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Inclusive Education

University of Johannesburg
T. Makoelle

Why Inclusive Education


Education for social justice
Human right issue
Access to economic viability
Responding to global commitments to
make the world an equitable and
inclusive society
Embrace diversity

Theoretical orientations to inclusive


education practice
Curriculum approaches: view of curriculum as a
barrier to learning (Clough & Corbett 2000)
School Improvement strategy: view school
organization as a potential barrier to learning
(Ainscow, Dyson, Goldrick & West 2012)
Disability: the physical or psychological
attributes of the learner render him/her a victim
of exclusion e.g. a hard-hearing learner
Pedagogic approach: stemming from the medical
model in terms of which teaching and learning

Theoretical orientations to inclusive


education practice
Social ecological model: was developed as
a critique to the medical deficit model: the
learners social context forms the core of
accepting diversity and allowing
participation of individuals regardless of the
differences (Reindall 2008, Cesar & Ainscow
2006, Makoelle 2012

Discourses of inclusion
Full inclusion: typically children and those
perceived to be having additional needs
participate fully in an educational programme
that caters for all. This means inclusion focuses
on the transformation of school cultures and
pedagogic practice to enhance access, ensure
the acceptance of all and widen the participation
by all
Cluster inclusion: learners with additional needs
are catered for in an additional programme
alongside a mainstream programme

Discourses of inclusion
Social inclusion: learners with additional needs are
catered for in special settings and come together with
typically developing learners at times for social
experience (Kennedy, McLoughlin, Moore & Forster
2011)

Inclusive pedagogy
Inclusive pedagogy: totality of teaching, learning, beliefs
and attitudes to facilitating the process of knowing in
children
Characteristics of inclusive pedagogy
Emancipatory
Embraces differences
Seeks to empower
Non- judgmental
All learners can learn but differently

Approaches in inclusive pedagogy


Special needs approach
Assumption: view inclusion as limited to those diagnosed
with a special
need usually derived from medical deficit
model
Practice: application of procedures, techniques,
strategies (proven to
remedy or fix the need (Farrell 1997, Rief 2006)
Characteristics: usually prefers separate pedagogic
setting

Approaches in inclusive pedagogy


Inclusive approach to pedagogy
Assumption: all learners are accommodated regardless of
differences
Practice: usually rely on creativity and apply different
strategies in
respond to the diverse needs of learners in an
inclusive setting
Characteristics: a more inclusive setting is preferred
: focuses on the teacher, resources, learner
Critique: emancipatory and seek to change beliefs and

Two views teaching which influences


the teachers approach
Process-product (Behavioristic) view of teaching
Derived from positivistic view of epistemology
Role of the teacher: master of knowledge
Aim: objectives are set by the teacher (aimed at changing the
behavior of the learner
Content: prescriptive and transmission
Learning: reproduction of facts
Assessment: memorization of facts
Teaching style: mostly deductive

Characteristics of behavioristic
approach
Apply stimulus and response aimed at changing the behavior
of the learner
View human in a mechanistic way
Does not recognize the learners prior knowledge
Not culturally relevant
Teacher is in power (teacher-centred)
Ignore the context of learning
Pace driven
Does not take into account the voices of learners

Dominant methods of teaching


Methods are mostly teacher-centred
Narrative/telling
Demonstration
Question and answer
Drill method
Experimental
Textbook method

Implications for inclusive education


Ignores the potential insights into learners
understanding of teaching and learning process
Authority vested in the teacher could be potentially
abused( exclusive tendencies)
Does not encourage free space for innovation and
critical thinking
Learners may develop dependency learning habits
Limit knowledge to that which the teacher knows

Two views teaching which influences


the teachers approach
Constructivist view of teaching
Derived from post-positivistic view of epistemology
Role of the teacher: facilitates process of knowing
Aim: objectives are set jointly by the teacher and the learner (aimed
at allowing the learner to construct own knowledge
Content: non-prescriptive and discovery learning
Learning: understanding principles
Assessment: application of knowledge rather than memorization
Teaching style: mostly inductive

