- Inclusive education in Iceland - Policy and implementation - Examples of good practice Guðni Olgeirsson,
[email protected] Iceland Ministry of Education, Science and Culture
• Eruptions, earthquakes,floods, bad weather, storms, avalances, icebergs
Some background information about the school system Responsibility Curriculum guidelines
Pre-schools
1–5 years
Municipalities
Primary and 6 – 15 lower years secondary (compulsory)
Municipalities
Upper secondary
State
16 – 20 years
Policy at local level
Age of students
National curriculum
School level
School curricula School curricula
School curricula
•ROLE OF THE COMPULSORY SCHOOL
The years that children study at compulsory school are an important formative period for them as individuals and citizens. School should give pupils an opportunity to acquire knowledge, skill and competence that prepares them for studies upon the completion of compulsory school and for their whole life. In compulsory school basis is laid for the participation of the individuals in democratic society and the human values that are to encourage their overall development, enhance their awareness for Icelandic culture and respect for the culture of other nations.
Inclusive education- clear policy • Inclusive education is a policy written directly from 2008 into the education acts for pre schools and compulsory schools, and clarified and implemented in regulations and National Curriculum Guides. • The upper secondary school system accepts all students but is not fully inclusive.
Definion 2011 National Curriculum Guide • An Inclusive compulsory school means – a compulsory school in the pupils’ municipality or local community – where the educational and social requirements of each pupil are met – with emphasis on respect for human values and social justice .
Distribution of responsibility • The education system has been moving towards decentralisation both with regard to responsibilities and decision-making. • Decentralisation, empowerment of education providers • Stronger focus on the needs and abilities of the individual learner (inclusion and reduced dropout)
Some objectives of the legislation 2008 • Guarantee of education for 16 - 18 years old • Secondary schools get more freedom and responsibility in planning the education • The involvement and role of parents more formal • Status of private schools better defined and improved • The school levels become better coordinated with more flexibility for students
The new National Curriculum Guide • Published in 2011 (and 2013 subject areas compulsory) • Various issues are common for pre-, compulsory- and upper secondary schools • Objectives of the educational system are presented in a common chapter for all levels • The education policy rests on 6 fundamental pillars • Emphasis is on flexibility and continuity • Also on school development and general professionalism of teachers at all levels. • School evaluation
Six Fundamental pillars in education Literacy Health and welfare Democracy and human rights
Equality Sustainability Creativity
The fundamental pillars • The fundamental pillars are based on the view appearing in school legislation that both social objectives and the educational objectives of the individual are to be achieved. • They are to ensure well-educated and healthy citizens, both for participating in and for changing and improving society and also for contemporary employment.
•The main goal of education is not knowledge but action (participation)
Information Technologies
Icelandic
Foreign languages
Arts and Crafts
Mathematics
Natural Sciences Social Studies
Physical Education
Teacher professionalism • The role of teachers is crucial in all school activities. • Well-educated and enthusiastic teachers are the prerequisite for the quality of the education and success in school activities at all school levels. • Teachers guide children and youth in their studies and the evaluation of their studies and also support them to adopt a healthy way of life. • From 2008 Masters degree required at all levels • Live long staff development
Equal opportunities for education • At compulsory school all pupils are entitled to appropriate education. • Pupils should have equal opportunities, regardless of their abilities or circumstances. Efforts should be made to prevent discrimination on the basis of whether the pupil is of Icelandic or foreign origin. • Opportunities are not to depend on whether pupils are boys or girls, where they live, what class they belong to, their sexual orientation, their health or whether they have disabilities or their circumstances in other respects. • National Curriculum guide from 2011
Wealth in diversity
Inclusive schools • All pupils have the right to compulsory education in common inclusive schools which all children are entitled to attending. • Inclusive school means a compulsory school in the pupils’ municipality or local community where the educational and social requirements of each pupil are met with emphasis on respect for human values and social justice. • The inclusive school assumes that everyone has equal or equivalent study opportunities and the education is appropriate for each individual. • This basic principle in school operations in Iceland involves universal involvement, access and participation of every pupil in school activities.
Special needs • Pupils with special needs are defined as those who have difficulties studying because of – – – –
specialised study problems, emotional or social problems and/or disabilities, dyslexic pupils, pupils suffering from long term illnesses, developmental disorders, mental disturbances – and other pupils with health-related special needs – Precocious pupils and pupils with special talents in particular fields are also entitled to appropriate study opportunities
Specialist support services • On the one hand, the municipalities’ specialist services involve support for school operations and school personnel with the pupils’ interest in mind, and on the other hand, to support compulsory school pupils and their parents. • The objective of the specialist services is to provide pedagogical, psychological, developmental and sociological knowledge to the advantage of the schools. • In implementing specialist services, municipalities should emphasis preventive measures.
