AEN Information Sheet Eight: Meeting a Diversity of Needs in the Inclusive Classroom

“Pupils with SEN should have the same opportunities as others to progress and demonstrate achievement.“

(DfEE1997b:1.24)

Teachers must challenge low expectations and differentiate the curriculum to meet a diversity of needs.

The SEN Code of Practice (DfES 2001b) sees increased curriculum differentiation taking place within the pupils’ normal classroom work; a component of Quality First Teaching  

All newly qualified teachers will be able to differentiate teaching practice appropriately.

(OFSTED 1999b: para. 30)

Differentiation matches what is taught and how it is taught to individual pupil’s needs and learning styles

Differentiation is synonymous with inclusion and good teaching. It builds on pupils’ past achievement and provides challenge for further achievement and opportunities for successful learning.

Differentiation is about intervening to maximise pupil potential, and to ensure curriculum access and entitlement.

Inclusion is a process that develops ways of increasing the participation and learning of all pupils and minimises barriers to their learning and participation.

The new school inspection framework introduced in January 2000 places greater emphasis on educational inclusion. It focuses on the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning, how well pupils make progress, and the extent to which teachers use methods that enable pupils of all abilities to learn effectively. The teacher…

“plans effectively to ensure that pupils have the opportunity to meet their potential, not withstanding differences of race and gender, taking account of the needs of pupils who are underachieving, very able, not yet fluent in English.”

(NQT Induction Standards; DfES 2001d: Annex A: 2b)

Curriculum 2000

For all key stages, Curriculum 2000 stipulates three essential principles to developing a more inclusive curriculum;

Setting suitable learning challenges

• Select curriculum from earlier or later key stages to suit the pupils’ abilities.
• Use increased differentiation with low attainers.
• ·Extend the breadth and depth of study by further differentiation for high attainers.

Responding to pupils’ diverse learning needs

• Plan teaching and learning to match pupils’ different learning experiences and strengths.
• Value the contributions of all pupils.
• Secure pupils’ motivation and concentration.
• Use teaching approaches appropriate to different learning styles.
• Use a range of organisational approaches (i.e. setting, grouping, individual work).
• Vary subject content and presentation to match learning needs.
• Plan work that builds on pupils’ interests and cultural experiences.
• Plan challenging work for pupils whose ability and understanding is in advance of their language skills.
• Plan and monitor the pace of work.

Overcoming potential barriers to learning

• Use texts that pupils can read and understand.
• Use visual materials, e.g. signs/symbols, video, photographs, pictograms.
• Use ICT and audio taped materials.
• Use adult/peer scribes.
• Use role play.
• Allow pupils time to learn, and gradually increase the range of activities and the learning demands once the pupil experiences success.

Barriers to learning

• Poor curriculum delivery.
• Little if any appropriate differentiation.
• Curriculum not relevant to pupil’s experiences.
• Poorly prepared lessons.
• Use of unfamiliar language, technical vocabulary.
• Negative teacher attitudes towards pupils with diverse and complex needs.
• Little teacher explanation of key concepts, instructions and tasks provided.
• Lack of opportunity for pupil participation.
• Didactic, boring, uninspiring teaching.
• Disruption to lessons from poorly behaved pupils.

“They differentiate their teaching to meet the needs of pupils, including the more able and those with special educational needs.”

(QTS Standards; DfES 2002:3.3.4)

Index for Inclusion

March 2000 saw the launch of the Index for Inclusion (CSIE 2000), originally designed exclusively for use with SEN pupils in mainstream schools. It covers disabled children and ethnic minorities as well as SEN. Developed by the CSIE, Manchester University and Canterbury Christ Church University College, the key purpose of the Index for Inclusion is to encourage mainstream schools to value all pupils equally and celebrate diversity in an inclusive culture. The Index helps schools to identify inequality and barriers to learning, and tackle discrimination. It focuses on three dimensions of school life: A, Creating Inclusive Cultures; B, Producing Inclusive Policies; and C, Evolving Inclusive Practices. Each dimension is divided into two sections. Each section contains up to 12 indicators that are clarified by a series of questions.

Following is an example of the indicators within dimension C:

Dimension C: Evolving inclusive PRACTICES

Section 1: C1 Orchestrating learning

Indicators:

C.1.1.Lessons are responsive to student diversity

C.1.2.Lessons are made accessible to all students.

C.1.3 Lessons develop an understanding of difference.

C.1.4 Students are actively involved in their own learning.

C.1.5 Students learn collaboratively.

