Three inclusive questions
The following questions can help teachers develop individualised, strengths- and evidence-based approaches to learning and teaching. These questions can be used when a teacher identifies a situation where a child may require extra support to participate.
What are the child’s unique strengths and what has been helpful so far?
An individualised, strengths-based approach recognises that all children have strengths and abilities, and that understanding and appreciating these unique strengths and abilities improves children’s opportunities for learning and development. Strengths can be defined as a child’s intellectual, physical and interpersonal skills, capacities, dispositions, interests and motivations. Support available to the child, such as the child themselves, their peers, their family, other teacher and education staff and specialists, and other involved professionals such as medical and allied health staff, can also be considered strengths.
What is the goal and why is it important?
Set learning goals that are a priority for the individual child. Goals that are realistic and build on the child’s existing strengths and skills will be most helpful. When setting goals, teachers can use the Practice Principles for Excellence in Teaching and Learning to empower students to learn and achieve at school.
What evidence-based strategies can be used to reach the goal?
Consider how you could adjust your teaching style, the school and class rules and requirements, environmental aspects and equipment. Use strategies that are based on current and successful strategies evaluated in school settings such as those found on AllPlay Learn. Individualise strategies and link them to a child’s strengths. Strategies can be trialled and then refined based on whether they are helpful at achieving the goal.
Below are two examples demonstrating how a teacher can use a strengths-based approach to apply evidence-based strategies to support a child.
Example 1
Billy is an early primary student who has an intellectual disability. A new skill (subtraction) was recently introduced to the class. Billy finds reasoning and problem solving challenging. He also finds following multiple instructions challenging. For these reasons he needs additional support in learning subtraction.
1. What are the child’s unique strengths and what has been helpful so far?
- Billy engages well with hands-on play-based activities
- Billy is interested in trains and cars
- Billy works well with other children
- Billy is motivated by encouragement and acknowledgement from his teacher when working on a task
- Billy’s teacher has found repetition helps Billy learn other skills
2. What is the goal and why is it important?
3. What evidence-based strategies can be used to reach the goal?
To reach the goal the following strategies will initially be trialled:- Billy engages well with hands-on play-based activities
- Billy is interested in trains and cars
- Create hands-on play-based subtraction activities for the class using trains and cars
- Billy is interested in trains and cars
- Billy is motivated by encouragement and acknowledgement from his teacher when working on a task
- As an encouragement for successfully completing a set number of subtraction sums, give Billy time for free play with trains and cars
- Billy works well with other children
- Use pairs or small group activities to learn subtraction sums. This could include ‘taking away’ children and counting how many are left
- Billy’s teacher has found repetition has helped Billy learn other skills
- Repeat the subtraction activities many times, using different materials, and in different settings
Example 2
Evie is a primary school student who has autism. Her music teacher has noticed that Evie does not sit with or interact with other children during class, and is not included by other children in small group or paired activities.
1. What are the child’s unique strengths and what has been helpful so far?
- Evie excels in recognising different sounds and rhythm patterns during music class
- Evie is able to communicate well with others when prompted
- Evie is more settled and learns new skills more easily when there is a clear schedule and routine
- Evie responds well to encouragement and acknowledgement from her teacher
2. What is the goal and why is it important?
3. What evidence-based strategies can be used to reach the goal?
To reach the goal the following strategies will initially be trialled:- Evie excels in recognising different sounds and rhythm patterns during music class
- Evie responds well to a clear schedule and routine
- Evie’s teacher will start every lesson with an activity where students will be given a specific rhythm or sound. Students will find their partner for the lesson by finding the person with the same rhythm or sound.
- Evie is able to communicate well with others when prompted
- Evie’s teacher will develop activities that involve children working with their partner. Evie's teacher will prompt Evie throughout the lesson to talk to her partner or provide questions for students to ask of each other during the activity
- Evie responds well to encouragement and acknowledgement from her teacher
- Evie excels in recognising different sounds and rhythm patterns during music class
- Evie’s teacher will look for opportunities to encourage Evie to interact with her partner or work with other children. Evie’s teacher will acknowledge Evie in front of other students for good recognition of sounds and rhythm.