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The key focus in this reading is on understanding trauma, implementing trauma-informed care, and supporting children in care effectively. It's crucial to grasp how trauma impacts children, apply trauma-sensitive approaches, and provide the necessary support for their well-being. These points aim to enhance the care and outcomes for children who have experienced trauma.

This can help my practice as it gives us a toolkit for us to use if we interact with trauma affected pupils.

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Alisic, E.  Boeije, HR., Jongmans M. J. and Kleber, R. J. (2011) Children's Perspectives on Dealing With Traumatic Events, Journal of Loss and Trauma, 16:6, 477-496

It is important that teachers have an understanding of pupils trauma and how best to help.

Young people may have different coping mechanisms to older people and therefore there are different ways in which they can help.

There is a big reliance on support for young people who have experiences trauma. The study found that young people who have experienced trauma found it was easier to cope with the support of parents, peers and particularly teachers.

Young people are resilient - many young people have coping strategies which may change over time as they grow to understand their trauma in greater detail.

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Willis (2002) The Grieving Process in Children...

Three stand out points.

Children understand death in different ways to adults and at different ages this can differ. Willis highlights a 1948 study by Nagy which showed that children from 3-5 years old thought of death as a person who may have just moved and will return at some point, 5-9 year olds may think that death can be avoided and at about 9-10 years old they will begin to understand that death is permanent, can’t be changed and happens to all living things.

If a young child e.g. 2 years old doesn’t understand the idea of there being 24 hrs in each day and this repeating itself then they won’t be able to understand the idea of forever.

Children between 4 and 6 years old may think that death isn’t permanent because for example their Mum or Dad leave for work in the morning and always come back. They are also very sensitive to emotions around them so may appear to be grieving at one point but forget about it at another.

Relation to own experiences.

I haven’t had experience with this yet however I found this article very useful for when the time comes.

Implications for practice.

The article offers suggestions on how to support children who are experiencing death e.g. of a parent or someone close in their family and this can be used in practice.

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Children in care are likely to have experienced trauma, but not all children who have adverse experiences will be traumatised. Every child is unique, and their responses to the same adversity will differ.

Trauma can affect brain development. Many traumatised children function at an earlier developmental level than their chronological age suggests.

Traumatised children may struggle to develop regulatory skills needed for learning and social relationships.

Some children react powerfully to sensory triggers related to their trauma by becoming hyper aroused or dissociating. These reactions often occur below the level of conscious awareness.

If adults involved with traumatised children are unable to manage their own emotions, this can escalate children's distress.

Effective help requires intervention that is congruent with neuroscience, developmentally relevant and relational.

The key adults in helping children recover from trauma are their carers and teachers. They require relevant support and training to be most helpful to traumatised children.

Crisis-oriented care organisations may exacerbate trauma and undermine the efforts of committed practitioners.

Post-traumatic growth and resilience is possible. Traumatised children need hope and adults involved with them must believe in a positive future for them.

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Willis, C. (2002) The Grieving Process in Children: Strategies for Understanding, Educating, and Reconciling Children’s Perceptions of Death, Early Childhood Education Journal, 29 (4), p. 221- 226 (available electronically)

-       Children's understanding of death varies significantly, with some believing it occurs as early as 6 months, while others believe it begins around 3-4 years. There are three stages of a child's understanding of death: Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3. Children's grief is cyclical, and they may exhibit unacceptable behaviors due to confusion. Adults have a sense of future and a built-in support system, while children may not understand the concept of time. Young children may respond differently to death, and it's crucial to provide comfort and security during this process.

-       Adults should avoid using euphemisms or abstract terms when discussing death and dying with young children. Use concrete language and avoid diminishing or belittling their questions. Tell the child about death from family members, not strangers, to help them cope better. Explain the cause of the death clearly and concisely, avoiding making assumptions about common causes. Follow guidelines to aid parents in discussing death with their children.

-       Birth -3 – awareness something is wrong – keep routines normal, offer extra nurturing.

-       3-4 – childrens reactions may be angry or unnafected – children belve death is temporary and don’t fully understand – be patient, answer the childs questions, nurture the child.

-       5-6- reactions still vary, they may believe the person will still return – use concrete terms relating to death, allow the child to respond how they feel, make the child aware about death, provide opportunities for the child to remember the person who has died.

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PTSD can negatively impact childrens emotional, social academic and physical development.

The aftermath of trauma can also be harmful to a child’s wellbeing due to the secondary stressors such as medical treatment and stress reactions from parents.

During the study many of the children who had experienced trauma looked for reasons why the incident happened and why it happened to them. Children tend to create adaptive illusions and blame others because it is easier to associate a particular meaning to an event , rather than to change personal beliefs.

Post traumatic growth requires a strong ability for abstract reasoning and self-awareness.

Support from peers, family and soft toys proved extremely valuable to the children in this study.

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Furnivall, J and Grant, E., 2014. Trauma sensitive practice with children in care. Iriss Insight 27.

Identify up to three stand out points from each article.

Furnivall and Grant's publication highlights the prevalence of trauma among children in care, emphasizing that experiences such as abuse, neglect, or family breakdown can significantly impact children's behaviour, relationships, and emotional well-being. Understanding the root causes of children's behaviour is crucial for effective support.

The authors advocate for trauma-sensitive approaches in working with children in care settings. This involves creating safe and supportive environments, building trusting relationships, and providing interventions tailored to the individual needs of each child. These approaches aim to address the impact of trauma on children's lives and enhance their resilience and well-being.

Furnivall and Grant discuss practical strategies and interventions that professionals can implement to support children affected by trauma in care settings. These strategies include creating safe spaces, building trusting relationships, recognizing behavioural triggers, implementing individualized support, and collaborating with support services. By integrating trauma-sensitive practices into their work, professionals can better meet the diverse needs of children in care and promote their overall development and well-being.

Relation to experience/ implications

I must understand that some teaching practices can impact students in different ways. Due to this I am going to look at creating lessons that representative of the whole class and ensure that i am tailoring my support strategies to meet the needs of specific individuals in the classrooms to support their emotional and academic wellbeing.

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Riddell, S. (2009) Social justice, equality and inclusion in Scottish education, Discourse, 30, 3, 283-297.

Social justice, equality, and inclusion are extremely important concepts in the context of Scottish education. These principle are fundamental for creating a fair and equitable education system.

One approaches to promote equality and inclusion

Skill strategy - aims to provide equal access to skills and learning for all, including those who are often disadvantaged

The Scottish education system has experienced some challenges in achieving social justice and equality. One of these challenges is to do with barriers to inclusion these can include socioeconomic disparities, discrimination and systemic barriers

Scottish education has evolved over time in its approach towards social justice, equality and inclusion there has been a focus implementing policies and practices that help to address inequalities and promote inclusivity.However, there still needs to be a continual effort to prioritize social justice and inclusion in Scottish school. To be able to do this there needs to continual collaboration with policy makers, educators and stakeholders to work towards creating a more equitable and inclusive education system.

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Dominant framings of trauma-informed pedagogy are currently grounded in a purely biomedical understanding of trauma, often locating ‘problems’ to be solved in individual students or communities, and engendering ‘solutions’ that focus on discourses of self-regulation and control. While these framings are slowly giving way to broader environmental understandings of trauma and marginalized youth, a deeper understanding of ecologies of privilege, disposession, and relationships to/with trauma is needed to understand the role(s) that schooling might play in mitigating traumatic experiences and their effects on young people. In particular, many students of color who are working-class or experiencing poverty must navigate racialized, gendered, and classed hierarchies alongside labels positioning them as ‘bad’ students as they work to earn a high school diploma and enact desired post-secondary life paths. This paper draws on data from an ongoing study of adolescent scholars in a “second-chance” trauma-informed secondary-level program, and offers selections from a focus group that demonstrates the importance of young people’s meaning-making when exploring what might make for generative “trauma-informed” pedagogies. Specifically, this paper argues for a focus on identity work and narrative to further ecological understandings of privilege, dispossession, and how young people take up trauma discourse to make meaning of their past experiences, their current realities, and their future possibilities.

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Furnivall, J and Grant, E., 2014. Trauma sensitive practice with children in care. Iriss Insight 27. (available electronically)

Identify up to three stand-out points from each article.

Brain development can be impacted by trauma. Numerous children who have experienced trauma operate at a lower developmental stage than their age would imply. It can be difficult for traumatised children to acquire the regulation skills necessary for education and social interactions.

The discomfort of traumatised children may worsen if people working with them are unable to control their own emotions. Teachers and carers have a critical role in supporting children's trauma recovery. To be of the greatest assistance to damaged children, they need the proper training and support.

Some children have strong reactions to sensory cues associated with their trauma, which include hyperarousal or dissociation. These responses frequently transpire at a level below conscious awareness. Interventions that are relational, developmentally appropriate, and consistent with neurobiology are necessary for effective assistance. Resilience and post-traumatic growth are achievable. Children who have experienced trauma want hope, and those who work with them need to have faith in their future.

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Golden, N. (2020). The Importance of Narrative: Moving Towards Sociocultural Understandings of
Trauma-Informed Praxis. Occasional Paper Series, 2020 (43).

Three Core Arguments

Importance of understanding trauma - by understanding the different issues and causes of an individual's trauma, you can get to grips and work with it better.

Sociocultural context - the influence of social and cultural factors which effect trauma are often ignored

Becoming more inclusive - Golden suggests we need a more inclusive method of teaching relating to trauma, which would hopefully result in more effective support and help for those suffering with trauma.

