Curriculum for Excellence is designed to achieve a transformation in education in Scotland by providing a coherent, more flexible and enriched curriculum from 3 to 18 year olds. The term curriculum is understood to mean - everything that is planned for children and young people throughout their education, not just what happens in the classroom.
Curriculum for Excellence includes four contexts for learning:
The Building the Curriculum document series provides advice, guidance and policy for different aspects of Curriculum for Excellence.
Inclusive, exclusive, flexible, rigid, exploiting, developed, better, poorer, learners, teachers, parents, additional, normal, usual, included, excluded, lessons, appropriate, planning, early intervention, appropriate support, support, curriculum, timely
Select the appropriate word from the list above to complete the paragraph correctly
Curriculum for Excellence is an ___________curriculum and is designed to be________. Schools and Local authorities should be ________fully the flexibility of Curriculum for Excellence to _________meet the needs of all___________. Schools must ensure that the needs of all learners, including those who have ___________support needs are incorporated and __________from the start of any curriculum planning to ensure timely and ___________ which will enable learners to participate in well planned experiences and achieve positive outcomes.
Curriculum for Excellence is an inclusive curriculum and is designed to be flexible. Schools and Local authorities should be exploiting fully the flexibility of Curriculum for Excellence to better meet the needs of all learners. Schools must ensure that the needs of all learners, including those who have additional support needs are incorporated and included from the start of any curriculum planning to ensure timely and appropriate support which will enable learners to participate in well planned experiences and achieve positive outcomes.
Within Curriculum for Excellence, assessment is used to support individual learning and to provide reliable information to learners, parents, employers and further and higher education about the standards that have been achieved.
‘Building the Curriculum 5 (2011) A Framework for Assessment’ provides guidance on the main areas of the assessment strategy for Curriculum for Excellence. Reflecting the values and principles of Curriculum for Excellence ‘A Framework for Assessment’ is designed to support the purposes of Curriculum for Excellence.
The principles of Curriculum for Excellence apply to assessment in a way that achieves coherence across experiences and outcomes, learning and teaching and assessment practice. Assessment is an integral part of learning and teaching. It helps to provide a picture of a child’s or young person's progress and achievements and to identify next steps in learning. Assessment approaches need to promote learner engagement and ensure appropriate support so that all learners can achieve their aspirational goals and maximise their potential.
The purposes of assessment are to:
High quality interactions between learners and staff lie at the heart of assessment as part of learning and teaching. Section 1.1 highlighted that ‘pupil support’ begins with the classroom teacher and not the support for learning teacher. Class teachers assess constantly, as part of daily learning and teaching and are involved and responsible for the continuing assessment, monitoring and planning for their pupils, following the principles and purpose of assessment information. They do this, for example, by watching and listening to learners carrying out tasks, by looking at what they write and make and by considering how they answer questions. They get to know their learners well, build up a profile of their progress, strengths and needs and involve them in planning what they need to learn next. Effective ongoing assessment is about establishing where children and young people are in their learning, where they are going and how best to get there. It is important that teachers use and share the evidence about learning to provide useful feedback to learners, to adapt learning and teaching approaches to meet their needs and to revisit areas where learning is not yet secure.
Sources of assessment evidence that class teachers can share with support staff include:
Ongoing assessment, including in the senior phase, will include assessing progress across the breadth of learning, in challenging aspects and when applying learning in different and unfamiliar contexts. A class teacher’s valuable insight and observations contribute significantly to the provision of appropriate curriculum planning, assessment and supporting learners with additional support needs. Assessment within the context of Curriculum for Excellence is also assessment for additional support needs. They are not two different types of assessment.
There is no expectation that class teachers will or need to be ‘experts’ in any area of additional support. They must be able to access specialist advice and guidance from support for learning/pupil support /specialist teachers or inclusion officers. (Local authorities use different terminology for staff). This advice or consultation can be either through face to face meetings or by phone, email or a medium such as Skype. Section 6 outlines in further detail the roles of staff within the school community.
Ensuring appropriate support
Building the Curriculum 3 details the entitlement of all children and young people to
‘personal support to enable them to gain as much as possible from the opportunities which Curriculum for Excellence can provide.’
