The Adoption of an Inclusive System of Education - Report Example

Name: Task: Tutor: Date: Introduction The adoption of an inclusive system of education is one that has received the support of many educational institutions and which have continued to be implemented in the creation of teaching curriculums in many schools not just in Australia but in other parts of the world too. This has mainly been influenced by the realization of the need and benefits of an equalized educational system. Inclusive education is a term which also refers to the programs and services provided to address the needs of students needing additional support. This comes from a different philosophical position. It refers to a belief that schools should address the needs of all students in their regular school environment, regardless of ability or disability (Allen & Schwartz). For effective inclusive education to be done, it is important that the selected teaching practices be those that promote its success. This paper focuses on appropriate inclusive practices that would be used to teach and help autistic students and all other students in class to achieve the learning outcomes. The proper identification of the teaching practices will require an understanding of the various needs of the target group (autistic students) hence the paper also describes the theoretical framework used to understand these very needs and how this framework shapes the approach you need to take in planning and developing inclusive learning strategies. The identified teaching strategies and practices will be applicable in teaching communication skills (listening and speaking). The paper identifies and explains the link between the various teaching practices found effective and the theoretical framework used. A support for the reason for the selection of the identified practices has also been given as well as the extent to which these teaching practices will include all students. Also illustrated in this paper are ways through which teachers can make use of inclusive, student-centered teaching practices in all their teaching and the ways in which I will use inclusive, student-centered teaching practices in my future teaching career. The article concludes with a significant reflection of me on the basis of undertaking the undertaken study. Target Group The selected target group for this paper is entails students suffering from autism. Autism has been identified as being the number three most common developmental disorder which affects individuals of all social economic statuses and cultures. When autism occurs it affects a person’s learning capacities especially for languages, ones imaginative faculties and social interaction. Children suffering from autism require that their various needs be understood and the ways of addressing these needs addressed. Through this, then they will be able to attain their highest potential as well as make contributions into the society in their early ages and even in future. One way that has been found to be effective in ensuring that the various needs of the students suffering from autism are met is the incorporation of inclusive learning within the educational system. An inclusive environment of learning does not only promote academic but cultural and social development as well. According to Bondy & Frost (6-9) an effective school system is that which does not only improve a person’s access to various resources (economic capital) but that also improves that person’s social capital by increasing their ability to fit in a particular social group, establish new relationships as well as support and influence networks, self esteem, empowerment and feeling of worth. Social aspects have been found to be the main areas of concern in children suffering from autism with the major needs of this group of children being social. The disorder mainly affects ones ability to meaningfully interact with the society, a condition that further increases stigma and isolation. Children with autistic disorder show social orientation impairments early in life by preferably orienting to non-social over social stimuli. It has been found that autistic children tend not to respond to various stimuli frequently than developmentally delayed but the effect is more to social stimuli. (Grandin, T. & Scariano, 115). Children with autistic disorders do not respond as other typical kids in terms of communiqué and social contact. Other studies have shown basic visual processing deficit of faces in autistic children that were not affected by failures in developmentally equal to non-social processing task. It is widely accepted that typically developing children develop through reciprocal social interactions that involve the child’s active participation. Due to challenges associated with autism, children affected tend to selectively avoid social education which prevents the pivotal developmental learning behaviors that could be cooperation, affect, interest, attention among others. Lack of development hinders further learning. It has however not been vivid as to why autistic children avoid social stimuli. This has been at times attributed to general impairment functioning, complexity, unpredictability and variability thus difficult to process. Another identified reason is the rapid shifting of attention to process social stimuli. From the identified needs of this group of students, a learning environment that is inclusive will in this case be beneficial in providing opportunities for both the child and his or her normal peers and friends to take part in different activities and create routine and attitudes that allow for faster acceptance, accommodation and respect. This will be of benefit to the entire society as a whole (Arick et al., 77). Theoretical framework for understanding