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Kumashiro, K. K. 2000. ‘‘Toward a Theory of Anti-oppressive Education.’’ Review of

Educational Research 70 (1), 25-53

3 key points:

It has been found that "various  racial  and  ethnic  prejudices  and  stereotypes  that  influence  how  teachers  treat  their  students  of  colour"  (Miller,  1995) and  "that  schools  need  to  be  and  to  provide  helpful  spaces  for  all  students". The article discusses different ways to help students who are often subject to prejudice feel more welcomed by offered them areas where they can find "help,  support,  advocacy,  re-sources"

Although all children should feel welcomes no matter where they are within the school. It is also beneficial if the school has   "sound  space  where  buildings  are  safe,  instructional  materials  are  available,  and  programs  and  personnel  are  sufficiently   funded". "For  example,  the  school  needs  to  provide  therapeutic  spaces  where  harmed  students  can  go  to  work  through  their  trauma,  such  as  that  resulting   from  harassment  or  assault;  to  receive  the  affirmation   provided  by  support  groups;  and  to  come  to  know  and  accept  who  they  are  by  learning  about  their  racial  and  sexual  differences"   (Crystal,   1989;  Reynolds  &  Koski,  1995).

Furthermore it has been found that "educators need  not  only  to  acknowledge  the  diversity  among  their  students,  but  also  to  embrace  these  differences  and  to  treat  their  students  as  raced,  gendered,  sexualized,  and  classed  individuals".

The benefits of doing this is that it ensures educators understand that those from a minority group are "marginalized  and  harmed  by  various  forms  of  oppression  in  schools. It is the duty of the teacher to ensure that schools " are  for,  and  that  attempt  to  teach  to,  all  their  students.

"To  fail  to  work  against  the  various  forms  of  oppression  is  to  be  complicit  with  them"

Personal Experience

From my personal experience I have always been within institutions with diverse cultural backgrounds amongst the students resulting in the school embracing people from all backgrounds. However I have never seen or experiences a school which had facilitates/ spaces in place for pupils who had experiences harassment or oppression. Although within my schools there was a lot of teacher support and members of staff that pupils could talk to if they had been experiencing some difficulty. There was no environment or room designated for this.

Own experience

I think it is important to have spaces for pupils to go to where they can feel safe and get away from a situation if necessary. Having safe spaces for students to access can benefit them in a number of ways and it offers them a safe outlet within school.

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Riddell, S. (2009) Social justice, equality and inclusion in Scottish education, Discourse, 30, 3, 283-297.

Impairment which reflects the underlying condition or characteristic impending an individual, whilst disability is how their impairment can be influenced by the experience in economic, social, cultural and political environments.

It is still the norm that professionals are the main resource when identifying needs and the input of parents and the children themselves is still resisted.

How using inclusion has been used to justify particular policies.

I take great care in listening to children, not dismissing them or allowing them to feel that I don't care.

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Week 4 Reading 3 - Riddell (2009) Social justice, equality and inclusion in Scottish education.

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Week 4 Reading 3 - Riddell (2009) Social justice, equality and inclusion in Scottish education.

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One of the biggest barriers in Scotland and England is the lack of development in the area of rights.

There are big differences between males and females in some different ASN in 2006, for example, Autism and language or speech disorder.

In a review of accessibility in 2003 it was found that there was a big emphasis on physical environments rather than teaching and learning.

Relation to own experience.

In my current SE2 class I can see the gender differences with ASN however I wasn't sure if this could be generalised until now. Further research into this could be beneficial however.

Impact of practice.

In relation to my third point I could think more about my teaching rather than environmental factors to support the whole class in their learning.

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Clough, P. and Corbett, J. (2000) Theories of Inclusive Education: A students’ guide. London: Paul Chapman
Publishing.- Introduction pp3-33

Identify up to 3 main points from the article.

A more homogenous approach of the five major routes to inclusion needs to be taken, as well as a need for individually appropriate education whereby each learners inclusivity is treated as its own being.

Developments toward this should be taken in three ways - epidemic, methodological, and institutional

Students should be integrated into mainstream learning as there are different routes to inclusion which can be adopted which may work better for different pupils.

How does this relate to your own experiences?

Though my own experiences both in schools and in placement, I have seen examples of this integration of ASN pupils into classrooms using methods of inclusion that are outlined in this reading.

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- Marketisation of education: This refers to the trend of treating education as a market commodity, where schools and educational institutions operate more like businesses. It involves competition, consumer choice, and the influence of market forces on education policies and practices.

- Focus on accountability and standards: With the emphasis on accountability, there is a push for schools and teachers to meet specific standards and measurable outcomes. This can involve standardised testing, performance evaluations, and data-driven decision-making to ensure educational quality and effectiveness.

- Winners and losers in the system: The article highlights that the marketisation and accountability measures in education can create winners and losers within the system. Some schools or students may benefit from increased competition and resources, while others may face disadvantages or inequities due to various factors such as funding, location, or socioeconomic status.

In relation to my practice:

Reflect on my teaching methods. I should take some time to reflect on how the marketisation of education might influence my teaching methods. Am I feeling pressure to prioritise certain outcomes or standards over others?

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Throughout the paper, Florian and Black-Hawkins explore various dimensions of inclusive pedagogy, including:

Curriculum: They discuss the importance of designing a flexible and responsive curriculum that can be adapted to meet the diverse needs of learners, while also challenging stereotypes and promoting social justice.

Teaching Strategies: The authors highlight the need for teachers to employ a variety of instructional methods and approaches to cater to different learning styles and preferences. This may involve differentiated instruction, cooperative learning, and the use of assistive technologies.

Assessment: They emphasize the need for inclusive assessment practices that accurately measure student progress and achievement, while also minimizing barriers and biases that may disadvantage certain groups of learners.

Teacher Professional Development: Florian and Black-Hawkins stress the importance of ongoing teacher training and professional development in fostering inclusive pedagogy. This includes opportunities for reflection, collaboration, and the acquisition of new knowledge and skills.

Overall, the paper provides valuable insights into the principles and practices of inclusive pedagogy, offering guidance for educators seeking to create more inclusive and equitable learning environments. It highlights the importance of embracing diversity, challenging existing power dynamics, and fostering a culture of belonging and respect within schools.

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The paper explores how racism is normalized within educational settings and the impact it has on students from marginalized racial backgrounds.

The authors draw on qualitative research to highlight the various ways in which racism manifests in schools, including microaggressions, discriminatory policies, and biased interactions with teachers and peers. They argue that despite efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, racism remains deeply ingrained in educational institutions and is often downplayed or dismissed by those in positions of power.

Kennelly and Mouroutsou emphasize the emotional toll that racism takes on students of color, describing how it can lead to feelings of isolation, alienation, and diminished self-worth. They coin the term "the times when it hurts" to capture the moments when students are confronted with racism and its damaging effects on their well-being.

Overall, the paper sheds light on the lived experiences of students of color within school environments and calls for greater recognition of the systemic nature of racism in education. The authors advocate for proactive measures to address racism, including anti-racist education, culturally responsive teaching practices, and the amplification of student voices in decision-making processes.

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Fraser Lauchlan and Christopher Boyle's academic paper "Is the use of labels in special education helpful?" explores the impact and effectiveness of labeling in special education contexts. The authors examine whether the use of labels, such as diagnoses or categorizations of disabilities, contributes positively or negatively to the educational experiences and outcomes of students with special needs.

The paper critically evaluates existing research and literature on the topic, considering both the advantages and disadvantages associated with labeling. Some potential benefits of labeling discussed in the paper include facilitating access to specialized support services, promoting understanding and recognition of students' needs, and guiding educational interventions tailored to specific disabilities.

However, Lauchlan and Boyle also highlight several drawbacks and concerns related to the use of labels in special education. These include the potential for stigmatization and stereotyping, the risk of creating self-fulfilling prophecies or lowering expectations for students, and the tendency to overlook individual differences and strengths by focusing solely on diagnostic categories.

Overall, the paper underscores the complexity of the issue and suggests that while labels can have some utility in certain contexts, educators and policymakers should approach their use with caution. The authors advocate for a more nuanced and holistic approach to supporting students with special needs, one that prioritizes individualized support, positive reinforcement, and inclusive educational practices over reliance on diagnostic labels.

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1. Messiou K. (2012) Collaborating with children in exploring marginalisation:

an approach to inclusive education, International Journal of Inclusive Education, 16:12, 1311-1322.

Listening to children’s voices within the classroom and school settings is key to be able to understand the concept of marginalism- having the learners views is a key part of yielding inclusion within the school and puts an emphasis on the view of the child so that they have the most inclusive environment possible. There is a framework that was made which can help systematically guid a practitioner into facilitating inclusion within their practice. Overall, when looking at this article it is key to note that there has been a large debate between many practitioners/ authors about listening to the learners voices rather than solely on the educator. In relation to this specific article, it is believed that in order to have an inclusive class it is important to consider the views of the learners within this class. This, along with previous practice will allow a practitioner to achieve a high level of inclusion, along with equity, and nurture. Children’s voices can yield a very powerful conclusion when looking at the classroom setting and an approach to inclusion, therefore it is important to consider their contributions when looking at inclusion. The four-step process that allows inclusion and prevents marginalisation is a sublime way to introduce a progressive framework into the school community. Marginalisation can come down to race, age, gender, affluency, to name just a few. It is important to have a completely neutral and equal environment so that the learners feel safe and supported.

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Analysis of Power: Kumashiro emphasizes the importance of critically analyzing power dynamics within educational settings, including how privilege and oppression operate at various levels.

Critical Pedagogy: He advocates for the adoption of critical pedagogy, which involves questioning dominant narratives and fostering critical thinking skills among students to challenge oppressive structures.

Social Justice Education: Kumashiro argues for the integration of social justice principles into educational practices, which involves actively working towards equity and liberation for marginalized groups.

Transformative Change: The paper calls for transformative change within educational institutions, emphasizing the need to go beyond superficial diversity initiatives and enact structural changes that address root causes of oppression.

Overall, Kumashiro's paper contributes to the ongoing dialogue on how to effectively combat oppression within educational settings by providing a theoretical framework that emphasizes critical analysis, social justice, and transformative change.

