Differentiation and Inclusion Defined

When I think of an effective teacher that understands and plans for inclusion and differentiation, I think of them as a gardener. They plant the seeds, water and maintain them, find the right balance of water and fertilizer to assist their growth and then watch and support them develop.

Inclusion is a set of processes framed around four central components: presence, participation, progress (achievement) and sense of belonging (Ainscow & Miles, 2009). Inclusion involves removing labels and barriers to learning and providing all students with equal opportunities.

Differentiation is the belief that all students can and deserve to learn. It involves using appropriate strategies and making adaptations so all students work at an appropriate level of challenge and towards the same goal or lesson objective. Effective teachers get to know their students well and attend to differences in current levels of skills and knowledge (readiness), to varied students interests and to students learning profile (Tomlinson, 2004). 

Jarvis (2013) affirms, effective differentiation is an inclusive philosophy, a series of key principles (Tomlinson, 2003) that guide effective differentiation and a set of practices or strategies for applying these principles. Figure 1 displays a flow chart showing how the different elements of differentiation come together.  

 

Figure 1: The different elements of differentiation (Tomlinson & Jarvis, 2009)

Over the last five years there has been significant progress on education reforms to support inclusive practices (Conway, 2014). National polices, legislation and documentation has been developed to ensure equity and excellence for all. The Disability Standards for Education 2005 asserts students with disabilities are entitled to equitable access to the curriculum and to participate as fully as possible (Attorney-General’s Department, 2006). Teachers must adhere to all of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. At graduate level, to meet focus area 1.4 for example, teacher must: ‘Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds.’ (AITSL, 2011, p.9) The 2008 Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians embraces the goal that ‘all young Australians become successful learners, confident and creative individuals and active and informed citizens’ (MCEETYA, 2008, p. 7). Additionally, ACARA (2012) states ‘all students are entitled to rigorous, relevant and engaging learning programs drawn from a challenging curriculum that addresses their individual learning needs’. 

To adhere to the legislation, educators must make adjustments to ensure the teaching program including assessments, curriculum and teaching strategies are designed to be accessible and appropriate for the needs of all students with a disability (Attorney-General’s Department, 2006). Teachers should consider evidence based strategies such as reinforcement, modelling and responsive interruption reduction that are responsive to their needs (McMillan, 2015). A video about how a teacher supports a student with an intellectual disability learn is included below.

Supporting participation (AITSL, 2012)

Research suggests that many Indigenous students learn in different ways, for example through context specific activities rather than through theory (Harris, 1984); are motivated by activities where the meaning is self-evident now; and prefer group work (Harrison, 2008). Consequently, teachers must be aware of cultural differences and incorporate the use of appropriate teaching strategies. For examples of how teachers can successfully adhere to professional standard 1.4 refer, to illustrations; Primary Focus Area: 1.4.  

SCHOOL PORTFOLIO

I participated in a six week placement at a metropolitan primary school. To maintain confidentiality, pseudonyms have been used. Below I discuss the schools:

• Profile

• Practices relating to diverse students

• Effectiveness in supporting diverse learners 

School Profile
Location	Metropolitan
Year range	R-7
Total enrolments	320
Indigenous students	0
Language background other than English	1%
Attendance	95%
Index of Community and Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA)	School distribution: Bottom quarter – 4%, Middle quarters – 11%, 30%, Top quarter – 55%

Table 1: Data collected from My School website (school name omitted)

The Year 6 and 7 class I worked in was made up of diverse students. Student differences and the impact these differences had on learning in the classroom is displayed in table 2.

Student Differences	Examples of how student differences  impacted on learning in the classroom
Students with dyslexia	Required more time to copy, sound out words and write own stories. Benefited from use of iPads and the teacher breaking down task into easy to follow steps
Students with social and behavioural issues	Continuously interrupted class, had difficulty staying on task and found it difficult to meaningfully contribute to group work
Students with traumatic backgrounds	Demonstrated difficulty working in groups and asking for assistance
A student identified as academically gifted or talented	The student would often disengage if work was not challenging or if she saw no relevance
A student with Asperger Syndrome	Demonstrated difficulty with change, contributing effectively to group work and trying and engaging in tasks not based on interests
Most students working at grade level however some were a few years behind	The same level of instruction was not appropriate for all
Diverse learning profiles and interests	Students demonstrated different strengths and weaknesses and preferred different modes.

