b) relate course contents to personal experiences, social and cultural trends
9. social skills:
a) respect and value others opinions on topics of the course and understands the
importance of critical discussions
b) relate course contents to personal experiences, social and cultural trends autonomously
7. ICTs:
a) make efficient and autonomous use of technology as a means to enhance learning
opportunities individually and collectively
8. pedagogical experiences:
a) make efficient and autonomous use of technology as a means to enhance learning
opportunities individually and collectively
Methodology:
Classroom activities and homework will revolve around different topics discussed and read about
in class in each Unit. These activities will all contribute to the completion of a Unit Task. Tasks
have been designed to provide the opportunity to work individually, in pairs and in groups. Co-
teaching is also essential to the process of teaching development. Sharing collective activities is
also a core instance to develop teaching and learning communities. Some activities aligned in this
manner are the workshops, which from this term until IEL8 will focus on language accuracy
awareness. Student participation and autonomy, therefore, is central in this course. Strategies
and appropriate activities such as student presentations, role playing, projects, interviews,
short plays, surveys and debateswill be used to guide students to develop all five language skills:
reading, writing, listening, speaking and viewing. The development of critical thinking will be
emphasized through text and movies analysis on the topics of each unit in the recurrent cycle of
observation, questioning and proposal. Technology will be used as a learning support through
regular computer lab work and permanent use of relevant websites, and other technological
resources.
Contents:
Mid-term 10 % 10%
oral 25%
Final Exam 30%
written: 75%
Attendance:
In order to pass, together with the minimum mark of 4,0 in, students must have a minimum class
attendance of 80%.
Students will be allowed into the room only 10 minutes late. After 10 minutes, they will be left absent in
the attendance.
Attendance to one Teacher Assistant (TA) Workshop a week is part of regular class attendance.
Medical certificates only entitle students to take a test they may have missed for health reasons. They
do not count for the minimum attendance requirement.
Important Information:
Non delivery of any given task on the agreed date can only be justified upon presentation of the relevant
medical certificate. Both medical certificate and completed task should be delivered on the very same
day the student returns to class.
Students who miss any assessed activity and have a medical certificate should send an email to the
Monday class teacher to schedule a make-up.
Students who do not have a medical certificate but missed an evaluation due to circumstances beyond
his/her control, he/she might be allowed to sit a make-up exam at the discretion of all the course
teachers.
Students who are unprepared or late for a presentation or do not timely submit a course work will be
graded receive a 1.0
Assigned homework must be completed for the following class regardless if the student attended the
previous session.
Students who arrive without the course material and/or incomplete homework may be asked to leave
the class and/or be marked absent. If a student has a concern, he/she must speak to his/her teacher
before class starts.
Due to the nature of this course, no students are exempted from the final exam, regardless of semester
marks.
Please note: Additional information regarding program and class policies, administration and
coordination can be found by visiting the following website: http://uahengped.wordpress.com/. You are
expected to refer to this resource to clarify concerns and learn more about rights and duties and
program objectives, in general.
** IMPORTANT NOTICE: Plagiarism is a serious offence which will be severely sanctioned. The first time
work will be given a 1.0. If a second time occurs, course suspension and program expulsin may take
place (Reglamento acadmico Ttulo VI, Art.21)
Teaching Resources:
OBLIGATORY MATERIAL:
Monolingual Dictionary
Course material available in the University Platform.
COMPLEMENTARY BIBLIOGRAPHY:
www.cnn.com
www.guardian.co.uk
www.tcgnews.com
http://www.nytimes.com/
www.bbc.co.uk
https://www.washingtonpost.com/
http://indianexpress.com/
http://www.straitstimes.com/global
http://www.iran-daily.com/
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/radioplayer/
STUDY LINKS:
http://www.studygs.net/
http://www.studygs.net/schedule/
http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/checklis.html
http://www.studygs.net/schedule/goals.htm
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/activities/phonemic-chart (Obligatory)
http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english/frameset.html
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast
http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/johnm/flash/flashin.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/voices/results/wordmap/
Syllabus: DATES MAY CHANGE
Week 12, Guidelines for Inclusion: Ensuring Access to Education for all
Oct. 16th- 20th Workshop 7: Academic writing + Gerunds and infinitives (part 1)
Language workshop 6: Syntactic structure (patrones gramaticales)
Week 13, Ley SEP, Ley de Inclusin, Ley PIE + The Science of Inclusion
Oct. 23rd-25th (video)
In-class project (written)
Week 17,
Nov. 24th-Dic. 1st Written final exam: Nov. 24
Oral final exam: Nov. 27, 29, Dic 1.
Toward a Postmethod Pedagogy
B. KUMARAVADIVELU
San Jos State University
San Jos, California, United States
A Pedagogy of Particularity
First and foremost, any postmethod pedagogy has to be a pedagogy of
particularity. That is to say, language pedagogy, to be relevant, must be
sensitive to a particular group of teachers teaching a particular group of
learners pursuing a particular set of goals within a particular institutional
context embedded in a particular sociocultural milieu. A pedagogy of
particularity, then, is antithetical to the notion that there can be one set
of pedagogic aims and objectives realizable through one set of pedagogic
principles and procedures. At its core, the idea of pedagogic particularity
is consistent with the hermeneutic perspective of situational understanding
(Elliott, 1993), which claims that a meaningful pedagogy cannot be
constructed without a holistic interpretation of particular situations and
A Pedagogy of Practicality
A pedagogy of practicality does not pertain merely to the everyday
practice of classroom teaching. It pertains to a much larger issue that has
a direct impact on the practice of classroom teaching, namely, the
relationship between theory and practice. General educationists (e.g.,
Elliott, 1991) have long recognized the harmful effect of the theory/
practice dichotomy. They af rm that theory and practice mutually
inform, and together constitute, a dialectical praxis, an af rmation that
has recently in uenced L2 teaching and teacher education as well (e.g.,
Freeman, 1998).
One of the ways by which educationists have addressed the theory/
practice dichotomy is by positing a distinction between professional
theories and personal theories. According to OHanlon (1993), profes-
sional theories are those that are generated by experts and are generally
transmitted from centers of higher learning. Personal theories, on the
other hand, are those that teachers develop by interpreting and applying
professional theories in practical situations while they are on the job.
Although this distinction sounds eminently sensible, in reality the
expert-generated professional theories are often valued whereas the
teacher-generated personal theories are often ignored. Evidently, in a
well-meaning attempt to cross the borders between theory and practice,
yet another line of demarcation has been drawn, this time between
theorists theory and teachers theory.
This distinction between theorists theory and teachers theory has, in
part, in uenced the emphasis on re ective teaching and action research.
The fundamental aim of action research, as Elliott (1991) makes
crystal clear, is to improve practice rather than to produce knowledge
(p. 49). The suggestion that teachers should construct their personal
theories by testing, interpreting, and judging the usefulness of profes-
sional theories proposed by experts creates only a narrow space for
teachers to function fruitfully as re ective individuals. Indeed, this
suggestion leaves very little room for self-conceptualization and self-
construction of pedagogic knowledge, because teachers are treated
Despite the lofty rhetoric surrounding efforts to help teachers become more
re ective, in reality re ective teacher education has done very little to foster
genuine teacher development and to enhance teachers roles in educational
reform. Instead, an illusion of teacher development has often been created
that has maintained in more subtle ways the subservient position of the
teacher. (p. 201)
powerful sense of what works and what doesnt; of which changes will go and
which will notnot in the abstract, or even as a general rule, but for this
teacher in this context. In this simple yet deeply in uential sense of practical-
ity among teachers is the distillation of complex and potent combinations of
purpose, person, politics and workplace constraints. (p. 12)
Nearly a quarter century ago, van Manen (1977) called this awareness
simply sense making.
Teachers sense making matures over time as they learn to cope with
competing pulls and pressures representing the content and character of
professional preparation, personal beliefs, institutional constraints, learner
expectations, assessment instruments, and other factors. This seemingly
instinctive and idiosyncratic nature of teachers sense making disguises
the fact that it is formed and re-formed by the pedagogic factors
governing the microcosm of the classroom as well as by the sociopolitical
forces emanating from outside. Consequently, sense making requires
that teachers view pedagogy not merely as a mechanism for maximizing
learning opportunities in the classroom, but also as a means for
understanding and transforming possibilities in and outside the class-
room. In this sense, a pedagogy of practicality metamorphoses into a
pedagogy of possibility.
A Pedagogy of Possibility
Summary
In this section, I have suggested that one way of conceptualizing a
postmethod pedagogy is to look at it three-dimensionally as a pedagogy
of particularity, practicality, and possibility. As a pedagogy of particularity,
postmethod pedagogy rejects the advocacy of a predetermined set of
generic principles and procedures aimed at realizing a predetermined
set of generic aims and objectives. Instead, it seeks to facilitate the
advancement of a context-sensitive, location-speci c pedagogy that is
based on a true understanding of local linguistic, sociocultural, and
political particularities. As a pedagogy of practicality, postmethod peda-
gogy rejects the arti cial dichotomy between theorists who have been
assigned the role of producers of knowledge and teachers who have been
assigned the role of consumers of knowledge. Instead, it seeks to rupture
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I thank Carol Chapelle and the TESOL Quarterly reviewers for their insightful
comments and suggestions. I am solely responsible for any remaining errors and
omissions.
THE AUTHOR
B. Kumaravadivelu is a professor of applied linguistics and TESOL at San Jos State
University, where he teaches graduate courses in TESOL. He has published exten-
sively on L2 learning, teaching, and teacher education in TESOL Quarterly, Modern
Language Journal, ELT Journal, International Review of Applied Linguistics, and Applied
Language Learning.
Making inclusive
education a reality
July 2011
Andy Weekes/Sightsavers
Disabled children: Losing out 1 Defininginclusion
Disabled children constitute more than one-third of Recognition of the right to education Providing appropriate responses to the
the approximately 67 million children who are not Statisticsondisability,education and its provision in non-discriminatory broad spectrum of learning needs in
currently enrolled in primary school.2 There are also andunemployment ways. formal and other education settings.
many children living in households headed by A common vision which covers all A particular emphasis on those groups
disabled parents (or other disabled family Approximately 150 million children worldwide
people. of learners who may be at risk of
members). These households are are disabled.5
A belief that schools and other places of marginalisation, exclusion or under-
disproportionately affected by poverty and this is a Less than 10% of disabled children in Africa
learning have a responsibility to educate achievement.
significant factor preventing children from attend primary school.6
accessing education.3 National census data provide all children (and adults) in line with Identification and removal of attitudinal,
The proportion of disabled children receiving
an insight into how poverty, disability and education human rights principles. environmental and institutional barriers
any form of education is as low as 1-3% in
interact. Having a disabled parent who is poor some developing countries.7 A continuous process of addressing and to participation and learning.
increases the likelihood of seven to sixteen year In developing countries, it is estimated that literacy responding to the diversity of needs of
olds never having been to school by 25% in the Modifications and changes in strategies
rates for disabled women are 1%, compared all learners regardless of factors such and plans and in content and
Philippines and 13% in Uganda.4 This is due to a with about 3% for disabled people as a whole.8 as disability, gender, age, ethnicity,
lack of income and a need for children to care for approaches to learning.
In India, 74% of people with physical language, HIV status, geographical
their disabled parents. From this basis, it is easier location and sexuality recognising that Enabling teachers and learners to see
to understand how cycles of poverty emerge and impairments and 94% of people with learning
disabilities are unemployed.9 all people can learn. diversity as an asset rather than a problem.
have intergenerational consequences.
Excluding disabled people from employment Adapted from UNESCOs Guidelines for Inclusion: Ensuring Access to Education
Inclusive education systems and inclusive results in annual GDP losses of US$60.8 billion
societies can only be realised if governments are for All (2005)
in Sub-Saharan Africa alone.10
aware of the nature of the challenges they are
Georgina Cranston/Sightsavers
What about special education?
For example, an inclusive approach to education may ensure the
provision of specialised support for disabled children in a mainstream classroom. It is
important to remember that ideological rigidity is not conducive to an education system that
is genuinely empowering. In certain circumstances, for instance, specialised classes (within
the mainstream school) may be beneficial for some students, to facilitate and complement Inclusive education is different from special education, which is where disabled children
their participation in regular classes. Examples of when this may be appropriate are Braille are educated at special schools (or receive specialist education at home or in another
training and physiotherapy that requires the use of special equipment. Taking these points place, for example a hospital). There may be exceptional cases where special education
into account, a basic explanation of the conceptual differences between inclusive and provision may be the most appropriate support for a child, for example one with multiple,
integrated education may be found in the following diagrams.17 severe impairments. However, schools and education systems should recognise that the
most desirable option in principle is inclusive education, and must constantly assess
Integratededucation Inclusiveeducation possibilities for developing a special education experience into an inclusive one.
