Differentiation and Inclusion

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Differentiation and Inclusion
Martha Ross

Different or Included?

What motivates us to adapt or differentiate learning to create equity in our classrooms?

The inclusive education context that we experience every day is likely to differ across the diverse contexts of international schools.  As national systems and accrediting agencies seek policy and practice that promotes diversity, equity, and justice in education, inclusion is the term that we use to describe and foster this practice.

Daniel Sobel, in his paper entitled, ´Inclusion is a verb: Belonging and schools´, highlights the characteristics of an inclusive school where students are equally important in the community, students are heard and respected, all school facilities are accessible to all students, access to quality education is available for all students, etc. (Sobel, 2022). It is therefore important to recognise who is in our student population and to ask, how we can strive for equitable school experiences and make this a priority.

Then comes the operational question; what is it that motivates everyone in an international school community to adapt their practice to include a wide range of divergent students?

Currently, the answer to this question is a requirement for teachers to differentiate learning. Essentially we ask teachers to design and create learning for the majority of students and then consider different learning experiences for individual students. The pressure of curriculum coverage however can drive us to consider deficits in learning development before we make time to look for individual strengths. If we could reframe the process of differentiation and balance student strengths and learning needs, we could create more inclusive practices.

What motivates us to adapt or differentiate learning to create equity in our classrooms, is never more important than now. Sufficient knowledge about our learners is fundamental to our understanding of effective inclusion. Ellis, Kirby, and Osborne, (2023), recently published an insightful book, ´Neurodiversity and Education´ which clearly outlines the opportunity to address cognitive differences. This work gives us the opportunity to understand how to support and promote our neurodivergent students, knowing that they all bring with them unique skills and competencies. Using the model of Universal Design for Learning, the book illustrates how to create inclusive and therefore more equitable learning contexts.

‘Many of the challenges that our neurodivergent students face are not distinctly different to the challenges that we all face, but tend to be more exaggerated.‘ (2023, Ellis et al).

 

 

Researchers such as Daniel Sobel open our minds to the reality of school life as a highly sensory experience. Educators themselves who share the experience as neurodivergent learners can be powerful motivators to colleagues and students for successful learning.

Inclusion, or the process of successfully including all students, provides an opportunity to consider education and schools from a new perspective. We can learn from our communities, from the individuals that we strive to include, and then reframe our perspective accordingly. This inclusion model by Thompson, (2022) provides a visual of the importance of knowing whom we are supporting in our school communities.

 

In addressing our motivation toward inclusion and equity in the classroom;

  • Can we reframe support for neurodivergent learners by identifying skills and learning support needs?
  • Can we address our perception of differentiated learning and work towards collaboration and not separation?
  • Can we as teachers, SEN and Inclusion coordinators draw students into the group, to share, collaborate or contribute towards learning, according to interest and ability?

 

 

Instead of focusing on learning differences, we are considering experiences so that all individuals contribute to a community of learners. The adapted inclusion model shows how we can come together and protect everyone by fostering a culture of belonging, empathy and support.

The answer to the question addressing teacher motivation is perhaps addressed with training for teachers in Universal design for learning. Ellis et al, describe this process as, The Why, (engagement) – how can we motivate students and sustain their interest? The What (representation) – providing information in different formats and The How (action and expression) – how will the student demonstrate learning and understanding to others and for themselves, (2023, Ellis et al).´ These are all vital skills for inclusion to occur in international schools.

At the recent ECIS conference, Leading Inclusion by Example, at the American International School in Athens, insightful keynote speakers led a conversation centered on the school experience of all students. This conversation became focused more specifically on our neurodivergent students and their learning contexts. This experience led the conference participants to carefully consider strategies that could help teachers connect with all learners.

Dr. Judy Willis shared strategies to reduce boredom and frustration by considering neuroscience research and ways to open the attention filter and tap into the motivation of the students. We learned to share the task of addressing attention and focus by talking to the students directly. There is an opportunity to establish a shared understanding of what distractions there are in our learning environments and how to eliminate them by asking those who experience it.

Daniel Sobel, called the whole group of conference participants, ´Inclusionists´. He modeled how we can actively try to understand student behaviours by learning more about students´ life experiences and how their neurodivergence impacts the learning environment. This focus led the conference participants to understand the importance of the learning environment from the perspective of the student.