Support as needed • Early evaluation of the pupil’s status followed by counseling is an important response to educational, social or psychological difficulties so that subsequently it is possible to organise education and assistance in a manner appropriate for each pupil and in cooperation with the personnel of the inclusive school. • The specialist services should through counseling and education support school activities and practice and school personnel and parents in various ways.
Continuation • Laws on preschool, compulsory school and upper secondary school emphasize continuation in education . • In the implementation of the specialist services it is, therefore, important to emphasize sound continuity marked by systematic dissemination of information of the pupils’ status and circumstances when they transfer from one school level to the next.
Special schools/classes • If parents and school specialists believe that a pupil’s special situation is such that it is to his/her best advantage to attend specialised school, the parents can ask that their child is admitted a specialised school temporarily or permanently . • In this situation, any decision is to take into consideration the general welfare of the pupil.
Special schools/ classes • The purpose of such classes and schools is to provide pupils with a specialised learning environment for shorter or longer periods of time, while at the same time emphasizing the provision of support and pedagogical counseling to staff at regular compulsory schools. •
Article 42. Compulsory school act from 2008
•Resource centers to support the mainstream sector
• • • • • • •
Commitment Attitudes School culture Learning community-building capacity Teamwork- co operation Leadership Support services- resource centers
Sif Vígþórsdóttir, principal of Norðlingaskóli Iceland • The school has received many awards, including: • Role model of the year 2015 with the establishment of city and town, the third best organization in the country in 2015. • Reykjavík Department of Youth and Education’s Motivation Award, spring 2014. • Award from the National Association of Disabled, December 2010. • President’s award for achievement in education, May 2009. Sif welcomes you to visit Norðlingaskóli any time.
Norðlingaskóli Reykjavík • The school has been creating a learning environment centered around o o o o
individualization, electives, mixed-age grouping and an emphasis on students‘participation in the planning of their learning.
• An emphasis is also placed on working with each student‘s strengths, on incorporating arts, crafts and movement and on total inclusion for students.
“Children Learn What they Live” Sif Vígþórsdóttir
[email protected] Tallinn December 2. 2015
Hallormsstaðaskóli – The School in the woods where everyone is special In Norðlingaskóli we are nice, colorful, studious and happy
“Tell me, Sif, can‘t we rid Aron of this woman?”
Workshops at norðlingaskóli
Norðlingaskóli • Today the number of students is about 600, aged 6 – 16 • Students work in groups. For an example 1. – 2. grade are together in a group of 160 students.
School race at norðlingaskóli
Norðlingaskóli • About 90 people are employed at the school and at after school activities for the youngest • The students come from around 380 homes • Communication and collaboration between parents and school are rich and begin with a School Mission day every autumn
Phy. ed outdoors at norðlingaskóli
Norðlingaskóli • All the school‘s staff works in teams • At this time about 35% of the students are disabled or diagnosed as having “special needs”
Mission statement Ø
Ø Ø
Ø Ø Ø
Ø
That the school operates from the general principle that every individual shall have the educational conditions that he may, to his capabilities, mature and grow, graduate from grammar school as an independent, strong and not least happy individual.
Multigrade teaching, that promotes social skills and facilitates that each individual moves through his schooling at his own pace. That students feel good and that learning and working is for each of them designed around their needs and capabilities as well as their strength. Based on individual work and collaboration in many different respects. That the school is for all students of the school district, without differentiation where everyone is welcome and nobody excluded. That school employees work in teams but that facilitates that the variety of individuals within the group of employees benefits the students. That the school will be closely connected to the surrounding community. Among other things with collaboration between home and school where parents special knowledge of their children and the school workers special knowledge. That the school work takes aim from the cultural and natural environment that it is a part of and promotes the feeling that those new to the neighborhood feel like they are a part of the community
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Skóli 1 = Norðlingaskóli
Norðlingaskóli
What is an inclusive school? Ø A school where students with SPECIAL needs and disabled students join their age group in a regular class in their neighbourhood school? Ø A school where all students are engaged in learning what is suitable for them? Ø A school where all students have equal rights to ecucation and extracurricular activities? Ø A school where students’ SPECIAL needs are respected and met?