Sightsavers view from many years of experience in supporting education programmes is
that special schools have often been chosen because the quality of learning for disabled
Does not pupils in mainstream schools has been poor. With an inclusive education system which
Teachers
respond, delivers quality learning as opposed to access alone, the special school choice will be
attitudes
cannot learn less attractive.
Needs Poor quality Rigid methods
specialist
Has special training and curriculum It has been argued that the concepts underpinning special education reflect the thinking
requirements of orthodox medical models of disability19 which locate the source of the problem in the
teachers
child, rather than in the wider society (this criticism is also directed at integrated
education, as the diagram on the previous page illustrates). It is undeniable that some
Lack of Education children in special schools achieve high scores in assessments and enjoy strong social
Child Inaccessible
teaching aids systemas
asproblem environments relationships among those with whom they interact. Ultimately, however, these students
Needs special Needs special and equipment problem are segregated from the rest of society during a crucial part of their lives, and this
environment equipment
negatively impacts both on individual children and on society as a whole.20
Parents not Many repeaters Inclusive education supports and promotes a broader vision of society where all people
involved and drop-outs are included, regardless of their impairment. Moreover, a special education approach runs
Is different Teachers and the risk of creating a complex and parallel system that is ultimately far costlier (one
Cannot get to estimate suggests as much as nine times higher) than providing education in the
from other schools not
school mainstream.21 Nevertheless, for an inclusive education approach to lead to positive social
children supported
and learning outcomes, a range of challenges must be overcome (see page 10).
towards providing entitlements to disabled children as it draws up its 12th Five-Year Plan (national
matter of law or policy the
development plan).
principle of inclusive
education, enrolling all
children in mainstream
schools, unless there are
compelling reasons for doing
otherwise.22
This commitment to inclusive education became a legal obligation through Article 24 of
the 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which reaffirms
the right of disabled children to quality education and committed governments to ensure
that persons with disabilities can access an inclusive, quality and free primary education
and secondary education on an equal basis with others in the communities in which they
Sightsavers
support disabled children in school can also improve the quality of
Policy,
governance
& leadership
teaching and learning for all children. While greater focus on quality
education and learning outcomes are crucial, we must not forget that
many disabled children have been and continue to be denied the
opportunity to access basic education in the first place. Nevertheless,
children.
changes such as increased community and parent involvement, more
Child & Community Centred Services
Global Education attention to individual needs and learning styles, and more accessible
Education financing school environments have benefits beyond disabled children and should
Initiative Attributes be welcomed and recognised in advocacy efforts. A pilot project for
Education
impact inclusive education developed by the Government of Pakistan and
Access Sightsavers, for example, found that processes such as peer tutoring,
Education
Education
service
Education co-operative learning groups and team teaching improved education for
workforce Equity outcomes
delivery all children, not just disabled children.
Enhanced
Quality quality
Country
of life PakistanCombiningprogrammedeliveryandadvocacy:
Sustainability
Education Education TheIslamabadCommitmentforChildFriendlyInclusiveEducation
System MIS
(NiazUllahKhan,CountryDirector,SightsaversPakistan)
Sightsavers started working with the Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education in 1998 on the
Education education of visually impaired children. In 2003, Sightsavers started working on inclusive education
curricula, and now supports 16 schools in Islamabad. Sightsavers understood that focusing only on visually
materials & impaired children rather than on broader inclusion issues creates artificial barriers, so the organisation
equipment worked with other stakeholders for the establishment of a national-level Inclusive Education Group
(IEG) in June 2009.
Research & Evidence Sightsavers took a lead role in the IEG. This included helping to build a relationship with UNESCO and
the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), who are focusing on promoting Child Friendly Schools
Partnership (CFS) in the national education system. IEG members and the two UN agencies agreed that
presenting CFS and inclusive education as one concept would enhance the potential for leveraging
Advocacy resources and achieving policy change.
Thus the IEG has evolved into the National Child Friendly Inclusive Education group, which works to
Monitoring & Evaluation
include all marginalised children in the system (both those already in school and those out of school
who are completely excluded from the system). The new group is concerned with the development of
Sightsavers supports adaptable and scalable programmes to make schools more inclusive inclusive and effective systems at all stages and in all aspects of education.
for visually impaired children. Although no child should be at home when they could be at In November 2010, the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with UNICEF, UNESCO and Sightsavers,
school, Sightsavers recognises that exclusion begins early in many disabled childrens lives, organised high level national consultations which resulted in the Islamabad Commitment for Child
as they are the least likely to access early childhood care and education (ECCE), even though Friendly Inclusive Education. This was signed by the Federal Minister of Education, in conjunction with
they are most likely to benefit. In addition, our organisation understands that vulnerability provincial departments of Education, and explicitly commits the government to promote inclusive
increases as children experience different layers of discrimination, for example a disabled girl education for all children in Pakistan.
from an ethnic minority group may face multiple forms of exclusion and oppression.25
Many national governments have stated their commitment to inclusive better learning; and strengthen detection and referral pathways for
approaches, through the CRPD and other mechanisms such as national country level. those requiring additional care.
policies. However, progress is uneven and, overall, unacceptable. Actions
that national governments can take to accelerate progress towards 12. Develop mechanisms to monitorexclusionandprogressagainst
meeting their commitments include: equityindicators, including disaggregating data on school
participation, type of impairment and gender.
1. Eliminatelegislativeorconstitutionalbarriers to disabled people
being included in the mainstream education system. Ensure that 13. Support the development and utilization of an education
educationpoliciesandstrategies promote inclusive learning managementinformationsystem. This must include the
environments. development of education indicators that include disaggregated data
on disabled children, particularly with regards to enrolment, retention,
2. Ensure that oneministryandschoolsystemisresponsible for the transition and performance.
education of all children and adults. This will help to ensure a
comprehensive and unified approach to education that is obligated to 14. Employ an inter-sectoralapproach, ensuring links between education
count and serve everyone equally. institutions and social protection, health and community-based
rehabilitation.
3. Initiate and facilitate nationalconsultativeprocesses, informed by
international research, experience and standards, to develop national 15. Include adequatefunding for education, and particularly for the above
standards for inclusive education and for enhancing the quality of measures, in budgets and requests for development assistance.
learning outcomes. Excluded groups must be properly targeted when allocating funding
for education and wider socio-economic development initiatives.
4. Involvedisabledchildrenandadults,parentsandDPOs, as well as
other marginalised groups, in developing and monitoring education
plans. Facilitate including through provision of funding the
engagement of such groups and individuals in education sector review KenyaAdvocatingforsupporttodisabledchildren(NancyThuo,
meetings. RegionalDirector,SightsaversEast,Central&SouthernAfrica)
5. Develop strategies which increasecommunityandfamily Sightsavers Kenya convened an education stakeholders forum in 2007 with the intention of identifying
involvement in school management committees and district education factors that were hindering the effective provision of education for visually impaired learners studying
offices, including encouraging inputs into budget priorities and the in mainstream schools. Concerns were expressed regarding the low funding for visually impaired
tracking of expenditure. To facilitate participation, develop awareness children under the free primary education grant, as the allocation per child was uniform for all children
programmes for the parents of disabled children, and the children (US$15), despite the additional costs of providing learning materials for visually impaired children.
themselves, about their rights. Another major issue identified was the lack of a policy on inclusive education for disabled learners.
This had resulted in Ministry of Education officials tending to recognise special schools as a
6. Transformexistingspecialeducationinstitutions into resources to
convenient solution to a problem.
assist the mainstream system. The expertise of special educators and
special schools can support regular teachers and mainstream schools An advocacy task force was created and mandated to take up these two issues. Initially, the task
at district, school and classroom levels. force only involved stakeholders who were focused on the education of visually impaired people
(and only focused on issues of visual impairment). This became a major challenge as the Ministry of
7. Provide pre-serviceandin-servicetraining to teachers so that they Education, which was the advocacy target, is structured in such a way that it prefers to deal with all
can identify and respond to the needs of each child (for example, categories of disability. The advocacy process was therefore redesigned to include the concerns of
using peer-support and activity-based approaches) and promote other disabled people and a broader range of education actors. Such an approach is, ironically,
diversity in the classroom. Ensure there is adequatesupportand more inclusive and sustainable.
expertise in skills such as Braille literacy, and provide for the training
and employment of disabled teachers. Ultimately, the advocacy conducted by the wider task force succeeded in pressuring the Ministry of
Education to increase funding for each disabled child from US$15 to US$40. Moreover, a policy to
8. Trainandorienteducationaladministrators,schoolleadership, govern the implementation of education for disabled people was developed and has been effective
andsupportstaff,aswellascommunities, on the rights of disabled since early 2010.
children to education and on good practice in inclusion.
Brief.pdf [Accessed 8 June 2011]. [Accessed 8 June 2011].
disabled children.32 In order to ensure that these commitments are
realised, Sightsavers would like to see international donor agencies
governments. 4
UNESCO (2010) EFA Global Monitoring Report 2010, Paris: 21
OECD (1994) cited in: Peters, S.J. (2004) Inclusive
implement the following actions: UNESCO, p. 184. Education: An EFA Strategy for All Children,
5
UNICEF (2005) The State of the Worlds Children 2006, New http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EDUCATION/Resources/
1. Ensure sufficientfinancing is allocated to inclusive education, in a way York: UNICEF, p. 28. 278200-1099079877269/ 547664-1099079993288/
that adheres to internationally agreed principles on aid effectiveness. 6
UNESCO (2006) op. cit., p. 74. InclusiveEdu_efa_strategy_for_children.pdf, p. 23
This should include supporting efforts of partner governments to [Accessed 16 May 2011].
7
UN (2007) From Exclusion to Equality: Realizing the rights of
increase domestic revenue collection in the short-, medium- and persons with disabilities, http://www.un.org/disabilities/
22
The Salamanca Statement on Principles, Policy and Practice
in Special Needs Education, Adopted by the World Conference
long-terms. documents/toolaction/ipuhb.pdf, p. 82 [Accessed 9 May 2011].
on Special Needs Education: Access and Quality, Salamanca,
8
UN General Assembly, The right to education of persons with 7-10 June 1994, para. 3.
2. Strengthen the capacityofpartnergovernments to address inclusion disabilities: Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to
through planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation education, Vernor Muoz (19 February 2007) A/HRC/4/29,
23
For a full list of signatures and ratifications, see:
processes. In addition, support partner governments to ensure para. 8. http://www.un.org/disabilities/countries.asp?navid=12&pid=166
adequate coordination amongst ministries and between government [Accessed 7 June 2011].
9
International Disability Rights Monitor (2005) Regional Report
and civil society. of Asia, http://idrmnet.org/pdfs/CIR_IDRM_Asia_05.pdf, p. 29
24
Sightsavers approach to strengthening education systems is
[Accessed 13 May 2011]. based on the World Health Organizations building blocks
3. Ensure that donoragencystaffhavethecapacity to support national 10
This figure is calculated on the basis of data from: Buckup, S.
approach to strengthening health systems; see: WHO (2007)
governments to achieve MDG 2 and the EFA goals. Everybodys business: Strengthening health systems to
(2009) The price of exclusion: The economic consequences of improve health outcomes WHOs Framework for Action,
4. Ensure that donor agency staff and national government officials excluding people with disabilities from the world of work, ILO http://www.who.int/healthsystems/strategy/everybodys_
Employment Working Paper No.43, http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/
reportonprogress towards the achievement of MDG 2 and the EFA groups/public/---ed_emp/---ifp_skills/documents/publication/
business.pdf [Accessed 3 June 2011]. The authors would like
goals. to thank Ranjish Kattady, Manager Information &
wcms_119305.pdf, p. 48 [Accessed 10 May 2011]; IMF, World Communication, Sightsavers India, for developing the original
Economic Outlook database, April 2011, http://www.imf.org/
5. Support the application of the EquityandInclusioninEducation external/pubs/ft/weo/2011/01/weodata/index.aspx [Accessed
version of this diagram.
guide in all countries receiving funding from the EFA Fast Track 10 May 2011]; World Bank, World Development Indicators
25
Miles, S. & Singal, N. (2010) The Education for All and inclusive
Initiative. database, April 2011, http://siteresources.worldbank.org/ education debate: Conflict, contradiction or opportunity?
DATASTATISTICS/Resources/GDP.pdf [Accessed 10 May 2011]. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 14, 1, 1-15.
6. Support civil society organisations representing disabled people to 26
Croft, A. (2010) Including Disabled Children in Learning:
11
UN General Assembly, World Programme of Action
develop their capacitytoengage in education sector planning and concerning Disabled Persons (3 December 1982) A/ Challenges in Developing Countries, CREATE Research
reviews. RES/37/52, para. 43. Monograph No. 36.
7. Support the RighttoReadcampaign to ensure that all publications 12
Save the Children (2009) Inclusive education, http://www.