Nicole Demos created a moment in time by sharing her life experience as a disabled member of a school community and as an adult living internationally in different societies. We learned who were the inclusionists in her life, those who championed her success and achievements. Nicole shared where she wishes she had sought greater access to the whole school experience. This led her to bravely share her story and acceptance of her disabled identity.

These messages can and should reach far into our classrooms to ensure all our students have equitable access to all aspects of school life. This is illustrated in the final model where the Inclusion umbrella protects the school for all students enjoying all school experiences. In reframing how we approach equitable learning environments, a call to school leaders will be required to redistribute time and create space to consider Inclusion and promote Belonging, Empathy, and Support for the whole community.

 

 

(Model adapted from Thompson, 2022)

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Dr Martha Ross is currently an Inclusion Coordinator at International School Carinthia, Austria. She recently decided to refocus her career in the direction of Inclusion and Student Support after seven years in Senior Leadership. Martha is motivated towards the positive identification of all students in an International School Setting. During her post graduate studies, Martha focused her research on Inclusion and Intercultural Competencies.

 

REFERENCES

Demos, N. (2023) Keynote presentation. ECIS Inclusion Conference, American International School, Athens. March 2023.

Ellis, P, Kirby, A, Osborne, A. (2023) Neurodiversity and Education. Sage Publications. Pages 76, 87.

Institute of Neurodiversity – https://ioneurodiversity.org/about-us. Sourced March 2023.

Sobel, D. (2022) ´Inclusion is a verb: Belonging and schools´ sourced October 2022. https://www.sec-ed.co.uk/best-practice/inclusion-is-a-verb-belonging-and-schools-send-vulnerable-students-mental-health-wellbeing-safeguarding-children-young-people/

Sobel, D. (2023) Keynote presentation. ECIS Inclusion Conference, American International School, Athens. March 2023.

Thompson, L. (2022) Inclusion Umbrella. Who does InclUSion protect? Model.

Willis, J. (2023) Keynote presentation. ECIS Inclusion Conference, American International School, Athens. March 2023.

Freepik image sourced April 2023. https://www.freepik.com

 

Culture Conversations

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Culture Conversations
André Double

 

The notion of the ‘culture conversation’ is not a new concept. Indeed, in our international schools they routinely take place during the onboarding and orientation process. However, their understanding, widespread use and effectiveness, are hard to measure. If culture really is the glue that binds your people and their purpose together, then the culture conversation is a vital tool for your schools to engage in and get right. But what exactly is a culture conversation and why are they so critical for our schools and their people leaders?

 

What are culture conversations?

 

Culture conversations are ways in which you interact with your staff in an ongoing manner and in doing so, use your school’s culture to help shape the future of decision making or changes in policy. They are a proactive strategy used to engage all staff and evaluate whether your staff have the requisite knowledge, skills and other abilities (KSAOs) to do their jobs effectively. They help share success, promote high-order thinking amongst staff and where necessary – pose difficult questions that staff may need to be asked. Finally, and perhaps increasingly important – they help identify malpractice, inequity and actions that can damage your school’s overall culture.

The typical culture conversation is routinely short. But with the skill of those who carry them out, staff can quickly be put at ease. They help fight fires before they get out of control and when adopted at a whole-school level, can lead staff on a path towards highly successful collaboration and interdependence – away from the shackles that dependence can often produce. But perhaps one of the most important aspects of the culture conversation from a Human Resource (HR) perspective is in using them as a diagnostic to measure your school’s culture.

 

Why are they so important?

 

Read any book on leadership and management and effective listening will be one of the most essential skills a leader can develop. Knowing what your people think and the reasons behind the way they think are your own form of AI. Accurately predicting work place behaviours, who presents a flight risk and where further appropriate academic support may be needed is highly valuable information. They thus represent what your people are saying.

 

In our first book ‘Leading Your International School’, I argued for a shift in the mindset of how we view our HR departments and the HR and People Leaders of the future we are going to need to drive change, increase diversity and promote opportunity in our schools. One such example lies in the professional responsibilities of HR when it comes to culture. A traditional approach sees the HR professional act as ‘Culture Ambassador’ – representing the school through their beliefs, actions and interactions. Yet whilst this is important, we need to move towards a role in which your HR and People Leaders become ‘Culture Curators’ and in doing so, help your people to achieve their potential. The figure below heights the difference between acting as a cultural ambassador and culture curator. Take the time to think about where your school currently is. What might your required actions be to move across to become a curator?

