Productive pedagogies and the challenge of inclusion

Abstract

Julie Allan is Professor of Education at the Institute of Education, University of Stirling, where she also directs the Participation, Inclusion and Equity Research Network. In this article, she explores the challenges involved in achieving an inclusive education system. Her argument draws on recommendations from two separate studies, undertaken in Queensland, Australia and Scotland, which are attempting to shape inclusion policy and practice. The Queensland School Reform Longitudinal Study identified a set of productive pedagogies in which issues of social justice, equity and inclusion are foregrounded. The Scottish Parliamentary Inquiry into special needs, to which Professor Allan was adviser, recommended a number of changes aimed at establishing an inclusive education system for all pupils. Comparisons of the two sets of recommendations, which formed the basis of a series of workshops with teachers, school leaders and administrators within Education Queensland, have prompted two major questions which are addressed in this paper: what gets in the way of inclusive practice and what will it take to be inclusive? Julie Allan's responses to these questions take account of the ways in which we think about ‘special education’ teacher training and professional development; and educational policies and practices. She represents a fascinating set of ‘double‐edged responsibilities’ that will challenge practitioners, policy makers and teacher educators to refocus and reframe their thinking about special educational needs and inclusion.

Challenges for teacher education: the mismatch between beliefs and practice in remote Indigenous contexts

“…Since its inception, significant research has examined and used the productive pedagogies framework (e.g. Allen, 2003;Hayes et al 2006;Keddie, 2006;Keddie & Mills, 2007;Lingard, Hayes, Mills & Christie, 2003;Munns, 2007). Based on the work of Newmann and Associates (1996) and Newmann, Secada and Wehlage (1995) on authentic pedagogy, productive pedagogies refer to classroom practices that were considered most likely to lead to 'productive performance' (Lingard et al, 2003); that is, to make a difference to the academic and social learning of students.…”

Inclusive education in Israel from a curriculum perspective: an exploratory study

“…During the last decade, several studies led by Norwich and his colleagues aimed to tackle the question whether there is a pedagogy for children with SEN (Corbett and Norwich 1999;Lewis and Norwich 2001;Norwich andLewis 2001, 2007). Others (McLeskey and Waldron 2002;Allan 2003;Almog and Schechtman 2007) point out that even though the mainstream teachers do not express enthusiasm with regard to changing their instruction or to using what they call 'special education' pedagogy, they do in fact make accommodations for their students with SEN. However, they tend to call it 'effective teaching' that is suitable to all rather than admit to making specific accommodations for their students with SEN. A systemic literature review which appeared lately (Rix et al 2009, 92) conclude that: 'generic teaching approaches for children with special educational needs do not reflect the unique demands of learning subject-specific matter and are not recognized as advancing the learning of all students'.…”

A new approach to training teachers to meet the diverse learning needs of deaf and hard‐of‐hearing children within inclusive Australian schools

“…The programme includes exposure to features of inclusion that incorporate historical links to the civil and human rights movement (Florian 1998;Westwood 1997), legislative and regulatory evolution in Australia (Slee 2005), implications for teacher education (Ainscow 1997;Forlin 2001), a critical analysis of its current educational implications (Allan 2003;Brown and Thomson 2005;Florian 1998) and the perceived effects on the education of deaf and hard-of-hearing children (Komesaroff and McLean 2006;Rose 2002). …”