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Riddell, S. (2009) Social justice, equality and inclusion in Scottish education, Discourse, 30, 3, 283-297. (available electronically).

Key points:

-       The Skills Strategy aims to provide equal access to skills and learning for all, including those with persistent disadvantage. However, the concept of social justice, inclusion, and equality is complex and often contested in Scottish policy rhetoric.

-       Different approaches to equality focus on equality of opportunity or outcome. Liberal approaches aim to remove barriers to social progress, while radical approaches challenge social inequalities by recognizing the system's flaws. The Equalities Review proposed an equal society that protects freedom, recognizes people's different needs, situations, and goals, and removes barriers.

-       Debates in equality involve recognizing strands and adopting a single-strand approach. European and British policies recognize six strands, advocating for mainstreaming. Scotland Act 1998 defines equality as preventing discrimination based on sex, race, disability, age, religion, and sexual orientation.

-       Scotland's education policy has been reinforced through legislation such as the Education Act 2000, Disability Discrimination Act 1995, and the ASL Act 2004. These measures aim to create inclusive environments for disabled pupils. However, the proportion of children with additional support needs in mainstream classes has remained static for at least 20 years. The benefits of inclusion are able children with physical or sensory impairments, but teachers' tolerance for children with behavioral difficulties has decreased. It is now more common for ASN children to be included in mainstream schools and they should be catered for and included as much as their peers.

-       School exclusion rates have risen, with dips in 2002/03 and 2007/08 following Scottish Government guidance on exclusion.

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Mowat (2015) Towards a new conception of marginalisation, European educational Research Journal, 14(5), 454-476.

Identify up to three stand out points from each article.

Mowat proposes a change in the understanding of marginalisation in schools from a simplistic notion of exclusion or disadvantage to a more dynamic and multifaceted concept. It is argued within the article that marginalisation should be seen as a relational process rather than solely focussing on individual experiences of exclusion.

The relational aspect of marginalisation is suggested to involve complex interactions between individuals or groups and broader social structures and systems of power.

Mowat calls for a more nuanced and contextually sensitive approach in educational environments in terms of addressing marginalisation.

Relation to experience/ implications

I should consider the way in which my teaching/ resources and activates are possibly contributing to marginalisation within my school and classroom. Instead, I should look at ways in which I can plan my lessons in attempt to further resilience amongst students within the school, so they feel supported and encouraged in their learning journey.

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Three key points:

Schools' contribution to marginalisation- even though education is seen as a way to escape marginalisation, schools can unintentionally act as catalysts for it as well. For example, an inappropriate curriculum that ignores the needs of each individual student; rigid, unsuitable systems and structures that fail to acknowledge the difference between expectations for student behaviour and students' ability to meet them; the adoption of attitudes that ultimately lead to exclusion.

Practitioners can have a major impact on resilience in education. Promoting a focused mindset and creating a classroom environment which enables learners to feel supported is essential. Additionally, creating the balance between support and encouragement to enhance children's learning should be carefully considered when developing a resilient individual.

Resilience is a notion that not only frames people's experiences in life (and how they understand them), but it can also be understood as a way for individuals to overcome their unique circumstances.

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inclusive education -

disability neglect - leaners with a disability are excluded by schools or the schooling system. There is a case where a mother had to stop working and educate her own daughter as four mainstream schools did not accept her. - Lack of resources for disabled children - e.g no ramps, no hand rails on stairs etc.

stereotypes represent the cognitive component of inter group bias. Stereotypes sometimes leads us to discriminate positively or negatively against students from different backgrounds of if they have additional support needs.

prejudice is a fundamental component of human social behaviour that represents the complex interplay between neural processes and situational factors

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Hernandez, A., and Burrows, K. (2021). Implementing Culturally Relevant Teaching in the Classroom. Open Journal of Leadership, 10, 338-363.

3 main points from this reading -

Children from different cultures/countries may learn differently and this should be seen as a positive thing, rather than being singled out for not learning in a specific way.

CRT - is an interdisciplinary academic field focused on the relationships between social conceptions of race and ethnicity, social and political laws and media. It promotes an inclusive environment as children from different ethnics and races are able to educate their classmates on their backgrounds.

academic gaps can create a sense of stress/ anxiousness in a classroom. Children may feel unsupported/judged if they are not meeting certain tagets.

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CRT - Cultural relevant teaching is an interdisciplinary academic field focused on the relationships between social and conceptions of race and ethnicity. CRT allows children to share their own experiences in a classroom to educate their classmates.

Children from different backgrounds and cultures will require additional support and will have changing needs, however this should be seen as a positive rather than a negative.

academic gaps can create a sense of anxiousness/ make children uncomfortable as they may feel judged or unsupported by teachers if they are not meeting certain targets.

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CRT - culturally relevant teaching - it is possible to create and develop an ecosystem of mutual interchanges between students and teachers, and students amongst themselves. CRT gives students the chance to speak about their own personal experiences and educate their classmates.

achievement gaps have a profound impact on students and their individual expectations of being accepted, understood and valued by their teachers. Achievement gaps tend to make children been unsupported/ uncomfortable in school.

diverse students have different experiences which require different needs that may change a lot due many different aspects. This should be seen as a positive thing, rather than a negative

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Expressions of prejudice and stereotyping are often regulated on the basis of personal beliefs and social norms. This involves neural structures that are typically recruited for cognitive control.

Stereotypes represent the cognitive component of inter group bias. Stereotyping involves the encoding of group based concepts and their influence on impressing formation, social goals and behaviour.

Prejudice is a fundamental component of human social behaviour that represents the complex interplay between neural processes and situational factors.

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Diverse students needs in the classroom will continue to change due to having different experiences culturally and academically, however this should never be looked at as a weakness, but instead a strength.

Children in lower ability groups may feel judged/ unaccepted in schools, creating a sense of anxiousness and making students feel uncomfortable. It is vital teachers make an inclusive environment where every child feels supported, no matter their academic ability.

Culturally Relevant teaching. - with this framework, it is possible to create and develop an ecosystem of mutual interchanges between students and teachers - values such as equality and respect are key. CRT is based on giving children the chance to share their own experiences with the whole class to educate others.

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Kumashiro, K. K. 2000. ‘‘Toward a Theory of Anti-oppressive Education.’’ Review of
Educational Research 70 (1), 25-53

Focusses on a need for anti-oppressive education to address the systemic inequalities within the education system.

Key Points

Recognises the necessity of recognising oppression as systemic rather than individual, as it is ingrained in educational policies and structures. He argues this means oppression will continue to exist if the discriminatory behaviours are not changed.

He stresses the importance for awareness and reflection of educators to ensure they understand their biases and privileges that may not be apparent, to allow them to challenge oppressive strategies.

Pushes for a pedagogy that works to get rid of oppressive structures within education, creating a more diverse and welcoming environment for learners.

Personal Experience/ Implications of Practise

Think of small classroom and resource changes you could make to ensure all pupils feel represented and respected in the classroom/learning environment

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Kumashiro, K. K. 2000. ‘‘Toward a Theory of Anti-oppressive Education.’’ Review of

Educational Research 70 (1), 25-53.

Explores how educators address oppression in schools, emphasizing the need for a borader perspective.

Calls for the exploration of marginalised theories in educational research to better tackle social oppression in students' lives.

Two approaches to addressing oppression in schools.

The first approach focuses on improving the experiences of marginalised students facing external harm, discrimination, and substandard conditions.

The second approach examines internal factors, including biases held by educators, influencing how marginalised students are treated.

Students respond in various ways, but the article emphasises that all students, regardless of apparent success or failure, experience oppression in different forms.

Creating supportive and affirming spaces within schools, both in the entire school and through separate spaces for therapeutic and empowering purposes.

Educators acknowledging and embracing students' diversity, incorporating home cultures into teaching, using equitable pedagogies, and challenging biases.

The goal is to create inclusive and tailored educational environments that affirm differences and address the specific needs of students.

The approaches alone is insufficient to fully address the complexities of oppression in education.

Researchers suggest countering oppression by examining what students, both privileged and marginalised, learn about the other.

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The social model of disability: An outdated ideology? by T. Shakespeare and N. Watson

The social model of disabilities has been referred to ‘the big idea’ of the British disability movement. This was developed in the 1970’s.

It is argued that the success of the social model is now its main weakness this is because it is such a powerful tool and also so central to the disability.  It was an ideology which is not so easy to challenge.

Liz Crow  argued that the social model fails to encompass  that  personal experiences of pain and limitation these are often part of impairment.

Every child has the right to an education and no matter what their disability is, they should be made to feel included and support should be given where they need it to help to help ensure that their learning is successful.

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While the social model is perceived as being cold and removed from the leaners it is designed to help, it should be considered as a product of its time as inclusive education did not exist as a concept at this time and this model was deemed as providing the best possible care for children.

Once it was identified that there could be a better methods of providing educational experiences to children with additional educational needs, many practitioners who championed practices from the medical model changed their views to better suit the needs of the children under their care.

In regards to my own practice the medical model may not have been at the forefront  of practice but it was certainly a consideration in regards to unlocking access to additional resources for pupils in regards to getting a medical diagnosis, though only when appropriate.

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Week 3 Article 3 - Shakespeare and Watson (2002) The social model of disability: An outdated ideology?

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Week 3 Article 3 - Shakespeare and Watson (2002) The social model of disability: An outdated ideology?

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3 Stand Out Points

Similar to the feminism movement, denial of difference can be an issue with disabilities as there will be varying struggles that the whole population doesn't go through and people have varying needs.

They suggest that the social model has the distinction between impairment as something to do with the body and disability as the relationship between the disability and society.

Authors suggest that the social model of disability should include all parts of a disabled persons experiences and this includes cultural, social, political, bodily and psychological.

Relation to own experience.