Assessment has to be fair and inclusive and must allow every learner to show what they have achieved and how well they are progressing. Staff can ensure that assessment meets all learners’ needs by providing each child and young person with the most appropriate support. In doing so, they will ensure that every learner has the best chance of success. For monitoring and tracking to be successful, records of children’s and young people’s achievements and progress need to be manageable. Staff should use assessment information from a wide range of sources to monitor learners’ progress and plan next steps in learning. Assessment information should be shared and discussed with the learner, parents, other staff as appropriate, and partners involved in supporting learning. All can contribute at appropriate times to setting targets for learning and ensuring appropriate support for each child and young person.
‘A framework for Assessment’ is part of a series of Building the Curriculum publications and is intended to further support planning, design and putting into practice the curriculum and approaches to assessment in schools and colleges. It provides guidance and although written in 2011 is still a relevant and useful document to read when evaluating approaches to assessment.
https://www.education.gov.scot/ Documents/ btc5-framework.pdf
Read pages 49 – 51 which focuses on the ‘Roles and responsibilities in assessment’ for:
In your reflective log use the table to reflect and evaluate assessment in relation to inclusive practice.
You can share this activity and your reflections with colleagues and or you line manger to discuss current practice and approaches for assessment of additional support needs used by class teachers and support for learning staff.
In you reflective log consider the following questions
Curriculum for Excellence is an inclusive curriculum from 3 to 18 year olds, wherever learning is taking place.
The curriculum includes all of the experiences which are planned for children and young people through their education. It is not specific to subject areas but applies to activities that take place across the school and includes all that is planned for children and young people throughout their education, not just what happens in the classroom.
Curriculum for Excellence includes four contexts for learning:
The concept of inclusive practice is not new, in 2002 Count Us In, HMIE highlighted that an inclusive approach to education involves:
Every child and young person is entitled to support to enable them to gain as much as possible, from the opportunities which Curriculum for Excellence can provide. When it is felt that a child or young person may require some additional support, this is the initial responsibility of the classroom teacher.
The diversity of learners, challenges policy makers, teachers and others to provide education that is able to flexibly respond to that diversity. We need to respond in such a way that barriers to participation, learning and achievement are removed; inclusion and equality are promoted and a high-quality education for all is developed and sustained.
A curriculum which is accessible to all learners enables schools and education authorities to meet:
Fig 1 Section 1 highlights that the Scottish Education system is designed to be inclusive and this is supported by equality and educational legislation, and policies which include Curriculum for Excellence.
The original report of the Curriculum Review Group, A Curriculum for Excellence (Scottish Executive, 2004) indicated that all children and young people should be successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors to society and at work. By providing accessible structure, support and direction to young people's learning, the curriculum should enable them to develop these four capacities. The curriculum should complement the important contributions of families and communities.
The design principles which schools, teachers and other educators should use to develop and implement the curriculum are:
The foundations of an accessible curriculum which can meet the needs of all learners as highlighted in figure 12 is based on the inclusive legislation framework which underpins educational planning and curriculum design.
The 2014 Making Sense report highlighted that overall the tariff score shows that young people with dyslexia achieve their set of qualifications at a level which is less than 60% of the national average. Given that dyslexia is not connected to cognitive ability, it is necessary that schools and local authorities consider their duty and requirements to plan and provide a curriculum which will support all learners to achieve to the best of the ability and achieve a positive outcome.
‘How Good Is Our School 4’ (HGIOS 4) is a resource to support improvement through self-evaluation and inclusion and is embedded across all the themes and quality indicators.
Figure 13 highlights how the reflective questions can support school communities evaluate their inclusive practice and identify areas for improvement.
Figure 13
a.
1.1 Self-evaluation for self-improvement
b.
1.2 Leadership of learning
c.
1.3 Leadership of change
d.
1.4 Leadership and management of staff
e.
1.5 Management of resources to promote equity
f.
2.1 Safeguarding and child protection
g.
2.2 Curriculum
h.
2.3 Learning, teaching and Assessment
i.
2.4 Personalised support
j.
2.5 Family learning
k.
2.6 Transitions
l.
2.7 Partnerships
m.
3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion
n.
3.2 Raising attainment and achievement
o.
3.3 Increasing creativity and employability
The correct answers are a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n and o.
Inclusive practice is featured across all 3 themes and the 15 quality indicators within HGIOS 4.
