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Inclusive Education

Intersectionality Pecha Kucha

Theoretical Source: (Teaching Tolerance, 2016)

Vision of Inclusive Education Paper (Final)

Excerpts from Vision on Inclusive Education Paper

 

"Furthermore, it is my responsibility to recognize and appreciate that diversity also resides in the identity of each person. As mentioned in a class presentation, “Identity isn’t just a self-contained unit; it’s a relationship” (Denby & Ulster, “Redefining Inclusion and Intersectionality”). Recognizing that every individual is made up of a variety of identities and not to define my expectations or their ability to succeed based on a single aspect of their diverse identity, is my responsibility.

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"[In the future,] I will continue to respect and recognize that every student has unique identities, each made up of various parts, and each part makes up the greater whole of the student. Not one aspect defines them; just as a student with special needs is not defined solely by their “disability”, other students are not defined solely by their culture or language. Each aspect should be valued, but appropriately respected as only one part of their identity.

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Intersectionality and Labels - Reading Reflection

 

Importance: Developing a view on labels and intersectionality helps me to understand both myself and my future students better. Students will come from all sorts of backgrounds, cultures, classes, races, etc. I need to be aware that: Although those aspects are part of them, they do not make up the entire individual; And that with some of those aspects there may be pride and there may be shame that the student associates with it. As a teacher I will need to respect and teach respect either way.

 

Reflection: 

Even considering the idea of intersectionality, I believe there are advantages and disadvantages to using labels.  Some labels that we use often have a negative connotation either because of stigma or because they cast a negative view on the person with that label. For example, we discussed whether "disability" is negative or just the way to describe special need. In this case I think labelling someone as having a disability can have more disadvantages than advantages because it can cast a negative light on that person. Whereas someone who has special learning needs or challenges is a more accepting phrase. We all have learning needs and possibly learning challenges. However, it is the extent to which these needs and challenges are different. That is not inherently negative, whereas a person labeled as having a disability can be because it is an ability that they do not have. Rather than the need for another way of doing or learning.

 

Some labels we use cause their own stigma or negative connotation because of the way society views those labels, where others are necessary labels to give individuals the extra support or care they need. That is why I am somewhat unsure of using the wording that puts person/child/student second and the difference first. I know that is should be whatever the person wishes, but person first language seems more fitting with intersectionality. That makes it more clear that they are a person with said need/challenge/or difference rather than having their need/challenge/or difference be the only thing that defines them. However, I could see someone who identifies strongly with a certain culture, race, need, or other difference may want to use their label in their description. For example, a proud black person may want to be called a black person rather than a person of color or an Autistic person rather than a person with autism. I think the degree to which we use labels should be dependent on the person and their situation and not based on society's expectations.

Theoretical Sources: (Abawi, Fanshawe, Gilbey, Andersen, & Rogers, 2019; Frederickson & Cline, 2002)

Interpersonal

  • [The teacher] explores and integrates classroom practices that support the inclusion of the diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas of all students.

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  •  [The teacher] incorporates teaching practices that support and challenge students with special educational needs.

Visual Arts Inclusion Handout

VA Inclusion Handout

Class Simulation - Unit Plan

 

In the unit plan, which I designed for our class simulation project, I incorporated inclusive practices in to every aspect while planning. From classroom management to individual activities to classroom design, inclusive strategies were considered and diverse representations were implemented.

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Self-Study: Universal Design for Gamified Learning (UDGL)

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Throughout my self-study project, the focus was on finding a way to "universalize" gamification to increase the inclusivity of using that method. On the website, I have outlined a step-by-step guide to designing an inclusive, gamified learning environment which addresses various inclusive practices that can be included in the design to ensure equity and diverse representation. The practices and design steps are based on a combination of gamification theory and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (CAST, 2020). Additionally, it encourages educators to utilize UDL-aligned strategies which can both support and appropriately challenge all students in the classroom (Enome, Inc., 2020).

Simulation Unit Plan

Handout Theoretical Sources: (DeWilde, 2019; Incredible Art Department, "Special Education & The Arts"; Incredible Art Department, "Plans for Special Education Students"; Palmer & London, 2018)

Pedagogical

  • [The teacher] approaches teaching and learning from an asset-oriented perspective rather than a deficit-oriented perspective.