 

Traditional HR Mindset

Ambassador: This is our culture. Staff sought that ‘fit’ it.

School example: ‘In this school we…’. ‘This is what our culture looks like’.

 

HR and People Leaders of the Future

Culture Curator: This is our culture and these are the cultures of our people. How can we develop them together to become a competitive advantage?

School example: Culture continually measured across multiple variables; refined to add value. Work- placed coaching to maximise potential

Double and Cook, (2023, p. 338)

 

What do you need to have culture conversations?

 

When conducting culture conversations, Your HR and people leaders will need to:

  • Understand your workforce and what motivates them.
  • Deal professionally, sensitively and set an overall ‘can-do’ tone that breathes vitality into people’s daily lives.
  • Be aligned with your school’s values and use a language that reflects it.
  • Be honest and at times, handle challenging conversations.

 

In conclusion

 

Culture conversations are regular conversations that take place between HR, your people leaders and all members of your school community. They are ‘future focused’ and depersonalised. They focus on the actions, behaviours and strategies needed to fulfill the potential of both your employees and the school overall. They take place on a daily basis and are not limited to brief ‘face-to-face’ check ins once or twice when a new member of staff joins your school. They connect your people to their purpose and show that you – as an employer, display ethical leadership and care about the views, opinions and ideas of your teams, for it is that “great ideas come from anyone at any level of the school”.

 

Activity: In your school leadership teams or at your next SLT meeting, discuss what your culture conversations currently look like at your school. Do you even allow your HR to interact with teachers? What would successful culture conversations look like? Who might be a skilled operator in carrying them out, and what information could you discern from them that could be used to measure your school’s overall culture and make useful predictions about how your culture might need to adapt?

 

If you enjoyed reading this, then you may consider ordering a copy of ‘Leading Your International School’, André Double’s debut outing on international school leadership.

 

References

Double, A & Cook, W.S (2023). Leading Your International School. 16 Leaves, India.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

 

André Double is an international school leader and author, currently living in Yangzhou, China. He is currently writing his second (and third!) books on international school leadership and collaborates with leaders and educational professionals from all over the world. All ECIS members have the opportunity to have their own voice in his work and you are encouraged to contact André if have a passion in educational leadership to share.

For further information go to www.leadingyourinternationalschool.com

To contact André on LinkedIn go to: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andré-double-安德烈-杜布勒-b6574591/

Email: leadingyourinternationschool@gmail.com

Every Teacher is a Learner

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Every Teacher is a Learner

 

Isabelle Wolfe
Language Teacher, International School Aberdeen

 

Is a teacher born or made? There is no doubt that talent is essential to be an effective teacher. However, the will to become better as a teacher is a core competency that every teacher should strive to. As John Hattie points out, “We say to students you’ve got to come to school because that is where you learn – surely the same applies to teachers”.

 

All teachers enter the profession with a teaching qualification. However, is a qualified teacher good enough to be effective and have an impact on students’ attainment? According to the research by Hamre in 2005, students taught by the most effective teacher in a group of 50 teachers learn in six months what those taught by the average teacher learn in a year. Students taught by the least effective teacher in that group of 50 teachers will take two years to achieve the same learning. And even more interestingly, in the classroom of the most effective teachers, students from disadvantaged backgrounds learn at the same rate as those from advantaged backgrounds.

 

There seems to be clear evidence that highly effective teachers have a strong impact on students’ learning. However initial teacher training programs have very little, if any,  effects on students’ achievements. As Dylan William points out in his paper “Keeping Learning on Track”, teachers are very often creatures of habit, partly because they simply do not have the time to reflect on their practices and partly because these teachers simply do not see the need to change even though it is proven that significant improvements in student achievement would be possible with changes in teachers’ classroom practices.

 

There seems to be two obvious solutions that would solve the issue. Either mediocre teachers’ contracts are terminated and they are replaced with good teachers or teacher training becomes more rigorous in order to make sure good teachers are qualified. However, in the first instance, terminating contracts or putting average teachers on performance tracks costs money to the school and to the society as a whole. In the second option of introducing a more rigorous selection into teachers’ training, this process could entail a shortage of teachers in the medium term.

