Inclusion in Further Education

by Lydia Spenceley, Susan Wallace (Editor)

Overview

For all those teaching or training to teach within the Further Education (FE) sector, this book provides a critical understanding of the complex concept of inclusion and its implementation in a range of different contextual settings. It encourages the reader to revisit their own beliefs and assumptions concerning inclusion in relation to their own practice, and a range of learning features including clear objectives, case studies, critical thinking tasks and chapter reflections ensures deep understanding.

The increasing importance of inclusion, and the growing provision of Higher Education courses in FE, means that an accessible book which facilitates a critical understanding of inclusion policy and develops relevant academic competence is both timely and essential. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781909682078
Publisher:	Critical Publishing
Publication date:	06/19/2014
Series:	Further Education
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	144
File size:	987 KB

About the Author

Lydia Spenceley is the Co-ordinator for Teacher Education Programmes at Grantham College where she manages and contributes to a range of initial teacher education and Access programmes. Her main areas of research interest are in inclusion, the development of teacher identity, special educational needs and visual research methodology. She has published papers on the development of identity, auto-ethnography, special needs and the problems encountered by ‘beginning’ educators in an FE setting. She has a broad range of experience in education and training having previously worked in settings ranging from commercial training, and training agencies, to prison education and most recently further and higher education.

Sue Wallace is the Professor of Continuing Education at Nottingham Trent University. Her particular interest is in mentoring and the ways in which a successful mentoring relationship can support personal and professional development. She has researched and published extensively on education, training and management of behaviour, and is a popular keynote speaker at conferences.

Susan Wallace's particular interests are in mentoring and the motivation and behaviour of students, hence she is a popular keynote speaker at conferences. She is Emeritus Professor of Education at Nottingham Trent University where, for many years, she supported learning on the initial training courses for teachers in the FE sector. She has researched and written extensively on education, training and behaviour management.

Read an Excerpt

Inclusion in Further Education

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By Lydia Spenceley

Critical Publishing Ltd

Copyright © 2014 Lydia Spenceley
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-909682-07-8

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CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Chapter aims

This introduction explains the purpose of the book and provides a summary of the content, chapter by chapter. You may decide to read the chapters in order; but it might be that you need to select the chapter which will provide you with the information you are seeking in particular circumstances or at a specific time. Whichever approach you choose, these chapter summaries are designed to provide a helpful 'signpost' to the themes and arguments of the book as a whole.

Inclusion and Further Education

Wittgenstein (2011) in his Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (Logical-Philosophical Treatise) argued that the limits of his language defined his world. In many respects our understanding of the term 'inclusion' defines the way that we implement the inclusive classroom practices that are now a requirement for those working as teachers, particularly those working in the varied context of Further Education (FE).

FE is characterised by many as one of the most inclusive providers of education due to the breadth and depth of the wide range of educational opportunities and qualifications it offers. But despite its willingness to work with students from all sections of society, Further Education remains one of the least known of the stars in the educational firmament. Few, until they enter its doors as teachers (or prospective teachers), realise the diversity of the sector and the commitment of the teachers within it to developing 'their' students, not just in an academic or vocational sense but as fully rounded young adults ready to take their place as fully functioning members of society.

In view of the diverse nature of the students that the sector invites into education or training, its ability to include them in the process of learning is critical to the success of both the individual and the sector itself. But the 'trick' of including them is one that has to be learned. This is particularly true for those who are relatively new or inexperienced teachers and who find the lack of definition of the term 'inclusion' (together with its proclivity to alter its meaning slightly from time to time!) disconcerting and unsettling.

The purpose of this book

This book is intended to help you if you are undertaking qualifications in teacher training or want to extend your knowledge of the subject with a critical understanding of the concept and its practical implementation in various settings. It does this by examining the interaction between the context (the classroom and workshops of FE) and the concept (the principle of inclusion) and by offering suggestions to develop inclusive practice. The range and variation of settings within FE is acknowledged and you are invited to critically engage with the prevailing policies and practice in those contexts through the use of 'real-life' case studies. In addition, you are invited to critically reflect on your own views and understanding of the concept of inclusion and the impact that it has on you as a teacher or trainee teacher and on your students, as well as on teaching and learning in general across the various FE settings.

The content of the chapters

Chapter 2: The shape (shifter) of inclusion

In Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865), Humpty Dumpty argues that he is the master of words, proposing that they mean what he chooses them to mean, neither more or less. Although Alice chooses to question this, he does have a point. Words change over time; their spelling and meaning are bound by their context, the intentions of the speaker and the agenda of the listener. The word 'inclusion' is no exception to this proposition and chapter 2 explores the changing use of the word in the shifting landscape of Further Education.