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  • [The teacher] actively participates in fostering a learning culture that strives for equity.

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  • [The teacher] demonstrates knowledge of the social-emotional development of children and common developmental and behavioral difficulties and can draw on a range of strategies to support inclusion in the classroom.

Asset-Oriented Perspective:

Excerpts from Vision on Inclusive Education Paper

 

"Further developed this semester, was my own perspective on disabilities. I have always aimed to value each student for their strengths and talents, which could be considered more of an asset perspective (Bryant, 2019). However, in practice I often tended to have a deficit perspective (Bryant, 2019). Although this was not my goal, when working with other teachers to plan lessons and discuss our students it often seemed to revolve around what they could and could not do. Since this was brought to my attention this semester, I am working on avoiding this deficit perspective, which focuses primarily on the negatives of a student. Instead, it is my goal to focus more on each students’ strengths and talents and finding how to use those to create an equitable learning experience for each of them. This is more appropriate as it better aligns with the asset perspective (Bryant, 2019). In some ways, I find my current views on disabilities is better described by the sociological perspective (Bryant, 2019).  However, I do not believe that we should necessarily strive for equality in its exact definition – in which everyone has the exact same access to opportunities (Bryant, 2019). Rather, we should strive for equity that allows for equality. Meaning, everyone has access to accommodations and modifications they need to access the same opportunities as everyone else.

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Equity:

Universal Design for Gamified Learning Website

(Self-Study)

 

Throughout my self-study, the core idea of the Universal Design for Learning has been drilled into me. This can be seen in the excerpt from the website, in which I describe the goal of the UDL framework as being a way to ensure equity in the classroom. (Slide 1)

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On the website, I have written out a step-by-step plan which can help other teachers plan for an inclusive, gamified learning environment that promotes equity and accessibility to all students. (Slide 2)

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I have also added a suggested step to consider student learning barriers and challenges. By doing this, teachers can proactively ensure equity in their classroom by planning for accommodations and modifications that will support and challenge their students. (Slide 3 and below)

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"Identifying the possible barriers and challenges that may be encountered is an essential step in the Universal Design Cycle. Doing this step enables you to proactively plan for and support your students by providing accommodations and modifications that can ensure equity in the classroom.

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Website Theoretical Sources List

(E.g., CAST, 2020; Enome, Inc., 2020)

Socio-Emotional Development:

Class Simulation Unit Plan

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In the simulation, we were assigned a Grade 1 class at an IB School. Using the IB Learner Profile traits and the school's core values, I planned socio-emotional learning objectives for a 4-week unit. The unit plan contains the learning objectives, assessment, and UDL strategies used to support learners.

 

Learning Objective:

Respect and Compassion/Communicators (PYP):

By the end of the unit, students will be able to demonstrate their ability to listen attentively and empathetically to another person.

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Type of Assessment:

Formative: Observations throughout the daily activities

Summative (Optional): Observations during the oral presentations

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Assessable Elements:

Attentiveness during listening, compassion in responses or discussion

Simulation Unit Plan

Learning Activities and UDL Strategies:

 

  • Daily Sharing Stations

    • Each day there will be a new prompt for students to respond to- students will first record their response to the prompt, then listen to another student’s response, finally they will share what they learned from their peer’s response to another student.

  • Weekly Listening Dyads

    • Twice a week, students will be given a prompt to share something about themselves to a partner. They will each have a set time to share (5-10 minutes.) While one partner shares, the other partner needs to actively listen and show signs of active listening (nodding head, eye contact, etc.). This should be modelled by the teacher before starting. The speaking student should stay on topic and may use all or only some their available time to share. If not all time is used, both partners should remain quiet, calm and think about what was said by the speaking partner.

  • Weekly Circle Discussions

    • When the students come to class each day, they will find a seat in a circle at the front of the class. The teacher will use equity sticks to give each student a chance to host the discussion. Then the chosen student will read the discussion prompt for that meeting (this may be an opinion statement, a question, an excerpt from a text, etc.) The hosting student will then prompt students to discuss:

    • Mirrors (similarities to their own lives/views/experiences) and

    • Windows (differences to their own lives/views/experiences), or any general thoughts on the prompt. Students should only talk if they have the talking stick, others should be actively and empathetically listening.

