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school based teacher development II (SBTD II) for teachers of grades 7-12 support session 3 modules 5 and 6 the inclusive approach to teaching and learning engaging parents in raising achievement Title slide

Objectives of the session Exploring what an inclusive approach to education is. Considering ways of making teaching more inclusive and effective. Exploring issues around working with parents. Reflecting on your professional learning from studying the SBTD II programme. Sharing any concerns you have about completing the Portfolio.

part 1: inclusive schools and classrooms Key ideas in Module 5: Inclusive classroom practices aim to cater for the varied needs of all students in the class. Strategies to support the range of students may involve differentiation by resource, by task, by outcome or by support. Providing activities closely matched to the needs of every individual student in a class can pose practical difficulties. Varying the teaching and learning activities in the classroom is likely to cater for differing learning styles and reduce the chances of students being disadvantaged by continuous use of teaching approaches that don’t suit them.

part 1: inclusive schools and classrooms Group work: Talk about the lessons you taught in the last two weeks and that included activities that focused on an inclusive approach.

part 1: inclusive schools and classrooms Video:‘Addressing barriers’. Group work: Discuss in groups your experiences of working with students who have specific learning difficulties. If you have also experienced students with physical disabilities, how did you accommodate these students in your class?

part 1: inclusive schools and classrooms Group work: You will be working on one of the following strategies: differentiation by resource; differentiation by task; differentiation by outcome; catering for a range of learning styles.   Discuss the lessons you thought about earlier and identify ONE specific lesson that you think illustrates the strategy you have been given. Prepare a brief outline of the lesson, showing how it links to the strategy you have been given.

part 1: inclusive schools and classrooms Group work on Activity 41(Arabic) /44 (English) /46 (Maths) / 43 (Science) Discuss the activity of observing one of the classes you teach for a period of time, making a list of all the possible barriers to learning that you identified and the simple changes you made in your classrooms in order to overcome these barriers. Make a table on a sheet of paper that includes the barrier and the change you made and the impact of that change.

part 2: working with parents Discussion: What contact do you regularly have with parents?

part 2: working with parents Video: Working with parents. Group work: Discuss in groups what you think are the advantages of having good links with parents.

part 2: working with parents Group work: Think about Activity 51 in Arabic, 50 in English, 58 in Maths, and 55 in Science, which asked you to develop a dialogue with the parents about some students’ progress. If you have done this Activity already, share your ideas with your groups. Talk about the impact of developing such dialogue on students’ progress regardless of their level.

part 3: professional development and the portfolio Group work: Activity 54 in Arabic, 51 in English, 59 in Maths, and 56 in Science asked you to reflect on your own practices before you started studying SBTD II. Discuss the template you have filled at the outset of the programme regarding your professional needs. Share your ideas about the most useful approaches listed and reflect on the changes you have made.

part 3: professional development and the portfolio The six areas of professional development: personal and professional qualities (such as reflecting on your practice); team-working qualities (such as listening to and sharing ideas with others); professionalism in practice (such as lesson preparation and marking); understanding students as learners and supporting that learning (such as differentiating activities to help those students who are at different stages); development of subject, school and pedagogic knowledge; partnership with parents (such as sharing successes and asking for help with students’ learning).

part 3: professional development and the portfolio Group work on Activity 53 in Arabic, 52 in English, 60 in Maths, and 57 in Science which asked you to think about what each of these aspects means to you. Think about which areas of professional development have made the most impact on you as a result of the SBTD II programme. Why do you think this? Share your ideas with your group and other groups to find out the common aspects.

part 3: professional development and the portfolio Discussion: Share what you thought were the most significant points of learning for you from Activity 54 in Arabic, 53 in English, 61 in Maths, and 58 in Science. In these Activities you were required to reflect why the seven Activities you selected had such an impact on you as a teacher. What impact have these seven Activities had on your teaching practices?

part 3: professional development and the portfolio Discussion: Activity 55 in Arabic, 54 in English, 62 in Maths, and 59 in Science, asked you to talk with your students about some of the different activities and strategies you have used. If you have already done this Activity, share the outcomes of what you did and what the students said. How useful did you find this exercise? Would you do it again with your students? What advice would you give to those who have not yet done this Activity to help them gain useful feedback from the student?

part 3: professional development and the portfolio Individual work: Focus on your own learning and Activity 56 in Arabic, 55 in English, 63 in Maths and 60 in Science, where you were asked to summarize your learning and to set yourselves goals. Start or continue completing your Portfolio with respect to this Activity.

Thank you for your participation in the support sessions and in the whole SBTD II programme!