The challenges of inclusive education Israel November 21, 2007.

Will focus on; –Aspects common in all countries with inclusive education –A model to promote inclusive education –Implications for teacher training

INCLUSION is more than INTEGRATION INCLUSION implies system change in a more complete sense than is usually meant by the term INTEGRATION

The concept of Special Educational Needs is not homogeneous. In some countries it refers to four distinct groups –Disabilities –Learning difficulties –disadvantages –Gifted and Talented

What are we trying to do in developing inclusive education?

Decision line moved to the left

Inclusive education covers all of these groups and is a complex topic requiring substantial educational reform. Work at OECD identified 9 areas of key significance –Models of funding –systems of public accountability for schools –pupil assessment –curriculum development –adult to students ratios

–the role of classroom assistants –the functioning of support services –the training of teachers and other professionals –community involvement –parental involvement

Look a bit more closely at school issues since it is here that many changes need to take place.

For schools to be able to address effectively SEN pupils a number of issues have been frequently identified. Teacher level – Expectations for pupils Attitudes towards them Confidence to work with them Knowledge of pedagogies etc. Openness to new approaches Preparedness to work with other professionals e.g. team teach Awareness of literature

School level- Whole school approach Assessment procedures Budget distribution Philosophy of education Openness to change

Outside the school Parental support community support

Staff development Curriculum Decision- making EvaluationRecords & Identification Implementation Teaching Intention Aims Philosophy Formulation of intention External influences Parents Pastoral Care

An approach such as this leads to thinking of a school as a Learning Organisation. They have been defined as: An ideal to which organisations have to evolve in order to be able to respond to various pressures they face – individual and collective learning are key (Finger and Brand, (1999)

Implications for teacher training There are a wide variety of skills being practised by teachers Many different routes to becoming a teacher There are different levels of responsibility

There are different types of training –Pre-service –Primary, secondary. –INSET –formal –informal

What everyone should know –Pre-service Legal frameworks SEN issues –disability specific –provision Classroom organisation

Classroom skills: –Subject areas and differentiation –Innovative technologies –Assessment issues and accommodations –Formative assessment methods – monitoring progress –Team teaching –Working with parents –Working with other professionals

Resource preparation Library development INSET –Principals/Head teachers/Heads of Department Management skills –Dealing with boards of governors –Clarity in budget distribution –Evaluation methods

–curriculum monitoring – balance between subjects, pacing etc. –Organisational skills for running meetings for effective decision-making –Reviewing the school philosophy –Openness to new ideas –Preparation of documentation –Pastoral care

Formal INSET for classroom teachers: –Mainly to deepen work at the pre-service level Informal INSET Learning by being part of a learning organisation

Summary Principles –1. Inclusion means that ALL teachers need to be involved. If SEN is seen as separate then relevant issues are omitted from training considerations. –(This is what happens in many countries).

–2. To fulfil goals of inclusion schools must become learning organisations. –3. Pre-service training must stress: contextual theoretical and practical aspects 4. INSET must focus on teaching and management issues in a coherent manner.

Thank you