The term disability can be so broad and because the authors related their thoughts to the feminist movement, this made me understand their ideas more clearly. I like that they were talking about how we should see people with a disability as more than that.

Implications for practice.

In relation to practice I think that this article highlights the importance of not stereotyping people based off of a diagnosis. A child can identify with so much more than just one thing.

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Allan, J., 2010. Questions of inclusion in Scotland and Europe. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 25(2), pp.199-208. (available electronically).

-              Inclusion was intended to replace integration in the early 1990s but was limiting as it only concerned with physical difficulties.

-              Slee’s formula – Equity is achieved when you add additional resources to the disabled student.

-              Inclusion is being questioned as it is unclear about who is included.

-              Teachers weren’t confident with inclusion with the resources they had.

-              It was questioned if mainstream schools were able to provide the need that ASN children needed.

-              Children should be able to access mainstream schools provided the school can support their needs.

-              Total inclusion was described as a form of ‘child abuse’.

-              Confusion of how to be inclusive – this came from achievement levels within the school or class, the teacher doesn’t want to let any child or parent down when it came to achieving.

-              Parents were concerned about schools not willing to accept their child – when they do accept – parents can feel wary that schools aren’t providing the correct resources and support for their child.

-              When considering the inclusion of children in mainstream schools – as opposed to special schools – it is salutary that in many parts of Europe there are children who are not even in school - identified 2.4 million ‘missing children’ of primary school age who were not in education, and 12 million children of lower‐ and upper‐secondary school age not in education.

-              Majority of these numbers were in turkey, Russia and Ukraine.

-              Upward trend of ASN in Scotland.

-              Between 2004 and 2007, the percentage of children with additional support needs on the mainstream school roll rose from 3.7% to 4.4% in primary.

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Hernandez, A., and Burrows, K. (2021). Implementing Culturally Relevant Teaching in the Classroom. Open Journal of Leadership, 10, 338-363.

This reading spoke about implementing culturally relevant teaching into classrooms by recognising the importance of  valuing students' diverse cultural backgrounds, experiences, and identities in the teaching and learning process. Culturally relevant teaching (CRT) aims to close the attainment gap by incorporating the multicultural perspectives of CRT is essential to creating a supportive, student-centred approach that reflects minority students and students of diverse backgrounds. It helps to meet the needs of a culturally diverse classroom. Diversity comes in many forms such as age, gender, sex, religion and culture.

CRT helps to improve teacher education by looking into what works effectively in diverse classrooms

Teachers should have an understanding of the biases that may be in a diverse classroom

Teachers all implemented RACCE (show respect, act immediately, communicate, celebrate, and encourage students) within their classrooms and established “student-first” learning wherein the students were central to all learning processes. They made positive teacher student relationships and had high expectations for every student regardless of ethnic/racial background.

This made me think about how I can implement CRT into my classroom, and making sure to have discussions with the children . It also made me think about the resources available in my classroom, and the importance of having a diverse range of resources/books.

Week 3

Clough, P. and Corbett, J. (2000) Theories of Inclusive Education: A students’ guide. London: Paul Chapman Publishing.- Introduction pp3-33.

Special Educational needs entered UK Legislation after years of wrongly shaming children who needed extra support

All students, regardless of their differences, should be included in mainstream education settings and provided with equal opportunities to learn.

Allowing ASN children to join in with their peers is great for them feeling included, and allows them not to rely on an adult. Making learning accessible to all and not focusing on what the child can't do but what the child is able to do and how to develop their learning is a better outlook for teachers.

This relates to my own practice as I have a child with ADHD who often struggles to join in with his classmates however the teacher always encourages him to sit with them and join in with discussions. He is allowed time out if he feels overwhelmed but the child can decide on this himself so that he doesn't feel excluded.

This reading has given me a better understanding of ASN children and made me think more about the importance of them feeling included and not singled out for needing extra support.

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Shakespeare, T. and Watson, N. (2002) The social model of disability: an outdated ideology? Research in Social Science and Disability’, 2, pp. 9-28. (available electronically)

Key points:

-       The model distinguishes between physical impairment and the social situation, or 'disability', of people with such impairments. It defines 'disability' as social oppression, not the form of impairment, this means that , it replaced the traditional medical model view of disability, which focused on deficits in the body,

-       The social model has faced criticism from activists, such as Liz Crow and Carol Thomas, who argue that it fails to encompass personal experiences of pain and limitation, which are often part of impairment.

-       Tom Shakespeare argues that the social model of disability in Britain has been outdated and creates more problems than it solves. The social model has traditionally avoided or excluded the issue of impairment, which has been argued to be a result of radical rhetoric. He also critises contemporary genetic rhetoric and practice, arguing that while it is important to avoid serious conditions like Tay-Sachs disease and anencephaly, it is also necessary to consider the impact of genetic technologies on disabled individuals.

-       The Social Model of Disability is an outdated ideology that overlooks the complex nature of disability. It suggests that disability is a multiplicity, a plurality, and cannot be reduced to a singular identity. The model has been applied within a modernist context, arguing against a middle ground between the medical and social models. Instead, disability studies should engage more with contemporary social theory while remaining accessible and politically engaged.

-       The Atlantic suggests that everyone is impaired, challenging the traditional dividing line between 'normal' and 'disabled'. They argue that impairment is not just a small minority's physical state but the normal condition of humanity. They argue that the difference between disabled and non-disabled people is not that they have bodies or minds that don't work, but that they are an oppressed minority within a disabling society.

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Week 3 Reading 1  Clough, P. and Corbett, J. (2000) Theories of Inclusive Education: A students’ guide. London: Paul Chapman Publishing.- Introduction pp3-33 

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Week 3 Reading 1  Clough, P. and Corbett, J. (2000) Theories of Inclusive Education: A students’ guide. London: Paul Chapman Publishing.- Introduction pp3-33 

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→’Inclusive Education’ can mean many different things which can often construct confusion for students within this area. Often used in different effect by politicians, bureacrats and academics it is considered a contestable term. ‘Inclusion’ is made up of many strong beliefs, many different local struggles and a myriad forms of practice. The book reinforces the notion of inclusion as a process- rather than a specific ideology or set of practices.

→The five perspectives of inclusive educational practices; the psycho-medical legacy, the sociological response, curricular approaches, school improvment strategies, and disability studies critique, conveys a particular view of the historical development of ideas and of practice. Discussion of the dynamic relationshp between the various perspectives convey how they should be considered as occupying the same ground but with different emphases and popularity.

→When analysing the psycho-medical legacy, it must be understood alongside the ‘social’ model, as whilst the terms may not have a distince conceptual identity, their use does strongly imply an operational meaning. Exploring how ‘special education’ owes its origins to the development of a pathology of difference, first through medical, then later through psychological enquiry.

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Identify up to three stand out points from each article.

-              The article argues that the social model is outdated and that if anything it is that the time has come to move beyond this position. (p2)

-              The article highlights 3 central arguments in which include ; Impairment, the absent presence (the social model has traditionally either avoided or excluded the issue of impairment) A sustainable dichotomy? (Social model theory in the UK rests on a distinction between impairment, an attribute of the individual body or mind, and disability, a relationship between a person with impairment and society) and Only and always disabled? (Disabled people are seen as those who identify as such. Non-disabled people are often not welcome. Disabled leadership is seen as vital.)

-              The social model was massively important in the British disability movement, in two main ways. 1. It enabled the identification of a political strategy, namely barrier removal. 2. The dismantle these disabling barriers, in order to promote the inclusion of people with impairments.

How does this relate to your own experiences

-              This relates to my own experience due to experiences I have come into contact with during the SE2 placement. Many times there is almost a stigma around the disabilities in the classroom and how these need to be addressed, however as the article has been insightful in showing me how social motivations, especially through the social model can greatly influence human attitudes towards those with an impairment.

What are the implication for your own practise?

Ensure that those with a disability are treated fairly and given the support they need solely because it will help their learning journey and not just because the socially ‘correct thing’ is to do this. Don’t discriminate against these individuals and ensure that they feel comfortable and safe in the classroom as they deserve to be there just as much as every other student in the room.

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Inclusion can be viewed as a dynamic process rather than a fixed ideology or set of practices. This chapter illustrates how various viewpoints shape the practical aspect of education and inclusion.

5 major perspectives on educational inclusion:

- The psycho-medical legacy: Views the individual as being somehow “in deficit”, resulting in an assumed need for “special” education.

- The sociological Response: draws attention the the social construction of special educational needs.

- Curricular approaches: emphasises the role of the curriculum in meeting, and effectively creating, learning difficulties.

- School improvement strategies: focuses on the importance of systematic organisation in pursuit of truly comprehensive schooling.

- Disability studies critique: perspectives fro outside education, political response to exclusionary effects of the psycho medical model

In a strong sense, notions of inclusive education are vitally related to these conceptions of the curriculum, extending as they do to include school and college ethos, institutional culture, and the ways in which behaviour management is maintained and monitored; and, of course, the role of pedagogy in creating inclusion and exclusion.

In my own experience I have found all pupils in a class have very different needs, requirements, backgrounds, likes, dislikes etc. This to me makes it evident that to achieve an inclusive learning environment requires careful consideration of a variety of perspectives of inclusion to meet all learners needs.

In my own practice, I aim to look at inclusion on an individual basis and selecting methods of inclusion that will best suit that specific learner. This will hopefully allow each learner to access opportunities alongside their peers.

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·      There are 3 different models of disability discourse:

·      The medical model suggests that disability is an impairment resulting from issues with body functions. Their idea of ‘fixing’ this is by normalising their difficulties to avoid judgement.

·      The social model of disability defines it as a social construct that is imposed on people with disabilities to make them look ‘different’ from everyone else. Fixing this would be done by spreading knowledge about the disabilities to build understanding.

·      This is helpful for my practice as we as teachers can lessen that feeling of being different for pupils with disabilities. We can teach our pupils about disabilities and why people may find certain things hard or do them in a specific way.