Ø A school where the learning is differentiated. 42
Differentiation (Individualised learning) Ø “Differentiation is simply attending to the learning needs of a particular student or small group of students rather than the more typical pattern of teaching the class as though all individuals in it were basically alike.” Ø “In the context of education, we define differentiation as a teacher’s reacting responsively to a learner’s needs. A teacher who is differentiating understands a student’s needs to express humor, or work with a group, or have additional teaching on a particular skill, or delve more deeply into a particular topic, or have guided help with a reading passage – and the teacher responds actively and positively to that need.”
Carol Ann Tomlinson and Susan Demirsky Allan, 2000, Leadership for differentiating schools & classrooms 43
singing at norðlingaskóli
STUDENT BASED LEARNING Emphasis on students designing their own studies •
Personalization o Planning – Weekly goals o Assignments by choice
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Activating interests o Fields of interest
NORÐLINGASKÓLI Ø Individual planning Ø Plans are drawn up once a week Ø Also includes homework
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No one the same – all equal Individual planning, based on central curriculum, incorporating strengths
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No two are the same – but all equal Individual planning
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NORÐLINGASKÓLI Ø Field of interest Ø Working to each student’s strengths (MI theory) Ø A learning contract The student and the teacher draw up a contract on the student‘s field of interest, how the student intends to go about the work and in what time period. The contract usually states what final product the work will produce and what resources the teacher needs to make available to the student. 49
NORÐLINGASKÓLI - Choice
ØWe offer electives to students in order to increase the diversity and flexibility of their education, to enable independent study while at the same time providing scope for the teachers to tend to each student’s needs.
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Dæmisaga um skóla 10. ágúst 2006
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Outlook
Students’ “outlook accommodation” Our students have the right to: Ø influence their own learning process Ø emotional well-being, democratic working methods, freedom of choice, certain latitudes Ø education tailored to their needs, aimed towards their advantages and enjoyment Ø staff that has faith in them at all times Ø making mistakes and learning from them
WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO CARE FOR THE CHILDREN AND TREAT THEM AS WE WOULD LIKE OUR OWN CHILDREN TO BE TREATED 52
Culture and atmosphere Ø The atmosphere in Norðlingaskóli is shaped by our belief that it is normal, even desirable, that students are not all alike. We consider it important that students have an opportunity to flourish according to their capabilities, needs, interests, wishes and strengths. Ø Foregrounded is the belief that the school is a workplace that should be characterized by co-operation, well-being, happiness, responsible freedom, independent work periods, democracy, a comfortable work environment, diversity and flexibility … Ø Extensive collaboration between employees, professional dialogue and TEAMWORK, preventing isolation and providing resources. Ø Interest in innovation – curriculum development is considered an integral part of day to day work. Constant assessment is important . Ø The school is designed to accommodate the students, not the other way round. Ø Parents are encouraged to visit the school and engage in dialogue. Ø Constant flow of information. Ø The only thing to ever effectively combat negativity is positivity!! 53
HUMOROUS AND HUMAIN
•External audit of the current system for inclusive education in Iceland • European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education • https://www.europeanagency.org/news/external-audit-in-iceland
Main focus and Objectives • The main focus of the Audit will be an exploration of how successful the implementation of the Icelandic policy for inclusive education is in practice. • The Audit will consider structure, process and outcome factors and will lead to information that can be used to plan systematic improvements for the system in Iceland in the long term.
The Scope will cover • pre-school through to the end of upper-secondary education. This will include a focus on the special units and the support system in upper-secondary schools, as this school level was not covered in the recent evaluation and analysis in Iceland. • all responsible funding bodies involved in inclusive education, i.e. the municipalities; the Ministries of Education, Science and Culture; Health and Welfare; and the Interior. This also includes a consideration of the Municipalities Equalisation fund (http://www.jofnunarsjodur.is/english).
The Scope … • all school stakeholders, i.e. learners and their families; school staff; support services; school funders and operators; national teacher organisations and teacher education institutions and national parent associations; • local and national level decision-makers, including those from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture and the Ministry of Welfare.
White paper on educational reform 2014
Hvítbók um umbætur í menntamálum
Few but ambitious goals Reading literacy
Upper secondary schools
• 90 per cent of compulsory school pupils should meet • 60 per cent of upper minimum reading secondary students should standards—up from 79 per graduate on time—up from cent currently. 44 per cent currently.
Hvítbók um umbætur í menntamálum
Education in the 21st century The educational system should prepare young people to live and work in the 21 st. century.
Useful Websites • www.island.is • www.menntamalaraduneyti.is • http://eng.menntamalaraduneyti.is/publica tions/curriculum/ • www.eurydice.org • www.statice.is • www.samband.is • www.namsmat.is • www.namsgagnastofnun.is