Based loosely on a historical timeline derived from Duke's (2009) work, the chapter considers how the definition of the term 'inclusion' has been interwoven with the notion of integration, in response to the norms, values and meta-narratives (the 'Big Stories' we collectively tell ourselves in the process of making sense of our world, such as that we are always progressing towards a better, fairer society) that currently predominate. The chapter challenges you to examine your understanding of the current influences on the meaning of the word 'inclusion', asking that you think about who and what is currently 'included' or 'excluded' by the current definition. Also addressed is the question of whether the attention of the FE sector is focused on working to include politically high-profile 'excluded' groups at the expense of tackling more deep-seated areas of inequality, as well as the debate over whether there are different levels of inclusion within FE. Through a discussion of Hodkinson's (1998) proposition that inclusion can be viewed as a continuum, we also look at the degree of inclusion which can be applied to particular groups of students who have recently been 'included' in some way within the remit of FE: NEET, ESOL and SEN students.

You are invited to reflect on the influence of various discourses, including discourses about deficiency, normativity and social justice and of their associated terminology, on society's understanding of inclusion. As Cather, in Turkington (1998), notes, Give the people a new word ... [or in this case a new definition] ... and they think they have a new fact. Moving on to the current situation in FE, the chapter looks at the impact that these discourses have had on teachers and students, and on teaching and learning, within the sector. In a concluding section we discuss the changing role of the sector and of those who work within it in relation to promoting inclusion.

Chapter 3: Politics and policy

Education, as a concept, shares with the notion of inclusion the honour of being something that is generally seen as a 'public good'. However, it also shares with it the rather more dubious distinction of being something of a political football, shaped and characterised by the prevailing political and social context. In an attempt to examine the pressures exerted on education by political, social and economic factors, our understanding of inclusion in FE is explored through a variety of various political (with a small 'p') contexts.

The chapter begins with a brief overview of the values and beliefs that underpin the actions and rhetoric of the major political parties in terms of social policy, education and inclusion, with a particular focus on policy since the Second World War. The changes to education and the influence of the introduction of the welfare state on the role of FE in the period of post-war reconstruction are initially examined. The impact of the harsh realities of economic, technological and social change is then surveyed so that you can gain an understanding of why the role of FE has been repeatedly reviewed. The repositioning of the sector, from being a tool for the implementation of social policy to one with increasing responsibility for supplying skilled labour to meet government economic policy, is then discussed in terms of the effect this has had on inclusion in FE.

We go on to look at the commercialisation of FE under successive Conservative administrations between 1979 and 1997. Here you are asked to consider the impact of the various discourses of vocationalism, competition, public accountability and the market on inclusive practice. In the penultimate section, the promise of a brighter future for FE generated by New Labour's enthusiastic use of the slogan of 'Education, Education, Education' is contrasted with the increasing dissonance between policy and rhetoric under successive New Labour governments. We look particularly at the growing contradiction between legislation for social inclusion and the retention and development of Conservative practices to control and monitor the sector. The concluding part of the chapter reviews the emerging policy of the Coalition government and the current and future impact of new financial policies of loans on the inclusion of students.

Chapter 4: New teachers – old ideas?

New teachers entering FE are often pursuing a second career. Having been successful in their first career many of them find that they wish to give something back to their chosen vocation, and being sufficiently skilled they want to pass their skills on to succeeding generations by teaching. As a result of this, many new educators undertaking their teaching qualifications are considerably more mature than those who intend to teach in compulsory education and they have vastly superior levels of life experience.

For the majority of trainee FE teachers it will have been some time since they last attended an educational establishment as a student. As a result they may have little knowledge or experience of some of the current philosophies of inclusive practice that govern relationships in the classroom. This means that when confronted with a class for the first time they may have to revert to their own experience to inform their practice. Perhaps this was true in your case.

The purpose of this chapter is to identify the key areas of challenge for new teachers; those which are specifically related to inclusive practice and, to a lesser degree, those which relate to the more general issue of professionalism. Through a case study approach you are encouraged to identify areas of concern and to focus on potential ways of meeting these challenges in three main areas: the process of learning, working in groups, and strategies for encouraging learning. By investigating the practice and attitudes of the case-study teacher, you will be able to think critically about practical methods of including students in the learning process, particularly those with high levels of need.

One of the most difficult aspects of any teacher's job is the part they play in helping students to develop their skills in learning so that they are transformed from dependent, needy students into the independent, self-directed students that are a joy to teach in FE. The chapter considers some of the problems that face young people in making this transition, together with the potential barriers which impede effective communication, and it suggests methods that the teacher may wish to employ in facilitating this process of change. The final section in this chapter looks at motivation for learning and examines the role of group work, active learning and peer interaction in promoting an inclusive working ethos in the classroom.

Chapter 5: Mainstream mayhem

Learning support has become an increasingly important consideration in the provision of inclusive learning since the publication of the Warnock Report in 1978 encouraged the inclusion of students with special needs into mainstream teaching. While the demand for learning support has increased, there is no settled role for the Learning Support Assistant (LSA) or agreement on the role that they should fulfil. Using a case study, the problems that this non- alignment of expectations can cause is one of the first points for discussion in this chapter before you are invited to examine your own practice in relation to working with LSAs.

