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04/09/2017
References EDN449
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2017). AITSL Teacher
Toolkit - Teacher Self-Assessment Tool. Retrieved from
http://www.toolkit.aitsl.edu.au/category/self-assessment-reflection/resource/140

Autism Awareness Australia. (2017). Educational resources. Retrieved from

http://www.autismawareness.com.au/resources/educational-resources/

Booth, T., & Ainscow, M. (2002). Index for Inclusion: developing learning and
participation in schools. Retrieved from
https://moodleprod.murdoch.edu.au/pluginfile.php/1013498/mod_resource/conte
nt/1/Index%20for%20Inclusion.pdf

Chaturvedi, R. D. (2015). Multiple intelligence and its influence on locus of control.

Journal of Psychosocial Research, 10(2), 277.

Commonwealth of Australia. (2006). Disability standards for education 2005.

Retrieved from
https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/disability_standards_for_ed
ucation_2005_plus_guidance_notes.pdf

CONNECT, & NPDCI. (2011). Evidence-based practices to support inclusion.

Retrieved from
http://connect.fpg.unc.edu/sites/connect.fpg.unc.edu/files/resources/CONNECT-
NCaeyc-EBP-Inclusion-9-2011.pdf

Department of Training and Workforce Development. (2013). Reasonable

adjustment: A guide to working with students with disability (2nd edition).
Retrieved from Government of Western Australia website:
https://moodleprod.murdoch.edu.au/pluginfile.php/1013488/mod_resource/conte

Differentiating
nt/1/Reasonable%20adjustment.pdf

Lyons, G., Ford, M., & Slee, J. (2014). Classroom management: Creating positive

curriculum to enhance
learning environments (4th ed.). South Melbourne, Victoria: Cenage Learning.

Prosser, B. (2006). Beyond deficit views: Engaging students with ADHD. Retrieved
from http://www.aare.edu.au/06pap/pro06163.pdf

Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (2014). Inclusive strategies:

What are they? Retrieved from Queensland Government website:
student engagement and
https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/aust_curric/ac_diversity_inclusive_strat
egies.pdf success:
UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education. (2006). ICTs in
education for people with special needs. Retrieved from
http://iite.unesco.org/pics/publications/en/files/3214644.pdf

UNESCO. (1994). The salamanca statement and framework for action on special Guidelines for mainstream teachers
needs education. Retrieved from
https://moodleprod.murdoch.edu.au/pluginfile.php/1013489/mod_resource/conte
nt/1/Salamanca%20Statement.pdf
By Jemma Cox
UNESCO. (2014). Changing teaching practices. Retrieved from 32561204
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001365/136583e.pdf
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EDN449

CONTENTS

Introduction

Page 3

Issues and public policies surrounding student differences

Page 4-5

Strengths and challenges associated with differentiation

Page 6-7

Strategies for differentiating instruction and student

assessment Introduction
Page 8-9 As teachers, it is critical to understand the
challenges and responsibilities associated with
Examples of teaching and assessment approaches for catering for diversity. It is not uncommon for
primary contexts classrooms to consist of students with varying
differences, and so it is important that teachers
Page 10 continuously develop their knowledge on how to
maximize engagement and success for ALL
Example materials and resources used in classrooms students. The purpose of this pamphlet is to provide
all educators with a resource that thoroughly
Page 11 outlines the common challenges faced in diverse
classrooms. As well as this, the pamphlet also
References includes a number of teaching strategies, materials
and resources that can be utilized and adapted to
Page 12 enhance the inclusion of every student.

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6 7

Strengths and challenges associated - Provides teachers with more opportunity to be

with differentiation professionally reflexive, and furthermore allows them
enhance their teaching style and/or teaching philosophy.
As teachers, particularly for those in mainstream schools, it is - Increases parent and community engagement
critical to develop an understanding on the strengths and
challenges associated with differentiation. In order to fully
dedicate to a differentiated curriculum, it is important to
recognize its many positives, as well as prepare for its testing
nature. The following information provides an outline on the
particular strengths and challenges teachers will expect from
facilitating an inclusive classroom.