Table 2: Information gathered from observations and discussions with mentor teacher

How did teachers respond to these differences?
My placement teacher, “Miss T” felt very strongly about differentiation and engaging all students in tasks thus incorporated numerous strategies and approaches to meet the needs of individual students. She employed a growth instead of a fixed mindset and had high expectations for all. She provided support through breaking down complex tasks and using open-ended questions. Tomlinson (2013) suggests a growth mindset drives differentiation and setting high expectations and supporting student’s, assists accelerate growth. Additionally, she utilised a variety of teaching strategies including questioning; pre-assessment; modelling; feedback; and flexible grouping. In English I observed her grouping students based on interest and readiness and designed learning activities to be completed with group support.

Student Support Officers (SSOs) worked with specific students and small groups of students. The weekly time allocated for support was dependant on their needs. SSOs worked inside and outside of the classroom with students providing support on curriculum based activities. Students with social issues and who came from traumatic backgrounds were involved in a mentor program individually, one hour a week. 

The effectiveness of the school and educators in supporting diversity and fostering inclusive practices
Ainscow and Miles (2009) developed a framework (figure 2) and performance indicators to assist educational institutions pinpoint areas where they need to improve in relation to inclusion. Although, I only spent a limited amount of time at the school, a basic assessment revealed the school has taken numerous steps in the right direction to support inclusive education but there are areas they could improve. The promotion of inclusion and diversity is not featured on the school’s website (school name omitted, 2015) or vision and mission statement. As the promotion of inclusive education in school policies and practices assists a school become inclusive (Ainscow & Miles, 2009), this could be an area of improvement. Discussions had with the principal elucidate that to support diversity and foster an inclusive culture all teachers must adhere to the documentation mentioned above. Support and resources are available to benefit vulnerable groups of students. Once a month a Teaching for Effective Learning (Tfel) staff meeting is held that incorporates assessment of staffs teaching and development of teaching strategies that support inclusion. I did not witness in-depth discussions about inclusion or leaders challenging non-inclusive practices, but this is not to say this didn’t occur.

Figure 2: Inclusive Framework consisting of four overlapping themes (Ainscow & Miles, 2009)

The classroom I worked in incorporated the components which Tomlinson (2012) discussed as being key for setting up a classroom for effective differentiation. The classroom was inviting, user friendly and flexible. The table configurations allowed each student to see the teacher and interact with others. Walls displayed student work and how to do things thus facilitated learning. Not all classrooms in the school were setup in this manner and based on above research this impeded differentiation.

Lesson goals were not explicitly stated. To assist effective differentiation all students would benefit from having a clear understanding of what they should Know, Understand and be able to Do (KUDs) from completing an activity (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2014). To effectively learn, students must build knowledge, make sense of what they learn and be able to use it thus developing clear KUDs are critical (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2014). Building on this, “big ideas” in the form of essential questions should be identified and constantly referred back to in a unit. For example, in writing this may be “what is the purpose of writing?” Big ideas assist inform, transfer and make sense of understanding (Wiggins & McTighe, 2011). 

Typically gifted students are seen as “less needy” and many believe they will succeed on their own (Jarvis, 2013). However based on polices discussed above, schools should aim to foster the highest level of achievement possible. Jarvis (2014) asserts working at an appropriate level of challenge is critical for new learning to take place and to reinforce that hard work leads to mastery and progress. Miss T identified that this is an area that she and the school should consider improving. She used strategies such as open-ended questions and independent tasks to ensure students were working at an appropriate level of challenge but often some disengaged and saw no value in their work. Students would benefit from enrichment and extension activities and a high quality curriculum that is engaging and has a focus, so students are challenged to solve problems and create products that are valuable, relevant and meaningful (Jarvis, 2013).

My Experience 

Reflection on differentiation practices tried
During my professional experience I made it my goal to consistently focus on differentiation. Feedback received from my mentor-teacher and the vice principal suggested that I thoughtfully considered differentiation in my lessons. I achieved professional standard 1.5 through incorporating the knowledge and understanding I developed through my studies and research to effectively differentiate. I responded to the three key characteristics of learners (Tomlinson, 2004), considered Tomlinson’s (2003) key principles of differentiation and employed strategies that research suggests are effective in meeting specific learning needs (Tomlinson & Jarvis, 2009).

At the beginning of each lesson I visually displayed and verbally explained the lesson objectives, ensuring students knew what they were working towards. I used pre-assessments to determine students’ prior knowledge and thus adjust unit accordingly. In Geography, for example I identified that only two students were able to describe Australia’s location therefore I ensured to model this in future lessons and allow the two students to extend on their knowledge. 

