Go on courses and click on Understanding and Supporting Inclusion.
Now Click on Modules and access weekly readings and learning material. You must cover week 1 to week 4 learning material for more clarity about this assignment.
Assignment overview:
This assignment requires you to reflect on the information that you have encountered through the unit readings, to then explain your understanding of the factors that impact on the lives of children with additional needs and their families.
The purpose of this task is to enable you to critically think about your learning and develop a deeper understanding of the complex sociocultural factors and theoretical perspectives around disability, diversity, additional needs and inclusion. You will moreover explore and discuss how these factors and perspectives impact on the lives of children with additional needs and the people who care for them.
Unit Learning Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. consider the range of additional needs and critically analyse the potential impact on children, families and the wider community
2. investigate and summarise factors that contribute to additional needs, including sociocultural, health-related and behavioural
3. evaluate concepts of inclusion and links to practice
4. identify and apply relevant policies and practices that support children’s additional needs, including setting up inclusive environments that invite all children’s full participation
Assignment Details:
Reflective essay
Word limit: 2000 words
In this unit, your reflective essay will examine your understanding of Weeks 1–4. You will critically reflect and write about your understandings and answer following essay question:
What can be learned from history, policy and contemporary practices that can guide educators to ensure that all children and families are invited to fully participate in educational settings and the wider Australian society?
In addressing this question, you should reflect on the following four key questions to guide your thinking:
1. What do I understand about the historical developments of inclusive education in Australia?
2. What do I understand about the policy documentation that underpins educational practice?
3. What do I understand about the impact of the historical developments and policy documentation on contemporary practice?
4. Based on the understandings from questions 1–3, what do I believe educators should do to ensure that all children and families are invited to fully participate in educational settings and the wider Australian society?
Your reflective essay should be written in first person. The structure of your essay is flexible, but the following list offers a guide you may like to use:
• Introduction (approximately 200 words): Outline what your essay will cover.
• Body (approximately 1600 words): Address the key areas in the body of your essay, connecting these with a broad view of contemporary policies and practices.
• Conclusion (approximately 200 words): Present a summary of your response to the essay question.
• Reference list (not included in word count): List all references to the work and words of others correctly cited according to Ace homework tutors – APA style.
This task requires you to investigate and summarise sociocultural factors, theoretical perspectives and contemporary inclusion policies and practices. While in the first instance the learning materials and readings in Weeks 1–4 provide a source of information, you are expected to look well beyond this material in formulating your essay. You will be required to use scholarly resources to support your views. This involves selecting evidence from peer-reviewed scholarly texts, as well as authoritative non-peer-reviewed primary and secondary sources. It also means you must write with clarity and precision, and correctly cite the references from which you have drawn your evidence.
Throughout your teaching and learning journey, you will be required to use the nationally approved learning frameworks (the Early Years Learning Framework or the Australian Curriculum), or the approved learning frameworks for your state or territory in Australia.
Assignment Criteria:
1. Diversity, inclusion and additional needs and how they emerged in the educational context are identified and discussed.
2. The policies and practices driving changes to how children with additional needs are treated in early childhood and school environments, and what these policies mean for contemporary classroom practice.
3. Explanation of the role of the teacher in inclusive contemporary education.
4. Pedagogical approaches and practices that support children and families.
5. Highly sophisticated, fluent and persuasive expression of ideas and Flawless use of Ace homework tutors – APA 7th edition style of referencing.
6. There should be clarity and maturity of presentation. 12 to 15 References embedded expertly into the flow of information and ideas.
+++++
Firstly, it is essential to have a clear understanding of what inclusion means in the context of education. Inclusion is a process that involves providing equal opportunities for all children, regardless of their abilities or differences, to participate fully in educational settings. It aims to promote the social, emotional, and educational development of all children, including those with additional needs.
When reflecting on the historical developments of inclusive education in Australia, it is essential to consider the changing attitudes towards people with disabilities over time. In the past, people with disabilities were often excluded from mainstream education and society. However, this has changed over time with the introduction of policies and legislation aimed at promoting inclusion and equal opportunities.
The policy documentation that underpins educational practice includes various legislative and regulatory frameworks that promote inclusion, such as the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005. It is important to understand the impact of these policies and the ways in which they have influenced contemporary practices.
When considering contemporary practices, it is important to reflect on the role of the teacher in inclusive education. Teachers play a critical role in creating a welcoming and inclusive learning environment that caters to the diverse needs of all students. This involves developing pedagogical approaches and practices that support children and families, such as differentiated instruction and family engagement strategies.
To ensure that all children and families are invited to fully participate in educational settings and the wider Australian society, educators must continue to work towards creating inclusive environments that promote equal opportunities for all. This includes promoting diversity and inclusivity, creating accessible learning environments, and engaging with families and communities to promote positive outcomes for all children.
When writing a reflective essay, it is important to use scholarly resources to support your views and ideas. This involves selecting evidence from peer-reviewed scholarly texts, as well as authoritative non-peer-reviewed primary and secondary sources. It also means writing with clarity and precision, and correctly citing the references from which you have drawn your evidence, using Ace homework tutors – APA 7th edition style of referencing.
Reflecting on the historical developments, policy documentation, and contemporary practices surrounding inclusive education in Australia is crucial for developing a deeper understanding of the factors that impact the lives of children with additional needs and their families. By promoting diversity and inclusivity, creating accessible learning environments, and engaging with families and communities, educators can work towards ensuring that all children and families are invited to fully participate in educational settings and the wider Australian society.
