Analyse Surrounding Special Educational Provision and Disability in School Essay Example

medical model of disability was exclusionary in its nature. The medical model of disability defined disability as an attribute of impairment, whether physical or mental. According to this model, doctors are trained to cure or alleviate such impairments and consequently, disability is viewed as a medical issue. Disabled individuals are subject to treatment, changes, and improvement by doctors, specialists, and therapists who oversee their healthcare. As a result, disabled individuals become identified by their medical condition – they are referred to as spastic, blind, or deaf (TDA, 2009, p. ).

Marks (1999) explains that the social model of disability differentiates between impairment and disability by emphasizing that impairments only become disabling because of social structures and organizations. This philosophy influenced the enactment of the Disability Discrimination Act in 1995, which has now been replaced by the Equality Act in 2010. It also resulted in the creation of specific legislation for Special Educational Needs in 2001. Inclusion became a significant focus during the 1990s, with further guidance provided through a Green Paper titled 'Excellence for All Children: Meeting Special Educational Needs' by the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) in 1997.

There has been a recent push to acknowledge and address a broader range of learner needs, including the recognition that external factors like home life and social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) impact educational achievement. It is now understood that learning outcomes are influenced not only by curriculum content and scientific explanations, but also by other factors. The classroom plays a vital role in fostering students' emotional well-being, removing barriers to their learning, and supporting their families.

The Every Child Matters

(ECM) agenda, which was introduced in 2003, supports the idea of meeting all the needs of a child. Inclusion and integration were once thought to only relate to special educational needs, but they should be distinguished from each other as these terms are frequently used interchangeably.

According to Ainscow (1995), integration refers to making extra arrangements for individual pupils with SEN in schools without significant overall changes, as recommended by the Warnock report. In contrast, inclusion involves implementing multiple changes within schools to accommodate all children. Integration requires the school to include individuals with SEN or diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and it is the school's responsibility to make adjustments for them to fit in.

In order to achieve inclusion, schools must make accommodations and changes in different areas such as curricula, methods, materials, and procedures. The process of establishing an inclusive school system involves challenges like altering staff attitudes, restructuring the physical environment, creating curriculum resources, and training staff to implement these extensive changes.

Given an inclusive philosophy, it could also be argued that accommodating those with SEN could lead to a more enriching learning experience for everyone, as teachers would develop a wider range of skills and resources. The SEN code of practice recognizes four areas where a student may have unique learning characteristics: cognition and learning, communication and interaction, sensory and physical, and behavioral and emotional social difficulties (DfES 2001).

To support the learning needs of children with SEN, there is now a focus on creating an accessible learning environment that includes all students. This means that students with SEN should not only be educated in mainstream settings

but also actively participate in the curriculum alongside their peers (DFEE, 1997, p. 44). One way to ensure that a child's needs are met and that the learning environment is accessible is by differentiating lesson objectives to allow for individual progress.

By utilizing personalized goals, students can participate, contribute, and make progress in a lesson, regardless of their abilities compared to other classmates. This promotes an inclusive curriculum. However, in the realm of Physical Education (PE) classes, it has been observed that this aspect of the curriculum can lead to division. As someone who has worked as classroom support for a dyspraxic student, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges they face in team games. Dyspraxia frequently results in weaker gross motor skills for the student. When playing a game like football, this can create further difficulties for the student, potentially leading to bullying due to their limited contribution to the team. Consequently, this can negatively impact their self-esteem and act as an additional obstacle to their learning process.

The DFEE statement emphasizes the importance of involving students with SEN in curriculum activities, but also acknowledges that there are underlying issues. These issues include the suitability and accessibility of the curriculum, as well as factors like classroom environment and teaching styles. According to the DfES (2004), "Difficulties in learning often arise from an unsuitable environment inappropriate groupings of pupils, inflexible teaching styles, or inaccessible curriculum materials – as much as from individual children’s physical,sensory or cognitive impairments." The code of practice underlines the significance of collaborating with parents, which is further emphasized in other DfES documents. The DfES (2007) states that "Parents and the home environment

they create are the single most important factor in shaping their children’s well-being, achievements and prospects." Encouraging the involvement of families will allow educators and other professionals to benefit from their knowledge and experience.

The teacher's communication with parents is crucial in providing unbiased feedback on a child's abilities, strengths, and progress. It is essential for the teacher to maintain a positive attitude towards parents, refraining from stereotypes and assumptions. This becomes particularly significant when engaging with parents of children diagnosed with ADHD since there exists a widespread misconception that their behavior stems solely from inadequate parenting (Arcelus and Munden, 1999).

Although positive parenting is advantageous for students' education, it is not consistently practiced. In the case of the ADHD child mentioned later in this assignment, there were no collaborative meetings between parents and school staff. The parent infrequently attended Parent-Teacher Conference evenings or Individualized Education Program reviews, and she was hesitant to communicate with the school and share relevant information that could enhance academic progress. According to Metcalfe and Metcalfe (2001, p. 38), "The effectiveness of any inclusive education policy relies on the extent and quality of communication between the school and home."

The SENCO is in charge of ensuring that the school's Special Educational Needs (SEN) policy is adhered to and that measures are taken to improve the academic performance of students with SEN. The code of practice sets out the main duties of a SENCO, which involve effective communication and cooperation with parents, external agencies, and other professional organizations.

