Individual+Differences+&+Inclusiveness+Policy


 * INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES & INCLUSIVENESS POLICY**

//Society High// is a school that strives to be as diverse and equal as possible. We wish to be a school where students can learn no matter what their situation. In order to achieve this, we have several policies in place to ensure our students’ needs are being met to the fullest extent possible.

At //Society High// we recognise that there are many different kinds of families and that some students do not have the same opportunities as others to achieve – perhaps due to financial or physical incapacities. So we attempt to **cater for the under-privileged and differently-abled ** with the formation of several different initiatives. These include simple things like a Breakfast Club, a Homework Club and free counselling (see Welfare Policy for more information). As well as employing a wheelchair friendly environment.

//Society High// has an extensive scholarship fund. Though we are a state school and fees are not high, we recognise that still some families can struggle. Students may miss out on out-of-school events due to fiscal difficulties as well. This is why we have our scholarship fund. This involves the administrative staff and parents sitting down together and **creating a financial plan with the school ** so that we know where assistance is required. Through the help of the student run Interact Club and the local Rotary Club, financial assistance is available readily.

We also wish to be a school that does not allow segregation to the students with social or learning difficulties. We have remedial teachers and classes within the school for students suffering from autism, dyslexia and other disabilities. At //Society High//, we recognise that differently-abled students benefit from being in the common learning environment, instead of being separated. It’s also beneficial to other students in teaching them respect and tolerance towards people that are different to them. As discovered by many psychologists – but namely Jean Piaget – in the 1960’s, children often have difficulties seeing the world from another’s point of view. This is called egocentrism. At //Society High//, we aim to be a school that encourages the reverse of this. We believe it will aid in forming more rounded individuals.

At //Society High//, **Individual Learning Plans ** are considered a necessity. The value of flexible and personalized learning is significant and so we introduce the plan immediately in year seven. Students are taken through the process with their pastoral care teacher and also with their parents. Together we review a students needs and set individual goals. This helps the learners be accountable as well as allow them to be always achieving, whilst still pushing themselves. Devising an individual setting for students that allow them to learn in the best way specifically for them, is a valuable tool for not just learners, but also for facilitators. Being aware of each student’s needs and goals is essential for our facilitators. The ILP’s are for all students, but depending on the student and their needs, determine how intense and detailed the learning plan is. For some students, the ILP is simply a list of goals for the year. Others are much more comprehensive.

We believe that there are several different forms of intelligence and several different ways of teaching. We apply these different methods so that all students may learn and grow academically and generally. This is how we **cater for different learning styles **. We have a diverse amount of subjects to choose from, and an extensive extra-curricular program that allows students to learn and grow in many different capacities. In the classroom, our facilitators employ different techniques that see all these different forms of intelligence are being met with the use of visual cues and audio cues as well different types of assignments that allow all students a chance to accelerate.

One of //Society High’s// biggest goals is to create global citizens, and students that can work together. This is why we have placed a special emphasis on **the importance of inclusiveness **. We have several activities in place to encourage inclusiveness in the House System and clubs like Interact and Rotary (see Co-Curricular Policy) that see students working together for the school or the community. We also wish to encourage the learning of other cultures and religions. This is why we have our Cultural Diversity subject in year seven, and why we have our LOTE week every year.



** Rationale **  Psychologists such as Gardner and Skinner developed different ways of looking at intelligence. These ideas are adhered to at //Society High //. As was discovered by Moran, et al,[1] simply measuring intelligence and then presenting work based on an IQ measure is insufficient. So by creating lessons that nurture each student’s combination of intelligences, we can ensure that all students’ needs are met. It can alter the way students see themselves and each other because instead of labeling themselves as “smart” or “dumb”, they can see clearly what areas they accelerate in, and most importantly the best way that they can learn, and the best way that teachers can teach them. This translates to working with differently-abled learners as well.

In Victoria, in 1984, an Equal Opportunity Act saw the review of Educational Services for the Disabled, and they decreed that every child be given the right to attend regular school, and that their education be organised by their academic needs rather than their disability and that that decision making should be collaborative.[2] We strive to uphold this at //Society High // by working with the learner and their guardian, seeing what their academic requirements and desires are and then attempting to accommodate those as much as possible so that they may meet all their goals. Tying in with this are //Society High’s // Individual Learning Plans (ILP’s).

As shown in Graham’s (2005) [3] study on ILP’s, planning, teaching and assessment pedagogy improves to better cater for the individual student when ILP’s are in use. The involvement of parents in the process in also beneficial for learners and facilitators alike, as a support system and also as a source for constructive criticisms. Student outcomes are more routinely met with the use of ILP’s and that is one of the most important goals of //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Society High’s //.

Back to Policies Home

[1] Moran, S., Kornhaber, M., & Gardner, H. (2007) Multiple intelligences: building active learners//<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">, Teacher, // p. 26-30 [2] //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">A Summary Review of Inclusive Education Policies & Practices, // Department of Education & Training [3] Graham, F. L. (2005) Using individual learning plans: one school’s approach, //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Theses, // University of Melbourne: Parkville, Victoria