Strengths
- Builds a welcoming classroom community
- It allows teachers to establish inclusive values, such as
making students feel equally valued and having high
expectations for them all.
- Enables all student needs to be met at the same time,
making teaching and learning more influential.
- Eliminates discrimination against those with disabilities,
both in and outside of the classroom.
- All students have equal opportunity to achieve success.
- Influences whole-school initiatives to cater for
differentiation (such as having wheelchair accessibility to
all buildings)
Challenges
- Requires more time to successfully plan inclusive and
engaging learning environments (this includes having
enough time to prepare for different content).
- Funding for extra resources or structural modifications is
not always easily accessible in mainstream schools.
- Some parents avoid talking about their childs disabilities,
making it difficult to provide them with extra support.
- Not all students understand the meaning of equity,
therefore might consider extra support given to other
students to be unfair. This consequently requires more time
to adjust these students.
- Some teachers may become stressed from the added
workload of catering for a variety of differences, and
therefore may require more professional support.
- Not all mainstream schools are equipped with inclusive
support policies, and so more time is required to develop
one that all teachers (and school staff) clearly understand.
(Ainscow & Booth, 2002)

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4 5
Issues and public policies surrounding
student differences
Whilst teaching would be significantly easier if students all displayed
the same background, behavior, and academic ability, the reality is
that all classrooms are diverse spaces that need specific strategies put
in place to maximize student engagement and success. Although
teachers and other schooling staff recognize the existence of diverse
students, there are various issues that negatively effect the inclusion
and wellbeing of students with special circumstances. Quite often,
teachers neglect to accommodate for those with physical, emotional
and intellectual disabilities due to either lack of knowledge or
willingness to modify already existing classroom practices. Never the
less, there are a wide range of issues commonly effecting diverse
classroom, some of which include the following
- Misinformation about the word inclusion
Whilst the inclusion of all students is a major emphasis for all
educators, often teachers will make the assumption that all students
must never leave the mainstream classroom in order to maintain its
inclusivity. Teachers that think in this way often fail to address the
overall purpose of inclusive classrooms, that is, to cater for each
individual need.
- Built up barriers for those with disabilities
A common issue in education is the fact that many students with
disabilities are often segregated from particular circumstances due to
their physical or intellectual disadvantages. A significant example is
the barrier between a student with physical disabilities and their
participation during sport. Instead of searching for alternative
strategies to increase the students inclusion, many teachers will
simply overlook the situation and isolated the student all together.
The idea of educational barriers can also be relevant to gifted and
talented students. This is in the sense that not all students are
provided with an adequate amount of support to help enhance their
learning and academic success.
- Predetermined opinions on what students with special
needs can achieve
In many cases, a significant issue that students with special needs face
is the pre-assumption that these students will never reach the same
potential as more mainstream students. It is too common that many
students facing physical, emotional or intellectual difficulties are
segregated, and provided with learning opportunities that arent
necessarily effective for their development and overall success.
Lorem & Ipsum
A frequent example includes the misconception that students with autism
spectrum disorder (ASD) should be more focused on learning life skills
rather than interacting with the standard curriculum. Although it is
important to teach all students about life skills, this generalization fails
to recognize that these students (despite being diagnosed with ASD) are
still equipped with their own past experiences and capabilities
Other issues regarding the support of student diversity include teachers
lack of parent and community engagement, as well as poor classroom
management and professional reflexivity.
Public policies
There are various policies, standards and legislations that focus on
supporting students with varying difficulties. Such policies provide
teachers, both mainstream and specialist, with an outline on how to
create safe and inclusive classroom environments for all students.
- Disability Discrimination Act (1992)
The disability discrimination act aims to eradicate the discrimination, or
unfair treatment, towards those with a disability. It provides schools with
an incentive to provide equal opportunities and educational access for all
students (Department of Training and Workforce Development 2013).
- Salamanca Statement (1994)
The Salamanca statement represents a worldwide consensus on how