Unit Main Theoretical Sources: (CAST, 2020; Enome, Inc., 2020)

Subject Knowledge & Methodology

  • [The teacher] implements different forms of differentiation.

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  • [The teacher] involves and engages students with learning difficulties.

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  • [The teacher] recognizes and adapts teaching practices to support students with learning difficulties in different subject areas.

General Methodology:

Teaching Strategies Workshop - Behavioral Approaches

 

In the teaching strategies workshop that my group and I led, we focused on strategies for supporting students behaviorally from 3 different perspectives: Environmental Behaviorism, Cognitive Behaviorism, and Humanism. We introduced several strategies that can be used from each perspective to support behavior and socio-emotional development.

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PDF of Powerpoint

Involvement, Engagement, and Differentiation

Makaton Exhibition

 

For the Inclusive Education Exhibition, my group and I presented a virtual exhibit on Makaton: the supportive sign language. In this exhibit, I learned about an demonstrated my knowledge of utilizing this method for support students with language and processing difficulties. The exhibit itself, includes a range of options of representation, action and engagement as explained in the UDL Framework (CAST, 2020). Visitors to the exhibit could read about the information, watch videos, explore the exhibit at their own pace, and find interactive activities (which included kinesthetic practice of the signs being taught.) This reflects my knowledge and understanding of how to involve and engage all learners, as well as differentiate in various forms.

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Recognizing and Adapting to Support

ADAPT Framework

 

I have demonstrated my ability to recognize and adapt teaching practices to support students with learning challenges in the use of ADAPT framework for a math activity in a Grade 2 class. The learning goal for students was to understand a three-digit number as represented by amounts of hundreds, tens, and ones. The activity was for students to name and write down a three-digit number by finding the value of hundreds, tens, and ones that are grouped in each place. The adaptions and strategies made can be found in the document to the right.

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Teaching Practices for Various Subject Areas

Universal Design for Gamified Leaning Website

(Self-Study)

 

While researching for my self-study topic, I learned about every (300+) strategy listed as UDL-aligned strategies on the website linked to the UDL framework. The strategies include general strategies, math strategies, reading, writing and literacy, speaking and listening, and much more. After reading about and taking notes, I sorted the strategies into categories. First, I sorted them by disability and learning challenge to find which strategies could be implemented to support the most common disabilities and challenges encountered in schools. Then, I sorted them by aspects of gamification (influenced by UDL) to find which strategies could be best implemented to reach certain inclusive goals in the learning environment. These two banks of strategies can be found (sorted) on the website under Common Strategies. Demonstration of my application of these strategies can be found implemented in the unit plan for the simulation.

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Simulation Unit Plan

Unit Main Theoretical Sources: (CAST, 2020; Enome, Inc., 2020)

ADAPT Framework Math Lesson

Organizational

  • [The teacher] organize lessons, groupings and classroom resources effectively.

Food We Eat - Inclusive Lesson Plan

 

I have demonstrated my ability to organize lessons, groupings, and classroom resources through my lesson plan on the PYP unit, Food We Eat (See lesson plan on right.)

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The scenario:

You have three children with Down Syndrome in your class. One child is bigger and louder than the other two but appears to have some social skills. The other two children with Down Syndrome are lower in ability and have difficulty with speech.

 

Design an outing or field trip to a local attraction that will have some educational benefit. Plan some interactive activities that will enhance the learning of all the children, including your three students with special needs.

 

PYP: International School of Nice

Central idea: The food we eat goes through many processes and journeys before it reaches our table.

Key concepts: Form, Change, Connection Related concepts: Cycles, Transformation, Systems

Lines of inquiry: Sources of our food. Stages of production of food products. The roles people play in food production.

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Food We Eat Lesson Plan

Class Simulation - Unit Plan

 

I have demonstrated my ability to organize lessons, groupings, and classroom resources through the unit plan, which I designed for the class simulation. While creating the plan, I followed the Universal Design Cycle and implemented various UDL-aligned strategies to ensure equity and accessibility in all aspects of the learning environment. Lessons were planned to proactively include multiple options of representation, expression, and action & engagement. Classroom resources reflect the plan of encouraging a supportive, accepting, diverse, and inclusive classroom community.