27
ADB (2010) Strengthening Inclusive Education, http://www.
savethechildren.org.uk/en/docs/Inclusive_education_policy_ adb.org/documents/guidelines/strengthening-inclusive-education/
are available to visually impaired people and other print disabled strengthening-inclusive-education.pdf [Accessed 27 May 2011].
brief_30Mar09.pdf [Accessed 13 May 2011].
readers when published. 28
Richler, D. Contribution to partners meeting - Right to Education
13
Differentiation means teachers understanding the
educational needs of their students and adopting different for Persons with Disabilities Flagship, Paris, 20 May 2011.
instructional strategies for different students, thus providing 29
Lynch, P. et al (2009) Literacy for All: Developing literacy
students with a range of options for learning and demonstrating through touch in the mainstream classroom, Research
their learning. commissioned by Sightsavers.
14
DFID (2010) Guidance Note: Education for children with 30
Steinfeld, E. (2005) Education for All: The Cost of
disabilities Improving quality and access, http://www.dfid.gov. Accessibility, http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EDUCATION/
uk/Documents/publications1/edu-chi-disabil-guid-note. Resources/Education-Notes/EdNotes_CostOfAccess_2.pdf, p.
pdf?epslanguage=en [Accessed 16 May 2011]. 3 [Accessed 20 May 2011].
15
WHO, UNESCO, ILO & IDDC (2011) Community-Based 31
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2011) Financing Education in
Rehabilitation Guidelines: Education Component, Geneva: WHO. Sub-Saharan Africa Meeting the Challenges of Expansion,
16
Stubbs, S. (2008) Inclusive Education: Where There are Few Equity and Quality, http://unesdoc.unesco.org/
Resources, Oslo: The Atlas Alliance. images/0019/001921/192186e.pdf [Accessed 27 May 2011] p. 33.
17
Adapted from: Enabling Education Network, Lessons from 32
World Vision (2010) Education for all? FTI donor partners and
the South: Making a difference, Report from IDDC seminar on education for children with disabilities, http://www.worldvision.
inclusive education, Agra, 1-7 March 1998, http://www.eenet. org.uk/upload/pdf/Education_for_all_policy_briefing.pdf
org.uk/resources/docs/agra.php [Accessed 26 April 2011]. [Accessed 12 May 2011].
For more information on Sightsavers work on education, or to find out about other
research and publications, email policy@sightsavers.org
Page 16
EFA Global Monitoring Report 2 0 0 5
Chapter 1
Understanding
education quality
The goal of achieving universal primary education
(UPE) has been on the international agenda since
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirmed,
in 1948, that elementary education was to be made
freely and compulsorily available for all children in
all nations. This objective was restated subsequently
on many occasions, by international treaties and
in United Nations conference declarations.1 Most
of these declarations and commitments are silent
about the quality of education to be provided.
27
2 0 0 5
28 / CHAPTER 1
Box 1.1. The Dakar Framework for Action and Millennium Development Goals
In 1990, the World Declaration on Education for All A decade later, the Dakar Framework for Action
noted that the generally poor quality of education declared that access to quality education was the
needed to be improved and recommended that right of every child. It affirmed that quality was at
education be made both universally available and the heart of education a fundamental determinant
more relevant. The Declaration also identified of enrolment, retention and achievement. Its
quality as a prerequisite for achieving the expanded definition of quality set out the desirable
fundamental goal of equity. While the notion of characteristics of learners (healthy, motivated
quality was not fully developed, it was recognized students), processes (competent teachers using
that expanding access alone would be insufficient active pedagogies), content (relevant curricula) and
for education to contribute fully to the development systems (good governance and equitable resource
of the individual and society. Emphasis was allocation). Although this established an agenda for
accordingly placed on assuring an increase in achieving good education quality, it did not ascribe
childrens cognitive development by improving any relative weighting to the various dimensions
the quality of their education. identified.
quantitative objectives if no real education definition goes beyond the intrinsic and It could be judged
occurred. Thus, the number of years of school instrumental goals of education mentioned unfortunate that the
is a practically useful but conceptually dubious earlier. It seeks to identify unambiguously the
quantitative aspects
proxy for the processes that take place there important attributes or qualities of education
and the outcomes that result. In that sense, it that can best ensure that those goals are actually of education have
could be judged unfortunate that the quantitative met. Similar formulations can be found in become the main
aspects of education have become the main documents produced by other international focus of attention
focus of attention in recent years for policy organizations and in the vast array of literature in recent years for
makers (and many quantitatively inclined social dealing with the content and practice of policy makers
scientists). education. Although the details differ, two key
elements characterize such approaches:
It should come as no surprise, therefore, that
the two most recent United Nations international First, cognitive development is identified
conference declarations focusing on education as a major explicit objective of all education
gave some importance to its qualitative systems. The degree to which systems actually
dimension (Box 1.2). The Jomtien Declaration achieve this is one indicator of their quality.
in 1990 and, more particularly, the Dakar While this indicator can be measured relatively
Framework for Action in 2000 recognized the easily at least within individual societies, if not
quality of education as a prime determinant of through international comparison it is much
whether Education for All is achieved. More more difficult to determine how to improve the
specifically than earlier pledges, the second of results. Thus, if quality is defined in terms of
the six goals set out in the Dakar Framework cognitive achievement, ways of securing
commits nations to the provision of primary increased quality are neither straightforward
education of good quality (Box 1.1). Moreover, nor universal.
the sixth goal includes commitments to improve
all aspects of education quality so that everyone The second element is educations role in
can achieve better learning outcomes, especially encouraging learners creative and emotional
in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills. development, in supporting objectives of peace,
citizenship and security, in promoting equality
Notwithstanding the growing consensus about and in passing global and local cultural values
the need to provide access to education of good down to future generations. Many of these
quality, there is much less agreement about objectives are defined and approached in diverse
what the term actually means in practice.4 ways around the world. Compared with cognitive
Box 1.3 summarizes the evolution of UNESCOs development, the extent to which they are 4. Adams (1993) identifies about
fifty different definitions of the
understanding of education quality. This effort in achieved is harder to determine. term.
2 0 0 5
30 / CHAPTER 1
One of UNESCOs first position statements on quality in Learning to do focuses on the practical application
education appeared in Learning to Be: The World of of what is learned.
Education Today and Tomorrow, the report of the
Learning to live together addresses the critical skills
International Commission on the Development of Education
for a life free from discrimination, where all have equal
chaired by the former French minister Edgar Faure. The
opportunity to develop themselves, their families and
commission identified the fundamental goal of social
their communities.
change as the eradication of inequality and the
establishment of an equitable democracy. Consequently, Learning to be emphasizes the skills needed for
it reported, the aim and content of education must be individuals to develop their full potential.
recreated, to allow both for the new features of society
This conceptualization of education provided an integrated
and the new features of democracy (Faure et al., 1972:
and comprehensive view of learning and, therefore, of what
xxvi). The notions of lifelong learning and relevance,
constitutes education quality (Delors et al., 1996).
it noted, were particularly important. The Report strongly
emphasized science and technology as well. Improving The importance of good quality education was resolutely
the quality of education, it stated, would require systems reaffirmed as a priority for UNESCO at a Ministerial Round
in which the principles of scientific development and Table on Quality of Education, held in Paris in 2003.
modernization could be learned in ways that respected
UNESCO promotes access to good-quality education as
learners socio-cultural contexts.
a human right and supports a rights-based approach to all
More than two decades later came Learning: The Treasure educational activities (Pigozzi, 2004). Within this approach,
Within, Report to UNESCO of the International Commission learning is perceived to be affected at two levels. At the
on Education for the Twenty-first Century, chaired by level of the learner, education needs to seek out and
another French statesman, Jacques Delors. This acknowledge learners prior knowledge, to recognize formal
commission saw education throughout life as based upon and informal modes, to practise non-discrimination and
four pillars: to provide a safe and supportive learning environment.
At the level of the learning system, a support structure is
Learning to know acknowledges that learners build their
needed to implement policies, enact legislation, distribute
own knowledge daily, combining indigenous and external
resources and measure learning outcomes, so as to have
elements.
the best possible impact on learning for all.
Quality for whom and what? education. These commitments, in turn, have
Rights, equity and relevance implications for the content and quality of
education. Box 1.4 summarizes the relevant
Education should Although opinions about quality in education are sections.
allow children to by no means unified, at the level of international
debate and action three principles tend to be The Convention takes the educational
reach their fullest
broadly shared. They can be summarized as the development of the individual as a central aim.
potential in terms need for more relevance, for greater equity of It indicates that education should allow children
of cognitive, access and outcome and for proper observance to reach their fullest potential in terms of
emotional and of individual rights. In much current international cognitive, emotional and creative capacities.
creative capacities thinking, these principles guide and inform The learner is at the centre of the educational
educational content and processes and represent experience, in a context also characterized by
more general social goals to which education respect for others and for the environment.
itself should contribute.
The Convention has important implications for
Of these, the question of rights is at the apex. both the content and the process of education.
Although, as indicated earlier, most human It implies that the learning experience should
rights legislation focuses upon access to be not simply a means but also an end in itself,
education and is comparatively silent about its having intrinsic worth. It suggests an approach
quality, the Convention on the Rights of the Child to teaching (and the development of textbooks
is an important exception. It expresses strong, and learning materials) that upholds the idea
detailed commitments about the aims of of a child-centred education, using teaching
U N D E R S TA N D I N G E D U C AT I O N Q U A L I T Y / 3 1
Box 1.4. The aims of education, from the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 29 (1)
1. States Parties agree that the education of the child shall be directed to:
(a) The development (b) The development (c) The development of (d) The preparation of the (e) The development
of the childs of respect for human respect for the childs parents, child for responsible life in of respect for the
personality, talents rights and fundamental his or her own cultural a free society, in the spirit natural environment.
and mental and freedoms, and for the identity, language and values, of understanding, peace,
physical abilities to principles enshrined for the national values of the tolerance, equality of sexes,
their fullest in the Charter of the country in which the child is and friendship among all
potential; United Nations; living, the country from which peoples, ethnic, national and
he or she may originate, and religious groups and persons
for civilizations different from of indigenous origin;
his or her own;
processes that promote or at least do not Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Such The Convention
undermine childrens rights. Corporal legal safeguards permit stakeholders to hold on the Rights of
punishment is deemed here to be a clear governments accountable for progressive
the Child stresses
violation of these rights. Some dimensions of this realization of the right to education and for
rights-based approach to education is evident aspects of its quality. (Wilson, 2004) a child-centred
in the position adopted by UNICEF (Box 1.5). approach to
Where human rights legislation deals with teaching and
Other international legislation, such as the education, its central concern is equity: the learning
International Covenant on Civil and Political objective of increasing equality in learning
Rights and the International Covenant on outcomes, access and retention. This ambition
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, addresses reflects a belief that all children can develop
the principle of equity by stressing governments basic cognitive skills, given the right learning
responsibility to ensure that all children have environment. That many who go to school fail to
access to education of an acceptable quality. develop these skills is due in part to a deficiency
Brazil, Costa Rica and the Philippines provide in education quality. Recent analyses confirm
three examples of countries that have that poverty, rural residence and gender
constitutional provisions guaranteeing a inequality persist as the strongest inverse
percentage of the budget for education, in correlates of school attendance and performance
accordance with the International Covenant on (UNESCO, 2003a) and that poor instruction is a
significant source of this inequality. Quality and
equity are inextricably linked.
Box 1.5. The UNICEF The notion of relevance has always attended
approach to quality debates about the quality of education. In the
past, and particularly in developing countries,
UNICEF strongly emphasizes what might be called imported or inherited curricula have often been
desirable dimensions of quality, as identified in judged insufficiently sensitive to the local context
the Dakar Framework. Its paper Defining Quality and to learners socio-cultural circumstances. 5. According to the Appendix
to General Comment No. 1 on
in Education recognizes five dimensions of quality: The Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 29 (1) of the Convention
learners, environments, content, processes and stresses a child-centred approach to teaching on the Rights of the Child (United
Nations, 2001a), this article
outcomes, founded on the rights of the whole and learning.5 This in turn emphazises the emphasizes the message of
child, and all children, to survival, protection, child-centred education: that
importance of curricula that as far as possible the key goal of education is the
development and participation (UNICEF, 2000). respond to the needs and priorities of the development of the individual
childs personality, talents and
Like the dimensions of education quality learners, their families, and communities. abilities, in recognition of the
identified by UNESCO (Pigozzi, 2004), those fact that every child has unique
characteristics, interests,
recognized by UNICEF draw on the philosophy abilities, and learning needs.