mainstream schooling should be reformed to accommodate for special
needs educations (UNESCO, 1994). In addition to its 5 fundamental
principles, the statement also includes a framework on how schools can
take action on special needs education.
- The Right to Education (UNESCO) (2013)
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization
(UNESCO) developed a set of law and policy review guidelines to assist a
number of countries in understanding whether their current school
frameworks successfully accommodate for inclusive education. UNESCO
provides various resources to help educators recognize how and why
teaching practices must be restructured in order to differentiate the
curriculum and respond to student diversity (UNESCO, 2004).
- Disability Standards for Education (2005)
Much like the Disability Discrimination Act, the Disability Standards for
Education also aims at eliminating the presence of discrimination in
schools against those with disabilities. It provides teachers and other
school staff with a set of standards on how education can continuously be
made accessible for all students (Commonwealth of Australia, 2006).
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8 9
Strategies for differentiating instruction
and student assessment
MODIFYING INSTRUCTION
Differentiating instruction reflects a constructivist view on teaching, as it
considers the idea that all students are equipped with their own values,
experiences and preferred learning styles. Modifying instruction is important
in any classroom context, however for mainstream teachers it is essential to
negotiate strategies to accommodate for the wide differentiation between
students. Teachers must develop a toolkit of instruction strategies in ensure
all students are given equitable opportunities to succeed. The following
information provides an outline of the multiple types of strategies that can be
used to differentiate instruction.
- Assistive Technology: Assistive technology is a way in which teachers can
provide all students with access to education (CONNECT & NPDCI, 2009). For
some students with disabilities, it is not uncommon to face barriers that effect
their inclusion during learning. The idea of assistive technology is when the
environment or learning materials are manipulated or included to give a
student with equal opportunities to learn. An example may include providing
a student with hearing difficulties with an iPad to use as a visual aid.
- Negotiating means of Instruction: As teachers, it is important to
differentiate the ways in which instruction is communicated to students.
According to Gardners multiple intelligences, there are various learning
styles in which teachers must accommodate for (Chaturvedi, 2015) (examples
include visual, verbal, kinesthetic and interpersonal). Some students, for
example those with visual impairments, may prefer learning through
verbal/audio means, and so it is critical to incorporate this type of instruction
to provide them with equal chance of succeeding. As there is a diversity of
learning style in a classroom, using various forms of instruction to teach the
same content allows all students to progress at the same time.
ASSESSMENT ADJUSTMENTS
There are various inclusive strategies that provide a differentiated approach
to assessment. Differentiating assessment allows students to utilize their
strengths and provides them with an equal opportunity to display their
understanding. As highlighted earlier, all students are equipped with their
own distinct learning style, and so it is important that teachers know their
students in order to make lessons more effective. The same idea can be
transferred into assessments. Teachers must recognize students strengths, as
well as understand how each student can successfully articulate their
knowledge. This includes modifying or utilizing a range of assessment tasks,
particularly for students with difficulties such as speech or movement
impairments. There are many strategies that teachers can use to differentiate
assessment within the classroom, some of which can be identified in the
following information.
Lorem & Ipsum
Inclusive strategies
The Disability Discrimination Act (1992) and Disability Standards for
Education (2005) summarizes inclusive strategies for providing students
with disabilities the same opportunity to succeed as students without one.
These inclusive adjustments can be categorized into the 5 areas of timing,
scheduling, setting, presentation and response (Queensland Curriculum &
Assessment Authority, 2014).
- Timing: Timing refers to the amount of time in which students are given to
complete assessments. Timing can make a significant difference to students
success, particularly when it comes to assessments. The amount of time
allocated for assessments can be adjusted in various ways to cater for
student differences. For example, students with learning difficulties (such as
those with ASD or dyslexia) can be provided with more time to read over
assessment items. These students can also be provided with more frequent
breaks, or be allowed to complete assessments during shorter sessions and
over a longer period of time.
- Scheduling: Scheduling refers to the organization of when assessments
take place. The adjustments of assessment schedules can be particularly
effective in ensuring students are given the maximum amount of chance for
