connecting, catering for, and celebrating diverse student learners

CRICOS QLD00244B NSW 02225M TEQSA:PRF12081

Connecting, catering for, and celebrating diverse student learners

Dr Lindy-Anne AbawiSenior Lecturer Curriculum and PedagogySchool of Teacher Education and Early ChildhoodUSQ Leadership Research International Group, IDEAS Core Team member

Dr Janice K JonesSenior Lecturer Arts EducationSchool of Linguistics, Adult and Specialist EducationUSQ Applied Linguistics Group, USQ Leadership Research International Group


Acknowledgement of CountryWe acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands where USQ teaching and research is conducted: the Gaibal, Jarowair, Ugarapul and Butchulla peoples of Queensland. We honour the wisdom of Elders past, present and future, seeking to walk together in the spirit of reconciliation.

We would also like to acknowledge that the lands on which we present today have strong meaning and connection for many people.

Image: Jada DENNISON /Untitled/2015/acrylic monoprint/60 x 42 cm


Researchers and research

Arts pedagogies

Social and Cultural diversity

Enhancing pedagogical practice

Language and literacy

School Improvement

Students with special needs

Organisational Culture

Space, power, identity

Informal and non-traditional education

Technologies and networks

Lindy Janice


Maximising outcomes for ALL


The Main Research Question

What are the key organisational characteristics underpinning inclusive practices in schools that successfully celebrate and cater for all students enabling all students to achieve ?


Inclusion is … seen as a process of addressing and responding to the diversity of needs of all children, youth and adults through increasing participation in learning, cultures and communities, and reducing and eliminating exclusion within and from education. It involves changes and modifications in content, approaches, structures and strategies with a common vision that covers all children of the appropriate age range and a conviction that it is the responsibility of the regular system to educate all children.

(UNESCO, 2009, p. 8)

A Definition of Inclusion


Inclusive practice describes any and all efforts made by a school and its community to make students and their parents feel welcome. Inclusive practice implies that if participation becomes an issue for any student, whether arising from disability, gender, behaviour, poverty, culture, refugee status or any other reason, then the desirable approach is not to establish special programs for the newly identified individual or group need, but to expand mainstream thinking, structures and practices so that all students are accommodated.

(Shaddock, Giorcelli & Smith, 2007, p. 4)

Defining Inclusive Practice

Lindy-Anne Abawi


Inclusive education in Education Queensland:

• fosters a learning community that questions disadvantage and challenges social injustice

• maximises the educational and social outcomes of all students through the identification and reduction of barriers to learning, especially for those who are vulnerable to marginalisation and exclusion

• ensures all students understand and value diversity so that they have the knowledge and skills for positive participation in a just, equitable and democratic global society

Department of Education, Training and the Arts (2005). Inclusive Education Statement. Queensland Government: Brisbane


It is important to consider how it might be possible for teachers to develop new ways of believing that all children can learn, that they have the knowledge and skill to make a difference to children’s lives and that such work is their responsibility… (Rouse & Florian, 2012, p. 7)

School communities


Diverse classroom contexts


That fan’s

driving me crazy!I have just got to

get out of here!

Who cares?

Come 0n! I know that stuff!

I just don’t get it!

Of course

you can!

You’re not trying

No way!

I don’t know how

to explain it

That was not

what we agreedWhat was that?

It’s not easy!


….sometimes it is more about exclusion

[Some] schools don’t say no, they can’t, but they makes things seem very challenging…like, “oh well, look, your child will be the only child like this… we don’t really have structures in place…” District Advisor for Education Queensland


Case Study selectionSchool 1

School 2

School 3

Year 3-5 growth data (2012 - 2014): school (Dark Blue) & like starting point (Turquoise)


Refractive PhenomenologyExploring lived experiences through a series of flexible and emergent filters and fixed lenses(Abawi, 2012; Merleau-Ponty, 1962)


• Research Based Framework (RBF) for Alignment in Educational Organisations (LRI, 2010)

• Organisational Culture (Schein, 1992)

