CONCURRENT SESSIONS
SESSION 1
DAY 1: 13.00 - 13.50
Numeracy for students with learning difficulties: implications for the school curriculum
Presented by: Assoc. Prof Rhonda Faragher
Organisation: University of Queensland
School leaders support inclusive practice through aligning theory and policy with practice. A very common context where challenges arise is in curriculum decisions for students with learning difficulties and disabilities. In this session, the cross curriculum priority of Numeracy will be used as an example to show how leaders might align policy with classroom practice through supporting curriculum decisions. Numeracy is the use of all branches of mathematics in life contexts. The distinction between mathematics and numeracy is clear in the Australian Curriculum however, for students with learning difficulties, often the fields become blurred. A narrow focus on a utilitarian view of mathematics can lead to a very impoverished mathematics curriculum. Instead, an approach that focuses on a rich view of numeracy, teachers’ expertise to adjust secondary mathematics and students’ capacity to learn, leads to enhanced numeracy development. School leaders have a critical role in guiding curriculum and teaching staff towards this goal.
DAY 1: 13.00 - 13.50
Know Better, Do Better - School discipline, disability and behaviour
Presented by: Vicky Booth, Jo McCulloch
Organisation: Department of Education, QLD
In this workshop the participants will be engaged in a thoughtful reflection of the current status of school discipline, including the impact on students with disability. Touching on contemporary research of effective practice, findings from multiple state and territory behaviour reviews, and the issues raised through the emerging new industry of "behaviour specialists" spurred through funding opportunities from the National Disability Insurance Scheme, this presentation will challenge participants to consider their beliefs, attitudes and knowledge of school discipline, staff support and the role of school in the community. In particular, the wicked problem reflected in the overrepresentation of students with disability in school disciplinary exclusion statistics will be presented as a co-design challenge for the audience.
DAY 1: 13.00 - 13.50
Hearts and Minds; growing inclusive culture in North Queensland schools
Presented by: Bronwyn Reguson
Organisation: Department of Education, QLD
International research supports a paradigm shift to inclusive education for the superior social and academic outcomes for all students. As a result, educational leaders are asking what this means for their school community. Jackson (2017) highlights that change rarely occurs from a base of logic and data; rather, engaging educators in change requires a hearts and minds approach. Carrington (1999) further affirms that reflection on both current beliefs and practice is necessary in developing an inclusive school culture. Since 2017, North Queensland Region has hosted 13 inclusion forums for school leadership teams with over 300 attendees. This workshop will explore the initial phase of an inquiry cycle approach to leading inclusive schooling practices through:
- articulating shared understandings of inclusive education
- identifying strengths in current beliefs and practices
- articulating next steps for improvement.
SESSION 2
DAY 1: 14.00 - 14.50
Leading Schools in an Inclusive World
Presented by: Racquel Gibbons, Christopher Thomas, Diana Boulter
Organisation: Department of Education, QLD
This innovative middle leadership program was a partnership between the Department of Education Metropolitan Region and QELi, and was a bespoke program that drew on experience and research to respond to both system and national priorities in inclusive education. Focussing on middle leaders of inclusion, the program aimed to improve their leadership capability to lead inclusive practices in their schools. This program drew on current evidence-based practices and included regional mentoring, intentional collaboration as well as experts in leadership, inclusive practices, policies and culture. Participants' feedback and our evidence demonstrates an overall growth in their leadership capability that resulted in improvements in attendance, engagement and academic improvements. The presentation will share the need that sparked this innovative change, outline how evidence and experience framed our approach, and demonstrate the impact of learning this program has achieved. This session will give leaders an evidence-based approach to improving the leadership capability of middle leaders of inclusion to improve outcomes for all.
DAY 1: 14.00 - 14.50
Collaboration for Effective Inclusion: What does it really take?
Presented by: Dr Lisa Bridle
Organisation: Community Resource Unit Ltd, QLD
For several years, Community Resource Unit Ltd has undertaken leadership development for families of students with disabilities to build a movement of families supporting each other towards better school inclusion. More recently, CRU was funded by the Queensland Department of Education to build the capacity of families to advocate for their child with disability and to effectively partner with schools. The Families for Inclusive Education project provides individual consultations, workshops across Queensland, information resources and supports to establish peer support networks.
This presentation will describe the project and why investment in families matters for inclusive schools and communities. It will draw upon family reports on what desirable relationships with schools look like and encourage reflection on parents' frustrations when ""partnership"" is not experienced as meaningful or sustained. By being more aware of the lived experience of families of students with disability, school leaders will be challenged to respond with compassion, flexibility and concrete commitments to school transformation.
DAY 1: 14.00 - 14.50
Enabling the human right to read for every learner: Leading an expert educational team to develop a reader profile
Presented by: Mary Neville, Jenny Peach
Organisation: Reading and Writing Centre – State Schools Disability and Inclusion, QLD
Reading should be understood within a rights-based approach and among the principles of inclusion. Reading is a right, implicit to the right to education and as a mechanism for the pursuit of other human rights. It confers a wide set of benefits and strengthens the capabilities of individuals, families and communities to access health, educational, economic, political and cultural opportunities.
Understanding child and adolescent reading development requires input from an inclusive educational team. The inclusive educational team collaborates in the prevention, identification and intervention for students at-risk of or experiencing difficulties learning to read. To ensure curriculum, assessment and pedagogy practices are accessible, teachers must be explicitly aware of a student’s profile-specific differences and needs in reading comprehension.
The inclusive educational team collaborate to develop an individual student’s reader profile of strengths and challenges in reading.
This workshop will introduce the Reader profile and how leaders can engage with their inclusive educational team to support all students to succeed in reading.