WORKING TOWARDS INCLUSIVE ASSESSMENT Messages from across Europe Reutte 28th February 2008

Reutte 28th February 2008 Assessment in Inclusive Settings Agency project involving 25 countries 60 project Experts (policy makers and practitioners) Initial concern identified by Agency Representative Board members: How to move from a deficit (mainly medically based) assessment approach to an educational or interactive approach that supports teaching and learning and considers the learning environment

Reutte 28th February 2008 Clarification of Terminology (1) Integration implying that the goal is to integrate a learner back into the mainstream school, because at some point they have been excluded from it Inclusion referring to a learner being a part of their local educational community from the beginning... a part from the start

Reutte 28th February 2008 The Inclusion Journey All countries are at: … different points of the journey to inclusion signposted by the Salamanca statement … (Peacey, 2006) Inclusion is now understood to concern a far wider range of pupils vulnerable to exclusion than those identified as having SEN The use of the term was and is an explicit attempt to move ideas of education for all beyond ‘mainstreaming’

Reutte 28th February 2008 Clarification of terminology (2) Assessment refers to the ways teachers and other people involved in a pupil’s education systematically collect and then use information about that pupil’s level of achievement and/or development in different areas of their educational experience (academic, behaviour and social)

Reutte 28th February 2008 Assessment - purposes and focus Assessment of pupils with SEN - a range of potential purposes: –Monitoring of overall educational standards; –Administration (pupil placement; allocation of funding, resource decision-making etc); –Initial identification of SEN; –Identification of achievements (summative, end of programme assessment, assessment of learning); –Informing teaching and learning decision-making (on-going, formative assessment, assessment for learning) Often inter-connected and all must be accounted for

Reutte 28th February 2008 Key concerns in countries Raising achievement of all pupils - including those with SEN - by effectively using assessment information and procedures Considering to what extent their assessment system: Provides information that can be used to inform overall educational policy decision making Results in positive or negative consequences for individual pupils Supports inclusion or perpetuates segregation Addressing the potential contradiction - and very real tension - between initiatives to raise standards alongside those aiming to promote inclusion

Reutte 28th February 2008 Challenges and Innovations in countries Access to quality education as an entitlement for all pupils, including those with SEN Monitoring of standards as one, but not the only focus of national assessment policies Ensuring all pupils’ entitlements to take part in national standards testing Re-focussing the emphasis of outcomes from national assessment and testing Using national assessment information to inform educational planning for individual pupils

Reutte 28th February 2008 ‘Inclusive Assessment’ An approach to assessment in mainstream settings where policy and practice are designed to promote the learning of all pupils as far as possible. The overall goal of inclusive assessment is that all assessment policies and procedures should support and enhance the successful inclusion and participation of all pupils vulnerable to exclusion, including those with SEN

Reutte 28th February 2008 The Focus of Inclusive Assessment All pupils have an entitlement to assessment that is accessible to them Emphasis, resources and training should be directed to assessment for learning - assessment should help teachers support pupils' learning Inclusive assessment aims to be empowering for the pupil concerned by providing them with insights into their own learning as well as a source of motivation to encourage their future learning

Reutte 28th February 2008 Principles of Inclusive Assessment Inclusive assessment explicitly aims to prevent segregation by avoiding (as far as possible) forms of labelling and by focussing on learning and teaching practice that promotes inclusion in a mainstream setting Inclusive assessment can only be realised within an appropriate policy framework and with the appropriate organisation of schools and support to teachers who themselves have a positive attitude towards inclusion

Reutte 28th February 2008 What are the implications of using this term? A central argument of the Agency project is that inclusive assessment practice should give a lead to general assessment practice The principles of inclusive assessment are principles that support teaching and learning with all pupils Innovative inclusive assessment practice demonstrates good assessment practice for all pupils

Reutte 28th February 2008 Movements towards Inclusive Assessment? Learning each others lessons Re-thinking assessment of standards A wider interpretation of what should be assessed and who should be involved Developing focus on pupils’ active role in assessment Acknowledging that: –Assessment must be linked to planning teaching –Pupils need to understand their own learning –There must be teacher training to use effective assessment

Reutte 28th February 2008 Movements in the EU policy context? Lisbon Objectives for Education and Training Benchmarks for educational development by 2010 Assessment of educational standards as a monitoring tool 16 core indicators for monitoring progress May Special Education is agreed upon as a core indicator for monitoring education and training progress

Reutte 28th February 2008 Why is Reutte interesting at the European level? Improving equity in education and training is an EU and member state priority Perhaps the thinking about ‘who’ equity refers to isn’t broad enough? Examples are needed that demonstrate the broadest spectrum of equity issues - Reutte is one such example!

Reutte 28th February 2008 Sharing the pioneering spirit! Please do not be exclusive! Pass on ideas, knowledge and experience is vital Using opportunities to learn colleagues nationally and internationally is important to us all ‘Europe’ is interested in what you are all doing!

Reutte 28th February 2008 More Information Amanda Watkins themes/assessment/