The role of the LSA in relation to inclusion in the classroom is explored further in the next section, with the impact of various discourses (financial, academic, medical and social) being discussed. The chapter then goes on to examine the role of the LSA in addressing the inclusion agenda in the classroom through their potential to engage with students with empathy rather than at a purely academic level. It looks at the importance of their role as mediators in the classroom, able to 'translate' the teacher's intentions and the information to be learned, by developing alternative explanations suited to the needs of students.

One of the most important elements of the chapter is the discussion of different types of teacher/LSA relationships and the impact that they can have on the learning environment and on the students themselves. Two different models are introduced, the 'master–servant' relationship and the 'expert–novice' relationship. The expectations that the LSAs have of the relationships is covered in the last part of the chapter, which is based on the author's own research into this area. In the course of this research two significant concerns became evident: communication between the teacher and the LSA, and the degree of discretion used by the teacher in terms of students' behaviour. We look at how these two factors impact on the effectiveness of the LSA in facilitating the learning process and their role as a mediator between both the teacher and student, and between students.

Chapter 6: Label literacy

Labels are attached to everything and everyone; good, pretty, helpful, awkw ard, argumentative, all are labels which may be attached to an individual in one context or another. Society, however, tends to 'judge a book by its cover' and by reading or being aware of a label which is attached to someone there is a danger of that individual being prejudged by the expectations it raises. Labels can be internalised by the 'wearer' who frequently tries to live up (or down!) to society's expectations of them. A positive label may lead to a positive self-image and patterns of behaviour whereas the internalisation of a negative label may well lead to the opposite.

Labels in education are particularly dangerous. Most teachers have very little pre-knowledge of their students at their first meeting, and what they have been able to gain is likely to be in the form of a series of labels which will inform their subsequent relationship with the student. Within any class in FE there will be students who have been labelled in various ways. In this chapter the most common ones, 'SEN' and 'spikey profiles', are examined in more detail. One other, possibly unexpected, label is also explored in this chapter – that of 'Gifted and Talented' or 'More academically able' which, when applied to students in the wider vocational context of FE, can be seen to apply to a significant number of students. Although labels can influence the initial impressions of teachers, it is essential in the interests of inclusion that ways are found of ensuring not only that 'labelled' students are included in the learning process, but that their individual learning potential is maximised.

Through the use of case studies this chapter encourages you to apply your own knowledge and skills as a teacher to key situations. It looks at how educational theory can be applied in order to develop ways of including students with very different individual profiles in learning. The chapter also focuses on differentiating for accessibility. It discusses various elements of the teaching process and suggests how differentiation can be employed to meet the needs of students and help individuals to challenge the impact of incorrectly applied labels.

Chapter 7: NEETs and knots

The plight of young people who are now classified as NEETs (Not in Employment Education or Training) is once again becoming one of the significant political issues of the day. FE has been charged (as previously) with helping to reduce the number of young people in this category and has responded to the challenge with a number of different courses.

'NEETdom' has its own historical predecessors and the initial part of this chapter examines the background of NEETs in a historical context. It looks at the political influences that shaped the policies implemented to address concerns about youth unemployment and it explores the role previously held by FE in trying to include these students within education and eventually in society. You will be encouraged to draw upon your own experience or views of NEETs in order to identify the barriers to inclusion in education that are faced by young people in this group. The chapter considers ways in which these obstacles have been addressed previously and suggests areas that might need to be addressed in ways which have not previously been fully explored within FE.

Within the literature on NEETs there is considerable emphasis on the effect that a negative experience of education has had on students in this group. Duffy and Elwood (2013) identify four main categories of discontent associated with students' prior education, all of which focus on the difficulty experienced in developing and sustaining positive relationships with peers, teachers and the institution in the educational context. The chapter emphasises the need to understand the emotional context of learning and the importance of the enabling role of the teacher in using emotional intelligence to include this group and facilitate the building of constructive relationships. It discusses the potential application of the work of various writers on emotional intelligence and you will be asked to draw your own conclusions about the potential of these theories for developing NEET students' readiness to learn in the safety of an emotionally intelligent learning environment.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Inclusion in Further Education by Lydia Spenceley. Copyright © 2014 Lydia Spenceley. Excerpted by permission of Critical Publishing Ltd.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Foreword by series editor

Chapter 1:   Introduction

Chapter 2:   The Shape(shifter) of Inclusion

Chapter 3:   Politics and Policy

Chapter 4:   New Teachers – Old Ideas?

Chapter 5:   Mainstream Mayhem

Chapter 6:   Label Literacy

Chapter 7:   NEETS and Knots

Chapter 8:   ‘Special’ Students

Chapter 9:   Myths and Realities

Chapter 10: Conclusions

References