Peer+Teaching

===Peer teaching is not a new teaching strategy however when it comes to students with additional needs it can be a very powerful teaching method. As it directly involves the teaching learning process for both students as the act of teaching enhances their own learning. However as well as this it builds great foundations for support for the students with additional needs as well as friendship.=== ===This is a interesting strategy as it is easy to see that it may be to much pressure for the other student however it may be used to share the teaching load, a rule maybe in created in the classroom for all of the students, that you must ask one other student for help before the teacher. It is in this way that a collaboration of ideas and knowledge can be shared, not only for the student with additional needs but also for the entire class. Within a math’s class for example while working in groups the students could work together to find the answers. In this case it is important that the students are placed in ability groups, as it would be easy not to contribute and allow the other students to do the work. As a teacher your role here is key, it is vital through observation that you do not allow this to happen. The aim is to encourage students to share their knowledge and add to each other’s understanding. For a child with a learning disability it is easy to shy away from communication however it is important to place them into a group where they will be encouraged and supported.===

Co-operative Reading

Co-operative reading is a form of peer tutoring that I have seen used successfully in classrooms. This strategy works well with older students because it enables independence in group discussions and teamwork. The co-operative reading that I saw modelled on my last prac had the class split into similar ability-groups. Similar ability groups worked well in this instance because the students were required to read a certain amount during each co-operative reading lesson. If the students did not keep up with the group their peers would feel responsible for helping them to catch up, thus putting the whole group behind However I also believe that mixed ability group co-operative learning is a great strategy in an inclusive classroom (Foreman, 2008). It would depend on your students as to which co-operative reading model you would choose. Co-operative reading is a positive way to encourage students to support one another in their reading process. Whether it be in a in-depth discussion after quiet reading is over, or helping another student understand a word they have become stuck with – students are subconsciously supporting each other. The co-operative reading structure I observed was; This could be altered to allow for more inclusion,specifically if you’re students are in mixed-ability groups. This strategy when used appropriately is a successful literacy ﻿and social strategy (Foreman, 2008).
 * 1) Group discussion to choose a reading goal (i.e.Our goal is for the our team to listen to each other during group discussion time).
 * 2) Silent reading for a set amount of time.
 * 3) Group discussions to answer set questions
 * 4) Reflective practices writing in their own co-operative reading journal.

Foreman, P. (Ed.). 2008. //Inclusion in Action// (2nd ed).South Melbourne, Australia. Cengage Learning.

'﻿CIRCLE OF FRIENDS'
Age appropriateness – Year 1 – Year 4 As outlined by Frederickson & Turner, both personal and environmental variables and the interaction of the two influence human behaviour. Because of this, they suggest the //Circle of Friends// as an effective approach to improve social inclusion of children with disabilities, stating that the effectiveness of this strategy is further supported by their study //Utilizing the Classroom Peer Groupto Address Children’s Social Needs// (Fredrickson & Turner, 2003). The ‘Circle of Friends’ is a strategy used to enhance inclusion of children (known as ‘focus child’) who experience difficulties in school due to a disability or learning difficulty, or personal crisis. This approach incorporates the young person and their peers in an attempt to engage all students as a group in group discussion through problem solving activities (Inclusive Solutions). Benefits of the //Circle of Friends include:// Frederickson, N., & Turner, J. (2002)/ Utilizing the classroom peer group to address children’s social needs: an evaluation of the circle of friends intervention approach. //Journal of Special Education,// vol. 36, pp. 234-45. Inclusive Solutions. Accessed from: [] Whitacker, P., Barrett, P., Joy, H., Potter, M., & Thomas, G. (1998). Children with autism and peer group support: Using “circles of friends.” //British Journal of Special Education, 25,// 60-64.
 * Results from Frederickson & Turners (2003) study found that the Circle of Friends intervention was found to have a positive impact on social acceptance of the focus children (children with learning disabilities in this case) among their peer groups.
 * Was an effective method of allowing children’s perceptions and judgements towards the focus child to alter in a positive way.
 * Promoted acceptance of focus child
 * While Frederickson & Turner (2003) state that it is perhaps unrealistic to apply the results of their study to the general social context and expect consistent equality of participation, Whitacker et al (1998) has suggested that “recognition of positive attributes, greater understanding of difficulties and a much reduced tendency to blame the focus child” are qualities that can lead to accepting behaviour.
 * Children with disabilities are able to develop their social skills which in turn impacts on other students becoming familiar with them, and accepting them.