Relevance is also an issue for national policy. Thus, the curriculum must be of
of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
With the acceleration of global economic direct relevance to the child's
social, cultural, environmental
integration, governments have become more and economic context
2 0 0 5
32 / CHAPTER 1
Standardized, externally defined and controlled Tests and examinations are considered central
13. Piaget (1972), in his theory of
curricula, based on prescribed objectives and features of learning and the main means of planning genetic epistemology, identifies
patterns of physical and mental
defined independently of the learner, are endorsed. and delivering rewards and punishments. activity corresponding to stages
of child development. Rather than
Assessment is seen as an objective measurement The teacher directs learning, as the expert who seeing new learning as simply
of learned behaviour against preset assessment controls stimuli and responses. linking to prior learning, Piaget
argues that learners need to be
criteria. faced with a conflict between the
Incremental learning tasks that reinforce desired two; otherwise, knowledge is static
associations in the mind of the learner are favoured. and learning cannot take place.
in classrooms.17 Forms of direct or structured retain the founding humanist principle that 21. Notably Illich (1971).
instruction, which have an important place in this human development is the ultimate end of 22. Postmodernism and post-
Report, share a key element with the thought and action, they question the belief that structuralism are often used
interchangeably. Their common
behaviourist tradition: the belief that learning universal schooling will result automatically in theme is that power and knowledge
reside in discourse, not in
achievement must be monitored and that equal development of learners potential. structures. Foucault (1977) argues
that power and power relationships
frequent feedback is crucial in motivating and As a reaction against this, advocates of an create the conditions for the
guiding the learner. Box 1.7 summarizes the emancipatory pedagogy suggested that critical production of knowledge. This is
reflected at a deep level within
behaviourist approach to education quality. intellectuals should work to empower curricula.
2 0 0 5
34 / CHAPTER 1
Box 1.8. Quality in the critical tradition of whom proposed new and alternative education
EFA Global Monitoring Report
resource.25 Others see adult education as an that straightforward relationships between the
essential part of socio-cultural, political and conditions of education and its products are not
historical transformation.26 The latter view is easy to determine.
most famously associated with literacy
programmes and with the work of the radical Nevertheless, it helps to begin by thinking about
theorist Paulo Freire, for whom education was the main elements of education systems and how
an intensely important mechanism for awakening they interact. To this end, we might characterize Links between
political awareness.27 His work urges adult the central dimensions influencing the core education and
educators not only to engage learners in processes of teaching and learning as follows:
society are strong,
dialogue, to name oppressive experiences,
but also, through problem posing and learner characteristics dimension; and each influences
conscientization, to realize the extent to which contextual dimension; the other
they themselves have been influenced by enabling inputs dimension;
repressive societal forces. teaching and learning dimension.
outcomes dimension.
A framework for understanding, Figure 1.1 illustrates these dimensions and their
relationships, and the following subsections
monitoring and improving discuss their characteristics and interactions.
education quality
Learner characteristics
Given the diversity of understanding and
interpretation of quality evident in the different How people learn and how quickly is strongly
traditions discussed above, defining quality influenced by their capacities and experience.
and developing approaches to monitoring and Assessments of the quality of education outputs
improving it requires dialogue designed to that ignore initial differences among learners are
25. Knowles (1980) lists
achieve: likely to be misleading. Important determining experience as one of five
characteristics can include socio-economic principles of adult learning theory
in which reflection by individuals is
broad agreement about the aims and background, health, place of residence, cultural a central part of the educational
process. The learning cycle
objectives of education; and religious background and the amount and developed by Kolb (1984) also has
concrete experience as the
a framework for the analysis of quality that nature of prior learning. It is therefore important starting point for learning, based
enables its various dimensions to be specified; that potential inequalities among students, on reflection.
an approach to measurement that enables the deriving from gender, disability, race and 26. For an overview of paradigms
in adult learning, see UIE (2004).
important variables to be identified and assessed; ethnicity, HIV/AIDS status and situations of
a framework for improvement that emergency are recognized. These differences 27. In his most influential work,
Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Freire
comprehensively covers the interrelated in learner characteristics often require special characterized the education
normally provided to the poor
components of the education system and allows responses if quality is to be improved. as banking education, seeing it
as being of inferior quality and
opportunities for change and reform to be irrelevant to learners needs. He
identified. argued that educational practice
Context that excludes alternative
interpretations of a particular
reality reinforces the power of
As earlier sections of this chapter have indicated, Links between education and society are strong, the teacher and encourages non-
cognitive development and the accumulation of and each influences the other. Education can critical analysis by students.
Freire saw the agency of the
particular values, attitudes and skills are help change society by improving and learner and her or his prior
knowledge as central to the
important objectives of education systems in strengthening skills, values, communications, learning process, maintaining that
the learner must take on full
most societies. Their content may differ but their mobility (link with personal opportunity and responsibility as an actor with
broad structure is similar throughout the world. prosperity), personal prosperity and freedom. knowledge and not as recipient
of the teachers discourse
This may suggest that in one sense the key to In the short term, however, education usually (Freire, 1985: 47-8). This activist
perspective drew attention to the
improving the quality of education to helping reflects society rather strongly: the values and deeper political changes and
education systems better achieve these attitudes that inform it are those of society at reforms necessary for
improvement in education quality.
objectives could be equally universal. large. Equally important is whether education Newer approaches include those
of Usher and Edwards (1994), who
Considerable research has been directed takes place in the context of an affluent society bring post-structural and
postmodern perspectives to bear
towards this question in recent years. As or one where poverty is widespread. In the latter on adult education and learning,
Chapter 2 shows, however, the number of factors case, opportunities to increase resources for and Fenwick (2001), who draws on
experiential learning in innovative
that can affect educational outcomes is so vast education are likely to be constrained. ways.
2 0 0 5
36 / CHAPTER 1
Enabling inputs
Context
Economic and labour Educational knowledge Philosophical standpoint National standards
market conditions in and support infrastructure of teacher and learner Public expectations
the community Public resources available Peer effects Labour market demands
Socio-cultural and religious for education Parental support
factors Globalization
Competitiveness of Time available for
(Aid strategies) the teaching profession schooling and homework
on the labour market
National governance and
management strategies
It is obvious that More directly, national policies for education teaching and learning processes, which in turn
schools without also provide an influential context. For example, affects the range and the type of inputs used and
goals and standards, curricula and teacher how effectively they are employed. The main
teachers,
policies set the enabling conditions within which input variables are material and human
textbooks or educational practice occurs. These contextual resources, with the governance of these
learning materials circumstances have an important potential resources as an important additional dimension:
will not be able to influence upon education quality. International
do an effective job aid strategies are also influential in most Material resources, provided both by
developing countries. governments and households, include textbooks
and other learning materials and the availability
of classrooms, libraries, school facilities and
Enabling inputs
other infrastructure.
Other things being equal, the success of teaching
and learning is likely to be strongly influenced Human resource inputs include managers,
by the resources made available to support the administrators, other support staff, supervisors,
process and the direct ways in which these inspectors and, most importantly, teachers.
resources are managed. It is obvious that Teachers are vital to the education process.
schools without teachers, textbooks or learning They are both affected by the macro context in
materials will not be able to do an effective job. which it takes place and central to its successful
In that sense, resources are important for outcomes. Useful proxies here are pupil/teacher
education quality although how and to what ratio, average teacher salaries and the proportion
extent this is so has not yet been fully of education spending allocated to various items.
determined. Inputs are enabling in that they Material and human resources together are often
underpin and are intrinsically interrelated to measured by expenditure indicators, including
U N D E R S TA N D I N G E D U C AT I O N Q U A L I T Y / 3 7
public current expenditure per pupil and the education quality. The framework is
proportion of GDP spent on education. comprehensive, in that the quality of education
is seen as encompassing access, teaching and
Enabling school-level governance concerns the learning processes and outcomes in ways that
ways in which the school is organized and are influenced both by context and by the range
managed. Examples of potentially important and quality of inputs available. It should be
factors having an indirect impact on teaching and remembered that agreement about the Agreement about
learning are strong leadership, a safe and objectives and aims of education will frame any the objectives and
welcoming school environment, good community discussion of quality and that such agreement
aims of education
involvement and incentives for achieving good embodies moral, political and epistemological
results. issues that are frequently invisible or ignored. embodies moral,
political and
Teaching and learning While the framework is by no means the only epistemological
one available or possible, it does provide a issues that are
As Figure 1.1 indicates, the teaching and learning broad structure which can be used for the dual frequently invisible
process is closely nested within the support purposes of monitoring education quality and
or ignored
system of inputs and other contextual factors. analysing policy choices for its improvement.
Teaching and learning is the key arena for In Chapters 2 and 3 of this Report, the
human development and change. It is here that determinants of education quality are analysed
the impact of curricula is felt, that teacher according to the extent to which variables from
methods work well or not and that learners are different dimensions result in improved learning
motivated to participate and learn how to learn. outcomes (measured primarily in terms of
While the indirect enabling inputs discussed cognitive achievement). Chapter 4 then adapts
above are closely related to this dimension, the and modifies the framework to facilitate a more
actual teaching and learning processes (as these holistic discussion of policy strategies for the
occur in the classroom) include student time improvement of education quality. It focuses
spent learning, assessment methods for on the central teaching and learning dimension
monitoring student progress, styles of teaching, of Figure 1.1, placing the learner at the core.
the language of instruction and classroom
organization strategies.
The structure of the Report
Outcomes
The primary purpose of the EFA Global
The outcomes of education should be assessed Monitoring Report is to monitor changes in
in the context of its agreed objectives. They are education around the world in the light of the
most easily expressed in terms of academic Dakar goals. As in the earlier volumes, a
achievement (sometimes as test grades, but substantial amount of attention is given
more usually and popularly in terms of (particularly in Chapter 3) to analysing progress
examination performance), though ways of towards the goals mainly in a quantitative
assessing creative and emotional development sense. In taking the quality of education as its
as well as changes in values, attitudes and theme and thus focusing attention particularly
behaviour have also been devised. Other proxies upon progress and prospects for achieving the
for learner achievement and for broader social sixth Dakar goal, the Report has already
or economic gains can be used; an example is illustrated the importance of education quality
labour market success. It is useful to distinguish to EFA and addressed questions of how it can
between achievement, attainment and other be defined and monitored (Chapter 1). It now
outcome measures which can include broader goes on to identify what factors particularly
benefits to society. affect education quality (Chapter 2), what
strategies for improvement can be adopted,
particularly by developing countries28 (Chapter 4),
Using the framework and how the international community is meeting
its international commitments to EFA 28. Throughout the Report, the
This framework provides a means of organizing (Chapter 5). word countries should generally
be understood as meaning
and understanding the different variables of countries and territories.
Guidelines
for Inclusion:
Ensuring Access
to Education for All
Acknowledgments
Published in 2005
by the United Nations Educational,
Scientic and Cultural Organization
7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 PARIS 07 SP
UNESCO 2005
Printed in France
T
his report has gone through an external and internal peer review process, which
targeted a broad range of stakeholders including within the Education Sector at
UNESCO headquarters and in the eld, Internal Oversight Service (IOS) and Bu-
reau of Strategic Planning (BSP). These guidelines were also piloted at a Regional Work-
shop on Inclusive Education in Bangkok. A wide range of experts from the Asia Pacic
region provided feedback for further development. Finally, this document was circulated to
Steering Committee of the Flagship The Right to Education for Persons with Disabilities:
Towards Inclusion. This document is a response to the need for a systematic approach
for identifying excluded groups. It is intended to be a living document which serves as a
dynamic tool of analysis which will be revised in the coming years to reect the reality of
marginalized and excluded children.
Abstract
O
ver half a billion persons are disabled as a result of mental, physical or sensory im-
pairment. These individuals are often limited by both physical and social barriers
which exclude them from society and prevent them from actively participating
in the development of their nations. Approximately 80 per cent of the worlds disabled
population lives in developing countries. The key to unlocking this potential rests in the
minds of men; it is through education and the respect for the rights of all individuals that
change can effectively take place.
Today there are an estimated 140 million children who are out of school, a majority
being girls and children with disabilities. Among them, 90% live in lower middle-income
countries and over 80% of these children are in Africa. There are countless others within
the school system not receiving quality education. How many of these children who are
not attending school live in your country? How can we take steps towards ensuring that
these children, who have a right to education, are not left behind? This document provides
guidelines and concepts for rendering National Education Plans / Education for All (EFA)
more inclusive, with the objective of ensuring access and quality education for ALL learn-
ers.
This paper is intended to systematize how excluded children are planned for in edu-
cation. It begins with a brief introduction, which provides a historical perspective on the
origins of inclusion and describes the shift from integration towards inclusion. It is then
divided into three main parts. The rst provides a theoretical framework. It denes inclu-
sion, explains how it is founded in a human rights approach and how is relates to factors
such as quality and cost-effectiveness. The second part looks at more practical changes at
the school level. It outlines the key elements in the shift towards inclusion with a particu-
lar focus on the key players including teachers, parents and educational policymakers as
well as curricula. The third part brings together the rst two sections by providing tools for
policymakers and educational planners for hands-on analysis of education plans.
These guidelines are intended to provide information and awareness, to be a policy
tool for revising and formulating EFA plans, and to serve as a basis for discussion among
policymakers, educators, NGOs and international organizations impacting policy in both
private and public education and concerned with promoting access for ALL learners.