C.1.6 Assessment encourages the achievements of all students.

C.1.7 Classroom discipline is based on mutual respect.

C.1.8 Teachers plan, review and teach in partnership.

C.1.9 Teachers are concerned to support the learning and participation of all students.

C.1.10 Learning support assistants are concerned to support the learning and participation of all students.

C.1.11 Homework contributes to the learning of all.

C.1.12 All students take part in activities outside the classroom.

(CSIE 2000: 48)

The indicators in dimension C1.1 of the Index for Inclusion provide class / subject teachers with a valuable audit tool with which to reflect upon their teaching style and curriculum delivery.

Effective Differentiation

Teachers need to

• know their class well, i.e. the diversity of pupil needs, individual needs, and the weaknesses, strengths and interests of pupils
• be aware of potential barriers to pupils learning
• have a secure knowledge of the subject
• work closely with other colleagues (LSAs, support teachers, SENCOs)
• know how to break down learning into smaller steps
• reflect on their own teaching practice and make necessary improvements
• know how children learn.

How children learn

Although children learn in different ways they are likely to learn more effectively when using their preferred learning style. Teachers therefore need to use a variety of teaching approaches that cover multi-sensory learning styles.

Three popular learning styles

The Visual learner:

• likes drawing, writing and seeing images
• is very observant
• has a photographic memory
• likes the use of flow charts and spider diagrams

The hearing learner:

• is good at explaining things to others
• is an attentive listener
• has good recall of spoken information
• enjoys ‘hot-seating’, role play, debates, interviewing and oral comprehension.
• Notes

The ‘touch/feely’ learner:

• likes hands-on, practical activities, e.g. model making, experiments, investigate tasks
• learns best by doing and making things
• likes plenty of tactile learning experiences
• can become restless and ‘switched off’, fidget frequently and make little progress if tasks are not practical.

Methods of differentiation

Ask some of your colleagues how they differentiate, and the most common response is ‘by outcome’. However, there are several other methods of differentiation that you can use.

• Content/task: a range of different activities/homework can be given on one subject.
• Interest: activities can relate to pupils’ lifestyles/interests, i.e. music, food, fashion, sport.
• Pace: pupils can work at different rates on similar tasks.
• Level: pupils can use parallel graduated curriculum materials for the same subject area.
• Access/resources: pupils can carry out similar activities but use modified or additional materials and aids.
• Response: pupils can record outcomes in different ways, e.g. orally, writing, modelling, drawing.
• Depth/sequence: pupils can follow a common topic but study and develop different aspects of the topic further, e.g. World War II – food, fashion, leisure, family life.
• Structure: curriculum can be delivered to some pupils in smaller steps, while other pupils receive a section or unit all at once.
• Support: the teacher or LSA may give more individual time and attention to certain pupils, e.g. pupils with SEN, very able pupils and EAL pupils.
• Teaching style: the teacher can use a wider range of teaching approaches in a lesson.
• Grouping: pupils can work independently, in pairs, in small groups or as a whole-class group for particularly activities.

Curriculum materials checklist

Worksheets and textbooks should

• be relevant to pupils’ interests and up-to-date
• be appropriate to the ability and reading level of the pupil
• be stimulating, interesting and visually appealing
• break up text with graphics, headings/sub-headings, charts
• be clear, in page layouts, with instructions and tasks in text using different font styles and sizes, and separated from each other on a page
• offer greater challenge and fun activities: games, puzzles, quizzes, word searches, crosswords
• use a range of activities gap fill, matching, sequencing, labelling, true/false
• give opportunities for a range of responses, i.e. not just written answers.

Differentiated teaching approaches

All teachers, including ITT students on teaching practice, should reflect on their classroom teaching regularly, in order to evaluate if the methods employed are appropriate, and if a greater repertoire of teaching styles could be adopted, in order to meet a greater diversity of pupils’ needs more effectively. NQTs and ITT students have the advantage of being observed by other more experienced teachers during their training and Induction year. This experience is valuable in obtaining practical advice about teaching methodology. In addition, observing other colleagues teaching can also provide further ideas for increasing your range of teaching approaches.

Below, is a list of some of the different teaching strategies you can use. It is always good practice to use a variety of teaching methods in any lesson, particularly when your class contains pupils with short attention spans, poor concentration levels, and little motivation to learn.

“What children with special needs so often require is not something radically different from other children … but simply what all children need: a better and more vigorous curriculum pursued through a more varied and enlightened pedagogy.”

(Bell and Best 1986: 102)

Teaching methods

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