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Collaboration with Colleagues

  • [The teacher] carries out constructive discussions with colleagues regarding the learning of students.

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  • [The teacher] maintains good contact with teachers, specialists and institutions that work with the pupil.

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  • [The teacher] actively participate in fostering a professional culture that strives for equity (both as an ITEps student and as a colleague).

Teaching Practice - EAL

 

Every Tuesday and Friday throughout this semester, I have volunteered at International School Twente (IST). On Tuesday afternoons, I worked with the EAL teacher to support EAL students and students with special needs. Working with this teacher allowed me to contribute the inclusive school community by collaborating on individual and group lessons with EAL students. Some of the lessons I just observed or co-taught, others I led by myself. Many of the students who we worked with in the EAL lessons, also had special needs. Before a lesson began, we would discuss strategies that she usually uses with those students to support or accommodate them. After the lesson was over, I would ask any questions on strategies she would use or she would give me feedback on strategies I used. The strategies we would discuss were often connected to the UDL-aligned strategies, which I researched for my self-study, or to Makaton, which I researched in our exhibition (Enome, Inc., 2020). If I had learned any new strategies during my research, I would also share those with her. For example, I had learned about the Whisper phone and Elkonin boxes and shared those with her to support some of the students in an upcoming lesson (Enome, Inc., 2020).

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Teaching Practice - Autism and Specialists

 

On Tuesday mornings at IST, I worked with the Year 2/3 class. In this class there were a few students with Autism. When I started volunteering with the class, the teacher had asked me if I was aware of any strategies which could be used to support an autistic student displaying signs of high perfectionism. After doing some research on my own, I also reached out to one of the teachers of my minor. She then directed me to a specialist from SENIA. Through the conversation with the specialist, I was able to learn additional strategies and find additional resources to provide the class teacher with. One of the strategies the specialist suggested was to do a social story/narrative with the student. This particular strategy was also one that I was able to research during my self-study (Enome, Inc., 2020). Other strategies were brought to light by the resources which the specialist provided, such as a Contingency Map (Reeve, 2017). This was a great experience for me to be able to see the importance of working together with colleagues and specialists to support the student. 

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Class Simulation - Unit Plan Twist

 

During the class simulation, there was a twist that involved a colleague making racist and sexist comments to the students in my class. I believe the way that I would respond to the situation clearly demonstrates my use of constructive discussions with colleagues and my active participation in fostering a professional culture that strives for equity.

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The situation:

"When your class comes back from PE one afternoon, one of your students is upset because the PE teacher imitated his accent. When you ask for more details, another student overhears and tells you that the PE teacher also favours the boys and won't let the girls play certain positions in football (soccer) because it's "too dangerous." Later, you find out that the same PE teacher has nicknames for specific students based on race and gender identity. The names aren't intended as insults but they are reflective of stereotypes and unconscious bias and really affect students. The PE teacher was one of the first to welcome you to the school and has always been kind and considerate towards you. What do you do?"

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My response:

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  • Consider your relationship (Wiloughby, 2018):

    • “How close are you to this peer? (Strong friendship, mild but positive acquaintance, nothing more than “hello” in the hallway?)

    • What is the nature of past interactions? (Happy but shallow, feelings of real affinity, some tension over other issues?)

    • How does this person best receive communication? (Written, verbal, with humor, in group settings, as a quiet aside?)”

  • “Call them in” – It may be best not to confront this teacher in front of the students. Instead take them aside to a private setting and discuss (Ferlazzo, 2020).

  • Question strategy (Wiloughby, 2018) -> Ask them what they meant by saying such things.

    • “Seek first to understand, then to be understood” (Wormeli, 2016)

    • “If you disagree with someone, paraphrase that person's point before responding. It helps him know that his comments were heard and considered”/Mirror the words so they can hear what they said (Wormeli, 2016)

  • Explain how the comments can negatively affect the students and leave an impact on them (Ferlazzo, 2020).

    • “Avoid language that blames”

  • If they try to explain their intent was not meant to harm, reiterate that even if their intent was not to harm, it does not lessen the harm that it did (Ferlazzo, 2020).

