Curriculum Differentiation in Inclusive Classroom

Evaluation - exam based, task - based or individualised?

 Curriculum is what is learn or taught and how the teaching-learning methods are delivered, implemented and
assessed. Every country has an education policy and based on it it is formulated a national curriculum framework
from which we derive and transact a smoother way in order to make it more interesting for the children.
 Due to the trend of European countries towards the inclusive concept of including students with special needs
(SEN) into regular schools and building inclusive classrooms, the number of diversity factors among students is
increasing.
 The approach of gathering students with different needs in one classroom in order to provide a productive and
diverse educational setting is not fully ensured by simply aknowledging the variety of sudents requirements.
Therefore teachers need to adapt their implemented teaching and learning practice to the specific needs of all of
their students. Learners differ in their strength, needs, learning preferences, backgrounds, interests, abilities and
disabilities, gender and educational experiences.
Inclusiveness is more than an academic exercise that comes with a set of strategies and procedures to follow, it
is to assure that everyone in your classroom benefit maximally from instruction and make progress in their
learning irrespective of any form of individual difference.
 Conceptualized broadly, curriculum can be thought of as everything children learn in school. Everytime an adult
interacts with a child/a group of children it is about teaching normed and valued ways of interacting in school
culture.

 Designing a curriculum for SEN (Special educational needs) students can be approached by thinking about
learning outcome in three non- mutually exclusive areas:

1. Learning to be part of a community.

2. Learning skills that are usefull across contexts.
3. Learning skills that are specific to the respective curricular area that defines the class period.

The curriculum developement process for inclusive classrooms is organized in four rounds:
A.  Planing the transition
Adult team members may need to discuss what inclusion is and why it is important
To identify the information and actions needed for a smooth and supportive transition for students with SEN
who may have difficulty in the transition process
Gather information about SEN students that can assist adult team members in planning a smooth transition
and it may include highlights of students strength, gifts and abilities (also a brief description of instructional
strategies that heve been effective)
To outline a general plan for the first few weeks of school (general times, locations, activities and
instructional format of the regular class outline)
Team members ( the teacher and the parents or a special teacher that works with SEN studends) discuss how
the student may participate in class routine and if the anticipate that the student will require support during
any part of the schedule, they indicate the type of support to be provided (for example adapted materials)
Developing an action plan in which are documented priorities, individual responsabilities and timelines for
task completion as well as activities that can wait

 
B. Learn about the SEN student
 What do you enjoy about the student
 What are his/her gifts, can-do behaviour, areas of progress, motivators and interests
 What are the student’stop goal areas, needs and chalenges (take into consideration transition between activities and
enviroments that have proven useful)
 What strategies have not worked in the past
 Identify his/her friends
 Take notes about the ways in which the student participate in the classrooom
 List relevant physical or health information

C. Envisioning a desiderable future

 This process is organized around five personal accomplishments central to achieving a high quality of life, community
participation, community presence,choices, respect and competence.
 The student and the people who are most significant in the student’s life come together to envision a desirable future
for the student
 Some possible questions are: What would be a wonderful future? What do you want not to happen? What are your
strenghts, abilities and gifts?What do you need to realize your dream?What does a successful school day looks and
feels like? What’s your plan for this year?
D. Schedual and specific learning outcomes
 To identify places and activities in the school community and in the larger community that offer the best chance
to learn
 Listing and revising the courses available (an inventory of possible learning enviroments)
 Adapting learning materials to meet the needs of the SEN student
 Adapting rules
 Provide direct instruction to the student
 Model and facilitate the teaching material
 Establish a positive and supportive relationship with the SEN student

Inclusion is to embrace the gifts of all students and meet the need of all students in
ordet to beak out the old paradigms and find new ways of providing the best
teaching –learning experiences. To take into consideration a broader perspective of
the importance of inclusive community life is to acknowledge that today’s students
will be tomorrow’s community members.
STUDENT :X TARGET DATES Support person
September-
November
Targets for across the day Materials  
1. Arriving to class on time Picture schedual Peer
2. Being prepared with necessary materials
Picture check list  
3. Taking out and putting away materials
4. Greeting peers at varios times throughout the day    
Picture visit Teacher
 
Targets for reading class Materials  
1. Use headphones Headphones Peer
2. Activate recorder
Recorder  
3. Turn pages to beep cue
4. Select book Story  
5. Use picture dictionary    
6. Identify one character in the story
7. Retell the story Picture dictionary  
  peer
Picture sequence cards
  Below are 8 different types of ways that teachers can use to assess student progress in an inclusive class:

A. Change weighting scale

• When calculating a final grade for report cards, teachers use student assignments, tests, quizzes, and exams
collected over the semester. Each type of assessment holds a certain “weight” in the overall grade. Exam
results might be worth 50% of the entire grade, while daily assignments are worth 20%. For students with
instructional accommodations and modifications, teachers can adjust the importance or weight of an
assessment activity.

B. Use informal observation

• Observing students throughout the school day can give important insight into their learning needs and
progress. Collecting data through notes, checklists, sticky notes, and audio notes can help teachers keep
track of student strengths and needs. Moreover, informal observations alert teachers to issues and
information that one can’t provide on a written test.
C. Allow for self-assessment

• Give students an opportunity to assess their own learning and reflect on the progress they are making. They
can identify their own gaps in skills or knowledge, revise their work, and set realistic goals. This process also
helps students stay motivated and interested in their own learning.

D. Provide multiple test formats

• Tests do not need to be restricted to pencil and paper formats. Students with written output issues can be
given oral-response tests. Teachers can use multiple choice, long answer, short answer, diagrams, charts, fill-
in-the-blank, and other graphic organizers to have students answer questions about material.

E. Use multiple means of introducing the lesson such as showing a video, teaching a song, or reading a story
F. Use multiple ways of having the students interact with material to help them learn such as teaching
vocabulary, symbols, using graphic organizers, or provide guided practice
G. Provide multiple ways for students to express their learning such as using different tools (writing, art,
presentation) or different activities related to the concept. Choice Boards or Menus are a popular way of giving
students ways to express their individual strengths. 
H. Using the class UDL lesson.
In brief, UDL involves giving instruction that presents information and content in various ways, gives students
different ways to show what they know, and stimulates an interest in more learning. Finding the time to adapt
lessons to meet the needs of every student can be a daunting task.
Conclusion

  Try to start with a whole-class lesson as often as possible before breaking away for independent or group work.
This creates a sense of community through shared experiences as well as giving all your students equal access the
concepts you are teaching. Conversely, bring students back together at the end of a lesson for review or follow-up
discussion.

 Begin with the right mind-set. All the students in your class are YOUR students. That means it is ultimately your
responsibility to teach them. Yes, you can use the support of the special education teacher, paraprofessional,
learning specialists and colleagues. However, your students should be spending most of the day with you, learning
as much of the same material as their peers, and receiving their learning supports in your class as to the greatest
extent possible.

 Create a classroom that welcomes all your learners. Give students the message that they belong despite any
challenges they face. Help your students adopt a growth-mindset and have regular discussions with them about
individual strengths and areas for further development. Explain that everyone learns at different rates and in
different ways, which will foster a greater understanding of variation in individual abilities. Teach them the power
of adding the word, „yet" when they talk about something they can't do.