Cross-Curriculum Design: Enacting Inclusive Pedagogy and Curriculum - Report Example

Analytic Review of Inclusive Practice Name: University: Date: Analytic Review of Inclusive Practice Part A: Lesson Example  Lesson Title: Learning Menus: Giving Options & Independence Year group: Grades 5-8 (10 – 14 years) Learning Objectives: 1. To reflect on how learning menus can be used to provide students with independent exploration of concepts 2. To understand how learning menus can enable teachers to offer differentiated instruction 3. To determine how students can be given options and independence using menu tasks Curriculum Area: Math Curriculum Standards: Foundation to Year 10 Australian Curriculum. Using efficient written and mental strategies to solve mathematical problems (ACMNA291). Interpreting different sets of data in context (ACMSP120). Resources: Educational resources such as printable worksheets, video games, chocolate bars, paints, etc. Activities/ Lesson Sequence IPAA Framework Introductory task: Learners are asked to pick a task or question they think is more comfortable to work on with the objective of increasing the probability of their success and offers them a greater sense of independence and ownership over their work. Whole Class: The teacher creates a group of tasks that are grouped into optional and mandatory tasks. Students that need more time, to complete the tasks are allowed to do so. Providing students an opportunity to choose their level of independence when taking part in the math lesson. The Activities involves all students Offers every student an equal opportunity to learn Reduces curriculum barriers, supports learning, and enable all students to gain knowledge. New knowledge is created since there is interdependence between the students and the teacher and promotes participation. Consolidating new learning: Math menu consists of appetizer main course and dessert; students are expected to choose appetizer prior to moving to the main course. Before going to the dessert, students are required to show their teacher the tasks they have chosen. Individual Learners: Learners are invited to independently to choose task that they will work on. They are motivated to work on appetizer before moving to the main course with other students. Offers a better way to engage students in independent work as well as developing concepts in different ways. Students are offered more options to be able to develop concepts with time Students are offered opportunities to reflect on their learning and finding ways to advance towards the learning goals. Offer numerous engagements means that can be used to tap the interests of individual learners as well as appropriately challenge and motivate them to learn. Individual students are offered different ways of attaining, processing, as well as integrating knowledge and information. Part B: Critical Analysis At Enumclaw Middle School, Crystal Morey offers menus that enable learners to pick a task or question, which they consider as more comfortable to work on. Importantly, the task increases the probability of the students becoming successful since they are given a sense of independence and ownership over their tasks. According to Morey, opportunities for differentiated learning are provided by the menus since the students are given choices and are individualised. According to Morey (2016), the menus are some form of teacher's solution to different abilities in the class setting. Morey’s menu strategy can be considered as a framework, where every student is offered an equal opportunity to learn. The menu strategy encourages the Math teachers to come up with flexible curricula where all students’ needs are met. Clearly, using Morey’s menu strategy makes instruction and curriculum engaging and accessible. With the view to the IPAA framework, the menus reduce barriers associated with math learning; supports learning; and enables learners to gain skills, knowledge as well as the passion for learning. More importantly, the menus offer different ways of representation in offering students different ways of gaining, processing, and incorporating knowledge and information. The menus also offer numerous means of expression and action where learners are offered options to navigate and demonstrate learning. According to Harvie (2015), developing an analytical framework for inclusive pedagogy can facilitate the creation of an important tool that can be utilised to assess how teachers promote the principle of inclusive pedagogy in different contexts. Basically, studying inclusive pedagogy may offer teachers the language for justifying their decisions regarding the practice. As evidenced in Morey’s classroom, the use of Menus has freed all the students from lack of excitement and interest by modifying the curriculum so that all children can be accommodated. Harvie (2015) insists that the methods of teaching must be modified in order to meet the exceptional children’s needs. Without a doubt, the class must be observational environment since long observation can single-handedly facilitate difference to be seen between backwardness; moronity; and dullness. Basically, the IPAA framework is a crucial analysis tool, which allows the researcher to rise above the observable actions’ description into a deeper comprehension of the means that inclusive pedagogy is enacted by teachers. The utilisation of the IPAA framework facilitates the documentation of the connections between an idea (theoretical in nature) and its enactment. Using the IPAA framework, it can be demonstrated how Morey used the inclusive pedagogy principles to embed the menus into a strategy of teaching students. Clearly, the IPAA framework advances our knowledge regarding what is distinguishing with regard to the decisions that the teachers make regarding the inclusive pedagogy, especially in terms of what is perceived as a focus shift far from the ideas of the majority learners to include all and sundry. The menu strategy introduced by Morey equips the students to become responsible for their own learning and gets them ready to a future life by making learning their educational goals. Clearly, the strategy promotes and nurtures greater independence, creativity and autonomy and promotes progression. The strategy enables the teacher to guide the students towards an inclusive learning, resulting in independent and creative students who are prepared for various challenges; effective teaching that develops the students’ appetite to learn; and a collaborative learning environment, which supports personal responsibility as well as experimentation. Evidently, Morey builds towards inclusive practice; therefore, her attitude and belief is more inclusive and has deviated from practices that could limit students’ learning opportunities. The inclusive pedagogy acknowledges the unique attributes of every child, their culture, social values and beliefs, language, and ways of knowing in light of learning context. Basically, the principles of inclusive pedagogy are linked by IPAA Framework with the assumptions underpinning them, and according to Florian (2014), they are aligned with the challenges and actions that could inhibit and promote inclusive practices. Makoelle (2014) asserts that for all students to be included in a lesson, the teacher should utilise the behavioural teaching activities like the task analysis, reinforcement and prompting. In order to manipulate the student’s behaviour, the teachers can use motivation in a way that will ensure all students have been engaged in the lesson. Aside from encouraging her students to take the math lesson seriously, Morey also encourages them to take control of their tasks. She also offers them an opportunity to exhibit what and how they have learned. As mentioned by Makoelle (2014), different strategies employed in teaching are used with the objective of modifying the behaviour of the learner as well as to support students’ learning process and promote inclusive pedagogy. Morey used the differentiated teaching, which is a proactive technique used in responding to all learners’ needs. Through the specification of challenges assumptions, principles, and evidence, the IPAA Framework place emphasis on the students’ learning as well as the existing relationships between the teacher and the students. A proof of inclusive learning can be evidenced by the study approach of the practices used by the teacher, which lays down assumptions, principles as well as actions. Mathematics in the Australia Curriculum is organised according to a number of pedagogical assumptions: the learners should study fewer aspects thoroughly, instead of casually learning more aspects. Furthermore, classroom decisions should be made by teachers interactively after understanding how key ideas are developed, and a description that is clear and concise can help this together with using digital technologies effectively to improve the significance of the learning processes and content. As evidenced by Morey, mathematics can be made inclusive by utilising engaging experiences, which could be differentiated for students who complete the selected tasks easily as well as those experiencing difficulty. Learning can be improved through effective pedagogy and creating tasks that promote continuous improvement. Florian (2014) mentions that the pedagogical Framework was purposely designed to comprehensively guide teachers towards an inclusive pedagogical approach towards learning and teaching. Importantly, the menu strategy used by Morey is aligned with the IPAA Framework is, especially in terms of the main principles: high expectations; aligning assessment, pedagogy and curriculum; learner-centred planning; scaffolded as well as targeted instruction; decision making that is based on evidence; inclusive learning environments that is connected, supportive, and safe. Clearly, there is a wide expectation at different schools that every teacher will plan with the main focus on the pedagogical approach that meets the needs of all students. Morey utilises wide pedagogical framework adopted by the Enumclaw Middle School’s to plan work units, which is in line with the syllabus and facilitate the espousal of value-added teaching approaches towards learning. The mathematic class is normally a difficult class for many; therefore, differentiation can be used to shape education differently so as to promote inclusive pedagogy. Normally, the objective of differentiation is to ensure that the education fit to every student, and because learners are not the same, their education needs is undoubtedly different. The differentiation strategy as evidenced in Morey math class is strongly associated with inclusion. Basically, grouping learners into small groups is very common in the mathematics classes, and is considered to be an effective approach towards an inclusive learning. When utilising the ability grouping, the learners’ mathematics ability is examined before they are divided into different groups according to their ability. Morey uses pedagogical differentiation to group her students into small groups, whereby learning starts with individualisation with a focus on the variation of teaching and learners’ abilities. Normally, this various is considered an obstacle to learning, but can be lessened through ability grouping. Still, variation may be considered an asset since it offers different learning opportunities. When teaching mathematics, the learners should be offered an opportunity to develop a number of abilities: using mathematics to formulate as well solve problems; examining the chosen methods and strategies’ analysing different mathematical concepts, selecting suitable mathematical methods while calculating; and following the mathematical reasoning. Basically, differentiated instruction and Inclusive pedagogy are teaching techniques used by teachers to reach every student, irrespective of his/her level of skills. Morey’s inclusive classrooms id clearly an outcome of her ability to master the art of pedagogical differentiation since she has interwoven differentiated instruction and Inclusive pedagogy to generate the best education for her students. With the view to Morey’s math lesson, it is clear that inclusive pedagogy can result in improved education for every student and can help change certain behaviours such as discriminatory attitudes. Normally, schools offer the context for the student’s first connection with the world and allow them to develop social interactions as well as relationships. Moreover, understanding and respect can be achieved when learners of different backgrounds and abilities learn and socialise together. Evidently, education that separates and excludes students can result in negative behaviours and poor performance in education-related activities. The menu strategy used by Morey can be considered inclusive pedagogy because it promotes socialisation; leads to high social networks, relationships and initiations; facilitate skill acquisition; and offers greater opportunity for interactions. In an inclusive learning environment, students often learn to understand and accept diversity, get prepared to live in an inclusive society and attian improved academic outcomes. To sum up, it is without a doubt the menu strategy used by Morey while teaching mathematics at Enumclaw Middle School enable students not just to value diversity, but also the unique contributions that every student makes while working in small groups. Evidently, studying in an environment that is inclusive enable students to feel safe, autonomous as well as successful, because they are involved in setting education goals and participate in decision making processes. Inclusive pedagogy offers teachers a better way to engage students in independent work as well as developing concepts in different ways. References Florian, L. (2014). What counts as evidence of inclusive education? European Journal of Special Needs Education, 29(3), 286-294. Harvie, J. M. (2015). Cross-Curriculum Design: Enacting Inclusive Pedagogy and Curriculum. Inclusive Pedagogy Across the Curriculum, 7, 259-279. Makoelle, T. (2014). Pedagogy of Inclusion: A Quest for Inclusive Teaching and Learnin. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(20), 1259-1267. Morey, C. (2016). Learning Menus: Giving Options & Independence . Retrieved from Teaching Channel: https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/independence-in-learning Read More