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Lauchlan, F. and Boyle, C. (2007) Is the use of labels in special education helpful? Support for Learning, 22(1), 36-42

The research highlights a diversity of perspectives on the use of labels in special education. Some argue in favour of their clarity and categorisation benefits, while others emphasise their potential negative consequences.

Potential for labels to contribute to the stigmatisation  of students with additional support needs, possibly leading to societal bias and lower expectations.

The study advocates a shift towards individualised approaches that consider the unique needs and strengths of each student. This suggests a move away from solely relying on labels for understanding and supporting students with additional support needs.

Potential impact of labels on the self-esteem of students. Labels may influence students' perceptions of their abilities and contribute to a sense of limitation.

The study calls for a critical examination of the prevalent use of labels for ASN children, encouraging educators and policymakers to weigh the benefits against the potential drawbacks.

The study advocates for a shift in focus towards more personalised and flexible support systems that go beyond the limitations of labels.

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Week 3 - Article 4 Lauchlan, F. and Boyle, C. (2007) Is the use of labels in special education helpful? Support for Learning, 22(1), 36-42. (available electronically).

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Week 3 - Article 4 Lauchlan, F. and Boyle, C. (2007) Is the use of labels in special education helpful? Support for Learning, 22(1), 36-42. (available electronically).

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1. The meaning of disability has been understood in different ways throughout history, influenced by professional organisations and individuals who have the authority to establish definitions in society.

2. Historically, there have been different conceptualisations of disability, including religious interpretations and the shift towards medical and scientific knowledge as the "cognitive authority" in societal values and treatment approaches.

3. The language used to describe individuals with disabilities is important, as it influences expectations and interactions. The two prominent models of disability discourse are the medical model and the social model, which have different perspectives on disability.

This relates to my own experience by highlighting the impact of societal definitions and language on individuals with disabilities. It shows that the understanding of disability has evolved over time, shaping how people are perceived and treated.

The implications for my own practice is that I can stive to create an inclusive and respectful environment. By being aware of the historical and linguistic influences on disability, I can choose my language carefully and promote positive attitudes towards individuals with disabilities.

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3 stand out points

The social model was developed by activists in the union of physically impaired against segregation (UPIAS) in 1970's. It is important in the British disability movement as it enabled the identification of a political strategy, barrier removal - where, if people with impairments are disabled by society, then there is a priority to dismantle these barriers to promote inclusion. It also replaced the medical model view of disability where problems came from deficits in the body to the social model where problems arose from social oppression. Which made disabled people realise it wasn’t their fault it was society, and it was society that needed to change not them.

Some believe the strong social model itself has become a problem, and that it cannot be reformed. It is believed that the British version of a social model has outlived its usefulness as people say it over simplified disability and it overlooks disability by ignoring impairments and medical conditions which is part of peoples daily experience and cannot be ignored in a social theory.

They stated that there need to be a more inclusive and fuller approach to understand disability that considers both social and individual factors, which would allow a better reflection on the complexity of disability experiences and inform better practices and policies. They also say this approach would need to incorporate diverse perspectives and acknowledge the limitations of the current models.

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Lauchlan, F. and Boyle, C. (2007) Is the use of labels in special education helpful? Support for Learning, 22(1), 36-42

Main arguments

There needs to be a stop to the over-reliance on labels within education to 'explain' difficulties

Positives include peace of mind for families and the child, and additional support and resources for teachers

Negatives include stigmatisation and bullying, reduced opportunities and expectations

Relation to Experiences

Pupils tend to be majorly supportive of their peers within the classroom environment. With this said, there are still instances where pupils 'joke' about other's difficulties/labels, which stems from the idea of stigmatisation - e.g. a pupil was reading and mispronounced a word, and the pupil beside called him dyslexic.

Implications for practise

Don't rely on labels given to children or what they may show signs of - alter teaching methods to suit the child subtly to prevent singling pupils out, as long as it is beneficial for the child

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Gilliam, W. S., Maupin, A. N., Reyes, C. R., Accavitti, M., & Shic, F. (2016). Do early educators’ implicit biases regarding sex and race relate to behavior expectations and recommendations of preschool expulsions and suspensions? Research Brief. New Haven, CT: Yale Child Study Center (available electronically).

Three stand out points

There is increasing concern on the disproportional rates of early child expulsion for boys, blacks and particularly black boys. Black preschoolers are 3.6 times as likely to receive one or more suspensions relative to white preschoolers. White teachers tend to hold an implicit bias that black preschoolers are more likely to engage in challenging classroom behaviors. So during a study where participants were told they were going to see behaviors which may become challenging they found teachers spent more time gazing at boys and at black children than at girls and Caucasian children, and over all spent more time gazing at black boys than other children. They also found black participants spent more time gazing at black boys than another children compared to white participants

Research suggests that implicit biases may be reduced through interventions designed to either address biases directly or increase teachers empathy for children. Teachers may benefit from increased training and ongoing guidance to understand how to use information from family interactions to increase their empathy towards a child

Biases are inherited attributes that can be very harmful, but when beliefs about groups lead to assumptions about individuals, resulting in impacts on how we choose to educate our learners or deny access to educational opportunities through expulsions and suspension the potential for lasting harm is great

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Gilliam et al (2016) Do Early Educators’ Implicit Biases Regarding Sex and Race Relate to Behavior Expectations and Recommendations of Preschool Expulsions and Suspensions? pp. 1-18.

Identify up to 3 stand-out points for each article.

Their study found that there can be different expectations for children from their preschool teachers that depend on their race.

Boys were thought to need the most attention when teachers (in lower school) were looking out for challenging behaviours and this links with research showing that they are more likely to be removed from classrooms.

White early educators may have implicit bias that black children are more likely to show challenging behaviours and therefore expect it and don't rate it as severe.

How does this relate to your own experiences?

I think that there is a stereotype around boys misbehaving and girls being more studious/behaving. This is something that I have experienced when I was in school. If there is an expectation that you will misbehave does that make it more likely to happen?

What are the implications for your own practice?

Be prepared for children to misbehave however, try not to assume who will misbehave based on race or gender.

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Three stand-out points:

The medical model of disability is viewed as a problem that needs to be medically cured through treatments so individuals can function as part of a ‘normal’ society. This is a method that still has many limitations on allowing the individual to function independently. Through this model people experience preconceptions about themselves as they are categorised and labelled. In an educational setting this often leads to children experiencing exclusion as they are segregated.

The social model of disability has a wider approach as it strives to change society rather than implement direct change for an individual. Allowing environmental barriers to be eliminated for all. This is viewed as a social construct where changes will be made across society.

However, evidence has demonstrated that the medical and social model ignores personal experiences and individual circumstances. As the medical model does not focus on the patient's experience, it focuses on the steps to diagnose. The social model is a more general approach which is applied nationally without considering individual cases. Therefore, these both have limitations.

How does this relate to your own experience?

I have seen implications of the social model on my placement as the school has lifts and ramps to accommodate those who need this. However, there are areas of the school which would be inaccessible to disabled children. This would mean they would require extra support to be able to access these areas. Therefore, I think within this individual circumstance the legal requirements are in place, but the school is not looked at independently to accommodate.

What are the implications for your own practice?

The implications of this would mean if there was a wheelchair user within the school, they would have trouble accessing the assembly hall and the PE hall. Therefore, this would not meet the needs of that child and would lead to segregation/exclusion.

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Lauchlan, F. and Boyle, C. (2007) Is the use of labels in special education helpful? Support for Learning, 22(1), 36-42

3 KEY POINTS:

when a label is given to someone then it opens them up to receiving the necessary help and intervention however a label does not always mean the correct help is given.

By diagnosing children and proving labels then awareness is being raised around learning difficulties however this can also lead to stigmatisation.

By having a label it means that professionals are able to discuss and address difficulties with more clarity however there is a lot of disagreement and debate between professionals about how to determine a label.

A label can sometime give people and families with a better understanding of what is going on and give them greater reassurance however a label can also result in too much of a focus being placed on the children deficit and cause them to be seen someone who will underachieve.

Labels can help people with self-identity and allow them to feel apart of a community however it also open the door up to bullying and exclusion.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

I always struggled with literacy particularly spelling in primary school however i was never labels as dyslexic therefore did not receive additional support for this. I always felt further behind that my peers when it came to literacy and had a difficult time keeping it. However, since i was not diagnosed with dyslexia the school did not feel as though i needed extra support. This is an instant where i feel that labeling people as dyslexic and others as not means that support is only given to those who have the label.

OWN PRACTICE

I believe that many teachers feel as though they are not equipped to teach children with additional needs and rely too heavily on a specialist which leads to children being excluded. Within my own practice i hope to gain a strong understanding and knowledge around how to help children with additional needs within a classroom setting.

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Armstrong, A. C., Armstrong, D. and Spandagou (2010) Inclusive Education: key themes (Chapter 1). In: Armstrong, A. C., Armstrong, D. and Spandagou, eds. Inclusive Education: International Policy and Practice. London: Sage. pp 2-10

1) children within ‘special’ education are given labels such as ‘challenging behaviour’ or ‘additional support needs’. Research and studies have shown, that these terms tend to stick with children throughout adulthood, and typically are then labelled as ‘disabled’ or as having a disability or impairment all throughout their lives, even though there is no research or evidence to back this up.

2) Children in mainstream schools are exposed to a lot more experiences and a wider curriculum than those in ‘special education’. With the lack of opportunities these children have, there is a real sense of lack of social inclusion in society.

3) in the developed world, inclusive education is one that has challenged the traditional view and role of special education. Developed countries such as the UK and USA question policies that have promoted segregation and ‘human improvement’.