The filters


Data Analysis


The RBF Filter

The common threads

Strategic Foundations – Strong moral purpose; collective commitment to social justice; cater for students not policy; social and emotional well-being prioritised; students explicitly taught to demonstrate safety respect and learning; parallel leadership; student leadership strong and visible

Cohesive Community – Parents are integral to student learning success; the wider community is a major part of ongoing partnerships of support; medical practitioners are a part of the partnership; safe spaces and places readily accessible; constant and proactive communication; celebration of learning on a daily/weekly basis


Schoolwide Pedagogical Development and Deepening – shared understandings and practices are well documented; new staff are quickly oriented to the ways of working; differentiation is expected; communication between teachers and aides is considered of major importance; high expectations supported and acknowledged; lunchtime and after school support

Generative Resource Design – resources prioritised according to need; information accessed in the previous year and structures, PD, resources planned and actioned; s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g; iPads; manipulatives; safe places and spaces established and communicated to students, staff, parents

Holistic Professional learning – building leadership capacity; on-going skill building; iPad use; learning from past teachers and schools; professional sharing; no blame support

The RBF Filter cont.


The Organisational Culture FilterNorms and Assumptions:• Data collected is used to inform planning at all levels• Safety and support are prioritised• Capacity building of teachers and aides is ongoing• Student needs will be met no matter what• Parents are welcomed and valued• It’s all about relationships• Differentiation is expected – inclusion mandated• Goal setting and celebration of achievement


Practical Teaching Strategies

• Resilience training, self-management tools• Explicit teaching of social skills and expectations of

acceptance, tolerance and respect for others• Documenting key challenges and strengths using

both qualitative and quantitative data• Role model and explore difficult situations problem

solving out loud (Teacher Talk Alouds)• Building metacognitive learning skills and build

student questioning skills and metalanguage


Organisational characteristics• Strong vision for inclusion• Metastrategic leadership practices• Teacher Leadership in action (in //)• Flexible class structures and timetabling• Resourcing prioritised to student and staff need• Staff capacity building (supported by PLCs)• Goal focused learning – celebrate success• Shared pedagogical intent and action• Student and parent voice valued• Community involvement strong


References• Abawi, Lindy-Anne (2012) Introducing refractive phenomenology. International

Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, 6 (2). pp. 141-149. ISSN 1834-0806 • Archambault, I., Janosz, M. Fallu, JS. & Pagini, LS. (2009). Student engagement

and its relationship with early high school dropout. Journal of Adolescence, 32(3)651-670.

• Department of Education and the Arts (2005). Inclusive Education Statement. DETA: Brisbane

• European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education (2011) Teacher Education for Inclusion Across Europe – Challenges and Opportunities. Odense, Denmark: European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education

• Hale, C. (2013). Urban special education policy and the lived experience of stigma in a high school science classroom. Available from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11422-013-9548-x/fulltext.html

• Leadership Research International (LRI) team (2010). Research-based framework for organisational alignment. University of Southern Queensland.

• Masters, G. (2010). Teaching and learning school improvement framework. http://research.acer.edu.au/monitoring_learning/16


References cont.• Merleau-Ponty, M. (1962). Phenomenology of perception (C. Smith,

Trans.). New York, NY: Humanities Press.• Rouse, M. & Florian, L. (2012). Inclusive Practice Project: Final Report.

University of Aberdeen.• Schein, E. H. (1992). Organizational culture and leadership (2nd ed.). San

Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.• Shulman, L. S. (2005). Signature pedagogies in the professions.

Daedalus, 134(3)52-59. (doi: 10.1162/0011526054622015)• Shaddack, T., Giorcelli, L. & Smith, S. (2007). Students with Disabilities in

Mainstream Classrooms: a resource for teachers.• Smyth, J. & Wrigley, T. (2013). Living on the edge: Rethinking poverty,

class and schooling. New York: Peter Lang.• UNESCO. (2009). Policy Guidelines on Inclusion in Education. Retrieved

from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0017/001778/177849e.pdf

Contact details: [email protected] [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

