Planning for the Inclusive Classroom

Planning for the Inclusive Classroom : Planning for the Inclusive Classroom February 2006

Aims : Aims To enable schools to support pupils with learning difficulties in mathematics. To explore a range of practical strategies and resources which support the inclusive mathematics lesson.

What are your expectations for today? : What are your expectations for today? For example: What do you think you might learn today? What do you hope to achieve from today? How do you anticipate your teaching will change as a result of you being here today?

Slide4 : While dyslexia is now widely recognised in the area of literacy, in the area of Numeracy it is most definitely not. Furthermore there appears to be a second congenital condition that has not even been discussed. This is dyscalculia: its effects on the learning of numerical skills can be very profound. Professor Butterworth Professor of Cognitive Neuropsychology University College London

Slide5 : Dyscalculia is a condition that affects the ability to acquire arithmetical skills. Dyscalculic learners may have difficulty understanding simple number concepts, lack an intuitive grasp of numbers , and have problems learning number facts and procedures. Even if they produce a correct answer or use a correct method, they may do so mechanically and without confidence.

Slide6 : Purely dyscalculic learners who have difficulties only with number will have cognitive and language abilities in the normal range, and may excel in non-mathematical subjects. It is more likely that difficulties with numeracy accompany the language difficulties of dyslexia Guidance to support pupils with dyslexia and dyscalculia Ref: DfES 0512/2001

Slide7 : Dyslexia comes from the Greek and means ‘difficulty with words’. It is a difference in the brain area that deals with language. It affects the underlying skills that are needed for learning to read, write and spell. Brain imaging techniques show that dyslexic people process information differently. Dyslexia occurs in people from all backgrounds and of all abilities, from people who cannot read to those with university degrees. Dyslexic people, of all ages, can learn effectively but often need a different approach. British Dyslexia Association (BDA)

Slide8 : Dyscalculia is like dyslexia for numbers, but very little is known about its prevalence, causes or treatment. Most dyscalculic pupils and adults will have cognitive and language abilities in the normal range. They may excel in non-mathematical subjects. BDA Website www.bda-dyslexia.org.uk/main

Slide9 : The BDA suggests that around 4% of the population is severely dyslexic and a further 6% have mild to moderate problems. Research results vary considerably, and a conservative estimate, based on initial studies (Joffe, 1981) would suggest that about 60% of dyslexics have some difficulty with school Maths. Of the 40% of dyslexics who don’t seem to have Maths difficulties, about 10% excel in mathematics. The remaining 30% may do as well as children of the same age, who have no learning difficulties.

Slide10 : Although knowledge of dyscalculia is in its infancy, Professor Butterworth, a leading researcher in this field, estimates that 3-6% of the population are dyscalculic (figures based on the proportion of pupils who have special difficulty with Maths despite good performance in other subjects).

Can you see the wood for the trees? : Can you see the wood for the trees?

The Inclusive Maths Classroom: : The Inclusive Maths Classroom: Empowers its pupils Focuses on problem solving

Slide13 : The first thing to say about pupils with learning difficulties is that they are much like other pupils. Effective methods for teaching them are developments of normal teaching. They are not entirely different, nor are there mysterious techniques which lie outside the experience of the mainstream teacher. Reban and Postlewaite: Classroom Responses to Learning Difficulties

Baseline - Current Practice : Baseline - Current Practice CAT test score NFER score Key Stage outcome Report from primary school Transfer test outcome Own school assessment Psychologist’s report

Using Information : Using Information Consider the following questions in relation to all of the information that you gather about your pupils How do you use the information that you have gathered? Do you use it to challenge your initial judgement or do you merely use it as a confirmation of the same?

DfES Study: Questions : DfES Study: Questions Is a person defined as MD (Maths Disabled) because they: have a low IQ? have poor short term memory (STM)? have poor language abilities? are a slow reader? have a reading disability (RD) have a deficit in basic numerical abilities?

