Activity 1.2

Two important features of an Inclusive School are:

a) A Welcoming Attitude.

b) Family Involvement.

In a school I had visited I observed that a welcoming attitude was out into action by the way they treated the children. All the children were made to feel equally welcomed, cared for and safe. All the children participated in the full curricular of the school and interactions were supported between peers with and without disabilities. How they arranged the environment was also developed to accommodate both children with and without disabilities.

I have also observed how action was out into family involvement. Family participation was supported as it promoted learning both at home as well as at school and it also built positive relationships. They also held parent - teacher workshops and PTA meetings which built a team like relationship.

Activity 1.4

A situation from my experience in which attitudes were successfully challenged came from a parent who was afraid that her daughter who had a mild speech delay would be made fun of or bullied. A meeting was held with the parent and it was explained to her that the school was an Inclusive one and that there were other children with disabilities attending the school, also all the children have been sensitized on the topic of diversity and inclusion. The parent was out at ease after the meeting and after a month she was overjoyed that her childs speech was improving as her daughter after interacting with the other children began to imitate them saying a few words she never had before.

Activity 1.5

Two factors that I think are particularly effective in contributing to an inclusive ethos and culture are:

a) A Whole Staff Committed to Inclusion - this means that all members of staff are willing to conform their mind set, put in the work as a team and do what it takes to foster and promote an Inclusive school.

b) Flexible Management - this deals with the effective way of dealing with issues. Having the skills to be flexible and the strategies to work with others such as parent and staff will gain productivity which will benefit the children as well as the school.

Activity 1.6

Some Professional Development Training that I have experienced and found it to be very effective and helpful, and made a difference to my practice would be:

a) Adaptability - this helped me to be flexible and able me to adapt to different ways in which children learn so I could plan lessons better, also being able to adapt helped me to cater to the individual needs of my students.

b) Communication - this helped me to be able to communicate with peers, staff members, students and parents.

c) Innovative - this helped me in trying new methods, ideas and thinking creatively.

d) Understand Technology - this helped me in incorporating and implementing the use of technology such as videos in teaching and learning.

Activity 1.7

In a school I know, one inclusive feature that I mainly noticed would be the intentional, sufficient and supported interactions between peers with and without disabilities and the evidence that this made a difference was that through these interactions a higher level of social competence and better communication skills was exhibited and new skills was developed through imitation.