Strategies+For+primary+school+teachers+who+have+a+student+with+a+disability+in+a+mainstream+class

Teachers who have students with special needs in their classrooms need to have strategies in place to support them and insure their classroom is inclusive. In order to this teachers need to put in a lot of time and effort. To fully educate their students teachers need to devise a learning plan and understand the student.

Strategies that teachers can use at a primary school level are: - Collaboration: drawing on the intellectual strength of each student - The use of multimedia technologies - Intrinsically interesting subject areas for students - Cubing: with each face of a six-sided cube describe a different task for each student to complete. (Krause et al,2010)
 * **Getting ready:** Develop a “leaner’s profile” by collecting information from previous teachers, the student, parents and your own observations. (Krause et al,2010)
 * **Planning:** Some students will have individual learning programs (ILP), which identify the learning outcomes for that student. These objectives may not be related to the curriculum and may significantly increase the workload of the teacher, put a negative focus on the student and disrupt the learning of other students. (Krause et al,2010)
 * **Differentiation**: teachers adapt what they teach, how they teach it and what the student learns, and how the student demonstrates what has been learned. (Krause et al,2010)
 * **Setting up an inclusive classroom:** Teachers should set firm but fair standards for behaviour, ensure that the tone of the classroom is supportive and positive for all students, set clear rules, encourage class self management and ensure that all teachers in the team use consistent discipline practices. (Krause et al,2010)
 * **General Differentiation Strategies**: Teaching is effective and learning is supported when teachers use ‘respectful tasks’, or tasks that engage the students interests and allow them to access essential knowledge and understand skills. Strategies to do this might include:

Reference list:
 * Krause et al, 2010, __“Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching__”, Cengage Publishing, Australia

= = =__Strategies at a high school level__=

As we are aware, there are differences between primary and high school students. Therefore, we also need to realise that there is a difference between these students when they have special needs too, and that strategies will not be successful for all differing age groups. Students with disabilities who have attended mainstream primary schools are most likely to also attend mainstream high schools. However, this level of schooling is quite different and can be more difficult for the student in relation to different classes, set curriculum and external exams. Secondary school teachers can also find inclusion more difficult as they have a higher amount of students and classes. Some strategies for assisting inclusion include:
 * Social Inclusion. If the student is comfortable in their environment, has a good group of friends and is familiar with routine and expectation then their learning experience will be much more enjoyable and an easier transition will be made to Secondary school.
 * Effective teaching strategies. Teachers need to know their students and figure out what kind of learner they are and the best way to assist them. A variety of teaching methods to both present core material and assist students to present assignments is necessary. Any extra needs such as assistive technology needs to be successfully integrated into the classroom. Using a variety of assessment tasks will allow for a variety of learning styles, and working on class transitions and the need to complete multiple assignments at once will help the transition from primary to high school.
 * Friendships. Creating a school community where staff and students are friendly and there is a positive atmosphere promoted, maybe considering buddy programs, clubs and sporting teams.
 * Working with Teaching assistants. Teaching assistants largely help with inclusion and should be included and aware of roles and responsibilities. Teachers should be involved in the selection of the assistant and there should be collaboration between them to ensure the greatest outcomes for students.
 * Finding time for planning and collaboration. Creating and adapting work for students with special needs can be time consuming so it is necessary to manage time well. Possible solutions could include collaboration with other teachers and negotiating for more preparation time. Teachers can also work with parents to prepare their child for a new or difficult topic.
 * Contributing to changing the culture of the whole school. Working to make the school better by addressing all ages and subjects, aiming to achieve high academic standards, engaging with parents and the community and providing an inclusive environment.

Krause et al, 2010, “Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching”, Cengage Publishing, Australia

=How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms=

//How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms// ﻿outlines strategies and principles for caterining to the diverse learning needs in the contemporary class rooms. The strategies and principles are supported by examples of how they are practiced in the classroom. The book covers planning, differentiating content, process an products, grading, strategies for managing the classroom and how to prepare parents and students. The layout is clear and it is easy to locate the strategies you want. This book does not focus on the cause of the mixed abilities rather on how everyone can be included. The annex outlines some common strategies, including a rationale and guidelines for its use. The book also includes further reading ideas in addition to its reference list. There are strategies in the book for instructing gifted and talented students as well as those with learning or physical disabilities. Carol Ann Tomlinson's website provides further references, resources and information on differentiatied instruction. This site is user friendly and could be used when more ideas and strategies are needed for creating an inclusive classroom.

Access to a variety of strategies and research on instructional techniques will help to make better informed decisions as a teacher. The book and the website also provide a starting point for building the teaching "bag-of-tricks" required to cater the needs of students.

Reference: Tomlinson, C.A. (2001) //How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms,// 2nd Ed. for the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Hawker Brownlow Educaiton, Australia. [|www.caroltomlinson.com] accessed 28 July 2011