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3. Gilliam, W. S., Maupin, A. N., Reyes, C. R., Accavitti, M., & Shic, F. (2016). Do early educators’ implicit biases regarding sex and race relate to behavior expectations and recommendations of preschool expulsions and suspensions? Research Brief. New Haven, CT: Yale Child Study Center (available electronically).

Week 2 reading 3

Teaching staff tend to observe more closely black children, especially black boys.

White teachers tend to hold Black children to a lower behavioural standard, whereas black teachers hold black children to very high standards and pay attention to the behaviours of black boys and tend to implement tougher exclusionary disciplines.

Potentially lower expectations held for children based on race can have detrimental consequences over time, with low expectations, particularly for minority children, being linked to less favourable outcomes.

Ensure that non acceptable behaviour is treated the same no matter who the child is and what the child’s background is.

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Gilliam, W. S., Maupin, A. N., Reyes, C. R., Accavitti, M., & Shic, F. (2016). Do early educators’ implicit biases regarding sex and race relate to behavior expectations and recommendations of preschool expulsions and suspensions? Research Brief. New Haven, CT: Yale Child Study Center (available electronically).

Actions

Adults can tend to have bias towards race and gender even when unaware they are doing so. When a group of teachers were asked to watch a clip of children and spot which children was acting out, the use of eye tracking showed that most the the teachers eyed tended to land on the boys most often and especially the black boy. None of the children in the clip were actually acting out. This was a great way to show how the teachers bias expected the boy to be the ones to act out.

The article also explored how teachers tend to have more bias towards the opposite race than themselves. White teachers tend to be more likely to exclude or suspend black children for actions that they wouldn't suspend white children for. However studies also show that black teachers have higher expectations for black children and are able to relate to their lives more.

The article also explores how black teachers and overall more likely to recommend longer exclusions or suspension no matter the gender or sex. The is compared to white teachers who are said to give shorter exclusions overall.

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Hernandez, A., and Burrows, K. (2021). Implementing Culturally Relevant Teaching in the Classroom. Open Journal of Leadership, 10, 338-363.

1.1 – Modern classrooms are the most diverse they have ever been with a great range in cultures and backgrounds bring represented in the students within.

1.2 – Culturally relent teaching attempts to use cognitive pedagogies and a proactive behavioural approach in order to attempt to give leaners the tools and skills necessary to instil a wide range of cultural competencies and sociopolitical awareness.

1.3 – CRT aims promote a greater sense of interest from students into their education and also a sense of belonging in the school through ensuring that the methods and content of what they learn are relevant and representative of their own culture and background(s).

2 – I would say that in my limited experience in classrooms during student placements, there have been attempts by practitioners to instil a broad cultural awareness in students of different countries and religious backgrounds. Ther has also been an emphasis upon ensuring that a wide range of backgrounds are explored in different learning materials.

3 – It is critical to ensure that I can create an inclusive learning environment where the different backgrounds and cultures of my leaners are included to ensure they do not feel excluded from and in their studies.

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Amodio, D. M. (2014). The neuroscience of prejudice and stereotyping. Nature Reviews. Neuroscience, 15.

·      One of the main points is that human behaviour is greatly impacted by our social motivations such as a desire to compete or connect with people. In relation to this it states that our brains naturally have an “us” or “them” mindset.

·      Another main point is that our brains react to different faces -e.g people from different social groups- I’m different ways. It suggests that prejudice can be linked to fear conditioning.

·      This relates to my own experiences as I am always interacting with people from different social backgrounds. Sometimes we automatically make judgements based on appearance  and people social backgrounds as a natural response.

It is important to be recognise our own bias as they can change your interactions with people and possibly even your own students. Recognising bias not only in myself but in other students can help to create a more inclusive environment for all students in m

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Kennelly, J.M. and Mouroutsou, S. (2020) The Normalcy of Racism in the School Experience of Students of Colour: ‘The Times when It Hurts’, Scottish Educational Review, 52 (2), pp. 26- 47.

There are not very many minorities ethnic groups within Scotland, there are 697,989 students recorded in Scotland with 89.7 percent of these being recorded as white and 8.3% were from minority group (Asian, mixed, black)

These minority group children are mostly in Glasgow and Edinburgh schools.

Colour blind racism is very common, which is where teachers turn a blind eye and not see the racism that is happening right infront of them, some instances differentiation isn’t involved with is rude and discriminating. Teachers should involve minority groups in pictures around the class, if they have books have ones where black people are main characters not only white.

This does not relate to my own school experience as when I was a child my school was all white, there were no minority groups, however now the primary school I went to has a lot of minorly group pupils most of these are Indians and Ukrainian children who have come over for safety from the war that is happening. The school has adapted to included everyone. Language barriers are the biggest problem for teaching pupils as they struggle to understand so they are being worked alongside with special teaches who help to focus on learning their English which allows them to have the same opportunities as other pupils to learn.

For my own practice I will make sure and have books that include every ethnicity, I will ensure that RME is made important and pupils can learn about different values and beliefs and this may pupils will be less ignorant to the world around us if they are made aware.

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Armstrong, A. C., Armstrong, D. and Spandagou (2010) Inclusive Education: key themes (Chapter 1). In: Armstrong, A. C., Armstrong, D. and Spandagou, eds. Inclusive Education: International Policy and Practice. London: Sage. pp 2-10  (available electronically).

Three stand-out points

There are worries that teachers cannot provide and be inclusive to everyone in the classroom. They aren't able to provide support that they need and potentially need more training in order to do so.

NASUWT (National Association of Schoolmasters and Women Teachers Unions) have voiced their concern in 2009 about there not being a clear definition of inclusion in UK education systems which results in children being lucky/unlucky with the provision and support that they receive depending on where they live.

In Scotland boys make up 70% of pupils with additional support needs but there doesn't appear to be over-representation in relation to ethnic minorities.

How does this relate to your own experiences?

I can agree with the worries of the teachers in being able to provide inclusive education for all children. If you have a class with many varying needs it can be hard to provide for every single pupil all of the time when in reality, it would be beneficial for them to have 1-1 support.

What are the implications for your own practice?

I am aware that I need to be inclusive to all pupils and I do try however, it is hard sometimes when children have lots of varying needs and you can only be in one place at a time.

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Identify up to three stand-out points from each article

Diverse student needs and demographics are ever-changing and present a considerable challenge for practitioners. Children in these classrooms have differing experiences both culturally and academically, but these experiences should not limit leaner opportunities to success but should provide strength and individuality.

Research surrounding this topic derives three major domains of diverse teaching, including academic success, cultural competence, and sociopolitical consciousness, whereby CRT teachers support learners in developing skills that are necessary for educational success whilst valuing their diversity and cultural background. Ultimately supporting academic success through consideration of socio-economical influences and diversities.

The effect of CRT is explored within the text, with one specific researcher deriving how through observations of CRT teaching, a positive relationship between CRT and behavior management manifested. However, another researcher implored the challenges practitioners have proclaimed when implementing CRT, with teachers revealing challenges such as “resistance, limited view of culture, lack of knowledge about students’ cultures and identities, and lack of opportunities for students to develop critical consciousness’ within their CRT teaching.

How does this relate to your own experiences

With very little cultural differences existing in any classes I have engaged with, this relates to how those in the wider school can be supported and recognised. Whole school inclusion is vital and has been continuously observed in placement and school experiences. This should be implemented to ensure children are represented and supported in both curricular inputs in classes, and in extra-curricular activities within the school also.

What are the implications for your own practice

Social justice should always be considered when supporting and planning lessons. And teaching should always be sensitive to children's home-life and social background, therefore signifying the importance of these considerations when selecting activities and content within planning, and ensuring all children are represented in classroom materials and resources.

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Armstrong, A. C., Armstrong, D. and Spandagou (2010) Inclusive Education: key themes (Chapter 1). In: Armstrong, A. C., Armstrong, D. and Spandagou, eds. Inclusive Education: International Policy and Practice. London: Sage. pp 2-10

1.1 – the traditional view of special educational requirements, which was rooted in excluding those with additional support needs from the rest of mainstream schooling has been critically challenged in modern times. Shifting towards an inclusive diverse social model of inclusive education.

1.2 Inclusive education however requires one to move beyond providing support to children who require it, into understanding the underlying social problems (cultural, economic etc) that can cause these support needs.

1.3 There is a great level of disparity between the lofty goals of many inclusive educational programs and the actual implementation of this in the classroom, with resources often being strained and staff confidence low.

2 In my experience so far lessons have been taught with all pupils in the same classroom with the class being addressed in whole during the opening of the lesson. When the pupils are then split off into groups they will sometimes receive different instruction and/or learning activities than the others based upon their ability level in the topic being covered. Especially in composite classes these can range greatly. (Ranges from early level – second level in my currant placement class.)

3 To ensure I plan with inclusivity in mind regarding the content, level and materials used during my lessons, giving additional support when required and being appreciative and proactively aware of the backgrounds of the pupils in my classes, to the best of my abilities.

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Florian, L. and Black‐Hawkins, K., 2011. Exploring inclusive pedagogy. British Educational Research Journal, 37(5), pp.813-828. (available electronically).

Three stand out points

Educationally important individual differences between learners were thought to be learning difficulties or impairments but there is a wider range such as emotional and social issues.

Individual differences are not all focused on the disability categories, teachers need to us learning aims to help enhance on active learning, participation all through understanding the individual differences.

The teacher must have a greater awareness and understanding of social and education issues that can affect children learning and develop strategies that they can use to support such difficulties.

This article related to my own experience as in my class there is one little boy who is in primary four, but he is working at the level of primary one due to alcohol fatal syndrome. This is where his birth mother drank allot during the pregnancy which left ever lasting effects on him and caused damage to his brain causing him to not have the ability as other children his age. This is something I have never experienced or heard of before, a child who has not got the same brain level as his age group due to a cause during pregnancy that is not a defect. This means that he has 1 on 1 support at all times, which is hard with having another 26 pupils within the class, if the classroom assistant is off and cannot work with him it causes a lot of disruption for the rest of the class.

