Jan

Inclusion in the classroom: Casvi Educational Project

Casvi Villaviciosa > Orientación > Inclusion in the classroom: Casvi Educational Project

Facilitating the inclusion of all pupils in the classroom is nowadays an educational priority and a fundamental principle. Diversity cannot be ignored. This is not limited to students with special educational needs, but to the student body as a whole.

A circumstance that is due to the cultural, social and economic changes that are taking place in society. Each child has a particular way of being and thinking. There are children of different nationalities, with different talents, from disadvantaged backgrounds, with different learning styles…

Inclusión en las aulas en el Colegio Privado Internacional Eurocolegio Casvi

That is why, at Eurocolegio Casvi International Private School, we offer a teaching-learning framework that adapts to all students without exception. It facilitates learning for all students, with equal opportunities and with the same rights.

What can be called an inclusive school, which offers the acquisition of an equal global competence for all; assumes and respects diversity; learns from it; and takes advantage of it as a source of learning and enrichment in its classrooms.

International Baccalaureate and inclusion in the classroom

According to the International Baccalaureate Organisation “inclusion is an ongoing process that aims to increase access for all students and their participation in learning by identifying and removing barriers”. To this end, the entire Casvi Educational Community actively participates in developing strategies that favour this inclusion within its three programmes (PEP, PAI and PD). It does so with:

Ordinary measures. When it is detected that a pupil’s learning pace is different from the norm, the teacher establishes an action plan based on reinforcement, ordinary support or extension.
Extraordinary measures. Once the above measures have been exhausted, if it is observed that the difficulties persist, the pupil will be referred for assessment by the Guidance Department. These, depending on the results of the psycho-pedagogical evaluation, will determine the necessary measures to be taken at a pedagogical level. Also the use of any other type of extraordinary measure, as well as the possible referral to another department outside the centre.
Inclusive assessment adaptations, also contemplated in the IB. This refers to changes in the length of an examination (e.g. access to additional time). The venue (e.g. a preferred location). The presentation (e.g. the use of reading software). Or the method of response (e.g. the use of speech recognition software), as described in the document “Learners with specific assessment access needs”.

Concrete measures in Casvi to address special educational needs

Within the fundamental pillar of Casvi’s educational model, which is personalised attention to all our students and families, in our school we adopt different inclusion measures for students with special educational needs associated with:

Reading and writing delay and language barrier (we cannot forget that we are an international school). In both cases, the Head of Studies, together with the Guidance Department, plans specific reinforcement support. Pupils from other nationalities receive linguistic support to enable them to catch up more quickly with the school’s language of instruction. In addition, specific Spanish for foreigners classes are offered for those who stay in our school on a cultural exchange. All these reinforcements are carried out by teachers from the school and within the school timetable, with a frequency and planning that guarantees their effectiveness.
Articulatory language difficulties. Support for pupils with these difficulties will be organised at the school, within the school timetable, and will be carried out by specialists in this field.
Learning difficulties: Specific Language Disorder (SLD), Attention Deficit Disorder with or without Hyperactivity (ADHD), Dyslexia, Non-Verbal Learning Disorder (NVD), Coordination Disorder, Maturational Delay (infant age) and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). In addition to medical conditions: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), anxiety, depression, hearing difficulties and visual difficulties. The methodological adaptations indicated in Article 71.2 of Organic Law 2/2006, of 3 May, on Education, in its new wording given by Organic Law 8/2013, of 9 December, are made for pupils with a diagnosis.
High Abilities. Once the pupil with special educational needs associated with High Intellectual Ability has been identified, an appropriate, individualised and differentiated educational proposal is made, with monitoring and assessment. The appropriate measures are also applied to cater for diversity: organisational flexibility; activities that promote continuous motivation, which require active, creative and participative forms of work, while developing autonomy; curricular enrichment…

General benefits of inclusion in the classroom

Inclusion in the classroom enhances different strengths and skills. For example:

It encourages early social interaction between pupils who perceive themselves as different.
The inclusion promotes the learning of values.
All pupils bring something to each other. This increases the sense of togetherness in the group.
Self-esteem levels are increased.
Social commitment to each other is assimilated.
The inclusion, also, increases the exchange of emotions in class, which helps to better understand oneself and others.
It helps in the prevention of bullying.
And it sows the seeds of a more aware, tolerant, collaborative, committed, mature and empathetic adult society.