These guidelines attempt to demystify the notions surrounding inclusion and dem-
onstrate that challenges can be overcome through a willingness to change attitudes regard-
ing inclusion. By following these guidelines, those working with and analyzing National
Plans for Education can identify gaps and strategies in order to take steps to ensure that
inclusion is achieved within their educational systems and that every child has access to a
quality education.
Contents
Introduction
1 Inclusions Origins in Special Education: The Shift from Integration
to Inclusion
2 How Inclusion Relates to Education for All
1 Why Inclusion
Rationale & Rights
1 Inclusion in Education a human right
Figure 1.1: The Rights Framework for Inclusion
2 How is inclusion dened?
3 Inclusion how does it relate to quality?
4 Inclusion and cost effectiveness
2 Key Elements in the Shift towards Inclusion
Resource & Recourse
1 Key players in support of inclusion who are they?
2 Attitudes and values how can they affect inclusion?
Figure 2.2: Understanding the process of inclusion
3 Accessible and exible curricula how can they serve as keys
to schools for all?
Figure 3.1: Education through the Inclusion Lens
4 Inclusion empowering for All?
3 Inclusive Education and Education for All
Reflection & Reform
1 Tools for Educational Planners and Policymakers
2 Steps Towards Inclusion Checklist
3 Strategic Planning for Inclusion - Inclusion Matrix Worksheet
Annex 1 EFA & Millennium Developement Goals
References and further reading
Introduction
Inclusion as we know it today has its origins in Special Education. The development of the
eld of special education has involved a series of stages during which education systems
have explored different ways of responding to children with disabilities, and to students
who experience difculties in learning. In some cases, Special education has been pro-
vided as a supplement to general education provision, in other cases it has been entirely
separate. In recent years, the appropriateness of separate systems of education has been
challenged, both from a human rights perspective and from the point of view of effective-
ness.
Special education practices were moved into the mainstream through an approach
known as integration. The main challenge with integration is that mainstreaming had
not been accompanied by changes in the organisation of the ordinary school, its curriculum
and teaching and learning strategies. This lack of organisational change has proved to be
one of the major barriers to the implementation of inclusive education policies. Revised
thinking has thus led to a re-conceptualisation of special needs. This view implies that
progress is more likely if we recognize that difculties experienced by pupils result from
the ways in which schools are currently organized and from rigid teaching methods. It has
been argued that schools need to be reformed and pedagogy needs to be improved in ways
that will lead them to respond positively to pupil diversity seeing individual differences
not as problems to be xed, but as opportunities for enriching learning.
The issue of inclusion has to be framed within the context of the wider international dis-
cussions around the United Nations organisations agenda of Education for All (EFA),
stimulated by the 1990 Jomtien Declaration.
The Salamanca Statement on Principles, Policy and Practice in Special Needs Edu-
cation (UNESCO 1994) provides a framework for thinking about how to move policy and
practice forward. Indeed, this Statement, and the accompanying Framework for Action, is 9
arguably the most signicant international document that has ever appeared in special edu-
cation. It argues that regular schools with an inclusive orientation are:
the most effective means of combating discriminatory attitudes, building an inclusive
society and achieving education for all.
In the early documentation on EFA, there was a rather token mention of special
needs
This has been gradually replaced by a recognition that the inclusion agenda should
be seen as an essential element of the whole EFA movement. In taking an inclusive ap-
proach we must not lose sight of its origins in special needs discourse as well as the fact that
children with disabilities remain the largest group of children out of school.
Education for All means ensuring that all children have access to basic education
of good quality. This implies creating an environment in schools and in basic education
programmes in which children are both able and enabled to learn. Such an environment
must be inclusive of children, effective with children, friendly and welcoming to children,
healthy and protective for children and gender sensitive. The development of such child-
friendly learning environments is an essential part of the overall efforts by countries around
the world to increase access to, and improve the quality of, their schools.
10
1 Why Inclusion? Rationale & Rights
E
xclusion from meaningful participation in the economic, social, political and cultural
life of communities is one of the greatest problems facing individuals in our society
today. Such societies are neither efcient nor desirable.
Despite encouraging developments, there are still an estimated 115-130 million children
not attending school. Ninety percent of them live in low and lower middle income coun-
tries, and over 80 million of these children live in Africa.1 As alarming are the countless
others within the school system being excluded from quality education. Among those who
do enrol in primary school, large numbers drop out before completing their primary educa-
tion.
Current strategies and programmes have not been sufcient to meet the needs of
children and youth who are vulnerable to marginalisation or exclusion. In the past, efforts
have consisted of specialized programmes, institutions and specialist educators. The un-
fortunate consequence of such differentiation, although well intended, has often been fur-
ther exclusion. Achieving the EFA and Millennium Development Goals2 by their assigned
time lines will require unprecedented intersectoral and interagency collaboration among
partners. Education must be viewed as a facilitator in everyones human development and
functionality, regardless of barriers of any kind, physical or otherwise. Therefore, disability
of any kind (physical, social and/or emotional) cannot be a disqualier. Inclusion, thus, in-
volves adopting a broad vision of Education for All by addressing the spectrum of needs of
all learners, including those who are vulnerable to marginalisation and exclusion.
Some examples of Marginalised/Excluded/Vulnerable Groups are:
11
UNESCO views inclusion as a dynamic approach of responding positively to pupil diversity and
of seeing individual differences not as problems, but as opportunities for enriching learning.
Therefore, the move towards inclusion is not simply a technical or organisational
change but also a movement with a clear philosophy. In order for inclusion to be imple-
mented effectively, countries need to dene a set of inclusive principles together with
practical ideas to guide the transition towards policies addressing inclusion in education.
The principles of inclusion that are set out in various international declarations can be used
as a foundation. These then can be interpreted and adapted to the context of individual
countries.
At the core of inclusive education is the human right to education, pronounced in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 which states,
Everyone has the right to education... Education shall be free, at least in the el-
ementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Education
shall be directed to the full development of human personality and to the strengthening
of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding,
tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the
activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace. (art.26 - Universal Declara-
tion of Human Rights)
Equally important are the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
(UN, 1989), such as the right of children not to be discriminated against, stated in Article 2
and Article 23. Article 23 stipulates that children with disabilities3 should have:
effective access to and receive education, training, health care services, rehabilitation services,
preparation for employment and recreation opportunities in a manner conducive to the childs achiev-
ing the fullest possible social integration and individual development, including his or her cultural
and spiritual development. (Article 23)
Article 29 on the Aims of education, expresses that the educational development
of the individual is the central aims and that education should allow children to reach their
fullest potential in terms of cognitive, emotional and creative capacities. In addition, the
UNESCO Convention Against Discrimination in Education (1960) and the Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979) are other key inter-
national human rights treaties that not only emphasize the prohibition but also the active
elimination of discrimination. A logical consequence of these rights is that all children have
the right to receive the kind of education that does not discriminate on any grounds such as
caste, ethnicity, religion, economic status, refugee status, language, gender, disability etc.
and that specic measures be taken by the State to implement these rights in all learning
environments.
A rights-based approach to education4 is founded upon three principles:
Access to free and compulsory education
Equality, inclusion and non-discrimination
The right to quality education, content and processes
12 3 The General Assembly resolution 56/168 of 19 December 2001 established an Ad Hoc Committee to consider proposals for a com-
prehensive and integral international convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, based
on the holistic approach in the work done in the elds of social development, human rights and non-discrimination and taking into
account the recommendations of the Commission on Human Rights and the Commission for Social Development.The Committee is in
the process of working on a Comprehensive and Integral International Convention on Protection and Promotion of the Rights and
Dignity of Persons with Disabilities.
4 Tomasevski, K. (2004) Manual on Rights Based Education, UNESCO Bangkok
The move towards inclusion has involved a series of changes at the societal and
classroom level that have been accompanied by the elaboration of numerous legal instru-
ments at the international level. Inclusion has been implicitly advocated since the Univer-
sal Declaration in 1948 and it has been mentioned at all stages in a number of key UN Dec-
larations and Conventions. (As seen in the following Figure 1.1: The Rights Framework for
Inclusion)
While there are also very important human, economic, social and political reasons for
pursuing a policy and approach of inclusive education, it is also a means of bringing about
personal development and building relationships among individuals, groups and nations.
The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action (1994) asserts that:
Regular schools with inclusive orientation are the most effective means of combating dis-
crimination, creating welcoming communities, building an inclusive society and achieving education
for all. (Salamanca Statement, Art. 2)
The Jomtien World Conference on Education for All (1990) set the goal of Educa-
tion for All (EFA). UNESCO, along with other UN agencies, international development
agencies and a number of international and national non-governmental organisations, has
been working towards achieving this goal - adding to the efforts made at the country level.
All children and young people of the world, with their individual strengths and weaknesses,
with their hopes and expectations, have the right to education. It is not our education systems that have
a right to certain types of children. Therefore, it is the school system of a country that must be adjusted
to meet the needs of all children. (B. Lindqvist, UN-Rapporteur, 1994)
It is thus imperative that schools and local authorities take the responsibility to en-
sure that this right is implemented. Concretely this involves:
Initiating debates around how the community understands human rights;
Generating collective thinking and identifying practical solutions such as
how human rights can be made part of the local school curriculum;
Linking the Human Rights movement with educational access;
Fostering grassroots action and strengthening its ties to the policy level in
order to promote protection;
Encouraging the creation of community and childrens councils where issues
of access can be discussed; and
Developing community-school mechanism to identify children not in school
as well as develop activities to ensure that children enroll in school and learn.
Furthermore, adequate resources must be matched with political will, and constitu-
ent pressure maintained on governments to live up to their obligations. Ultimately, how-
ever, success will be judged by the quality of basic education provided to all learners. In the
following sections we discuss how inclusion is dened and what practical steps are required
to make inclusion in education a reality.
Inclusion is seen as a process of addressing and responding to the diversity of needs of all
learners through increasing participation in learning, cultures and communities, and reduc- 13
ing exclusion within and from education. It involves changes and modications in content,
approaches, structures and strategies, with a common vision which covers all children of the
appropriate age range and a conviction that it is the responsibility of the regular system to
educate all children.
Figure 1.1: The Rights Framework for Inclusion
14
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
1948 Ensures the right to free and compulsing elementary education for all children.
Inclusion is concerned with providing appropriate responses to the broad spectrum
of learning needs in formal and non-formal educational settings. Rather than being a mar-
ginal issue on how some learners can be integrated in mainstream education, inclusive
education is an approach that looks into how to transform education systems and other
learning environments in order to respond to the diversity of learners. It aims towards
enabling teachers and learners both to feel comfortable with diversity and to see it as
a challenge and enrichment of the learning environment, rather than a problem. Inclu-
sion emphasizes providing opportunities for equal participation of persons with disabilities
(physical, social and/or emotional) whenever possible into general education, but leaves
open the possibility of personal choice and options for special assistance and facilities for
those who need it.
In dening inclusion, it is important to highlight the following elements:
beneting all learners, not only targeting the responding only to diversity, but also improv-
excluded ing the quality of education for all learners
children in school who may feel excluded special schools but perhaps additional sup-
port to students within the regular school system
providing equal access to education or mak- meeting the needs of children with disabili-
ing certain provisions for certain categories of ties only
children without excluding them
In particular, four key elements have tended to feature strongly in the conceptualisa-
tion of inclusion. The four elements are as follows:
Inclusion is a process. That is to say, inclusion has to be seen as a never-ending
search to nd better ways of responding to diversity. It is about learning how
to live with difference and learning how to learn from difference. In this way
differences come to be seen more positively as a stimulus for fostering learn-
ing, amongst children and adults.
Inclusion is concerned with the identication and removal of barriers. Consequently,
it involves collecting, collating and evaluating information from a wide variety
of sources in order to plan for improvements in policy and practice. It is about
using evidence of various kinds to stimulate creativity and problem-solving.
Inclusion is about the presence, participation and achievement of all students. Here
presence is concerned with where children are educated, and how reliably 15
and punctually they attend; participation relates to the quality of their ex-
periences whilst they are there and, therefore, must incorporate the views of
the learners themselves; and achievement is about the outcomes of learn-
ing across the curriculum, not merely test or examination results.
Inclusion involves a particular emphasis on those groups of learners who may be at
risk of marginalization, exclusion or underachievement. This indicates the moral
responsibility to ensure that those groups that are statistically most at risk
are carefully monitored, and that, where necessary, steps are taken to ensure
their presence, participation and achievement in the education system.
