Lessons learned from experience: best p ractices case studies Inclusive Education Title: Training modules development and student guide Countries: Madagascar and Burundi Specific thematic: Teaching and learning strategy Presented by: Elie SABUWANKA and Edith RAMAMONJISOA Date: May 29 th

What are teaching and learning strategies? Teaching and learning strategies form the system in which the various education players (pedagogical offices, support/inspection services, schools, teachers and pupils themselves) participate, each at its level; this system has to be put in place to create an environment conducive to the academic full development of pupils in class.

Summary of IE context (related to thematic; this is not a description of the project or the country). Madagascar  a ministerial order stipulating mainstream education for all in Madagascar,  the lack of information,  the fairly low level of teachers Burundi  the education of children with disabilities is left to private initiaves (mostly religious ones)  A few specialized centres not recognised by the Ministry of Education  Education for disabled children is mentioned in the national education plan adopted in July 2012 (PSDEF) In both countries, the education of children in a disabling situation is still in its early stage and the initiatives put into place are still pilot projects.

Training modules development and student guide: main obstacles Lack of local expertise in matter of disability (sensorial and intellectual ones); Lack of legal framework The political situation which leads to education instability, such as in Madagascar (frequent change of officials in ministries and decentralized services, relocation and resignation of education staff members, unlimited strike leading to an almost wasted year); The country is still facing deadlock and education reforms are not a priotity (Madagascar)

Description of the good practice and measures taken to overcome obstacles (related to thematic; this is not a description of the project or the country). In Madagascar,  training modules were developed and given to teacher trainers and ordinary teachers of pilot schools  Close folow up system set up  a more child-centered teaching pedagogy set up instead of ex cathedra pedagogy  For more sustainability, and to be duplicated by the Ministry of National Education, the suggested pattern has been the one recommanded by the Ministry (training of offcials and pedagogical supervisors who then become teacher trainers for pilot schools located in their areas

Description of the good practice and measures taken to overcome obstacles (related to thematic; this is not a description of the project or the country). In Burundi  a “resource team” has been set up at the early stage of the project:to gather various expertises scattered throughout the services of the Ministry of Education, these of its education partners and specialized centres  to brainstorm (based on HI instruments designed by other programmes) on a “contextualized” IE module  Training of 32 teachers trainers (TOTs)  monthly TOT’s exchanges: -exchanges on pupils with disabilities practical cases of their classes and on strategies aimed at a better supervision. -Elaboration of a Student Guide for pupils with disabilities in mainstream schools, whith a preface by the Minister.

The most significant changes (related to thematic; this is not a description of the project or the country). Madagascar:  the disabled pupil is fully integrated in class and taken into consideration.  Though teachers are still awkward in their educational approach, they take into account the presence of the child and his specific needs

The most significant changes (related to thematic; this is not a description of the project or the country). Burundi:  school headmasters and tachers endeavour to know the pupils better, to know their names, their abilities,  Cases of disabilities are detected for a better support centered on these abilities.  Government takes into account compensatons needed to alllow blind pupils to sit for national exams For both countries:  Each disabled child has an IEP defining his learning and socialization objectives according to his abilities and limitations which propose compensations needed to be taken into account.

Noticeable Impacts (in both countries + pictures) The support provided to schools for the reception of disabled pupils and the implementation of an appropriate educational action enabled: -To change the way of teaching; teachers are more focused on the pupil than on the programme. - to allow disabled pupils to be socially accepted and to evolve towards a greater autonomy. -To improve exchange between families and schools to get to the same objective -To move towards a greater acceptation of pupils among themselves This process also allows a better learning environment for even other pupils with difficulites and specific needs

An inclusive classroom in Kanyosha 3 primary school

Theoritical and practical training of teachers

How to duplicate or develop these practices? (in both countries) Advocacy:  Show first the feasability of inclusive education and the beneficial effects of the differentiated instruction recommanded for children in a disabling situation, but also for other pupils,  plead with policy makers to correct their classical perception (incorrect) of the quality of education which considers everybody equally in the teaching-learning process, including assessments (namely national examinations). Improve our instruments and our practices in class:  the development of instruments like IEP  Implementation of inclusive teaching worksheets (corollary of the good understanding of the usefulness of IEPs). This preoccupation cannot emerge spontaneously in the teacher’s mind if the pupils with disabilities do not have an IEP first. And EVERY pupils in the classroom will benefit from this.

Summary Points (from both countries) Our experience in teaching and learning strategies shows that: Inclusive education is still a field to reinforce the schooling of children in a disabling situation is still at its early stage and the initiatives implemented are still pilot projects, which points to a need for further pleas; The training/sensitization of teachers to inclusive methods enables a better integration of pupils with disabilities in mainstream classes and a constant awareness of their presence in class; IE gives more importance to the differentiated instruction than to the traditional didactic methods; The involvement of teachers in the designing of inclusive educational instruments really improves the reception of pupils with disabilities in classes; The family-school synergies are essential for the educational and social development of pupils with disabilities; The designing of an individualized education plan for each disabled pupil facilitates the integration of children with disabilities in mainstream schools through the individualization of their schooling and the consideration for their abilities during assessments.