The role of the SENCO is to provide support to curriculum managers and staff in order for them to

meet the learning needs of all students (Thomas, Walker and Webb, 2000). This role is crucial in addressing the needs of all students. Mainstream teachers are expected to take on additional responsibilities due to the development of inclusive teaching, which has presented various challenges. One such challenge is the emphasis on dyslexic students as highlighted in the Rose Report of 2009 (Richards, 2010).

Richards supports the findings of a report conducted by the DfES, indicating that Initial Teacher Education (ITE) is not keeping up with advancements and adequately preparing new teachers to meet the needs of students with SEN (DfES, 2004: Introduction). The encounter with an ADHD student further highlights the lack of preparedness among teachers in dealing with SEN. There is a possibility that staff members did not recognize the underlying biological cause.

The perception of a child with ADHD may be reduced to being labeled as a "naughty boy," resulting in the lack of implementation of effective teaching strategies like visual approaches and seating the student at the front, facing the teacher. In my experience at a primary school, managing the behavior of a child with ADHD solely relied on medication compliance, while accepting that their disruptive behavior was something we had to tolerate.

Qualified teachers are required to do more than just placing students in regular classes and hoping for progress. The teacher's responsibility, supported by government laws and guidance, is to address the diverse needs of each student. This includes establishing an inclusive environment that eliminates learning barriers and utilizing various teaching methods and resources like e-learning to cater to all learners while promoting equality and inclusion (TDA,

2007).

The Code of Practice offers guidance on monitoring student progress and acknowledges that accurate assessment of a child's abilities allows the teacher to accommodate them for success. Recognizing the child's strengths and weaknesses is essential for differentiating lessons and resources.

The evaluation of a student's performance is a valuable tool for creating Individual Education Plans (IEPs), which identify the extra assistance a student needs to participate and improve. According to Udvari-Solner and Thousand (1995), teachers must ask several questions when differentiating the curriculum in an inclusive classroom, making it a decision-making process.

The need for cultural awareness, emotional requirements, and IEP targets may be necessary in addition to other considerations when implementing differentiation strategies. According to Jacques and Hyland (2003), there are several implications and factors that need to be considered when differentiating. They caution that if differentiation is implemented through ability grouping or different activity outcomes, it may result in labeling a child as a failure and negatively impacting their self-esteem.

When there are several students with special educational needs (SEN) in a class, it is important to carefully consider each student's requirements. Nonetheless, many teachers I have spoken to face time constraints that prevent them from adequately differentiating and planning their lessons. Consequently, they can only deliver satisfactory lessons for their classes.

Undoubtedly, the concept of inclusion is widely endorsed by teachers (Thomas, Walker, and Webb, 2002). However, the time and training requirements associated with it seem to pose a challenge to teachers' ability to implement inclusive practices. This concern is also expressed by Corbett (2001) who suggests that teaching staff may not receive enough updated information

or receive enough practical training and support to effectively cater to the needs of all students and ensure their inclusion.

The importance of the SENCO in determining a school's success in supporting children with special educational needs is demonstrated by the highlighted example. Each school has its own specific needs, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, physical impairment, and other special educational needs. While some schools have experienced staff who use resourced schemes of work (SOW) to educate students with varying abilities, there are other schools that may feel unprepared to support these children due to their limited exposure to these differences.

The role of a SENCO is essential in implementing the school's SEN policy and meeting staff training needs. The code of practice recognizes the significant time commitment required for this role. However, there are arguments suggesting that the SENCO's timetable should be limited. Collaboration between all agencies involved with students with SEN is emphasized as crucial for achieving success.

In 2001, Metcalfe and Metcalfe stated that student support can be provided by different sectors including social services, health, education, family, and community. The SENCO could serve as a central point for communication between these entities. Nonetheless, the care of students with complex needs may require the involvement of multiple individuals, which could pose challenges to their inclusion.

Ouvry and Lacy (1998) state that teams with over eight members face difficulties in maintaining effective communication and information sharing. The inclusion of diverse students in classrooms has prompted educators to consider delivering creative, accessible, and enjoyable lessons that promote success for all students. From my personal school experience, I can barely remember any

lessons that did not adhere to a traditional format of lectures or solely relying on textbooks, where students worked independently and responded to predetermined questions.

The National Curriculum, which prioritizes content, is viewed as a hindrance to inclusion. Its goal is to offer a comprehensive education to all children, but it can be limiting for exceptional students. The curriculum was specifically developed to assess the performance of students aged 5 to 14 and expects them to achieve certain levels at each key stage. This establishes the notion of anticipated progress from one stage to another.

The identification of successful educational establishments by the government through inspection systems and league tables may conflict with their inclusion and disability agenda. This has resulted in the creation of a market economy among schools, where they compete based on test results to attract students without challenging circumstances or learning needs.

According to Dunford (2002), league tables currently serve as a driving force for schools to enhance their reputation by changing admissions policies, giving priority to applications from more intelligent students. As a result, underperforming students are often excluded. Although many education professionals and teaching pedagogy writers have embraced the philosophy of inclusion, it seems that parents still evaluate a school's effectiveness based on its ability to attain high test results for their children.

Inclusivity, as stated by Fulcher (1993), is not only based on performance data but also carries moral and ethical implications. Nonetheless, the recent actions taken by the Conservative government could impede the advancements made in the past twenty years. The government's implementation of austerity measures seems to be decreasing services, which could

potentially grant accountants the authority to determine resource allocation for students with special educational needs (SEN) without taking into account input from professionals, parents, and individuals.