Assignment 2 – Creating an inclusive student-centred learning environment

Assignment 2– cREATING AND INCLUSIVE STUDENT-CENTRED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

3142vta – iNCLUSIVE tEACHING

Course convenor: Dr. LEESA WHEELAHAN

Submitted by: David Martin

Student #2636349

PHONE: 07 56677532

Date Submitted: 23 May 2008

This assignment will explain an inclusive theoretical framework used to assist a group of international students for whom English is a second language attaining a set of specific learning outcomes.A range of theories have been used to develop and analyse strategies that use an inclusive approach to teaching. After a brief description of the learning outcomesit will be shown how and why the teaching methods used assist this group and students in general, achieve the specified learning outcomes.

The learning outcomes for the competency are based on the second performance criteria found in the nationally accredited unit Perform Office Procedures (National Training Information Service).Appendix 1 has a list of critical evidence and underpinning knowledge, which I have interpreted into the following learning outcomes. The students will be able to, without aid:

  • select appropriate format and style for correspondence according to purpose, audience and situation.
  • draft documents according to enterprise formats.
  • use correct spelling, punctuation and grammar to ensure understanding by the receiver.

With more importance being placed on communication skills, high levels of English and cultural familiarity with the workplace (Bereded, Broadbent, & Wheelahan, 2000, p. 202) these learning outcomes have a heightened importance for international students.

Inclusive practice involves a change in mindset about how society, schools and students work together (Shaddock, Giorcelli, & Smith, 2007, p. 4). It means thinking of not only all students as equals but also staff, teachers and other stakeholders. The most evident examples of this in vocational education are the emphasis on industry input into curriculum and professional development for teachers. Teachers who are willing to allow student-centred activities into the classroom also demonstrate that they think of students as equals. While this does not contribute to the learning outcomes directly, the relevance and value of the outcomes will increase for all students.

It is also important to work from student strengths (Shaddock, Giorcelli, & Smith, 2007, p. 5) and to realise that meaning is personal; it depends on motives, intentions and prior knowledge (Biggs, 2003, p. 13). Opening communication channels in the classroom between individual students, the group and the teacher helps decide how to present learning materials that takes advantage of these factors. Further, teaching by improving already positive traits and existing knowledge, and moving the student towards their potential reflects the idea of proximal development (Karp, 2000, p. 38). I use self-assessment surveys at the start and the end of the unit that gauges the student’s knowledge and skills in the critical areas of the competency being taught. Reviewing the results at the start of delivery allows scaffolding techniques to be planned. It also identifies any possible experts in the class that can be used as mentors or learning buddies in the classroom. This can assist in the learning outcomes, the mentor can be used to check that the meaning of the correspondence is clear and concise.

Curriculum content can also be changed in ‘terms of depth and complexity” (Westwood, 2003, p. 147) and this is done through formative assessment; judgements are made almost continuously on student abilities and changes to delivery pace and style are made. Problem solving and inquiry based learning are examples of using a deep approach to learning. When using this approach students become more engaged in the tasks at hand because they are meaningful and appropriate. This requires activities to be well planned and realistic, which can be time consuming and resource intensive, which are commonly claimed by teachers to be barriers to inclusive education (Shaddock, Giorcelli, & Smith, 2007, p. 2). However, by developing a range of activities that cater for different levels more learning outcomes can be reached by more students and while the pace and difficulty may differ, the outcomes will be similar.

Student diversity should be seen as a resource, and existing cultures, policies and practices can be reshaped according to local diversity (CSIE: What is inclusion?). Bilingual tuition would be an example; computer based tutorials could be recorded in multiple languageswhich would help when introducing new topics. It would also show that languages other than English have value and help with possible literacy problems.This is something I would like to develop in the future, possibly by using students themselves to translate and record narrations to PowerPoint slideshows and other interactive computer activities. Another possibility is the use of websites that could offer translations of study guides or other electronic resources. Further, by having active dialogue in the classroom about our own cultural or previous enterprise experience with written communication,existing knowledge could be reshapedand refined from existing knowledge. This willassist teaching how to select appropriate formats and tone for business letters. This would also be an opportunity to involve all the students in the classroom exploring the differences in correspondence from different cultures.