and meeting learning needs For inclusive learning to meet the specific needs of students, there is need for the various and most specific of the needs of these learners be clearly identified and understood. A learning structure that is further effective can only be obtained if teachers and other parties concerned understand and comprehend the diverse needs of the students. This means that for inclusive learning, as an effective educational system, to be able to meet all the needs of autistic students, there is need for the needs of these students to be known and understood. It is also important that the various impacts, such as those related to social culture and language, of autistic students be factored in and the various ways through which this impacts affect education and service delivery for autistic students. It is important to understand clearly that autism occurs in different levels that range from mild to severe hence interventions and teaching practices put in place should based on the specific needs of very child (National Research Council, 15). Educating autistic students requires that the plan created entail language training and systematic-social skill, school days that are well structure and highly consistent, social mentoring as well as modified assignments and instructions. Language training and social skills is a suitable way of providing strategies through which autistic children learn on how to effectively communicate, follow guidelines and rules, and play cooperatively. It is by this identification that suitable and relevant teaching practices can and will be selected in this paper. Social expertise and language education programs offer strategies that can assist children who have autism be taught how to interpret social cues, follow basic rules and also guidelines, play jointly, and finally communicate. Inclusive education creates systematic and individualized plans for autistic children as well as those with other disabilities as well as a range of different needs. It is therefore important for teachers and educators to carefully plan with other stakeholders from the various disciplines to establish a program that will uniquely meet all the needs of autistic children, factoring in the language and social learning implications as this play an important role in the normal society functioning (Bondy & Frost (5). Focus Topic Area: Language/ communication skills (listening and speaking) The selected topic area for this paper is the teaching of language skills to autistic young children. The various outcomes for the teaching curriculum for this topic indicate that by the end of the said topic the children should be able to acquire exhaustive instructions in areas that include: Expressive language Spontaneous communication Social interaction and play skills Receptive language Functional routines Pre academics The students should then be able to generalize the various skills leant at school at home. Teaching practices of autistic children in an inclusive learning There are different teaching strategies and practices through which inclusive learning can effectively be implemented. It is however important that a few factors be put into consideration in selecting the best teaching practices and strategies. Such factors include the student’s communication, social and cognitive ability, the student’s preference to communicate, adaptive behavior and style of learning (Winzer, M. A., & Mazurek, 201). There are different inclusive strategies through which teachers can be able to ensure that the set outcomes are attained. One such strategy is having teachers incorporate inclusive student-centered teaching practices by the use of consistent class room routines. This consistent routine lowers all students’ anxiety and increases their ability to function independently in the classroom. Lowering their anxiety prepares them and makes them feel free to interact and actively take part in class activities. Independence can further be promoted by giving the students choices to make and teaching them on how to make choices and providing picture schedules sequencing daily activities (Bailey & McWilliams, 61). Another important strategy is to use different teaching procedures that are naturalistic. This may include teaching in a natural environment, ensuring that the independent teaching interactions remain brief and evenly distributed over different days or hours, enhancing instructional instructions that are initiated by the learners and instructing using naturally found consequences such as events and objects that attract the attention of the learner (Maurice, 109-10) Another effective strategy involves encouraging students to use one or more sentences knowledge summaries .By doing this students can identify easily key concepts and information from a chapter, book, or tests and assessments and will in turn be able to improve their expressive language and in turn be able to spontaneously communicate. It is also imperative for the educators to clearly understand the moods and emotions of a child. A teacher should for example be able to identify a student’s signs of elevated anxiety or any difficulties a learner may be having with the sensory and the emotional surplus, and other signs of strain. Students experiencing stress may for example put their hands over ears, squeezing a body part among others. A student can also be shown a calm area. Through this, the teacher will be able to ensure that each child is well prepared for the lesson before the lesson begins and that any identified problems are first addressed before anything else. Teachers should provide a visual menu of appropriated behaviors to use when overwhelmed. Teachers should present the menu when their students are level of stress rise .Regular breaks will