It is important to highlight that a holistic view of the education system, encompassing
both the private and public system, must be taken when considering adopting an inclusive
approach. Increasingly the world over, privatisation of education is on the rise. It is becom-
ing evident that the private system of education in many countries is competing with the
Government system. In some cases, government schools are closing because children are
increasingly attending private schools. This trend could inadvertently lead to planners only
planning for schools catering to poorer communities; this would inevitably be counterproduc-
tive to promoting principles of inclusion. Furthermore, in many countries the public system
is generally considered lower in terms of quality of education being provided as compared to
private schools. Thus, poorer children tend to be limited to the public system. It is impera-
tive, therefore, that education planners consider both the public and the private system in
planning in order to effectively address the needs of all learners and combat exclusion.
The move towards inclusion is a gradual one that should be based on clearly articu-
lated principles, which address system-wide development. If barriers are to be reduced, as
we will discuss later in this paper, policy-makers, educational personnel and other stake-
holders need to take certain steps which must involve all members of the local community,
including political and religious leaders, local education ofces and the media. Some of
these actions include:
Mobilising opinion
Building consensus
Carrying out local situation analyses
Reforming legislation
Supporting local projects
In short, promoting inclusion is about improving educational and social frameworks
to cope with new trends in educational structures and governance. It involves improving
inputs, processes and environments to foster learning both at the level of the learner in his/
her learning environment as well as at the level of the system which supports the learning
experience. In the following section we will look at how inclusion and quality are related.
According to the 2005 Global Monitoring Report, Education should allow children to reach
their fullest potential in terms of cognitive, emotional and creative capacities.
An inclusive approach to education is one that strives to promote quality in the class-
room. In order to move towards quality in education, changes are required at several levels.
Human variations and differences are a naturally occurring and valuable part of society and
should be reected in schools. Schools should be able to offer opportunities for a range of
16 working methods and individualized learning in order that no pupil is obliged to stand out-
side the fellowship of and participation in the school.
An inclusive school for all must put exibility and variation at the centre, structurally
as well as in terms of content, with the goal of offering every individual a relevant education
and optimal opportunities for development.
Characteristics of a school for all include exercising exibility with regard to the
individual pupils capabilities and placing his/her needs and interests at the core. The
school for all is therefore a coherent, but differentiated learning environment. All knowl-
edge and experience about the development of children says that this can best take place
in an environment where self-esteem and positive conception of oneself are strong, i.e.
an environment where real participation and fellowship are experienced and actively pro-
moted.
Placing the pupil at the centre does not imply that students need to be taught and
will learn subject matter and content separately. Within the framework of the classroom, in-
dividual adaptations can be made. Furthermore, it involves pupils supporting one another
according to their abilities and strengths. It is about seeing differences as opportunities for
learning.
Nonetheless, quality in education is often perceived and measured as the academic
results attained by the pupils through the successful completion of nal exams and other
quantitative measures. In some cases, privatized systems of education focus on provisions
of good infrastructure, technology and facilities aiming at assuring comfort to students.
These therefore become parameters of quality rather than content and value of educa-
tion. Quality, however, is more than this and entails a school system where all children are
welcome and where diversity and exibility are seen as important ingredients for the de-
velopment and personal growth of all learners. Educational planners must bear these issues
in mind when generating discussions among receivers and providers in order to remove
disparities in quality of education in the public and private systems.
An inclusive perspective on quality education is concerned with the need to ensure
that learning opportunities contribute to effective inclusion of individual and groups into
the wider fabric of society. Quality education is therefore education that is inclusive as it
aims at the full participation of all learners. We have learned from constructive and trans-
actional theories that the quality of learning can be enhanced by the diversity of student
involvement. Teacher attitudes and tolerance are the vehicles for the construction of an
inclusive and participatory society. Focusing on quality education for enhanced inclusion
implies identifying strategies for overcoming or eliminating the barriers to full participation
for individuals and groups which experience discrimination, marginalization and exclusion
or which are particularly vulnerable.
According to a recent World Bank study and a growing body of global research, Inclusive
Education is not only cost-efcient but also cost-effective and equity is way to excel-
lence5 This research likewise points to increased achievement and performance for all
learners. Furthermore, within education, countries are increasingly realizing the inef-
ciency of multiple systems of administration, organisational structures and services and the
nancially unrealistic option of special schools.6
One area where efciency can be improved to yield results is in the realm of school
health. UNESCO along with its partners, WHO, UNICEF and the World Bank joined forces 17
in the development of the FRESH7 initiative aimed at raising the education sectors awareness
19
2 Key elements in the shift towards inclusion
Resource & Recourse
I
ncorporating inclusion as a guiding principle typically requires change in education
systems, and this change process is frequently faced with several challenges. It involves
important shifts and changes at the systems as well as the societal level.
To understand change at all levels, it is important to know what change looks like
from different points of view. How the teacher, student, local and national government see
change is vital to understand how individuals and groups act and, indeed, react to each
other. Reforming school systems to become inclusive is not only about putting in place
recently-developed inclusive policies that meet the needs of all learners, but also about
changing the culture of classrooms, schools, districts and universities etc. It is important to
note that these change processes towards inclusion often begin on a small scale and involve
overcoming some obstacles such as:
Existing attitudes and values
Lack of understanding
Lack of necessary skills
Limited resources
Inappropriate organisation
Accepting change is really about learning. It means that schools should foster en-
vironments where teachers learn from experience in the same way that they expect their
pupils should learn from the tasks and activities in which they are engaged. Teachers who
regard themselves as learners in the classroom as more likely to successfully facilitate the
learning of their pupils. The sensitivity they acquire as a result of reecting on their own
attempts to learn new ideas or new ways of working is inuential in terms of they way chil-
dren are dealt with in their classes.
There are several important conceptual elements that contribute to successful
change. These include:
Clarity of purpose
Realistic goals
Motivation
Support
Resources
Evaluation
There are several levels and dimensions to the educational change process, some of
which are intangible. Good change processes develop trust, relevance and the desire to
20 get better results. Accountability and improvement can be effectively interwoven, but it
requires great sophistication.8 However, it is important to recognize that some dimensions
of change can effectively be measured. Such measurements include:
8 Fullan, M.
Direct benets to children
Wider impact on policies, practices, ideas and beliefs
Enhanced childrens participation
Reduced discrimination (e.g. gender, disability, caste, minority status, etc)
Strengthened partnerships and improved collaboration between ministries, at
the national and local level of government and at the community level
Development and strengthening of the education system, technology and
pedagogy to include all learners
The following sections will explore some of these additional barriers and supports
to change. The theoretical ideas and examples below are useful when trying to understand
the barriers to change when implementing inclusive policies and practices.
It has been shown that teachers positive attitudes towards inclusion depend strongly on
their experience with learners who are perceived as challenging. Teacher education,
the availability of support within the classroom, class size and overall workload are all
factors which inuence teachers attitudes. Several studies have revealed that negative
attitudes of teachers and adults (parents and other family members) are the major barrier
to inclusion; children do not have prejudices unless adults show them. Thus, introducing
inclusion as a guiding principle in these different areas will have implications for teachers
attitudes.
Shared values make cooperation possible, just as lack of them makes it difcult for
people to work together. However, when common values are lacking, common interests,
which are precursors to values, may substitute for them and in daily life are often a signi-
cant driving force.9 Changes in attitudes involve signicant changes in conceptions and role
behaviour. Among other factors, this is why change is so difcult to achieve.
One successful example of a rst experience with inclusive schooling was in Burkina
Faso through the Inclusive schools and community support programmes project
which, according to those involved, contributed to tackling the problem of educa-
tion of children with special educational needs, marginalized for too long, as well
as to changing attitudes regarding these children. A genuine new awareness on
the part of parents and students was created. The pupils themselves observed such
changes. One of them indicated that, He was afraid to approach his comrades with
intellectual disabilities, because it was said that they were inhabited by spirits and
could contaminate you. Now, he concluded, I know that is not true. Now, we
work and play together and Ive learned to understand them, to like them and to
help them when necessary.
Source: Inclusive Schools and Community Support Programmes, UNESCO.
An example of this in China, is the Golden Key Project, which promotes educa-
tion for the visually impaired in poor rural areas. For each county, a professional
guidance network has been set up including an itinerant supervisor, an admin-
istrative ofcial and a social worker who are responsible for creating the link be-
tween the school and the community and have been able to successfully mobi-
lize community forces to support inclusion. Initially resistance was encountered
among members of the community and teachers who argued that they were not
specially trained or equipped to handle these students. Others claimed that these
pupils would slow their classes down and that the parents of the other children
would not be pleased to know that their children were in classes with these chil-
dren who are different. However, once this transition to change was overcome,
teachers came to recognise the contribution to the learning environment as well
as the implications for the community. Eventually, even the most sceptical vil-
lagers were convinced of the importance of sending blind children to school and
banded together to help support these children by volunteering to repair the path
they used to go to school and provide them with other support services. 11
Source: Inclusive Schools and Community Support Programmes, UNESCO.
23
10 Meisfjord, R.
11 UNICEF, 2003, Inclusive Education Initiatives for Children with Disabilities: Lessons from the East Asia and Pacic Region.
Figure 2.2: Understanding the Process of Inclusion
Knowledge
Education for All
(Inclusion in Education)
Understanding
Integration/ Special Needs Education
Denial
Exclusion
24
3 Accessible and flexible curricula how can they serve as keys
for schools for all?
UNESCOs work on quality and relevance of education is based on the premise that educa-
tional quality and access are intricately linked. The concept Education for All thus ques-
tions a large part of the current schools way of organizing teaching. Teachers often retain
the perspectives gained from their own school experiences.
According to the 2005 EFA Report, One way to move towards a relevant, balanced
set of aims is to analyse the curriculum in terms of inclusion. An inclusive approach to cur-
riculum policy recognizes that while every learner has multiple needs even more so in
situations of vulnerability and disadvantage everyone should benet from a commonly
accepted basic level of quality education. In the United Kingdom, a government sup-
ported Index for Inclusion identies three dimensions of inclusion: creating inclusive
cultures, producing inclusive policies and evolving inclusive practices.12
Schools often have general, common goals regarding what is desirable in terms of
pupil achievement. An inclusive approach seeks to discourage teaching which is based on
a criterion of averages, meaning that some pupils will not be able to keep up, while others
will nd it too easy and consider the teaching boring. Instead, Education for All places the
pupil at the centre of teaching and learning based on an appreciation of his or her differ-
ences in understanding, feelings, social and perceptual skills, etc. This results in all pupils
having optimal opportunities for becoming motivated and activated.
Accessible and exible curricula can serve as the key to creating schools for all.
It is important that the curriculum be exible enough to provide possibilities for adjust-
ment to individual needs and to stimulate teachers to seek solutions that can be matched
with the needs and abilities of each and every pupil.
Many curricula expect all pupils to learn the same things, at the same time and by
the same means and methods. But pupils are different and have different abilities and
needs.
Therefore, the curriculum must take into consideration the various needs of pupils
to ensure access for all. Some of these strategies are:
providing a exible time-frame for pupils studying particular subjects
giving greater freedom to teachers in choosing their working methods
allowing teachers the opportunity of giving special support in practical sub-
jects (e.g. orientation, mobility) over and above the periods allotted for more
traditional school subjects.
allotting time for additional assistance for classroom-based work
emphasizing aspects of pre-vocational training
Furthermore, some practical steps can be taken towards making curricula more in-
clusive. Some of the questions to consider are:
What human values promoting inclusion are being fostered through the cur-
riculum?
Are human rights and childrens rights part of the curriculum? Do they ad-
dress the coexistence of rights with responsibilities, and how are they taught?
Is the content of the curriculum relevant to childrens real lives and future? 25
Does the curriculum take gender, cultural identity and language background
into consideration?
26
Figure 3.1: Education through the Inclusion Lens
Seeing education through the inclusion lens implies a shift from seeing the child as a problem to
seeing the education system as the problem that can be solved through inclusive approaches
Rigid methods
Rigid curriculum
Has special needs
Does not respond; cannot learn Does not respond; cannot teach
27
Inaccessible environments
Child is excluded from school excluding children from
school
4 Inclusion empowering for All?
According to a recent report for the World Bank Disability Group, Education is wide-
ly seen as a means to develop human capital, to improve economic performance and to
enhance individual capabilities and choices in order to enjoy freedoms of citizenship.13
Within this context, therefore, empowerment refers to acquiring the awareness and skills
necessary to take charge of ones own life chances. It is about facilitating the ability of indi-
viduals (and groups) to make their own decisions and, to a greater extent than hitherto, to
shape their own destinies. Some educational theorists tie the concept to Freires notion of
the collective struggle for a life without oppression and exploitation and the expression
of students and teachers voices which can be emancipatory in different degrees.14 This
is the understanding of empowerment embedded in these guidelines.
Social transformation requires self-formation. Curriculum can play an instrumental
role in fostering tolerance and promoting human rights. It is the means by which respect for
the dignity of persons and awareness of responsibilities as national and global citizens are
instilled in children. Such knowledge can be a powerful tool for transcending cultural, reli-
gious and other diversities and empowering teachers, students and all members of society.
