EDU412 Assessment Task 1

Inclusive Pedagogies – Transcript

Introduction:
As educators, we all know the importance of implementing inclusive and ethical pedagogical
approaches to meet the needs of all diverse students. It’s outlined in both the Australian Professional
Standards for Teachers (Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL], 2015), and the
Melbourne Declaration (Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs
[MCEETYA], 2008). Which is why today, I’m going to educate you on a pedagogical practice which can
assist this process and give you options for differentiation based on students learning abilities.

Firstly, let’s have a bit of a discussion about the impact of inclusive pedagogy, and why as a teacher it
is our responsibility to ensure our classroom is inclusive. We all know very well, that every class we
get is going to have a range of students who come from diverse cultural, social, linguistic, socio-
economic and religious backgrounds, which is the exact reason we need to be proficient in creating
an environment that allows every one of our students to meet their learning outcomes (Hyde,
Carpenter & Conway, 2014). The way in which we do this is through differentiation (Hyde, Carpenter
& Conway, 2014). We have to identify and address the needs of each of our students, and work
towards removing any learning barriers they may have. This is most effective when we differentiate
the content, process or product – depending on the student (Hyde, Carpenter & Conway, 2014). When
we apply these measures in a classroom context, it ensures the needs of all students are met and
creates an inclusive environment regardless of differences, background or abilities.

An effective pedagogical approach that we can use to create an inclusive learning environment is
called the ‘Eight Way Framework of Aboriginal Pedagogy’ which was introduced by Yunkaporta and
Kirby (2011) in 2011. You might be thinking ‘well we aren’t just focusing on Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander students?’. My response is, well no, we aren’t... But we can use this pedagogy which
incorporates Indigenous ways of knowing and being into the classroom and use it to differentiate
learning experiences for diverse students.

The framework focuses on eight interconnected pedagogies, but for the purpose of this presentation
I am going to delve into three of the pedagogies deeply. I will identify and explain a range of teaching
strategies you can use in Year 2 Mathematics, using the pedagogies of ‘Symbols and Images’, ‘Land-
Links’ and ‘Non-Verbal’ of the Eight Ways Framework. This will give you a specific idea of how you can
teach through the lens of the Eight Ways Framework in Mathematics, and how you can use this
approach to differentiate, support diversity and create an inclusive learning environment.

Content Description: Year 2 Mathematics

Statistics and Probability – Chance
Content Description – Identify practical activities and everyday events that involve chance. Describe
outcomes as ‘likely’ or ‘unlikely’ and identify some events as ‘certain’ or ‘impossible’ (ACMSP047).

Learning Experience 1 – Symbols and Images

Activity: This learning experience would be a great way to introduce chance terms to Year 2 students,
and uses the 8-ways pedagogy of ‘Symbols and Images’. It would firstly begin with a discussion of
some familiar daily events, and questioning students on whether these events are something that is
possible, or no way that it would ever happen. This discussion would introduce and familiarise
students with the terms of ‘certain’, ‘impossible’, ‘likely’ and ‘unlikely’. As a class, we would then
create a symbol for each of these terms. The whole class would have input into the innovation of these
symbols, which will really engage their learning and set them up for success when learning about
chance. Following this, students would be given some photos of everyday day events. They would
then use the symbols we have created, to describe the events as ‘certain’, ‘impossible’, ‘likely’ or
‘unlikely’. Once the students have completed this activity, we would then go through the answers
together and discuss students reasoning as to why they drew the symbols they did.

Justification: Using the ‘Symbols and Images’ pedagogy in this learning experience helps students
grasp the concept of chance, and understanding chance terms, through providing a connection
between the mathematical concept and a particular symbol. Rather than having students memorise
phrases, the symbols provide a visual prompt to stimulate their mathematical thinking. This means
that students will be able to describe different events using chance terms by linking this knowledge to
the symbols created. By creating these symbols as a class and involving everyone, it makes the learning
authentic, which results in all students becoming engaged. The symbols and images approach
explored in this learning experience can also be a successful pedagogy when teaching students who
come from an EAL/D background. The use of symbols, images and visual tools within a classroom can
reduce the amount of auditory information given to students (Lucas, Villegas & Freedson-Gonzalez,
2008). This means that the symbols in this learning experience can provide students with EAL/D
another way of accessing and understanding the content (Lucas, Villegas & Freedson-Gonzalez, 2008).
Along with EAL/D students, this learning activity enhances the learning outcome of spatial-visual
learners (Gardener, 1999). Howard Gardener (1999) proposed that spatial-visual students display
understanding by representing concepts through pictures and visual symbols (Gouws & Dicker, 2011).
Which is exactly what students are doing in this learning experience, and therefore ensures they are
going to succeed.

Learning Experience 2 – Non-Verbal

Activity: This second learning experience uses what students have previously learnt about chance, and
encourages them to put it into practice. This activity employs ‘Non-Verbal’ pedagogy of the 8-ways. It
firstly includes students independently getting a bag that contains an equal number of red, blue and
green balls (or whatever you have in your classroom). The students will predict what colour ball they
will pull out of the bag. After each time the student pulls a ball out, they will write down their
prediction and what colour ball they did pull out. After five turns, students will look at how many times
their prediction was correct. Whilst this is happening, the teaching will facilitate this activity by walking
around the classroom and questioning students on some of their results.