Teachers also need to try and avoid common cultural stereotypes. An example of being aware of cultural conditioning of the students and integrating this into the classroom is not trying to force students to look you in the eye. There are many actions and phrases that have unexpected connotations in other cultures, and an awareness of these would assist in teaching international students. Regardless of the cultural differences, education “needs to be real and to be honest” and giving respect for both individuals and their culture is more likely to reciprocate in respect for the teaching and teacher involved (Lynwood, Graham, & Atkinson, 2005, p. 226). Another example is to setup the classroom and activities to support more individualised work (Westwood, 2003, p. 147), especially if cultural norms for the students discourage classroom negotiation and where questioning techniques may not work as well with students whose educational culture expects teachers to be the transmitters of knowledge. While these actions don’t specifically relate to the learning outcomes they result in an inclusive environment that fosters any type of learning for all the students involved. Professional development in the area of cultural awareness should be a priority for institutions that have large intakes of international students, to assist teachers in avoiding stereotypical behaviour.

I think a difficulty is deciding when the line is crossed from teaching helpful integration and communication skills to becoming exclusive. Vocational education seeks to replicate the work environment and if this environment is not inclusive and requires particular behaviours to be modelled, some of which may be difficult, foreign or even offensive; are students being done a disservice by education that bends for inclusivity? It is argued that disadvantages experienced in education are often societal rather than institutional (Tawney cited in Thomas & Vaughan, 2004, p8) and if this is the case than teachers and educational institutions can only exert a certain amount of influence over the inclusivity outside the classroom. However, there is more legislative and community support for inclusive practices in educationthat helps make students contribute to a just society that has “social cohesion and room for different perspectives” (Leeman & Volman, 2001, p. 367). Therefore an inclusive society can be built from education, the classroom should model what society should be and if teachers are successful in this, society on the whole should become more inclusive.

Being inclusive also recognises that different students have different learning requirements and that the classroom must be modified to suit these differences. Westwood defines differentiation as “teaching things differently according to observed differences among learner’ (Westwood, 2003, p. 145) and this can be done in classrooms through student self-assessment or the teacher performing formative assessment. Changing the difficulty of activities and altering the outputs being produced are techniques that can be used to meet individual needs of students and create a more inclusive classroom (Westwood, 2003, p. 147). This can be done subjectively, especially with the learning outcome on correct spelling and grammar usage by deciding what level of accuracy is required. However, if these changes appear to lower standards or work requirements it can have the long term effect of increasing the achievement gap between students (Westwood, 2003, p. 150). Vocational education is primarily outcome based with no way of grading the level of competence or achievement. This makes it difficult to differentiate ability levels between students but still allows the teacher judge competence on an individual basis.

The hidden curriculum used in Australian education can be a form of exclusion for international students and teachers commonly transmit the beliefs of the mainstream culture (Lamb, Walstab, Teese, Vickers, & Rumberger, 2004, p. 23). Teachers need to make the curriculum as explicit as possible, explaining how the educational system works and what is expected of students. By detailing the learning outcomes, how they will be achieved and by allowing students access to criteria checklists all student will have a better understanding of what is required. International students may not understand the requirements of study, or conventions of communication that many locals take for granted. Teachers also need to be aware of their own cultural background and be careful of what is promoted as acceptable and normal in the classroom.

Critical reflection will assist in the development inclusive teaching. Experienced teachers find that making modifications to the learning environment becomes natural and easier while still following a common curriculum (Westwood, 2003, p. 152).By using class session records and making notes during or straight after each session I will be able to find what works and develop it for future use.

There are many strategies that can be applied to the classroom to make it more inclusive. While this assignment has focussed on a particular target group, many can apply to a range of student groups. It is important to have a range of strategies available that can be integrated and used when needed. There are cultural and experiential differences in everyone and this should be seen as a valuable resource. Changing the style, depth and pace of delivery are ways of modifying curriculum to become more inclusive. Adaptation of these theories and reflection on teaching practice will continue to improve the ability to create an inclusive learning environment

List of References

Bereded, E., Broadbent, R., & Wheelahan, L. (2000). Bridging Courses for Refugees: the experience of the Horn of Africa communities. In S. Bertone, & H. Casey, Migrants in the new economy: Problems, perspectives and policy (pp. 197-229). Melborune: Victoria University.