The implications for my own practice are that you always need to have something prepared in case of something coming up or change of plans meaning the child has to stay in the class. Always being aware of different cause such as emotional which can be related to homelife as to why a pupil is not at the level they should be.

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Identify up to three stand-out points from each article

An analysis of rising ideas surrounding ‘inclusive education’, exploring its development from separate forms of education to a modern inclusive environment. Examining how inclusive education should be understood through a ‘social diversity’ lense, reinforcing how practitioners and education specialists should construct an understanding of social and economic inequalities.

Learners within special education settings have been often labelled as having learning difficulties or behavioral problems despite having no scientific or educational credibility. These labels continue into adult life for these children with stereotypes of being ‘disabled’ frequently directed to them.

Exploring political influences on inclusive education conveyed how technological advances and the globalization of economic markets have potentially expanded a positive enforcement and understanding of inclusion. However, globalization can often be perceived as separating social practice from ethical thinking within global social inequality.

How does this relate to your own experiences

Experiences as a learner and student teacher in a mainstream school provides a centre for inclusion to be observed. Centres were social deprivation and poverty stood as driving social factors in practice procedures and policy making, providing an opportunity to observe differing outlooks to inclusion and its implementation. Labels discussed within the article have been continuously observed within personal experiences, raising the importance of effective and appropriate inclusion for learners to eliminate these stigmas.

What are the implications for your own practice

Inclusive practice should always be a key consideration throughout planning and practice and should be used as an essential tool for personal reflection and development as a practitioner. This article conveyed the importance of developing my knowledge surrounding social justice, inequalities, and policy objectives within this topic, and how my values, beliefs, and culture, influence and inform my practice.

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Kennelly, J.M. and Mouroutsou, S. (2020) The Normalancy of Racism in the School Experience of Students of Colour: 'The Times When It Hurts'. Scottish Educational Review, pp. 26-47

The study highlights issues of racism faced by students of colour in Scottish secondary schools. These students feel discriminated against and unsupported, with racial conflicts involving physical fights and name-calling. the lack of antiracism in Scottish schools reflects a broader ambiguity in addressing racial equity. While the student population's diversity is increasing, teachers remain predominantly white and lack confidence in handling cultural diversity. Racial crime is apparent, and negative attitudes toward diversity persist. The concept of colourblind racism is denying racial divides. Students of colour feel unheard and unsupported by authority figures. The study emphasises the ethical responsibility of teachers to discuss race and equity, proposing curriculum changes and teacher training to address white privilege and promote inclusive classroom discourse.

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. Kennelly, J.M. and Mouroutsou, S. (2020) The Normalcy of Racism in the School Experience of Students of Colour: ‘The Times when It Hurts’, Scottish Educational Review, 52 (2), pp. 26- 47.

Identify up to three stand- out points from each article?

"Students of colour who attend racially diverse mainstream schools with predominantly White students face several challenges in their learning environments (Chapman & Bhopal, 2018)" .

"Various studies discuss the impact of racism on children’s health and wellbeing" (Trent et al., 2019; Anderson et al., 2020).

"Only 1% of primary teachers and 1.7% of secondary teachers in Scotland come from an ethnic minority background" (EIS, 2018)

"Research has shown that teachers in Scotland and elsewhere lack confidence in dealing with the needs of culturally heterogeneous classes (Hick et al., 2011; Tikly et al., 2004) and that the avoidance of race language and race issues prevents teachers in the UK from meaningfully

engaging in challenging racism in school" (Song, 2018)

"Colourblind racism is defined as a form of prejudice that denies and deflects racial divides and ignores inequity" (Bonilla-Silva, 2015).

The article includes a report of a study carried out within schools to understand the experience of pupils of colour. The finding from that study were;

"the concepts of colourblindness, meritocracy, White privilege, interest convergence, and the normalcy of racism are used to explain how student experiences with peers and teachers can create a racially hostile environment for students of colour in White schools"

"Students internalised their experience of othering by their school environment, which is an important aspect of exclusion"

"The study offers evidence of everyday racism which is “reproduced in taken-for- granted, familiar and everyday routines... through language and behaviour” (Hällgren, 2005, p 322)

"An important finding was that the students of colour do not feel that they are heard and supported by the authority figures in their school" (Bonilla-Silva,2015; Oliha-Donaldson, 2018).

"The process of gathering student voices for this study was illuminating and overall was an empowering and positive experience for the students involved"

"Students experienced very little direct language about race, ethnicity, and religion from teachers and other school adults, noting a tendency for teachers to at best ignore and at worst engage in biased language and actions" (Delpit, 2006)

How does this relate to your own experiences?

Being a person of colour and from a minority ethnic background has brough upon its own set of challenged to my personal school experience. The main thing  remember from school was a lack of representation of people of colour within school for example, lack of coloured teachers and lack of opportunities to learn and explore different backgrounds. As a pupil having teachers who represent your own culture and background can be very beneficial and allow you to feel heard and seen within school.

What are the implications for your own practice?

As a person of colour I hope to represent other ethnic backgrounds within school and aim to provide a diverse learning experience to all pupil where all cultures and background can be explored and learnt about.

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Group 2 - Lindsay, Cara, Tegan, Alisha, Kaci and Izzy

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Group 2 - Lindsay, Cara, Tegan, Alisha, Kaci and Izzy

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Hernandez, A., and Burrows, K. (2021). Implementing Culturally Relevant Teaching in the Classroom. Open Journal of Leadership, 10, 338-363.

The journal article outlines a study undertaken regarding the implementation of culturally relevant teaching in the classroom. The study involved a range of teachers from various states across the USA to compare and contrast the implementation of CRT in their own teaching. Some teachers viewed this as a very important attribute to the classroom, while others had had limited knowledge of it and therefor had not implemented it into their own teaching.

Identify up to three stand out points from each article.

As schools become increasingly diverse, there is a greater requirement to meet the specific needs of culturally diverse student groups.

Promoting ‘cultural competencies’ through building relationships with students can help increase minority students academic performance.

There is a positive association between the implementation of culturally relevant teaching and proactive behaviour management.

How does this relate to your own experiences

There is a great importance in allowing every learner to see themselves represented in their education. In subjects, especially history, culturally relevant teacher is essential as it allows pupils to understand the lives of others, whilst allowing for minority ethnic groups to be represented where they otherwise may not have been. This also applies to young people who are a part of the LGBTQI+ community in ensuring they are represented in their learning.

What are the implication for your own practise?

Ensuring that lessons are representative of the pupils in the class, in order to allow pupils to be able to see themselves in their lessons. Implementing the idea of ‘mirrors and windows’ to allow pupils to understand the lives of others and be able to seeing themselves represented.

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Florian, L. and Black-Hawkins, K., 2011. Exploring inclusive pedagogy. British Educational

Research Journal, 37(5), pp.813-828. (available electronically).

Questions:

Identify up to three stand- out points from each article?

Inclusive education has generally been defined as  ‘a process of increasing participation and decreasing exclusion from the  culture,  community  and  curricula  of  mainstream  schools’  (Booth  et  al.,  2000)

Being inclusive should include "  the  development  of  a  rich  learning community  characterised  by  learning  opportunities  that  are  sufficiently  made available  for  everyone,  so  that  all  learners  are  able  to  participate  in  classroom  life" (Florian  &  Linklater,  2009)

Some teacher say they struggled to encompass such inclusive practices due to the strong beliefs filtered through education by policy makers. For example the belief that ability group is the correct approach to education despite research showing the "negative effects on teacher expectation, student self-perception and curriculum development" (e.g. Gillborn & Youdell, 2000; Ireson& Hallam, 2001)

How does this relate to your own experiences?

I have also experiences classrooms where the teacher is not fully qualified to teach children with severe additional needs and a classroom assistance is present to help that pupil. I have also seen exclusion of pupils within additional needs in classrooms for example a separate desk away from other pupils.  Therefore, within most mainstream school I have not noticed drastic attempts for inclusion

What are the implications for your own practice?

From this article they provided guidelines for different strategies you could use within your own teaching to work towards a more inclusive educational environment. For example;

Work choice: "Classroom teacher consults with colleagues in learning support about how to differentiate learning tasks so that specific accommodations for students with special educational needs are me"

Play zone: "Play zone is an area of the classroom where a range of active play choices are provided. Teachers select activities that are matched to individual student needs"

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Gilliam, W. S., Maupin, A. N., Reyes, C. R., Accavitti, M., & Shic, F. (2016). Do early educators’ implicit biases regarding sex and race relate to behavior expectations and recommendations of preschool expulsions and suspensions? Research Brief. New Haven, CT: Yale Child Study Center (available electronically).

Actions

3 Key Findings

-        Teachers often hold higher expectations for White students than for Black students, and are more likely to recommend Black students for special education or disciplinary action. (p3)

-        findings demonstrate that early education staff tend to observe more closely Blacks, and especially Black boys when challenging behaviours are expected.

-        Biases are inherent attributes that all humans possess and form naturally through the course of everyday interactions and exposure to media.

How does this relate to your own experiences

-        This relates to my own experience when on placement because on many GIRFEC spreadsheets it will show many children/students who are not white as ‘unfocused’ ‘disruptive’ ‘needs challenge’ which promotes and reinforced he idea that bias exists even though we believe we are ‘fair’.

What are the implication for your own practise?

Ensure that ‘bad’ behaviour is treated fairly no matter any dimensions or characteristics that the student possess.

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Amodio, D. M. (2014). The neuroscience of prejudice and stereotyping. Nature Reviews. Neuroscience, 15(10), 670-682. (available electronically)

This article reviews research on the role of the brain in social prejudice and stereotyping. the term prejudice is used broadly to refer to preconceptions- often negative- about groups of individuals based on their social, racial or ethnic affiliations. The article also describes the functions of key structures in each network, including both their broader neurocognitive functions and their specific roles in prejudice and stereotyping.

