RECENT ASSIGNMENT

Assessment 1: Essay (40%)

Due Date: (Sunday, 29 September, 2013) 11.59 PM (WST)


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This assignment is worth 40% of your overall mark for the unit.


This assessment is in the form of an essay. Your essay should be 1600-1800 words.

(Please note your assignment must be between this word range, no plus or minus 10% is allowable)

This assessment requires you to write an essay to answer the following question based on the scenario outlined below:

Scenario – You are the Principal at a large metropolitan Primary school The student in question, is a girl named Sarah. Sarah has just moved to the area in question and is about to go into year 3. Sarah has moderate learning difficulties; due to autism. Sarah is also legally blind.

Teachers from Sarah’s previous school report that Sarah is a good student who tries hard and generally manages well despite her disabilities. They also mention that Sarah’s Mother, is a sole parent who works well with teachers in order to support her child. Sarah also has a sister Leah, who is in grade 5, she is very supportive of Sarah, but also very protective towards her. Sarah has been provided with appropriate assistive technologies.

Sarah has passed all her work in previous grades but has required a lot of effort from her teachers in order to help her to pass. Sarah’s new teacher approaches you to raise concerns about Sarah attending a ‘ general’ classroom setting. This teacher feels, that Sarah would be better off undertaking her schooling at the local ‘Special School’, stating that “ Sarah would be better with other students who have similar disabilities and I don't have the time to work with students with special needs”.

In this assignment you need to develop your essay showing what you, as the Principal would say to the teacher in question as to why Sarah should be included in the general classroom setting, You need to develop your essay around the following points.

1) What would you say to Sarahs’ new classroom teacher to help alleviate the teacher's concerns?

2) What strategies could you suggest to the teacher to assist the teacher to support Sarah in the classroom? Consider issues such as learning accommodations, reasonable adjustments, transition needs, equipment needs etc.

3) How could you provide ongoing support for the teacher in order to make her confident in teaching students with special needs?

4) What does Australian law (both State and Federal) say about inclusion of children with special needs in general education classes?

Please ensure you write your essay using ‘third person language’.

In your response to these questions, you are expected to demonstrate -

Understanding of the main concepts and important issues, by reference to your reading
Educational application through the inclusion of illustrative examples from the literature or your own experience (if you use your own experiences as examples, don't forget to make links to the literature and reference accordingly).
Your essay should be set out in a logical way, with a clear introduction, body of your essay and conclusion. If you wish you may use headings to guide you in your drafts but these need to be removed before submission.
Please ensure you write your essay using ‘third person language’.