Biggs, J. (2003). Chapter 2: Constructing learning by aligning teaching: constructive alignment. In Teaching for quality learning at university (pp. 11-33). Buckingham: SRHE & Open University Press.

CSIE: What is inclusion? (n.d.). Retrieved March 3, 2008, from Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education:

Karp, K. (2000). Weaving Lessons: Strategies for Teaching Mathematics and Science in Inclusive Settings. In S. E. Wade (Ed.), Inclusive Education (pp. 29-50). London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Lamb, S., Walstab, A., Teese, R., Vickers, M., & Rumberger, R. (2004). In Staying on at school: Improving student retention in Australia Report for the Queensland Department of Education and the Arts (pp. 19-32). Centre for Post-compulsory Education and Lifelong Learning, The University of Melbourne: Queensland Department of Education and the Arts.

Leeman, Y., & Volman, M. (2001). Inclusive education: recipe book or quest. On diversity in the classroom and educational research. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 4 (5), 367-379.

Lynwood, R., Graham, J., & Atkinson, J. (2005). Maintaining the practice of ceremony in Indegenous pedagogy: enhancing self and community learning. In What a Difference a Pedagogy Makes: Researching Lifelon Learning and Teaching (pp. 221-227). Scotland: University of Stirling.

National Training Information Service. (n.d.). NTIS --- view unit THHGGA02B. Retrieved April 1, 2008, from

Shaddock, A., Giorcelli, L., & Smith, S. (2007). Students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms: A resource for teachers. Barton: Commonwealth of Australia.

Thomas, G., & Vaughan, M. (2004). Part One: "The context - rights, participation, social justice". In Inclusive education: readings and reflections. (pp. 7-28). Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Westwood, P. (2003). Adapting Cirriculum and Instruction. In K. Topping, & S. Maloney (Eds.), The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in Inclusive Education. London and New York: RoutledgeFalmer.

Appendix 1: Critical Aspects of Evidence and Underpinning Knowledge

Correspondence to be drafted must include a selection from each of the following:

  • letters
  • e-mails
  • faxes
  • memos

The following skills and knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit:

  • enterprise practices and procedures for processing documents
  • layout, format and features of typical business documents
  • features and usage of typical office equipment
  • safe work practices for using office equipment and chemicals
  • communication skills to convey meaning clearly and concisely
  • basic literacy and written communication skills in relation to workplace documentation and to produce correspondence
  • basic numeracy in order to count and do simple clerical tasks.

Critical reflection

This assignment was started by using the theories outlined in Assignment 1 and applying them to my own classroom experiences. The practical application of the theories was the key for this assignment, and readings were informative in deciphering classroom events backwards into theory.My personal aim of this assignment was to explain methods that I already use in the classroom, and to find out new techniques and ideas that can be used to help create inclusive environments. Several times I started writing paragraphs based around my own experiences and then rewrote them so they reflected on theories and literature.I also tried to make a few more statements of my own in this assignment and produce an argument for the ideas with the quotes rather using multiple quotes to make a statement.

I don’t feel this assignment is as thorough as some others I have done, while I had ample time to do it, it was left while I worked (both a job and other assignments.) The main strength of the assignment is the range of readings used to compile the theories.I was really trying to focus on international students studying in Australia, but found that most literature was aimed at special learning disabilities and non-English speaking students.

Some of the adaptation techniques I was already trying to use in my classrooms, though in a cruder way than described in the literature. Applying these techniques in a more critical way will be the big plus from this research and assignment. While some of the ideas were not specifically described as useful for groups other than the one I was focusing on, they were for the most part,general enough to be re-applied or applied to all students.

This assignment has also highlighted the civic responsibility of being a teacher, what I do and the values I promote in the classroom can have an effect on society in general, by teaching students how to be tolerant of differences and place value on all cultures and people.

David MartinStudent#26363493142VTA

Inclusive Teaching