DfES study: Answers : DfES study: Answers Is MD a matter of low IQ Is MD due to poor STM? Is MD due to poor language abilities? Is MD a consequence of slow reading? Is MD a consequence of RD (reading disability - dyslexia)? MD due to a deficit in basic numerical abilities? Yes, MD and MD/RD worse on enumeration and number comparison

Problems with the traditional methods for identifying MD children : Problems with the traditional methods for identifying MD children Many reasons for failing standardized maths tests Inappropriate teaching Emotional or behavioural problems Poor reading or writing skills Anxiety about arithmetic tasks Etc Risk of Type 1 misdiagnosis

Slide19 : Reason for doing well Dogged application of rote-learned or age-inappropriate procedure - like finger counting for multiplication Risk of Type 2 misdiagnosis

Existing test 1: WISC-IIIUK : Existing test 1: WISC-IIIUK The test performance depends a lot on learning in school High risk of Type 1 error - diagnosing as dyscalculics those who are bad at the test for other reasons Diagnosis of dyscalculia depends on a discrepancy between the Arithmetic Sub-test and overall IQ The test performance is not timed High risk of Type 2 error - missing dyscalculics who are fairly accurate but abnormally slow

Dyscalculia Screener : Dyscalculia Screener A distillation of previous research Three tests: Number Stroop; Dot counting; Item-timed arithmetic Software for your PC Results given as standard scores and automatically calculated by computer in a printable form Critical Diagnoses: Lowest 10% on all tests: dyscalculic (an empirical cut-off) Low performance on arithmetic but not on the other tests: poor learning/teaching

Slide22 : Early Maths Diagnostic Kit (EMDK) BEAM Staffordshire Maths Test Profile of Mathematical Achievement NFER 11 – 14 NFER Mental Mathematics 11 - 14

Slide23 : http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/ http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/ http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/sen/ http://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/ http://www.nas.org.uk/ http://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/ http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/ http://www.dyslexia-inst.org.uk/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/tutors/expertcolumn/dyscalculia/index.shtml http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primary/faqs/inclusion/56233/

Reading Material : Reading Material Chinn, S (2004) “The trouble with maths” London, Routledge Falmer. Henderson, A (2003) “Working with Dyscalculia” Learning Works International Ltd.

Dynamic Testing andInformal Testing : Dynamic Testing and Informal Testing Key diagnostic question “Tell me how you did that?”

Slide27 : Diagnosis is ongoing!

Coffee : Coffee

What is SENDO? : What is SENDO? Special Educational Needs and Disability (NI) Order 2005 Operative from 1 September 2005 Strengthens right of children to mainstream education Introduces disability discrimination legislation

Definition of SEN : Definition of SEN ‘Special Educational Need’ is defined as ‘a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made’ ‘Learning difficulty’ - a child has a learning difficulty if he has significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of his age and/or has a disability which either prevents or hinders him from making use of educational facilities generally provided for children of his age in ordinary schools.

Definition of Disability : Definition of Disability “ Someone who has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out normal day to day activities” Part 1 of Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Slide32 : Overcoming potential barriers to learning Setting suitable learning challenges Responding to pupils’ diverse needs

Slide33 : What should an appropriate learning intention take account of? Picture a boy in a classroom. He holds a pencil but he doesn’t know what to write. There are numbers on the page – sums! He doesn’t know what they mean but he knows that if he tries he’ll get crosses.

Slide34 : The Learning Intention should take account of: Careful assessment of abilities and knowledge of individual learning styles Meeting the needs of individuals by tracking backwards or forwards to set the appropriate learning objectives Careful matching of the success criteria to the learning objectives Setting suitable challenges for all pupils

Slide35 : “It’s not how many answers students know. It’s how they behave when they don’t know that counts.” Alistair Smith (2003) Leading Learning

It’s not what you do ….. : It’s not what you do ….. 1. 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10 = ? 2. 220 - 98 3. 392 divided by 8

It’s the way that you do it! : It’s the way that you do it! 4. Multiply 80 by 1.5 5. When 2 numbers are added together they equal 41. When they are subtracted they make 9. What are the 2 numbers?

Slide38 : 6. How many yellow and white squares are there in this diagram?  

Slide39 : 7. How many 2cm squared cubes will fit into the box?

Slide40 : INCHWORM GRASSHOPPER 7 35 Quantitative Learners Qualitative Learners Look for facts Follow procedures Analyse Write down Work sequentially Enjoys open questions Looks for patterns and connections Estimates Likes the big picture

Slide41 : 80 % of learners in the Western World are quantitative learners – Inchworms 15% of learners in the Western World are qualitative learners – Grasshoppers 2.5% are Geniuses 2.5%do not yet have a defined mathematical learning personality In the Western World almost 90% of children enter reception as qualitative learners. What happens to them?