To inform teaching instruction and provide feedback to students I conducted formative assessment on a regular basis. I used exit cards, asked questions relating to lesson goals and/or marked their work. In Maths, I commonly conducted formative assessments to group students by readiness for the next activity. Based on their current level of understating I created tired activities. Students had the same lesson objective but adaptations were made to ensure each student was working at an appropriate level of challenge. 

Jarvis (2013) explains personal interest is a powerful motivational tool. Prior experiences relating to a topic of interest can bring extensive background knowledge including vocabulary which can enhance learner’s comprehension (Jarvis, 2013). In English I developed a RAFT activity that allowed students to practice writing from a different point of view but about a topic of interest. I observed significant benefits. Some students that didn’t usually like writing were enjoyably writing about one of their favourite sporting stars and incorporating factual knowledge into their speech.

Classrooms where students are continuously expected to express their ideas in written forms may disadvantage some (Jarvis, 2013). Taking this into consideration, for Geography I created a RAFT activity that allowed students to express their knowledge in multiple modes. Confident writers expressed their understanding through writing, students that enjoyed using computers communicated through a video and others created a display to showcase their understanding.

I incorporated the use of flexible grouping. There were times when it was necessary to group based on students current level of readiness or interests. Other times it was beneficial to group in table groups to ensure there was at least one confident reader to read and scribe for the group and sometimes it was appropriate to work in friendship groups.

The influence of environmental and personal factors on differentiation  

Environmental and personal factors supported and also impaired effective differentiation. The classroom shared a spare room with another class. The space contained a large desk and couches, allowing for different groups to work in different areas. Additionally, this provided a comfortable space for students that were distracted by noise or others on their table.  Using the Interactive White Board assisted me differentiate. Students were able to watch videos relating to content and learn from others. They participated in group and class activities using SMART Notebook tools which were engaging and assisted all develop their understanding. A few students were absent frequently which made it challenging to differentiate as they missed formative assessments or did not have the background knowledge to complete the task. Furthermore, student’s attitude towards trying new things and ability to work effectively in a group impacted on differentiation. These students or groups required extra support, modelling and encouragement from me.

How could I improve my teaching practice?

From reflecting on the literature and discussions with my mentor teacher it is clear that I should work towards improving my use of feedback and assessment strategies. Feedback should assist students understand how and where they can improve (Hattie, 2012). It should be provided in a format such as questioning, prompts and/or strategies which are easy to understand, to assist students move towards success (Hattie, 2012). To guide assessment I should apply Tomlinson’s (2006) three principles of effective assessment. Multiple and a variety of assessments that allow students to explain and apply their understanding in different ways should be used to gather evidence and to adhere to the sensitivity of varied learners (Tomlinson, 2006). The use of tasks and assessments should be authentic thus allow students to transfer knowledge to real-world situations (Tomlinson, 2006). Finally, not over grading students work will assist students develop a growth mindset thus believe that practice makes them more skilled (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013).


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Reference List

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Attorney-General’s Department. (2006). Disability standards for education 2005 (plus guidance notes). Retrieved from http://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/disability_standards_for_education_2005_plus_guidance_notes.pdf 

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2012). Student diversity. Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/studentdiversity/student-diversity-advice

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). (2011). Australian Professional Standards for Teacher. Retrieved from http://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/apst-resources/australian_professional_standard_for_teachers_final.pdf. 

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). (2012). Supporting participation. Retrieved from http://www.teacherstandards.aitsl.edu.au/Illustrations/ViewIOP/IOP00066/index.html

Conway, R. (2014). Australian schools, policy and legislation in perspective. In M. Hyde, L. Carpenter, & R. Conway (Ed.) Diversity, inclusion and engagement (2^nd ed.) (pp. 15-38). South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press.

 

Harris, S. (1984). Culture and learning: Tradition and education in North-East Arnhem Land. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies. 

Harrison, N. (2008). Indigenous ways of learning. In N. Harrison (Ed.), Teaching and learning in indigenous education (pp. 13-32).  South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press. 

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Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA). (2008). Melbourne declaration on educational goals for young Australians, December 2008. Retrieved from http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf

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[school name omitted]. (2015). About us. Retrieved from [school name omitted]

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Tomlinson, C. & Jarvis, J. (2009). Differentiation: Making curriculum work for all students through responsive planning and instruction. In J. Renzulli, E. Gubbins, K. McMillen, R. Eckert & C. Little (Ed.), Systems and models for developing programs for the gifted and talented (2^nd ed.) (pp. 599-628). Storrs, CT: Creative Learning Press.

Tomlinson, C. & Moon, T. (2013). Assessment, grading and differentiation. In C. Tomlinson, & T. Moon (Ed.). Assessment and student success in a differentiated classroom (pp.120-140). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

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