Furthermore, education is an important vehicle through which economically and so-
cially marginalized adults and children can be empowered to change their life chances, and
obtain the means to participate more fully in their communities.
The advantage of inclusion versus special education has been demonstrated on sev-
eral levels. Studies in both OECD and non-OECD countries indicate that students with
disabilities achieve better school results in inclusive settings. Inclusive education also pro-
vides opportunities to build social networks, norms of reciprocity, mutual assistance and
trustworthiness. Special schools tend to perpetuate the segregation of disabled people,
yet, for students with some types of disabilities, provision of high quality education in
special schools may be more appropriate than inclusion in a regular school that does
not provide meaningful interaction with classmates and professionals. Another option is
to reconcile the inclusive and specialised approaches in a twin track approach in which
parents and learners decide whether to opt for an inclusive regular school or a special school
initially, with inclusive education remaining the ultimate goal.15
When communities can hold teachers, administrators, and government ofcials ac-
countable for the inclusion of all children through formal institutional mechanisms, com-
munity members become more interested in school improvement and more willing to com-
mit their own resources to the task. This commitment may include forming partnerships
with outside contributors. According to the World Bank, programs that expand the access
of excluded groups to education have led to important shifts in mind-set among community
members and government leaders regarding the contributions that those groups can make
to society16. This is where change processes and empowerment go hand in hand to move
towards inclusion for all learners.
28
13 Peters, Susan.
14 Giroux, H.
15 Nordstrm , Richler, Magrab , Wormnaes (2004) in EFA Global Monitoring Report, The Quality Imperative, 2005.
16 World Bank, 2004
4 Inclusive Education and Education for All
T
he Dakar Framework For Action acknowledges the major education conferences
throughout the 1990s, such as the Salamanca World Conference on Special Needs
Education (1994 Salamanca, Spain), and urges the international community to con-
tinue working on achieving the goals set (Dakar Framework for Action, Para 4.). The Ex-
panded Commentary on the Dakar Framework for Action describes the broad vision of
Education for All. This vision needs to be adopted in order to achieve the Dakar Frame-
work for Action goals. It places a special emphasis on those learners who are the most
vulnerable to marginalization and exclusion and identies Inclusive Education as one of
the key strategies to address issues. The Dakar Framework for Action thus clearly sets
inclusive education as one of the main strategies to address the question of marginaliza-
tion and exclusion. The fundamental principle of EFA is that all children should have the
opportunity to learn. The fundamental principle of Inclusive Education is that all children
should have the opportunity to learn together.17
It is important to highlight that Education for All does not automatically imply inclu-
sion. Inclusion properly understood is precisely about reforming schools and ensuring that
every child receives quality and appropriate education within these schools. To this extent,
inclusion is critical to the EFA movement since without it, a group or groups of children are
excluded from education. Thus, EFA by denition cannot be achieved if these children are
excluded. Both EFA and inclusion are both about access to education, however, inclusion
is about access to education in a manner that there is no discrimination or exclusion for any
individual or group within or outside the school system.
Toward this end, inclusion needs to be the fundamental philosophy throughout pro-
grammes so that the goal of Education for All can be achieved. Inclusion, therefore,
should be the guiding principle for UNESCO and other agencies interface with Govern-
ments and other providers on Education for All.
In his speech to the 160th Executive Board, the Director General of UNESCO high-
lighted the need to make the special and urgent needs of marginalized and excluded groups
an integral part of all UNESCOs programmes so as to enable the Organization to make a
more effective contribution.
UNESCOs actions in promoting inclusive approaches in education will aim at:
forging a holistic approach to education which ensures that the concerns of
marginalized and excluded groups are incorporated in all education activities,
and cooperating to reduce wasteful repetition and fragmentation;
developing capacities for policymaking and system management in support
of diverse strategies towards inclusive education; and
bringing forward the concerns of groups who are currently marginalized and
excluded. 29
17 Peters, Susan.
1 Tools for Educational Planners and Policymakers
Reflection & Reform
In conclusion, we have looked at how inclusion is dened, some reasons and justications
for its implementation as well as some key elements in the shift towards inclusion. We now
ask that you consider the following questions at the level of policy and legislation in greater
detail before engaging in an in-depth analysis of the educational plans:
What policies promote inclusion and which ones go against it?
What are the existing barriers at the policy level that can act as a deterrent to
the practice of inclusion and how can this issue be addressed?
How can suitable guidelines to address and facilitate inclusion be prepared
and followed?
How can debate and discussion be generated among relevant stakeholders to
promote inclusion?
How can monitoring mechanisms be formulated and incorporated into plans
and realistic goals set for achieving intended targets?
There are some indicators to determine whether your school system is on track to moving
towards inclusion. The Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education (CSIE) piloted and re-
ned and Index for Inclusive Schooling. The Index takes the social model of disability as its
starting point, builds on good practice, and then organizes the Index work around a cycle
of activities which guide schools through stages of preparation, investigation, development
and review.18
The checklist and matrices that follow are intended to help facilitate the process
of identifying gaps and corresponding strategies to address these gaps and move towards
inclusion.
30
18 Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education (2003). Index for Inclusion: developing learning and participation in schools. CSIE web-
site http://inclusion.uwe.ac.uk/csie/indexlaunch.htm
2 Steps towards inclusion Checklist
The questions below can be used as a checklist to promote the incorporation of inclusive
approaches in National Education Plans. The answers will serve as a background when
analysing the present status of the National Plan and the level of its inclusiveness. Find-
ings can be used in discussions with responsible education authorities. Furthermore, they
should be used as guidelines in advising on possible improvements in the National Educa-
tion Plans.
The ndings should serve as a source for the identication of the needs for capacity
building for Inclusive Education.
The questions have been grouped under two headings to facilitate a structure for
the analysis of the National Education Plans / EFA plans. If the plan is still in draft form,
then responding to the checklist below can provide some insight into areas that need to be
elaborated in order to make the plans more inclusive. If the plan has already been com-
pleted, then the responses to these questions can serve as a guide to amending the plan
based on addressing the issues that may have been overlooked during the initial planning
process.
The worksheet which follows the Checklist Questions, is intended as a tool to help iden-
tify and analyze your current situation including your strengths (e.g., available resources
that currently support inclusion; statement(s) on inclusion in your National /EFA Plan)
and needs (e.g., resources that are needed to support inclusion, challenges that need to be
overcome; gaps in your Plan or your system related to moving toward inclusion).
31
Checklist Questions
A. Situation analysis
1. Have studies, needs-based analyses, etc. been undertaken to identify and address
the needs and challenges of the children missing out on education or at risk of drop-
ping out? If so, what are the ndings?
2. Are any measures being taken with regard to data collection, indicators and statistics
to ascertain the magnitude of marginalized and excluded children in the country?
3. What accommodations in teaching are made to ensure access for children with dis-
abilities, ethnic and language minorities?
4. What capacity exists to build and strengthen community level involvement (eg. CBR,
C-EMIS, ECCD initiatives)?
1. Who are the partners/service providers in the provision of education (other Min-
istries, private, etc)? Does the responsibility of education for certain categories of
children lie with other Ministries?
2. How are education costs shared? Do parents/family have to assume direct and/or in-
direct costs for the educational process of their children?
3. Is education regarded as a Right for all children? Are there mechanisms to ensure
that this right be fullled? Is there an Ombudsperson or mechanism for the imple-
mentation of the Rights of the Child?
4. Is the curriculum exible enough to allow for appropriate adaptation? Does it alien-
ate certain social and cultural groups? Does it permit progression and accreditation
for all students?
5. Do the plans reect the readiness to deal with disasters or events that affect access
to education?
1. Is registration data collected on all children which would allow identication of those
not in school?
2. Are there mechanisms to identify children already in schools, but excluded from
quality education?
3. Does the plan establish a school-community mechanism to identify children not in
schools, and are ways identied to ensure they enroll and learn? Are children en-
couraged to identify peers in the community not in school?
4. Do the plans discuss exibility in the assessment procedures to evaluate learning?
E. Capacity-building/stakeholder involvement/participation
1. Which stakeholders (parents, pupils, managers, etc) have been consulted in the elab-
oration of the plan?
2. How do international conferences, research, etc. feed into policies and program-
ming?
3. In which ways are parents/communities expected to be involved? To what extent are
parents/communities supported, how and by whom?
4. Are there social mobilization and communication strategies/materials to support and
create public awareness for inclusion?
5. What resources are allocated for plans/programmes with regard to inclusion? What
are additional sources of support for education (private sector, community, bi-lateral,
etc)?
6. Are pupil participation and co-operative learning encouraged?
33
34
Planning Matrix
References to vulnerable/marginalized/
excluded groups. Specific references to
children with disabilities?
Training
25 This entails cooperation with other Ministries as well as bi-lateral and multi-lateral donors, including private sector.
Indices of Situation Analysis Policy Goals, Implementation Monitoring,
Inclusion Objectives Evaluation
What is the What actions are needed? How will the actions be What information needs
current taken and by whom25? to be collected, how will
situation? you know what has been
achieved?
Activities
Curriculum Development
EFA Goals
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger halve the number of people
living on one dollar a day and who suffer from hunger.
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women equal access to primary
and post-primary education for girls.
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability reduce by half those without 37
access to safe water.
Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development more aid, more debt
relief, access to essential drugs and good governance.
References and further reading
40
www.unesco.org/education/inclusive
Anexo I
1
Ley N 20.248 de la Subvencin Escolar
Preferencial
Junio 2008
Objetivos de la Ley
2
Establecer compromisos, por parte de las y los actores educativos, para
mejorar la calidad de la enseanza.
El Convenio contiene:
3
9 Compromisos institucionales y pedaggicos:
Contar con una malla curricular que incluya actividades artsticas y/o
culturales y deportivas que contribuyan a la formacin integral de las y los
alumnos.
4
Resguardar que los procesos de admisin de los establecimientos sean de
conocimiento pblico en los proyectos educativos.
5
9 Fomentar la articulacin de las acciones de mejoramiento que se definan
con las polticas comunales de educacin.
6
9 Entregar orientaciones y apoyo para la elaboracin del Plan de
Mejoramiento Educativo, en particular a las escuelas uni, bi y tri docentes,
pequeas y en situacin de aislamiento geogrfico.
7
Sostenedores de establecimientos educacionales rurales uni, bi y tri
docentes, multigrado o en situacin de aislamiento
8
3. Implementacin de la Subvencin Escolar Preferencial
NO
T ercil m s v ulne ra b le
seg n F PS
SI
NO
S in d a to
S in d a to NO
S in d ato NO
9
La Ley clasifica a los establecimientos educacionales, como una manera de
reconocer las diferencias en sus condiciones y necesidades de mejoramiento. En
www.comunidadescolar.cl el sostenedor puede revisar la clasificacin asignada a
las escuelas bajo su administracin, e informarse acerca de los compromisos y
obligaciones que asume de acuerdo a ella.
Las escuelas son clasificadas segn un ndice de Calidad Educacional para la Clasificacin de
Escuelas. Este ndice se construye utilizando dos grandes insumos: SIMCE (70%) e Indicadores
Complementarios (30%).
Para el factor SIMCE, se consideran los grupos similares: A, B, C, y (D+E), mientras que los
indicadores complementarios consideran:
Municipales P. Subvencionadas
Evaluacin Docente 7% 0%
10
Si el sostenedor de la escuela est en desacuerdo con el nmero de alumnas y
alumnos prioritarios o con la clasificacin de escuelas, puede apelar en lnea. A
travs del mismo sistema de postulacin alojado en Comunidad Escolar, debe
fundamentar su apelacin y el Secretario Regional Ministerial de Educacin
sancionar y emitir un juicio definitivo.
11
Los datos ingresados en el sistema de postulacin son recibidos por el Secretario
Regional Ministerial de Educacin quien valida la informacin y comunica la
aceptacin o rechazo de la postulacin.
12
Recepcin de recursos
13
Tercera Fase: Elaboracin e implementacin de Planes de Mejoramiento
Educativo
14
El Plan de Mejoramiento Educativo en las escuelas rurales multigrado o aisladas requiere
considerar:
15
o La coordinacin y articulacin de acciones con las instituciones y
redes de servicios sociales competentes para detectar, derivar y
tratar problemas psicolgicos, sociales y necesidades educativas
especiales de las y los alumnos prioritarios.
16
Ley de Inclusin Escolar
Mayo de 2015
Pilares Ley de Inclusin
Establecimientos Pblicos.
Colegios Particulares Subvencionados.
Colegios Particulares Pagados.
Los recursos de la subvencin podrn destinarse a todos los gastos consistentes con
el proyecto educativo.
SE PROHBE
La decisin final deber ser adoptada por el director del establecimiento educacional
con consulta al Consejo de Profesores.
En 2016, los cobros mensuales por alumno no podrn exceder al cobro mensual por
alumno correspondiente al ao escolar 2015 convertidos en UF al 1 de agosto de
2015.