Slide42 : “Sadly, children are frequently expected to write mathematics before they have learned to imagine and discuss, and those who do not easily make connections are offered more pencil and paper work instead of the vital talk and discussion. Yet in other subjects it would be unthinkable to ask children to write what they cannot say.” Anita Straker (1993) Talking points in Mathematics

Slide43 : When we talk about a range of learning styles/teaching strategies what comes to mind?

Slide44 : Teaching Styles should: be encouraging, empathetic and consistent understand what has gone on before be able to see learning within mistakes mediate and connect the pupil with the maths concept use multi-sensory teaching methods and active learning methods recognise the range of needs recognise what is impeding progress know when to vary the speed of working recognise thinking and learning styles find a pathway to understanding

Slide45 : Research for Beam – Askew 2003 Pupil Comments: How not to teach! Not telling us clearly enough what to do Teacher having bad handwriting Too much writing Copying all the time off the board Telling us – not showing us Being too quick with the overhead

Slide46 : Research for Beam – Askew 2003 Pupil Comments: How to teach! Lots of both oral and practical work Discussions and videos about a new Maths topic Good displays on pin board A teacher who takes their time Large desk with enough space to work on Looking at the board straight on not sideways

Slide47 : When we talk about access? What comes to mind? What are issues/problems in our school?

Slide48 : Access should mean: a supportive, risk-free ethos to overcome fear, anxiety and emotional barriers to learning multi-sensory teaching visual and tangible resources to enable access to the theoretical concepts the use of colour, highlighter pens, counting equipment, dienes place value blocks, partition cards, number sticks, number fans, individual white boards and pens etc seating arrangements use of ICT – learning programmes and hardware

Slide49 : Use of Appropriate Concrete Models Levels of Knowing Mathematical Ideas  The Three Components of a Mathematical Idea  The Questioning Technique From: www.berkshiremathematics.com Click on “Mahesh Sharma” then on “Help for teachers and parents” Four Major Principles for Teaching

Slide50 : Wall of Mastery

Slide51 : Every mathematical concept is made up of three components:

Language Containers : Language Containers Topic: Closed shapes on a plane surface (2D Shapes) One pair of parallel sides

Slide53 : Most of the difficulties seen in mathematics result from the underdevelopment of the language of mathematics. Right – wrong Right – left Right – yes Right – immediately Right – write Right – feeling fine Right – accurate Right – political Right – angle measure Consider the word ‘right’.

Slide54 : The pupil with ‘special needs’ requires more language experience rather than less.

Developing Cognitive Strategies : Developing Cognitive Strategies

Slide56 : ?

Slide57 :                                

Materials : Materials

Visual Learners : Visual Learners Remember what is seen. It is thought that this is a preferred learning mode for the majority of pupils. Prefer a neat and tidy workplace Like tidy work Plan ahead Like detail Like to look good Like simile and metaphor Like pictorial lessons Don’t listen well Daydream often Like an overall view Draw, scribble, doodle Prefer images to words

Auditory Learners : Auditory Learners Remember what is heard. This is likely to be a minority of pupils. Talk to themselves Mouth words Like speeches / singing Tell jokes Prefer verbal instructions Easily distracted by noise Listen well Like lectures Enjoy rhythm and rhyme Remember by listening Recall conversations Use talk well Spell out loud

Kinaesthetic Learners : Kinaesthetic Learners Remember when they use their hands or whole body to learn. This may well apply to a large proportion of your class. Like physical activity Move a lot Make and/or alter things Remember by doing Like action words Use gestures Fidget Like close proximity Need to visit a place to remember it

Slide62 : Teach a problem procedure: Read the question Re-read Highlight / underline important words and numbers Decide on a strategy Write down the symbols required then highlight them Do an estimate Work out the problem Check the answer against the estimate Check the answer against the question Finally….does it make sense?

An Encouraging Adult… : An Encouraging Adult… Accepts pupil’s decisions Actively listens Allows time Assumes it can be done Is available for help Deals as an equal Defers judgement Encourages play Focuses on pupil’s thinking Follows pupil’s interests Is optimistic about outcomes Sees learning in mistakes Shares the risk Shows real interest Speculates along with the pupil Values creative ideas