 

There is then a third solution. As Dylan Willam says, schools should adopt the “Love the ones you’re with” strategy. Schools should provide professional development to all teachers so that the mediocre ones become good and the good ones become excellent. Improving practice is not a natural process. If it was, the most experienced teachers in terms of years of experience would then be the most effective. This is not necessarily the case.

 

It is often assumed that teachers, in order to get better, should develop the aspects of the practices that they are the weakest in. However, as Dylan William remarks in his paper “Keeping Learning on Track”, teachers should actually become more expert in the areas that they are already very good at.

 

As Harry Fletcher-Wood and Zucolloin demonstrate in their research in 2019 there is evidence that professional development has a positive impact on pupils’ attainment. However, surprisingly, we should not underestimate that research based professional development can actually also have a counterproductive effect on students’ achievements. Brown and Campione referred to this process as lethal mutation, the fact that teachers adapt evidence-based teaching. As a consequence, teachers transform them into such modified approaches that they actually do not reflect what the research was pointing at in the first place. In extreme cases, the evidence-based approaches are so modified that they have a reverse effect on students’ attainment, hence the term “lethal mutation”.

 

How to avoid this pitfall? Kate Jones and Dylan William identify three different methods to do so in their paper ”Lethal mutations and how to avoid them”. Firstly, teachers should understand the evidence behind the research and develop dialogues with their colleagues in order to share experiences rather than applying a set of instructions. Secondly, it is essential not to implement too many techniques and research-based approaches too quickly. In short, teachers should not go too fast too furious but instead, work things through slowly and measure the impact a small change in their practices can have on their students’ achievements. Finally, not all research based approaches work in all classrooms. Having the perspective of various parameters such as the subject taught, the age of the students, the school context and so on will also make sure lethal mutations do not take place.

 

To be effective, according to Harry Fletcher-Wood, professional development should be collaborative, subject-based, practice-based  and sustainable. The most effective professional development is specific to the subject rather than being school-wide. The active ingredient of professional development should be its impact on students’ learning and not just in the short term and the limitations of a classroom. Education plays a vital part in our society and economy. Better education leads to longer and healthier lives. The causality between education and economy cannot be ignored and, in that sense, teachers have a societal responsibility.  Hanushek and Kimko, in their research paper called “The contribution of education to economic growth”, report “that it is not merely years of schooling but the quality of schooling that has a significant relationship with economic growth”.

 

In conclusion, professional development is a source of enrichment and should be taking place for all teachers, as well as being carefully monitored and evaluated. However, there is a risk that too much autonomy for the teacher in adapting evidence-based approaches could lead to a counterproductive effect on students’ achievements.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Isabelle Wolfe is the Language Subject Leader at the International School Aberdeen.  She teaches French in Middle and High school as well as the French Mother Tongue programme to our French native students. Prior to teaching at ISA, Isabelle taught in England, Australia, and Egypt.

 

REFERENCES

 

“The contribution of education to economic growth.” GOV.UK, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5b9b87f340f0b67896977bae/K4D_HDR_The_Contribution_of_Education_to_Economic_Growth_Final.pdf. Accessed 9 April 2023.

“ERIC – ED615913 – Effective Professional Development. Guidance Report, Education Endowment Foundation, 2021-Oct-8.” ERIC, 8 October 2021, https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED615913. Accessed 6 April 2023.

Fletcher, Harry. “What makes professional development effective? – Improving Teaching.” Improving Teaching, 1 June 2020, https://improvingteaching.co.uk/2020/06/01/what-makes-professional-development-effective/. Accessed 6 April 2023.

“Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2005). Can Instructional and Emotional Support in the First-Grade Classroom Make a Difference for Children at Risk of School Failure Child Development, 76, 949-967. – References.” Scientific Research Publishing, https://www.scirp.org/(S(lz5mqp453edsnp55rrgjct55))/reference/ReferencesPapers.aspx?ReferenceID=1890767. Accessed 31 March 2023.

Hanushek, Eric A., and Finis Welch. “TEACHER QUALITY.” Eric A. Hanushek, http://hanushek.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/publications/Hanushek%2BRivkin%202006%20HbEEdu%202.pdf. Accessed 31 March 2023.