A contar de inicio del ao escolar 2017 los lmites mximos de cobro disminuirn en
el monto que hayan aumentado subvenciones e incrementos.
Techo
2,5
Subvencin
General 1,25
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Ao 0 Ao n
Ley de Inclusin:
Mayores recursos para fortalecer la educacin
Asistencia 555
Ao 2016
SITUACIN SIN SEP SITUACIN CON
SITUACIN SIN SEP SITUACIN CON SEP
Y GRATUIDAD RGIMEN
APORTE DE
38.078.957
GRATUIDAD
Las nuevas Entidades sin Fines de Lucro podrn pedir al SII el reavalo de los
inmuebles.
Ley de Inclusin:
Un marco regulatorio robusto
Los actuales sostenedores con hasta 400 estudiantes en 2014 podrn optar por
celebrar un contrato de uso de infraestructura para fines educacionales.
La ley exige que los sostenedores deben llevar su rendicin de cuentas pblica de
conformidad a principios de contabilidad generalmente aceptados.
ABSTRACT
Inclusion is a contemporary educational movement impacting the role of the classroom
teacher. As a result, teacher education programs have made attempts to incorporate
inclusive education as part of their curricula. An analysis of the literature reveals that
inclusion training has favorable effects on the attitudes of preservice teachers, but
has little effect on their perceptions of preparedness to teach in inclusive classrooms.
A common complaint is that the focus is heavily weighted on theory, as opposed to
practical experience. To address such concerns, the authors recommend the Individual
Direct Experience Approach (IDEA) as an innovative approach to preparing teachers for
inclusive classrooms.
Introduction
W
ith social justice at the international forefront of educational agendas,
the inclusion of students with exceptionalities in the general education
classroom has propelled a worldwide political and philosophical movement.
In an inclusive model, students with exceptional needs are educated alongside their
peers in the general classroom as the first placement option to be considered. The
inclusion movement is an impetus for change, not only in educational policies, but
also in the role and expectations of the classroom teacher. Inclusion has a tremendous
impact on general classroom teachers as they are increasingly faced with the challenge
of meeting a wide range of student needs through inclusive practices. More than ever
Perceptions of Preparedness
While positive attitudes may be able to transcend philosophical barriers to inclusion,
they may not always translate into feeling prepared for the reality of inclusive teaching.
For example, a review conducted by Avramidis and Norwich (2002) concluded that
although most teachers held positive attitudes toward inclusion, teachers did not feel
prepared for teaching students with exceptional needs, especially in the case of students
with severe learning difficulties and behavioral/emotional disorders. A qualitative study
conducted by Fayez, Dababneh, and Jumiaan (2011) reported that preservice teachers
held strong and positive attitudes about the philosophy of inclusion as an entitlement
of children with special needs. However, when asked about their preparedness to
implement inclusion, the participants felt their mandatory inclusion course, while
adding to their knowledge base, only provided a very narrow understanding of practical
skills. Another qualitative study found that a single-unit course on inclusion positively
changed preservice teachers perceptions about inclusion; however, participants
overwhelmingly indicated that they still required additional knowledge and skills in
order to operationalize their changed perceptions and beliefs (McCray & McHatton,
2011, p. 149). Hodkinsons (2006) study found similar findings and concluded that first-
year teachers felt their preservice training provided them with a good understanding
of the theory of inclusive education, however their understanding of the practical
delivery was limited. Moore-Hayes (2008) study reported that preservice teachers cited
the need for more preparation and experience in order to feel prepared for working
with students with exceptional needs. Additionally, in a study conducted by Forlin and
Chambers (2011), the researchers discovered that a unit of study in inclusive education
increased preservice teachers knowledge and their confidence as teachers. In contrast,
it also increased their levels of stress in teaching students with disabilities.
From this investigation it can be substantiated that there are obvious gaps in teacher
preparation programs. Teacher educators should view these gaps as a major roadblock
to advancing the actualization of inclusion at the very basic level: the general education
classroom. To ensure a better match between teacher preparation and the realities of
inclusive classrooms, changes to the current approaches are necessary and critical.
Based on our review of literature and experience as teacher educators, we conclude that
adding authentic practical experiences to the existing courses in inclusion will benefit
preservice teachers. Practical supervised experiences will add a sense of preparedness
to their positive attitudes toward teaching in inclusive classrooms.
knowledge the teacher holds and the lived experience of the novice learner. This gulf
is described as being so wide that the very situation forbids much active participation
by pupils in the development of what is taught (Dewey, 1938, p. 19). Oddly enough,
over 70 years later, this concept parallels the current concern in teacher education
forinclusion.
This concept can be useful for designing programs for teacher education. We
recommend that in preparing teachers for inclusive classrooms, teacher education
programs should incorporate opportunities for direct experiences with students who
have exceptional needs during field experiences. A recent study gathered opinions
from 124 faculty members across the United States, where the majority considered
field experiences to be a leading example in teacher training for inclusion (Harvey,
Yssel, Bauserman, & Merbler, 2010). Not only is this the opinion of faculty members,
but research also demonstrated that when teachers were asked about their most
preferred methods of preparation for teaching diverse learners, they suggested that
direct teaching experiences with students with special needs was favored (Avramidis &
Norwich, 2002; Jobling & Moni, 2004). One study of early childhood preservice teachers
found that inclusive settings for field experiences could link inclusive coursework
and fieldwork (Voss & Bufkin, 2011). Moreover, Rose and Garner (2010) stressed the
importance of practical, school-based experiences as an addition to the theoretical
base of university inclusion courses. In fact, one of the leading researchers in this
area argued that field experience opportunities and direct contact with students
with special needs may be the only meaningful solution (Loreman, 2010) to improve
inclusion training.
However, some caution and careful consideration should be put forth given that field
experiences do not always offer the optimum environment for practicing inclusive skills.
For example, Jobling and Monis (2004) study revealed that some participants felt they
had limited contact with the special-needs students during their practicum because
they always had an aide with them (p. 13). Also, Atay (2007) postulated that not every
practicum setting is a model of good practice and that factors and experiences vary
greatly. Yet another study suggested that placement schools should have a sufficient
number of students with exceptional needs in their schools, as criterion for selection,
in order to ensure more interactions and hands-on experience for preservice teachers
(Lombardi & Hunka, 2001). However, it was also recognized that it is often the case that
the number of schools offering field experience placements is insufficient, leaving
universities with little choice. Our own experiences as teacher educators confirm that
when field experiences do not include specific guidelines for working with students
with exceptional needs, preservice teachers often have limited exposure toand
practice withthese students.
IDEA are presented below, and an illustrative example will demonstrate the application
of IDEA to a field experience.
Expectations of IDEA
IDEA requires preservice teachers to choose one student with exceptional needs
from their classroom placement as a living case study during their field experience.
The criteria for selecting students are that they have unique educational needs and
require differentiated instruction or other forms of adaptations or modifications. It is
certain that in every classroom at least one student can be identified, in consultation
with the mentor teacher, as an appropriate living case for IDEA. After the living case
is established, the preservice teacher is expected to fully and deeply understand the
individual education plan (IEP) and/or the learning profile of this student, including
prior educational experiences and assessment. Preservice teachers are also required
to research the students exceptionality and communicate with the students teacher,
teacher assistant, parents, and other members of the school support team in order to
have a global understanding of the student. Following this background research, the
key expectation is for the preservice teacher to engage in individual, direct experiences
with the student for the duration of his or her field experience. A recommended
frequency of the interactions would be two to three times per week for 15- to 30-minute
sessions. Examples of interactions include guided literacy, individual conferencing, and
direct instruction. Preservice teachers will keep a descriptive log and journal describing
the direct experience interactions. Journal entries should include reflections about
what works, what does not, and how the student learns best. There should also be
opportunities for collaboration with the mentor teacher, university facilitator, and
with other colleagues and preservice teachers. With IDEA, preservice teachers will
be expected to plan and teach whole-class lessons up to a maximum of 80% of the
instructional day in order to provide time for the individual interactions.
IDEA in Action
Kim (all names are pseudonyms) is about to begin her nine-week final field experience
in a grade three classroom. Many emotions run high, including her excitement to meet
her students and her mentor teacher, Mr. Smith. Kim is also very nervous. She does not
have a lot of experience working with children, and she has no prior experience with
students with exceptional needs. She has talked with many of her classmates and their
concerns are similar: Will I be able to manage and meet the needs of a diverse range
of abilities and exceptionalities? I really want to include all students in my classroom
activities, but can I really do it?
As part of Kims field experience, she is expected to choose a living case study in
order to work directly with a student with exceptional needs. In her first week, with
the help of Mr. Smith and the permission of the students parents, Kim chooses Dillon.
Dillon is an eight-year-old autistic boy and requires a full-time teachers assistant, Mary.
Mr. Smith feels that if Kim can understand Dillons learning needs and behaviors, she
will have a much easier time including him in her lessons. Mary is thrilled with this new
approach. She shared with Kim that last year Dillon was often excluded from whole-
class lessons because the mentor teacher felt he was too much work for the student
teacherand that Mary could easily look after him during lessons.
During the first week of her field experience, Kim reads Dillons comprehensive
IEP, researches autism, talks to Mary and Mr. Smith, and meets Dillons parents. After
meeting his parents and hearing their story, Kim clearly understands the importance of
meaningfully including Dillon in the classroom with his peers. She learns that Dillons
parents main goals for him are to learn appropriate social skills, make friends, and learn
to communicate with his iPad. She also observes Mary working with Dillon and begins
to understand how to communicate with him and how to anticipate situations that
cause frustration. She also learns that Dillon has a great number of strengths; he has a
sense of humor, loves cars and trucks, and has a strong visual memory.
During this first week, Kim also observes her mentor teacher teaching the whole
class and begins to plan for the classes that she will be taking over. The expectation
is that she will take over approximately 80% of the classroom teaching by the halfway
point in her field experience. While Mr. Smith is teaching the other 20% of instructional
time, Kim has opportunities for her direct interactions with Dillon.
Over the remainder of her field experience, Kim spends approximately two 30-minute
sessions with Dillon each week. The interactions take place within the classroom where
Kim works directly with Dillon on a specific skill or with his communication program
on his iPad. At one cohort meeting with her university facilitator, Kim expresses how
valuable she feels the direct experience has been. I am so comfortable interacting
with Dillon. Ive learned how to communicate with him on his iPad, and I can see that
routine and structure are very important. Kim continues to share what she has learned
about Dillons communication skills, social skills, and his sensory therapy. I feel that I
can effectively plan modifications to my lessons in order to meaningfully include Dillon
in the activities.
Near the end of her field experience, Kim is observed by her university facilitator
while teaching a science lesson on rocks and minerals. The lesson includes interactive
learning centers where the students were asked to classify rocks. Dillon is included
with a small group of students. This group is given a cue card that Kim has prepared
with yes/no questions that Dillon can answer on his iPad. At one point during the
lesson, Kim intuitively moves Dillon to another group in order to remain longer at a
particular center that she knows he is enjoying. Kim later explained that she knew the
quick changing of centers would likely frustrate him as she has a very good grasp of
what triggers some of his behaviors.
On Kims final day, she discusses with Mr. Smith the benefits of the living case
study expectation of her field experience. She expresses how the individual, direct
experience eased her anxiety about working with students with exceptional needs.
She also feels that she could translate what she has learned about inclusive teaching
practices to other students with exceptional needs within her own future classroom.
Mr. Smith agrees that the systematic approach was an effective way to connect the
theory of inclusive practice to the realities of the classroom.
Conclusion
There is a consensus that best practice for preparing teachers for inclusion is a
pressing issue for teacher educators. Field experience is an essential ingredient for
teacher preparation, including the preparation of teachers for the inclusive classroom.
While experience with students with exceptional needs has been accepted as
benefitting preservice teachers, it is not always intentionally incorporated into field
experiences. IDEA is an approach to systematically introduce preservice teachers to
teaching in the inclusive classroom. Not only does IDEA provide preservice teachers
with the opportunity for interacting with students with exceptional needs, but it also
requires that knowledge gleaned from these interactions will be implemented in whole-
class instruction. As such, IDEA represents a closer approximation of the demands of the
inclusion classroom than isolated direct experiences. In addition to providing guidance
as to how inclusion is practiced, anxiety about working with students with exceptional
needs may be lessened.
Future research in this area could address some of the potential limitations or
unanswered questions related to IDEA. For instance, it would be valuable to research
how the impact of IDEA applies to other inclusive settings, as student demographics
vary greatly from classroom to classroom. Also, to provide validation to the approach,
longitudinal studies could determine if the impact of IDEA is sustainable as preservice
teachers enter the profession and progress through their careers. Qualitative studies
could provide insight into the experience of IDEA and the nature of the impact on
preservice teachers preparation for inclusive teaching. Given the existing research in
this area, IDEA is a promising starting point for structuring intentional direct experiences
into inclusion training for future teachers.
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