differentiated Instruction Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Curriculum and curriculum access issues for students with special educational needs in post-primary settings: An international review Glossary Banding (see also 'streaming') Both banding and streaming are approaches to teaching pupils in ability-based groups. With banding, the year group is divided into two, three or four bands on the basis of a measure of general ability. Each band contains more than one class and pupils may be regrouped within each band. Bands remain consistent across subjects, but each student may be in different bands for different subjects (Department of Education and Employment (UK), 1999 1). Education specialists argue both for and against teaching in ability based groups. Evidence suggests that for pupils with special educational needs, streaming can militate against inclusion, and lead to lower self-report satisfaction for students and pupils (see Section 2.3.1.2). Co-teaching This involves two or more teachers, usually one general and one special educational needs teacher, planning and delivering the curriculum together. Curriculum This sets out what is to be taught, how it is to be taught and how learning is to be assessed 2. Department of Education and Skills Before 1997, this was known as the Department of Education. From 1997 to 2010, it was the Department of Education and Science (DES). Today the Department of Education and Skills is responsible for education policy at primary, post-primary, and tertiary levels in Ireland. The relevant Minister for Education and Skills is responsible for ensuring implementation of the Government's education policies. In this review, we distinguish between reports published by the Department of Education, the DES (Science) and the DES (Skills). Differentiation This is the process of varying content, activities, teaching, learning, methods and resources to take into account the range of interests, needs and experience of individual students (National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, 2007, p8). Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) FETAC is the national awarding body for further education and training in Ireland. FETAC validates awards at Levels 1 to 6 of the National Framework of Qualifications and works with a range of providers in education and training centres, colleges and the workplace. 1 https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/RR166.pdf 2 NCSE, 2009. A request for tenders to undertake a review of the international research literature on curriculum and curriculum access issues for students with special educational needs in post-primary settings. 3 National Council for Special Education (2006). Guidelines on the individual education plan process. Dublin: NCSE. x Curriculum and curriculum access issues for students with special educational needs in post-primary settings: An international review Post-primary education In Ireland, this relates to students aged 12 to 19 years and consists of three years of "junior cycle" followed by two or three years of "senior cycle", both culminating in examination and certification. Special educational needs (SEN) Under Section 1 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act, 2004, "special educational needs" is interpreted as "a restriction in the capacity of the person to participate in and benefit from education on account of an enduring physical, sensory, mental health, or learning disability, or any other condition which results in a person learning differently from a person without that condition" (NCSE, 2006). The definition of special educational needs in Ireland excludes pupils who are gifted and talented. Special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) This is a teacher with responsibility for coordinating special educational needs provision within a school (Department for Education (UK), 2011). Special educational needs organisers (SENOs) SENOs are appointed by the National Council for Special Education and provide a direct service to the parents of children with special educational needs and to schools within designated geographical areas. SENOs are mainly involved in resourcing schools to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and in ensuring resources are used efficiently in schools. SENOs also have a role in supporting and advising parents of children with special educational needs. They identify possible placements for children with special educational needs, liaise with the HSE and other services, engage in discussions with schools and assist in planning the transition of children between schools and onwards from schools to further/higher education and other services. Special Education Support Service (SESS) SESS supports teaching and learning in relation to special educational provision in Ireland. It coordinates , develops, and delivers a range of professional development initiatives and support structures for school personnel working with students with special educational needs in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, special schools, and special classes. The SESS operates under the remit of the Teacher Education Section (TES) of the Department of Education and Skills. State Examinations Commission (SEC) This is responsible for the development, assessment, accreditation, and certification of the Irish State's "second-level" examinations: the Junior Certificate and the Leaving Certificate. The State Examinations Commission is a non-departmental public body under the aegis of the DES. Curriculum and curriculum access issues for students with special educational needs in post-primary settings: An international review xi Special needs assistants Special needs assistants (SNAs) have a non-teaching role focused on the care needs of pupils with disabilities in an educational context. They are recruited to assist pupils with a significant medical need, a significant physical or sensory impairment or whose behaviour is such that they are a danger to themselves or others. SNAs should not be used for pupils with a general learning disability who need mainly additional academic input 4. Streaming This is where pupils are assigned to classes on the basis of a measure of general ability: the most able pupils are in one stream, the next most able in the next stream and so on. Pupils remain in these streamed classes for most or all subjects (Department of Education and Employment (UK), 1999 5). Teaching assistants or learning support assistants These are classroom assistants who, under the supervision of a trained teacher, offer educational support to students individually or in small groups. Some have just basic training, but others are more highly trained and experienced and higher level teaching assistants may supervise a class in the absence of a teacher for one or more sessions. There are no teaching or learning support assistants in the Irish system. Universal design This refers to the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people, regardless of age, size or disability (Disability Act 2005). When universal design is applied to learning, curricular materials are flexible enough to suit all learners, and the activities provided are accessible to students across a diverse range of abilities (Winter & O'Raw, 2010).