Jones, Kate. “Lethal mutations in education and how to prevent them.” Evidence Based Education, 13 October 2022, https://evidencebased.education/lethal-mutations-in-education-and-how-to-prevent-them/. Accessed 6 April 2023.

“PD: John Hattie helps focus on key concerns.” SSAT, 3 March 2017, https://www.ssatuk.co.uk/blog/pd-john-hattie-helps-focus-on-key-concerns/. Accessed 31 March 2023.

Rice, Damien, and Matt Galbraith. “.,.” ., – YouTube, 16 November 2008, https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1997-97115-011. Accessed 6 April 2023.

“Teacher learning: The key to improving the world!” Dylan Wiliam, https://www.dylanwiliam.org/Dylan_Wiliams_website/Presentations_files/2016-12-03%20Google%20Education%20on%20Air%20talk.pptx. Accessed 31 March 2023.

Waack, Sebastian. “Hattie effect size list – 256 Influences Related To Achievement.” Visible Learning, 27 October 2015, https://visible-learning.org/hattie-ranking-influences-effect-sizes-learning-achievement/. Accessed 31 March 2023.

“Was (Not Was) – Somewhere In America There’s A Street Named After My Dad.” YouTube, 10 May 2017, https://d2tic4wvo1iusb.cloudfront.net/documents/pages/Teacher-professional-development.pdf?v=1680210207. Accessed 31 March 2023.

“Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2005). Can Instructional and Emotional Support in the First-Grade Classroom Make a Difference for Children at Risk of School Failure Child Development, 76, 949-967. – References.” Scientific Research Publishing, https://www.scirp.org/(S(lz5mqp453edsnp55rrgjct55))/reference/ReferencesPapers.aspx?ReferenceID=1890767. Accessed 31 March 2023.

Hanushek, Eric A., and Finis Welch. “TEACHER QUALITY.” Eric A. Hanushek, http://hanushek.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/publications/Hanushek%2BRivkin%202006%20HbEEdu%202.pdf. Accessed 31 March 2023.

“PD: John Hattie helps focus on key concerns.” SSAT, 3 March 2017, https://www.ssatuk.co.uk/blog/pd-john-hattie-helps-focus-on-key-concerns/. Accessed 31 March 2023.

“Teacher learning: The key to improving the world!” Dylan Wiliam, https://www.dylanwiliam.org/Dylan_Wiliams_website/Presentations_files/2016-12-03%20Google%20Education%20on%20Air%20talk.pptx. Accessed 31 March 2023.

Waack, Sebastian. “Hattie effect size list – 256 Influences Related To Achievement.” Visible Learning, 27 October 2015, https://visible-learning.org/hattie-ranking-influences-effect-sizes-learning-achievement/. Accessed 31 March 2023.

Jones, Kate. “Lethal mutations in education and how to prevent them.” Evidence Based Education, 13 October 2022, https://evidencebased.education/lethal-mutations-in-education-and-how-to-prevent-them/. Accessed 6 April 2023.

“PD: John Hattie helps focus on key concerns.” SSAT, 3 March 2017, https://www.ssatuk.co.uk/blog/pd-john-hattie-helps-focus-on-key-concerns/. Accessed 31 March 2023.

Rice, Damien, and Matt Galbraith. “.,.” ., – YouTube, 16 November 2008, https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1997-97115-011. Accessed 6 April 2023.

“Teacher learning: The key to improving the world!” Dylan Wiliam, https://www.dylanwiliam.org/Dylan_Wiliams_website/Presentations_files/2016-12-03%20Google%20Education%20on%20Air%20talk.pptx. Accessed 31 March 2023.

Waack, Sebastian. “Hattie effect size list – 256 Influences Related To Achievement.” Visible Learning, 27 October 2015, https://visible-learning.org/hattie-ranking-influences-effect-sizes-learning-achievement/. Accessed 31 March 2023.

Scientific Research Publishing, https://www.scirp.org/(S(lz5mqp453edsnp55rrgjct55))/reference/ReferencesPapers.aspx?ReferenceID=1890767. Accessed 31 March 2023.

“ERIC – ED615913 – Effective Professional Development. Guidance Report, Education Endowment Foundation, 2021-Oct-8.” ERIC, 8 October 2021, https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED615913. Accessed 6 April 2023.