Characteristics of constructivist
approach
Apply learning through discovery
View humans as constructing and reconstructing knowledge
recognize the learners prior knowledge, beliefs, atitudes and
conceptions about knowledge
culturally and socially relevant in approach
Equal share of power between learner and teacher (learner-centred)
context of learning is prioritized
Not Pace driven
takes into account the voices of learners

Dominant methods of teaching


Self-activity
Heuristic or problem solving
Cooperative/ collaborative learning
Peer- tutoring
Group work
Group discussion
Project method
Programmed instruction

Developing an Inclusive Teaching


strategy
Step 1 doing a situation analysis
The situation analysis is a doing firstly an in-depth inquiry into the current educative scenario by asking
this questions?
Who is being taught?
In order to analyze this appropriately, the following are significant
What is the learners cultural and economic milieu : this is important because the learners cultural
background influences the knowledge acquisition as influenced by the leaners socio-cultural background
What is the learners cognitive (intellectual), affective (emotional) & psychomotor level of development:
This will inform adapting the curriculum to respond to the appropriate level of the learner
What learning styles do learners feel comfortable learning with& what do learners already know: this will
influence the way curriculum will be presented and thus could influence the organization of pedagogic
tasks and activities
Which learners need additional support: the teacher s analysis of classroom settings e.g. needs
interpreter, sign language etc.
Which learners need assistive devices: the teacher analyses the need for assistive devices e.g. hearing
aids/braille etc.

Developing an inclusive Teaching


strategy
Who is teaching?
Belief and attitude towards inclusion: the first step
towards teaching inclusively is to believe that it could
be done
Teachers personal qualities and teaching approach &
style: this together with the learning style of learners
will inform the best approach to teaching
Subject competency of the teacher: teachers who are
not well vested in the subject could solicit collaborative
or co teaching from their experienced colleagues.

Developing an Inclusive teaching


strategy
What is been taught
How is what is been taught related to what learners
already know: knowing this will provide the basis for
introducing new work
How what is been taught arranged in relation to
learners learning style: learners prefer different content
arrangements e.g. printed, etc.
How what is been taught accessible and how will it be
accessible to all: learners access the material differently

Developing Inclusive Teaching


strategy
What are social dynamics
How is whats happening in the society influences what
happens in the classroom: what is been taught should
take into account social, political and technological
state of the society
How is the seating arrangement compatible to
classroom diversity.

Developing Inclusive Teaching


Strategy
Step 2: designing a pedagogic setting
Based on all in step 1 the following are done
Choosing a teaching and learning facilitation
approach
Using behaviorist and constructivist approach to
facilitation of teaching and learning
Using teaching methods consistent with the
approach inclusively

Developing Inclusive Teaching


Strategy
Process-product
(Behavioristic) view of
teaching
Derived from positivistic
view of epistemology
Role of the teacher: master
of knowledge
Aim: objectives are set by
the teacher (aimed at
changing the behavior of
the learner
Content: prescriptive and
transmission

Constructivist view of teaching

Derived from postpositivistic view of


epistemology
Role of the teacher:
facilitates process of
knowing
Aim: objectives are set
jointly by the teacher and
the learner (aimed at
allowing the learner to
construct own knowledge
Content: non-prescriptive
and discovery learning

Developing Inclusive Teaching


Strategy
Characteristics
Apply stimulus and
response aimed at
changing the behavior of
the learner
View human in a
mechanistic way
Does not recognize the
learners prior knowledge
Not culturally relevant
Teacher is in power
(teacher-centered)
Ignore the context of

Characteristics
Apply learning through
discovery
View humans as
constructing and
reconstructing knowledge
recognize the learners
prior knowledge, beliefs,
attitudes and conceptions
about knowledge
culturally and socially
relevant in approach
Equal share of power

Developing Inclusive Teaching


Strategy

Methods
Methods are mostly
teacher-centred
Narrative/telling
Demonstration
Question and answer
Drill method
Experimental
Textbook method

Methods
Self-activity
Heuristic or problem
solving
Cooperative/
collaborative learning
Peer- tutoring
Group work
Group discussion
Project method
Programmed

Developing Inclusive Teaching


Strategy
Principles
Individualization
Multi-level teaching
Brain-based
Concept
attainment/develop
deductive

Differentiation
Interactive teaching
Multiple
intelligence
Scaffolding
inductive

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