  • If they repeat this behavior, it may be best to bring the situation up with a more authoritative position (Principal/HR)

  • Regardless of the close relationship or not, we work as teachers in the best interest of the students. They should always come first, so this situation needs to be diffused and addressed as quickly as possible.

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Collaboration with the Working Environment

  • [The teacher] identifies the ways that different external institutions impact the care and support of children.

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  • [The teacher] demonstrates knowledge about parent involvement and how to encourage parent involvement in school.

Excerpts from Vision on Inclusive Education Paper

 

In a part of my final Vision on Inclusive Education paper, I discuss the importance of an inclusive school community and culture. This refers to more than just the effort of the teacher and students in the classroom. This includes the effort from an inclusion of parents and their perspectives, as well as other external institutions which may impact the students.

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"As I briefly mentioned in my first paper, a learning environment which promotes inclusion requires more than just the effort from teachers. Inclusion is something that should be embedded within the school culture and community. [...] Abawi, Fanshawe, Gilbey, Andersen, & Rogers, explain that an inclusive school community should “uphold the rights of students; value diversity; ensure access and participation; match pedagogy to student need; share responsibility; share decision making; and value parents/carers as partner” (2019). Several of these aspects were previously mentioned in my ideal view on inclusive education, but particularly important in the school community is that of the shared responsibility and decision making. Though teachers are primarily responsible for the day-to-day experiences and modelling of inclusive mentality, the school community can significantly impact the inclusive culture. Parents, for example, are a very important part of of the inclusive school community, as they know their child outside of school and can provide additional perspectives and support for their child. If students, parents, and staff work together to promote diversity and make collective decisions on how to do this, there is a natural presence of diverse perspectives. Furthermore, it provides opportunities for students and staff to experience a sense of belonging in the community and realize their ideas and contributions are valued (Denby & Ulster, “Classroom Culture”).

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Vision on Inclusive Education (Final)

Reflection & Development

  • [The teacher] starts to develop a long-term reflective and inquisitive learning attitude towards special education.

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  • [The teacher] develops a professional identity towards special education.

First and Last Vision on Inclusive Education Paper

 

In my first attempt at explaining my vision on inclusive education, it was generalized and not grounded in theory. By the end of the semester, I have reflected on and critically reviewed my new perspectives on inclusive education to form a developed vision. This vision is still something that I expect to change and continue to develop as I gain new experiences as a teacher. I plan to take a critical view of my vision as these experiences put me in new situations and present new perspectives on diversity and special education.

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One aspect of my vision has not changed from the start of the semester, rather it has been reinforced with theory and experience. This is my opinion that: "As inclusive educators, it is not only our responsibility to adapt our classrooms and methodology to meet the needs of our unique learners in the classroom, but it is equally important to bring to light the uniqueness of individuals outside of the classroom." I hope to see my understanding of this responsibility play a big role in my future teaching experiences and continue to develop with exposure to new perspectives.

Vision on Inclusive Education (First)

Vision on Inclusive Education (Final)

Gamification Reflection After Self-Study

 

After having the opportunity to further my understanding of gamification by combining it with my research into the Universal Design for Learning, I was able to reflect on the program I had created last year for my thesis. Below were my main points of reflection which I consider to be most valuable:

Needs More Inclusion

 

  • More differentiation within quests (representation)

  • Use UDL strategies to accommodate more rather than modifying and creating an almost entirely different program for students with learning challenges

  • Should have provided more support and scaffolding within the assignments (lots of reading, hard for EAL students/learning difficulties)

Slight Adjustments for Inclusion

 

  • Provided many opportunities for independence and autonomy, maybe too much at times which could could have been better scaffolded with UDL strategies to supports EAL students and students with learning challenges (first-then boards, pictorial directions, etc.)

