INCLUSION AND DISABILITY
Inclusion for everyone
The Kielder
and very rarely spoke to their peers, but after a
few hours of games with their team were screaming
encouragement and seeing themselves as contributors
Challenge
rather than just participants.
One such youngster included his challenge
sees teams of
certificate of participation in his record of achievement;
at a job interview he was asked what the challenge was
disabled and
and talked about what he regarded as one of his most
enjoyable experiences. He got the job.
non-disabled children
these kinds of events can have real impact and
change the lives of some of the children involved.
Many teachers who have supported teams in the
working together. Andy
challenge have seen new ways of using inclusive
peer groups as an effective means of working across
Johnson explains why
all sorts of curriculum areas. there is scope for even
more activity as Fieldfare develops the event over the
an inclusive approach
coming years.
All schools that want to take part will receive
to education is vital to
support for in-school activities. Local events enabling
special schools and mainstream schools to get together
co-operatively or competitively can be set up within
breaking down barriers
and between school sports partnerships.
Regional heats based on county sports partnerships
will provide one-day competitive events leading to the
t Is disappointing that in the 21st century, national finals for 12 teams. the residential experience
I
children with a disability can still be classed as at Kielder Adventure Centre is effectively the prize at
“different” and can be viewed less positively the pinnacle of this national competition.
within school communities. In some cases the number of disabled children is on the rise and
it can be a lonely existence for disabled if action is not taken to incorporate more inclusive
teenagers who are excluded by the system and Working together: A Kielder activities into school life then the next generation
their peers and from friendship groups. Challenge team is made up of of children may feel no less alienated and alone.
Inclusion is a word regularly used in a school disabled and non-disabled Non-disabled children could also lose out on the
environment, but not always fully optimised. Most students, all pulling together interaction with disabled friends that helps break down
teachers recognise that running inclusion activities to complete the competition the stereotypes that can limit their social perspectives as
effectively can be very valuable for disabled and non- they learn and grow. SecEd
disabled youngsters. Disabled children completing
tasks alongside their non-disabled equals can instil a increase awareness of their pupils’ abilities and provide Her own self-esteem was improved to the extent that • Andy Johnson is director of the Fieldfare Trust.
sense of worth and can highlight personal skills and new learning ideas. the instinct to step in and support her mother personally thanked the teacher who had the
abilities that may not otherwise be recognised by all disabled children at every opportunity may get in the foresight to include her in the challenge team.
Further information
involved. way of them interacting with their peers with and there have been children who were painfully shy www.fieldfarekielderchallenge.org.uk
without disabilities. An artificial ceiling of expectations
Personal development
can be created unless disabled and non-disabled children
All children have the right to participate in their local can interact and establish their own relationships. Maths focus: NCETM
community; to gain the benefits of social inclusion and For over 20 years, the Fieldfare Kielder Challenge
be able to enjoy play and leisure facilities. Many schools has been providing outdoor inclusive activities for
run activities aimed at promoting social inclusion to disabled and non-disabled children. the children that
enable the development of friendships, provide a sense take part gain an enormous amount and by their coming
An uncommon approach?
of belonging and a diverse and stimulating environment together with a common purpose it can challenge
in which to grow and learn. stereotypes about ability and disability.
It is estimated that 18 per cent of people under the Fieldfare Kielder Challenge was established
Steve Humble
sum was b and whose product was ac, which for our
example is shown in the final of the series of three
20 years of age are disabled, and that figure is rising. to increase awareness of disability within schools and
Many secondary school children will share a class with promote equality and inclusion. Over the years we presents some
images above.
students then rewrote their initial expression by
a disabled child but that is often where the connection have seen thousands of children participate in the event splitting the “n” term according to their new numbers
ends. the undoubted pressures on support staff and and the vast majority have been positively affected.
more ideas for the
(n² + 4n -3n – 12 = 0) which enabled them to use a
teachers may mean disabled children are not being It has been a significant milestone in the childhood “box” method to factorise, similar to our grid method
given the opportunity to “hang out” with their friends of many who have gained new awareness of their
and peers and experience the social side of school life. own and others’ abilities and formed new and lasting
mathematics classroom
for multiplication, reversed (see below).
the law now requires that schools do not discriminate friendships.
against disabled children in any activities, including Equally as important, is that it has encouraged tHERE ARE plenty of times in our schools when
sports, school trips and interaction with peers. Progress children to develop a respect for others with diverse identifying common approaches would be beneficial
has certainly been made over the last 10 years or so to characteristics and bring that understanding back to the to our students. How does your department teach
link or merge special schools with mainstream schools classroom. percentages? Do you always identify one per cent and
to enhance the social aspect of education. this positive then build up from there? Do you use parallel number
move forward has enabled more children’s difficulties
In-school inclusion
lines so that pupils have an image of the equivalences so n² + 4n -3n – 12 = 0 and (n+4) (n-3) = 0.
to be met in more inclusive social environments. For an increasing number of schools taking part in the between fractions, decimals and percentages? What I thought this was a neat idea. It helped low-ability
In 2000, the Department for Children, schools and Fieldfare Kielder Challenge it is not a one-off event. about dividing fractions – how do you explain pupils to perform complex algebraic manipulations.
