Module Three: Anyone

Education is a truly diverse process. It is not bound by age, race, wealth, gender or knowledge. Physical and mental ability will hinder, but does not limit one’s educational learning process (Marsh, 2008). Through this discussion factors that inhibit one’s learning and processing ability will be discussed, as well as cultural and socially-affiliated factors that can impact on student learning. It must be stressed that although these factors will not be an ultimate impedance of education (O’Rourke, 2009). Changes to a teachers pedagogy, their on-going philosophy of learning, their actions and pedagogy will be made teaching a diverse range of students, which is one of the many things that makes teaching challenging and interesting.

Arguably, the two largest issues currently are teaching disabled and/or culturally diverse students.

Cultural differences are one of the many ways a student can be diverse in a classroom. Aboriginal students tend to take a more global perspective in relation to learning (Harrison, 2008). This means they will be more likely to willing study a topic or are more likely to grasp meaning from an issue if they can see the big picture. Often learning will be incorporated into stories, or bigger events in order for the learners to be able to process this knowledge. It is a broader form of learning, that can then taught specifically to how each individual learns, i.e.; visually, auditory or kinaesthetically (Snowman, Dobozy, Scevak, Bryer, Bartlett & Biehler, 2009).

Disability is the largest and possibly most challenging student difference. Due to the wide range and severities of disabilities, each case needs to be treated individually and therefore the learning process should also be individual (Snowman, et al, 2009). Temple Grandin, once described the role of educating children with a disability , saying “Continually trying to work out what to do and what to say is like doing quadratic equations in your head” (Koop, 2009). This is where I believe the relationship must be built to allow that constant reflection from the educator, where your actions and directions become a learning focal point for the student to begin to emulate. Teaching is a multi-dimensional interaction between a facilitator and a learner.

Disability Standards of Education (2005) state that education providers must make reasonable adjustments that ‘assist a student with a disability to participate in education and training on the same basis as other students’. This is a view that argues disability should be embraced in schools and classrooms be made inclusive of the student, whilst ensuring the student is able to complete the task, but still doing similar work to every other student. This allows the student to integrate with the community, and build valuable life skills, while the class is able to also be introduced to a diverse member of our society.
“Every child is just as important as every other kid in the class, and you have to make it work for them” (Video on Inclusion, 2009).

References:
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Disability
Standards for Education (2005). Retrieved September 24th, 2009 from
http://www.dest.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/25EC2234-3667-4A3E-9529-
32F51D4428B6/15408/DisabilityStandards_COMPLETE_004_screen.pdf


Harrison, N. (2008) Quality teaching practices for indigenous children. In Teaching and learning in indigenous education South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press

Koop, P. (2009). Guest Lecturer Peter Koop. Audio lecture EDF1304. Accessed from my.monash.edu.au on (24th September 2009).

Marsh, C. (2008). Becoming a teacher: knowledge, skills and issues (4th ed). Frenchs Forest, NSW; Pearson Education Australia.

O’Rourke, J. (2009). The Perceptions of Secondary Teachers and Students about the Implementation of an Inclusive Classroom Model for Students with Mild Disabilties. The Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 34(1).

Snowman, J., Dobozy, E., Scevak, J., Bryer, F., Bartlett, B., Biehler, et al. (2009). Psychology applied to teaching. Milton, QLD, Australia: Wiley
Video on Inclusion, Accessed from my.monash.edu.au on (20st August 2009).
Williams, J. (2009) Audio lecture EDF1304 Module 3 Teaching Anyone – Teaching for Diversity. Accessed from my.monash.edu.au on (31st August 2009).