  • Provided opportunities for socio-emotional development, but could have better scaffolded it with UDL strategies to support students with learning challenges (social narratives/role play, modeling behaviors)

Already Inclusive

 

  • Options for means of expression, action & engagement with the use of a variety of activities available to reach the same goal

  • Various forms of representation within the program as a whole (text, video, picture, voice overs)

Research Theoretical Sources

(E.g., CAST, 2020; Enome, Inc., 2020)

Excerpts from Vision on Inclusive Education Paper:

Future Development

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"In my future as a teacher, I will make it my responsibility to ensure my vision of inclusive education is constantly developing and adapting. I plan to involve and learn from my students to consider new perspectives and model an inclusive culture where everyone is supported, and their ideas are valued. I will continue to respect and recognize that every student has unique identities, each made up of various parts, and each part makes up the greater whole of the student. Not one aspect defines them; just as a student with special needs is not defined solely by their “disability”, other students are not defined solely by their culture or language. Each aspect should be valued, but appropriately respected as only one part of their identity. I will advocate for my students and encourage an inclusive school community which supports and represents diversity, no matter the school I end up teaching in. I will reflect on and take an honest look at my own biases to proactively ensure that my expectations and relationships with students only positively affect their education. Students in my future classroom will be respected and accepted completely regardless of any differences and will be encouraged to do the same through modelled teaching of inclusive mentality. It is my responsibility to create a respectful, supportive, and open learning environment for my students through inclusive methodology and to open their eyes to the beauty of diversity in the world around them.

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References

Abawi, L., Fanshawe, M., Gilbey, K., Andersen, C., & Rogers, C., (2019). Celebrating diversity: Focusing on inclusion. Opening Eyes Onto Inclusion And Diversity (Chapter 3). University of Southern Queensland. Retrieved from https://usq.pressbooks.pub/openingeyes/chapter/celebrating-diversity-focusing-on-inclusion/

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Denby, J., & Ulster, R. Redefining Inclusion and Intersectionality. 7 Sept. 2020, NHL Stenden University, Meppel. Class lecture.

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Denby, J., & Ulster, R. Classroom Culture. 28 Sept. 2020, NHL Stenden University, Meppel. Class lecture.

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DeWilde, J. (2019, July 24). Inclusivity for All Learners in the Art Room. Retrieved from https://theartofeducation.edu/2019/08/02/inclusivity-for-all-learners-in-the-art-room/ 

 

CAST. (2020, October 06). The UDL Guidelines. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org/

 

Enome, Inc. (2020). UDL-Aligned Strategies. Retrieved from https://goalbookapp.com/toolkit/v/strategies

 

Ferlazzo, L. (2020, September 09). Responding to a Colleague Who Makes a Racist Comment. Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-responding-to-a-colleague-who-makes-a-racist-comment/2020/09

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Frederickson, N., & Cline, T. (2002, January). Children, Families, schools and the wider community: an integrated approach. Special educational needs inclusion and diversity: A textbook (pp. 1-7) [PDF]. Buckingham: Open University Press.

Incredible Art Department. (n.d.). Special Education & the Arts. Retrieved from https://www.incredibleart.org/links/toolbox/special_ed.html#1

 

Incredible Art Department. (n.d.). Plans for Special Education Students. Retrieved from https://www.incredibleart.org/files/special2.htm

 

Palmer, P., & London, D. (2018, April 25). Teaching Art to Children with Special Needs: AME 056. Retrieved from https://www.deepspacesparkle.com/teaching-art-children-special-needs-ame-056/

 

Reeve, C. (2017, January 17). Behavioral Tools for Perfectionists' Meltdowns. Retrieved from https://autismclassroomresources.com/behavioral-tools-mistakes/

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Teaching Tolerance. (2016, Summer). Toolkit for "Teaching at the Intersections". Retrieved from https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/summer-2016/toolkit-for-teaching-at-the-intersections

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Willoughby, B. (2018). SPEAK UP AT SCHOOL: How to Respond to Everyday Prejudice, Bias and Stereotypes [PDF]. Montgomery: Teaching Tolerance. Retrieved from https://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/2019-04/TT-Speak-Up-Guide_0.pdf

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Wormeli, R. (2016, November). Let's Talk about Racism in Schools. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/nov16/vol74/num03/Let's-Talk-about-Racism-in-Schools.aspx

Intercultural

  • [The teacher] recognizes and understands the importance of intersectionality in shaping educational needs and educational practice.

Intercultural
Interpersonal
Pedagogical
Subject Knowledge & Methodology
Organizational
Collaboration with Colleagues
Collaboration with the Working Environment
Reflection & Development
References
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