Families also made a national curriculum statutory the project approach is designed to facilitate inclusion the “turn upside down and multiply” algorithm? I’m sure I will use it in my classroom.
inclusion statement which stated that: “schools have activities within schools for disabled and non-disabled What about algebra? What sort of image do your
a responsibility to provide a broad and balanced children to develop new skills, especially with respect pupils have for variables? How do your pupils solve
Another idea
curriculum for all pupils. this statutory inclusion to working in team situations and solving problems. equations? I could go on… Recently, when I was browsing Youtube for ways to
statement sets out three principles for developing an Including more disability and social inclusion Perhaps it would be helpful to categorise the make mathematics exciting, I happened upon an old
inclusive curriculum which provides all pupils with projects in association with the curriculum is already things in that list? some of them are images that favourite which I had not used since my video player
relevant and challenging learning. schools must set recognised by many teachers as a positive step, and can help pupils construct an understanding, some chewed its last tape: Donald in Mathmagic Land.
suitable learning challenges, respond to pupils’ diverse the challenge is seen as an effective way of providing of them are ways of doing things (or not). Perhaps Once your ears are tuned in to Donald’s particular
learning needs, and overcome potential barriers to benefits for individuals and the school. the Fieldfare we should decide which list the common approach form of quacking, you are transported to a land where
learning and assessment for individuals and groups of trust, which organises the challenge, provides support would benefit most. And then I start to ask myself: the trees have square roots and the streams flow
pupils.” packs so that teachers can bring disabled and non- do pupils all need the same image of algebra say, number sequences. the original film has been split
Many secondary schools are more progressive in disabled children together for fun activities in the or would it be helpful for them to have a range of into three parts (see below for the link).
their inclusion policy and actively encourage disabled school environment. images to use in different situations and allow access Donald puts his own spin on a variety of topics
and able-bodied children to work together. these some schools use this material to prepare and train for different sorts of learner? If pupils had a range of including the Pythagoreans, the Golden section,
activities can help personal development, improve teams for the regional heats which are the first stage of images and experiences of variables and how they playing musical instruments, snooker, and more.
social skills, build self-confidence, develop teamwork, the national competition. Others have organised their might behave, then they might have different ways of there are some lovely snippets to use, perhaps with
and support independence for both disabled and non- own local inter or intra-school events to engage as solving equations. your new intake next year.
disabled children. many children as possible. these include the history of mathematics talking,
During a one-day heat where participants undertake
An idea for the classroom
especially the Pythagoreans; linking mathematics
Benefits for all involved
five half-hour activities it is not unusual to see the I saw something new last week. At a school I visited, and music using frequencies (you may also want
Not only can inclusion activities help children, but it interaction communication and cohesion within a team students were being asked to factorise (and solve) the to explore one of the case studies in the NCEtM
can also benefit their families. Parents with disabled improve significantly. those that have been previously expression: n² + n – 12 = 0. the first thing they did secondary module); games, including snooker, chess
children can be a valuable source of information involved in inclusive activities at the school are often was to draw an X and put in some numbers. If the and baseball; and images of shapes. I hope you enjoy
and support because they can provide an insight into starting at a more competitive level. At the finals, six expression was expressed as: an² +bn + c = o, then reviewing Donald Duck as much as I did!
particular childcare issues. bigger and more complex activities over the two-day you would get the following (see below, left). so the
Parents may find that their children are more residential experience will see children benefit from X for our expression could be (see below, centre). • Steve Humble is a secondary specialist at the National
outgoing and communicate better after participating in even more personal and social development. Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics.
social activities and this could enhance their interaction A few years ago, a teenager was included in a
at home as well as in school. Where children encounter challenge team by a teacher against the advice of many
Further information
greater diversity among their peers, their parents may colleagues. this youngster knew that she was seen by For the Donald in Mathmagic Land videos, search for
learn to feel less alone and more aware that most other her peers and staff to be very disruptive and on the brink this title at www.youtube.com and for the NCtEM
parents are also experiencing difficult and challenging of school exclusion. through her experience in the secondary module, visit www.ncetm.org.uk/cpd/
issues. event she changed significantly and began to see how the next step was to find a pair of numbers whose online-courses/onlinesecondary
For teachers, disability inclusion activities can help those around her were changing their opinion of her.
SecEd • June 18 2009 15
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24