This self-evaluation framework is designed to promote effective self-evaluation as the first important stage in a process of achieving self-improvement. Reflecting on inclusion when evaluating practice to see what is working well and what needs to improve will support the educational experiences and outcomes for dyslexia and other additional support needs.
Differentiation is defined by the Training and Development agency for Schools as:
‘the process by which differences between learners are accommodated so that all students in a group have the best possible chance of learning’.
The impact of dyslexia as a barrier to learning varies in degree according to the learning and teaching environment. To ensure learners can access the curriculum and engage with the learning and teaching, staff will need to make adaptations and differentiate their approaches and resources and this may happen in a number of ways. Expert opinion varies regarding the agreement on the definitive methods and approaches to support differentiation within learning and teaching, for example Kormos and Smith (2012) highlight that effective differentiation can be achieved by considering four dimensions: materials, task, expectation and support. (Teaching Languages to Students with Specific Learning Difficulties: 2012) and others focus on task, support and outcome.
Figure 14 highlights different approaches to consider when planning effective and meaningful differentiation.
There are several approaches to consider when planning effective and meaningful differentiation. The table highlights effective areas of differentiation. Before you click on the answer to reveal the focus areas consider what you may think the answer could be. Do note that the list is not exhaustive.
Differentiation by: | Areas of focus for differentiation |
Task
|
|
Grouping
|
|
Resources /Support
|
|
Pace
|
|
Outcome
|
|
Dialogue and support
|
|
Assessment |
Differentiation by: | Areas of focus for differentiation |
Task
|
|
Grouping
|
|
Resources /Support
|
|
Pace
|
Consideration of flexibility of teaching pace and time allowed for tasks and individual pupil requirements, supporting both able learners and those who require more time. |
Outcome
|
All students undertake the same task but a variety of results are expected and are acceptable. |
Dialogue and support
|
|
Assessment |
|
The availability and access to IT has changed the development and production of learning and teaching resources in an extremely positive way. All teachers have access to computers and create the majority of resources on a word document which can be converted very easily into a range of differentiated and accessible resources as highlighted in figure 15.
Staff should consider ways to remove any unnecessary barriers including ensuring that language used to describe what is expected of learners is accessible. They should consider the amount of support required to ensure fairness and provide sufficient challenge.
In your reflective log consider your practice and what types of differentiation you have or are currently providing for your learners. This activity can be used to focus on a whole class, small groups or individual learners.
Arrangements for assessment should ensure that all children and young people have an equal opportunity to show what they can achieve. Pre-school establishments, schools and colleges are required to identify and deliver ‘reasonable adjustments’ to assessment approaches for disabled children and young people and those with additional support needs, for example, by using assistive technologies. Since assessment is integral to learning and teaching, approaches used to help in assessing an individual child’s or young person’s progress should be consistent, as far as possible, with those used in learning. Practice is most effective where teachers use a range of assessment approaches flexibly to identify strengths, learning needs and appropriate support for vulnerable, disengaged and hard-to-reach learners.
It is helpful for all staff, irrespective of which sector they are working in to have an understanding of the Scottish Qualification Agency (SQA) Assessment Arrangements. Anxiety about future support and exams can be felt by parents and learners in the primary settings and it is good practice for staff to be able to share up to date and accurate information about what support will be available, particularly during the planning for Primary 7 transition to 1st year in Secondary (P7-S1).
Commonly requested assessment arrangements for dyslexic learners are
Extra time
Digital exams
Reader
Scribe
The key principles which underpin SQA’s policy on assessment arrangements (AAs) are:
Evidence must be provided by the school – the class teachers working with the pupil support/support for learning teacher in order to request assessment arrangements. It is important to note that
Module 3 will provide opportunities to develop further understanding of the SQA AA process and procedures.
Within the inclusive ‘needs-led’ Scottish educational context - the ‘label’ of dyslexia is not in itself required in order for resources or support to be made available for learners; however, it is equally important to understand that the label of dyslexia can be very valuable to the learner and their family in terms of the learner’s sense of self and gaining understanding from others.
Everyone has the skills and abilities to recognise early signs of dyslexia in children at all stages, and take appropriate action in response. Pupil support begins with the class teachers, however this does not mean that class teachers are responsible for the formal identification of dyslexia. It means they play an important role in the initial stages and the continuing monitoring and assessment of learning – as they do for all their pupils.