assist the students to self regulate heir sensory input and improve their performance and attention (Bondy, 327). In order to increase the student’s ability to function independently both socially and academically, teachers should give visual instructions, rules, and use visual classroom schedules and also use of visual reminder or visual strength could be of help. Social stories or jokes could be of better help to encourage appropriate behaviors and keep their attention to task. It is important that Teacher should appreciate the call for for transition instant and map for it. They should set up and practice transition activities for students to accomplish when done with their assignments. The use of visual reminder of activities can lend a hand guide the learners through the procedure easily. Writing with Symbols will also be an effective way that will in increasing the student understanding. The use of pictures or words organization for independent vocation listing the processes and tasks to be fully completed can also be of help to students (Bondy, A. & Frost, 3). Conclusion Inclusive education is an important undertaking through which the various needs of children with disabilities are effectively met and that ensures that such children are equitably able to attain the benefits of education just like all other normal children. Autistic children have been indicated as being very difficult to effectively include society, recreational and educational settings. The above discussion has indicated different effective strategies and practices that can be well used in inclusively educating them. This paper has identified the need to ensure that the different needs of the children with autism are keenly identified and relevant strategies to address these needs put in place. The use of naturalistic consequences, enhancing active participation of all learners in the learning process, promoting independency and the use of visual instructions and rules are some of the main strategies that have been identified in being effective in ensuring that the children are going to gain communication and social skills important for their continued social, mental and physical development. Works Cited Allen, K. & Schwartz, S. The exceptional child: Inclusion in early childhood education. Albany, NY: Delmar, 1996. Arick, J., Young, E., Falco, A., Loos, M., Krug, A., Gense, H., & Johnson, B. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 18, 74‐86, 2003. Bailey, D. & McWilliams, A. Normalizing early intervention. Topics in Early Childhood Education. 10(2), 59-71, 1990. Bondy, A. & Frost, L. PECS: The picture exchange communication system: Focus on Autistic Behavior, 9, 1 -9, 1994. Bondy, A. Behavioral intervention for Young children with autism: A manual for parents and professionals.Austin, TX: Pro-Ed, 1996. Grandin, T. & Scariano, M. Emergence labeled autistic. Novato, CA: Arena Press, 1986. Maurice, C. Early intervention in natural environments: Methods and procedures. Pacific Grove,CA: Brooks/Cole, 1993. National Research Council. Educating children with autism. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001. Winzer, M. & Mazurek, K. Special education in multicultural contexts. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998. Critical Reflection Handling this assignment has been a great opening to the various issues related to children with disabilities, their learning and social needs. It has most especially been effective in creating a greater understanding of inclusive education and the role it plays in promoting academic, social and mental development of students with disabilities and the importance of its implementation within the entire education system today not just in Australia but in other parts of the world as well. As a teacher, this assignment has helped improve my teaching as well as researching skills. Through it, I have been able to realize what kind of teacher I want to be and has brought me to the realization that as a teacher, I should not only aim promoting academic gro0wth in a child but to also provide for other needs, that include social needs, of that child. From the assignment I can now effectively be able to incorporate inclusive learning in my teaching. The main source of information for this assignment was from secondary sources which included the use of academic books, journal articles, relevant internet sites and reports. In undertaking future researches, I will incorporate the use of primary sources which will entail acquiring information from people mainly through interviews. This will ensure that I get first hand and current information. In this assignment for example, teachers dealing with autistic children would have been best suited to present the various learning needs of this group of students. Though all parts of this assignment have been effectively and relevantly handled to give valuable information in relation to the topic, the strongest part is that of the teaching practices and strategies for the autistic children. This part has successfully assessed on all possible and efficient strategies that could help in attaining the outcomes of the learning topic area selected and that are easily applicable within any learning environment. Another strong part has been on the selection of the target group, autistic children. This group of people has been selected on the basis of their continued increase within the Australian population today and even within the world. There were so many resource materials to provide information on these two parts. The weakest part in the assignment has been that of identifying the topic area of study and the expected outcomes. This has been mainly because of lacks of enough resources as well as an already created curriculum on the topic area. Read More