Justification: This learning experience is effective when helping students recognise what types of
events involve chance, by allowing them to engage in hands-on activities. It is proven that in the early
primary years, students effectively develop mathematical skills and knowledge through physically
interacting with concrete materials and manipulatives (Sutton & Krueger, 2002). The non-verbal
pedagogy used in this learning experience encourages students to use kinaesthetic and intrapersonal
skills, and apply this to the mathematical concept of chance. This means that students get to engage
and interact with materials whilst also making sense of the likelihood of pulling out different colours.
This pedagogy can be linked to Piaget’s theory of Cognitive Development, which states that people
learn best by doing something concrete first (Piaget, 1952). It also has the potential to engage diverse
students, who learn kinaesthetically. In Howard Gardener’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, he
proposes bodily-kinaesthetic intelligence as one which uses physical movement to develop
understanding (Gardener, 1999). Consequently, by using concrete materials and engaging students in
hands-on activities, it supports the achievement of learning outcomes for bodily-kinaesthetic
students.

Learning Experience 3 – Land-Links

Activity: This last learning experience allows students to use all their prior knowledge of chance, and
demonstrate their understanding of the concept. It involves the 8-ways pedagogy of ‘Land-Links’ and
can be used as a very effective assessment task for students. This learning experience requires
students to get into groups of 4. The whole class will take a walk around the school, and students need
to look at the environment and think of places or events where they can see chance. After the walk,
students will stay outside and, in their groups, investigate some of the things they noticed which might
involve chance. Each group needs to come up with four events; one for each of the chance terms they
explored previously – ‘certain’, ‘impossible’, ‘likely’ and ‘unlikely. They will individually draw the event
and describe how likely this event is to happen using these terms. They will also have to give reasoning
as to why they predicted why they did. Students will share this with the rest of the class after they
have finished their mini investigations.

Justification: This learning experience is effective when helping students fully understand the concept
of chance due to the student-centred and place-based nature of the activity. The ‘Land-Links’
pedagogy that was used makes a direct connection between classroom learning and the environment,
which consequently boots students’ engagement and can actually promote an understanding of the
world around them (Getting Smart, 2016). Through making the connection between chance
environment, it makes learning personally relevant for students and deepens their understanding of
chance (Getting Smart, 2016). Using ‘Land-Links’ as a pedagogy for this specific learning experience
provides the opportunity for students with naturalistic intelligence to achieve highly, and creates a
context that appeals to their learning style (Gardener, 1999). The pedagogy used is also highly
effective when teaching students of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island background (Yunkaporta &
Kirby, 2011). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island students have a strong relationship with the land, and
when you link this with teaching mathematical concepts such as chance, it is effective in the
achievement of learning goals (Yunkaporta & Kirby, 2011).

Conclusion:
Well there you go! In 10 short minutes I have given you three examples of how you can effectively
implement the eight ways pedagogy into your classroom to promote inclusion and diversity. As pre-
service teachers, I hope you all walk away with even a couple of ideas of how you can utilise this
effective framework into your future classroom. It is not only effective in its contextualisation of
learning, but it also makes learning relevant and meaningful to the lives of students. Although I have
focused purely on the Measurement and Geometry strand of the Maths curriculum, there are endless
opportunities for implementation across the whole Maths curriculum, as well as other learning areas
and year levels.

References:
Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2017). Foundation to Year 10
Curriculum: Mathematics. Retrieved from
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/mathematics/curriculum/f-10?layout=3#page=F-2

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL]. (2014). Australian Professional
Standards for Teachers. Retrieved From http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professional-
standards-for-teachers/standards/list

Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligences reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21st century. New York: Basic
Books.

Getting Smart. (2016). What is place-based education and why does it matter? Getting Smart in
partnership with eduInnovation & Teton Science School.

Hyde, M., Carpenter, L., & Conway, R. (2014). Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement. Victoria: Oxford
University Press.
Lucas, T., Villegas, A. M., & Freedson-Gonzalez M. (2008). Linguistically Responsive Teacher Education.
Journal of Teacher Education, 59(4), 361-373.

Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) (2008).
Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. Retrieved From
www.mceetya.edu.au/mceecdya/melbourne_declaration,25979.html.com

Piaget, J. (1952). The origins of intelligence in children. New York: International University Press.

Sutton, J., & Krueger, A. (Eds.). (2002). ED thoughts: What we know about mathematics teaching and
learning. Aurora, CO: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.

Yunkaporta, T & Kirby, M. (2011) ‘Yarning up Indigenous pedagogies: A dialogue about eight Aboriginal
ways of learning’, in R Bell, G Milgate & N Purdie (eds.) Two Way Teaching and Learning:
Toward culturally reflective and relevant education. ACER Press: Camberwell Victoria.