success. For example, students who require specific medication (such as
those with attention deficit disorder (ADD)) can be offered with assessments
during periods where their medication is at its most effective.
- Setting: Setting refers to the environment in which assessments take
place, and is something that is continuously adjusted in order to cater for
differentiation. The classroom setting can be altered in various ways, from
playing music to ease anxiety to changing the physical dynamics of desks. A
more specific example of altering the setting includes allowing students to
give oral presentations just in front of the teacher, as apposed to the whole
class (this can be significantly effective more students with low self-esteem
or high anxiety).
- Presentation: Presentation refers to differentiating the way that
assessments are presented to students. Various adjustments can be made in
order to cater for students sensory needs, as well as provide added support
in areas such as literacy. An example to differentiate the presentation of
assessments includes using verbal cues to communicate the requirements of
the assessment (this is particularly important for students with visual
difficulties)
- Response: Response is the final assessment area that can be adjusted to
cater for differentiation. In more simpler terms, response refers to how the
students respond to assessments, therefore it is important to plan for
adjustments particularly for those students with physical barriers. An
example of this adjustment includes allowing students to use ICT to express
their response, as apposed to handwriting them.
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10
EXAMPLES OF TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT
APPROACHES FOR PRIMARY CONTEXTS
Collaborative learning:
Collaborative learning is an
effective approach to teaching that
reflects Vygotsys theory of social
interaction. Particularly for those
students with learning difficulties,
grouping students during activities
effectively accommodates for peer
mentoring, in which remedial
students learn from those that are
more extended. Collaborative
learning also helps maintain an
inclusive environment, as all
students play a role within their
groups. A more common example
of collaborative learning may
include grouping students during
spoken presentations in order to
accommodate for those students
with high anxiety or mental health
differences.
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The Lyford Model: This
model provides a practical
framework for classroom
management (Lyons, Ford, &
Slee, 2014, pp. 4-5). This model
provides teachers with an
approach to developing,
implementing and reviewing
teaching. This, in turn, can play
a critical role in ensuring the
classroom environment is
constantly inclusive for all
students within a mainstream
environment. When using the
Lyford model, teachers can
reflect on whether their teaching
has successfully included all
students and provided those
students with disabilities with
equal opportunities to learn.
URL:
Authentic learning:
Authentic learning is another
teaching approach that takes into
consideration students interests,
values and past experiences.
Incorporating authentic learning
creates a more inclusive
environment, and examples
students to better relate to the
content being taught (this can also
be related to assessments tasks).
An example of authentic learning
may be that students are required
to write a report on hearing aids,
as a student in the class has a
hearing impairment.
EXAMPLES OF MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
USED IN CLASSROOMS
Teachers Pay Teachers:
An online resource toolkit
that provides teachers with
lesson ideas for a range of
students (including those
with a disability)
URL:
https://www.teacherspayteach
ers.com
Index for Inclusion:
This resource provides
teachers with an
understanding on how to
orchestrate an inclusive
approach to teaching. In
addition, this resource also
provides a list of indicators
that suggest what an
inclusive school should
look like.
URL:
https://moodleprod.murdoch.
edu.au/pluginfile.php/101349
8/mod_resource/content/1/In
dex%20for%20Inclusion.pdf
Teacher self-reflection and
Engaging students with
ADHD:
This resource is provided by
Prosser (2006) and outlines
ways that students with
Attention-deficit hyperactivity
disorder can be engaged,
rather than labeled.
URL:
http://www.aare.edu.au/06pa
p/pro06163.pdf
11
Education resources for
students with ASD
(Autism Spectrum
Disorder):
This website provides
extensive information about
students with ASD, as well as
educational resources that can
effectively engage them.
URL:
http://www.autismawareness.
com.au/resources/educational
-resources/
ICT and assistive
technology: UNESCOs
resource provides extra
information on the
importance of ICT/assistive
technology to enhance
inclusion of students with
disabilities.
http://iite.unesco.org/pics/pu
blications/en/files/3214644.p
df
assessment toolkit:
This is an added resource for
teachers to be professionally
reflexive. It allows teachers to
reflect on the Lyford model,
and understand whether their
classroom
teaching/management is
engaging and inclusive.
URL:
http://www.toolkit.aitsl.edu.a
u/category/self-assessment-
reflection/resource/140
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