Identify up to three stand out points from each article.

In comparison with the amygdala, the orbital frontal cortex seems to support more complex and flexible evaluative representations that are more directly applicable to the intricacies of social behaviour.

The amygdala supports threat-based associations, which are thought to underlie the most common form of implicit prejudice, and it is also involved in the initial responses to salient positive or negative cues, including cues regarding group membership.

Self regulation is critical for the adaptive expression of social behaviour. This is especially true with regard to stereotyping and prejudice given the potential (unwanted influence of implicit biases on behaviour. In this case the mPFC and rostral ACC are important for guiding control that is based on social cues such as norms against expressing prejudice and intergroup emotions.

How does this relate to your own experiences

This relates to my own experiences as the article has been insightful in showing me how social motivations greatly influence human behaviour especially when it comes to prejudice and stereotyping.

What are the implication for your own practise?

Be aware of prejudices that are occurring in society. Perhaps looking further into the neural basis of such prejudices will allow us to understand and address issues within our school like stereotyping and discrimination like the article suggests.

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3. Gilliam, W. S., Maupin, A. N., Reyes, C. R., Accavitti, M., & Shic, F. (2016). Do early educators’ implicit biases regarding sex and race relate to behavior expectations and recommendations of preschool expulsions and suspensions? Research Brief. New Haven, CT: Yale Child Study Center (available electronically).

-       Implicit bias in schools can result in inequalities in differences. For example one study showed that there was 2 children who were behaving in challenging ways, 1 of which was black and one was white. The teacher reported she felt more troubled by the black child and were ore likely to give more punishment to the black child, despite the white child behaving in the same way – again referring to inequalities about race. There is evidence that teachers are more likely to be more empathic to children who are of their own race.

-       Expectations – evidence states that white teachers often have higher expectations for children who are white, however, black teachers are more likely to have higher expectations for black children.

-       Knowing the background of the child in regards to their behaviour - black teachers with black students gave less severe consequences for behaviours when knowing the stress the child is going through at home but white teachers with black students can feel this gives up hope of the child changing behaviours.

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Kennelly, J.M. and Mouroutsou, S. (2020) The Normalcy of Racism in the School Experience of Students of Colour: ‘The Times when It Hurts’, Scottish Educational Review, 52 (2), pp. 26- 47.

Focuses on racism in Scottish schools drawing on data from focus groups with secondary students of colour. The study explores racial inequity in schools through students’ reflections on enactments of bias and privilege.

Three key points:

‘Colour blindness’ is a massive issue which allows teachers and schools get out of addressing crucial issues regarding race within classrooms and the wider school environment.

Many pupils of colour do not feel they are supported by authority figures within their schools.

Teachers should undertake training about how to talk about race and be able to facilitate conversations on race and racism within the classroom, and understand how damaging the ‘colour blind’ theory is.

Relation to experiences

This is an important reminder to understand that different barriers to learning effect different pupils. Ensuring a tough crack down on issues regarding race or racism in the school environment is crucial for pupils to feel they are being heard and supported.

Implications for practise?

Be aware of racism that is experienced even on a level which pupils may brush off as a ‘joke’ - crack down on ir straight away to ensure pupils know there is absolutely no tolerance, and people of colour know they are being looked out for and supported.

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Amodio, D. M. (2014). The neuroscience of prejudice and stereotyping. Nature Reviews. Neuroscience, 15(10), 670-682.

Three stand-out points:

Orbital frontal cortex (OFC) is associated with processing of affective cues, contingency-based learning, evaluation and decision making. Socially this helps individuals monitor social cues and subsequently adjusts behaviour accordingly to them. This is crucial in group settings and develops individuals understanding of social norms. Additionally, these responses and reactions might be influenced by peers and teacher's expectations. Essential it regulates social behaviours.

Self- regulation is extremely important and necessary within an evolving generation. In todays world racism is not ignored therefore, children need to think beyond these stereotypes and used self – regulative abilities. This is often developed through both external (social pressures to respond without racism and internal (racist responses) cues.

Lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) is associated with working memory, responses selection and high level goals. Coordinates action and attention combining these responses.

How does this relate to your own experience?

This is present in some of my own experiences as it has been apparent that other children’s behaviours often encourage/ influence their classmate's behaviours. For example, if one child is acting in a certain way can cause more children to act like this. Therefore, if it is affecting learning negatively it is important to deal with this straight away. However, children can also react in social situations because of social norms and associations.

What are the implications for your own practice?

OFC can have positive and negative implications on practice as children will have a variety of different reactions in social settings. However, it is important to differentiate what types of behaviours these are.

PFC children can often act up when they are finding things difficult which causes a more attention reaction than action reaction.

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1.Hernandez, A., and Burrows, K. (2021). Implementing Culturally Relevant Teaching in the Classroom. Open Journal of Leadership, 10, 338-363.

3 stand out points:

The needs of diverse learners can regularly change which can be challenging for school staff to keep on top of ensuring they get it right for every child.

Different academic and cultural experiences can affect the way some students learn and their perception of the world. This, however, should be seen as a positive not a limitation.

An inclusive and secure learning environment can prevent feeling of insecurity and anxiety at school. These feelings can stem from achievement gaps, which have a significant impact on pupils’ confidence of being accepted, understood and valued by their class community.

How does this relate to your own experiences?

On placement one of the boys in my class has ASD which can often mean he will find his own unique ways of completing tasks. One of the other pupils were struggling to complete a problem-solving numeracy task. The boy with ASD approached the other boy and showed him his way of solving the problem. This helped the other pupil to come to a solution also. This experience highlighted to me that it is important to give all children an opportunity to express their ideas in their own way as these may also benefit others.

What are the implications for your own practice?

It is very important to create a warm, inviting, positive learning culture within the classroom to ensure all pupils can develop towards their full potential. Building positive relationships with children can help to boost their academic success.

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Armstrong, A. C., Armstrong, D. and Spandagou (2010) Inclusive Education: key themes (Chapter 1). In: Armstrong, A. C., Armstrong, D. and Spandagou, eds. Inclusive Education: International Policy and Practice. London: Sage. pp 2-10  (available electronically).

Three Stand out points.

Mainstream and “Special education’ being categorical distinctions have been challenged.  This is due to the increasing recognition of the broad continuum of human needs and the deficiency of providing different systems of education on those with distinct needs. Inclusive education can be described as questioning policies and practices that support segregation of learners and advocating for social justice and human rights.

Most children in “special education” are often given labels such as “learning difficulties” or “challenging behaviour” however these are not often backed up by scientific or educational evidence.

The aim of inclusive education, promoting equity and equality of opportunities is still inaccessible for many living in developing areas of the world. Pupils who are living in poverty can be subjected to academic decline and are more likely to develop educational support needs as they progress through school. This can ultimately lead to social exclusions and less opportunities for these young people.

How does this relate to your own experience?

I do believe it is important to integrate children with additional support needs into mainstream education. However currently there does not appear to be sufficient support or funding provided to schools to allow this integration to happen effectively.  Appropriate funding would allow schools to ensure there are an adequate number of support staff for children to effectively learn in a busy social setting such as a mainstream classroom.

What are the implications for your own practice?

From this text it is evident that social justice in the classroom plays a huge role towards the opportunities pupils are presented with in their future.  Having a strong focus on social justice in my own teaching practice may prevent pupils from developing some additional support needs and widen pupils opportunities for social mobilisation.

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Amodio, D. M. (2014). The neuroscience of prejudice and stereotying. Nature Reviews. Neuroscience, 15(10), 670-682.

In this passage, the writer talks about how our social motivations, like the desire to connect or compete with others, are powerful drivers in human behaviour. It also discusses how our brains naturally categorise people into "us" and "them," which can lead to stereotypes, prejudices, and even conflict. The writer suggests that studying the neural basis of prejudices can help us understand and address important social issues like discrimination and equality.

It also discusses how our brains process and react to different faces, particularly those from different social groups. It suggests that implicit prejudice may be linked to our natural threat response and fear conditioning.

This is relevant to my own experiences because we all have social interactions and encounter different groups of people. Our brains naturally categorise and make judgements bases on various factors, including appearance and social background.

It's important to be aware of our own biases and prejudices, as they can unintentionally influence my interactions with students. By recognising and addressing these biases, I can create a more inclusive and equitable learning environment for all students.

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Group 3 - Lucy, Rebecca, Brenna & Jessica

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Group 3 - Lucy, Rebecca, Brenna & Jessica

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Ainscow, M. (2016) Diversity and Equity: A Global Education Challenge. Journal of Education Studies, 51, pp. 143-155

The research mentioned in this paper highlights the strategies needed to promote equity in education systems. It suggests that schools have untapped potential to improve the presence, participation, and achievement of all students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The challenge is to unleash this potential. This supports the argument that school improvement is a social process where practitioners learn from each other, their students, and others involved in their students' lives. Embracing differences can be a powerful catalyst for this.

So, what does this mean for New Zealand? The articles in this journal provide some starting points for readers to consider. In doing so, the writer suggests they explore more specific questions that arise from the arguments I've presented.

In terms of national policy:

- Is there a shared understanding that equity (inclusion and fairness) should guide all education policies?

- What are the strengths within the national education system that can be built upon?

- What levers for change can be used to advance thinking and practice?

- What barriers to progress exist, and how can they be addressed?

In terms of individual schools:

- Are teachers encouraged to innovate in their classrooms?

- Do teachers have regular opportunities to observe each other's work?

- Do teachers listen to and consider their students' perspectives?

- Do colleagues engage in conversations about teaching practices?

In terms of the school context:

- Do schools support each other in developing their practices?

- Do schools collaborate during challenging times?

- Do schools work with families to reach all learners?

- Do schools utilise the resources available in their local communities?