It is the responsibility of all who work with children to respond appropriately to their needs. Recognising early signs of difficulties and adapting learning and teaching approaches are a regular part of the daily routine for teachers supporting all children in an education environment. For those learners who may have additional learning needs such as those arising from dyslexia, it is important that these needs are met in the best possible way by accurate and timely identification. Parents, carers and children over 12 years old have the legal right to request an assessment and this should be started within 6 weeks of the request.
The Scottish education and equality legislative framework ensures that support provided for children and young people who require it, is “needs” based and not provided on the pre-requisite of a label of identification of dyslexia being made for the child or young person.
Many learners describe important social and emotional benefits from having their learning differences recognised. The identification process should be based on robust evidence from a wide range of resources. However, an identification of dyslexia does not necessarily mean that a learner’s needs have been identified and addressed. Appropriate assessment, using the principles of Assessment is for Learning information (AifL), “ensures pupils, parents, teachers and other professionals have the feedback they need about pupils’ learning and development needs” (AifL - Assessment is for Learning information sheet).
“Assessment should be viewed by teachers as an on-going process, rather than a one-off event…” (SOEID 1998 COUNT ME IN)
The Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit uses the following rationale which also supports the national approach for Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC).
Assessment is a dynamic process within learning and should actively involve teachers/school staff, management, parents, pupils and other agencies when there are concerns about pupil progress.
The process takes a holistic approach and includes consultation and the gathering of information from varied sources in order to verify the needs of a pupil and to suggest intervention appropriate for the pupil.
The process should support pupils to become successful learners and confident individuals.
Assessment acknowledges that children and young people develop as a result of an interaction between themselves and their environment. The assessment practice is highlighted by the SHANARRI indicators to be:
Action taken is a result of the interpretation of the assessment process and should follow current legislation –
Interventions implemented should develop the pupil’s resilience and ability to fulfil his/her potential.
ASPEP (The Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists) Position Paper Educational Psychology Assessment in Scotland (2014)
In module 1 you downloaded files to support the holistic and collaborative process of identification.
Module 1 section 2.2 highlighted that the identification process for dyslexia should be a holistic/collaborative process and include the following:
Information gathered will include the pupil’s
Relevant information on:
This information should be collated to create a profile of the learner which is shared with their class teachers and other members of staff who will need to access it. A copy should also be shared with the parent and learner if appropriate or over 12 years old. Section 2.4 provides further information on this.
The 2014 Making Sense review highlighted that “In addition, all children and young people should have frequent and regular opportunities to discuss their learning and development with an adult who knows them well and with whom they have a mutually trusting relationship. This key member of staff has the holistic overview of the child or young person’s learning and personal development”.
Schools are well placed to provide a range of assessment information such as those highlighted above which when combined together can provide a full picture of the learners’ strengths and areas of difficulties which has been gathered through a range of situations and experiences. This holistic style of assessment is not reliant on information gathered from only one single standardised assessment or screener. While the information can be helpful from a single standardised assessment, it must be recognised that it reflects a snapshot in time and that it cannot provide the in-depth analysis and quality of a holistic assessment which involves school staff, partners, the family and the learner.
Section 2.5 provides information on standardised and independent/private assessments. Module 3 will discuss these assessments and their use in more detail.
To ensure that the child’s or young person’s strengths and needs are fully understood the identification of dyslexia is a holistic and collaborative process and one which should not be determined by a single “dyslexia test”. However, it is important to note that where an assessment has been carried out by an independent psychologist, which will take into account a learner’s history, this should still be considered as a valid part of the collaborative process. Figure 16 below highlights an overview of the process which is recommended. Further, more detailed information within the Staged levels of Intervention can be accessed on the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit in the section called Assessing and Monitoring http://addressingdyslexia.org/ assessing-and-monitoring
Module 3 will explore the area of identification in deeper detail.
Within Curriculum for Excellence, personal learning planning is at the heart of supporting learning. The conversations about learning, reviewing progress and planning next steps are central to this process. Planned opportunities for achievement which focus on the learning and progress made through activities across the full range of contexts and settings in which the curriculum is experienced also contribute to the universal aspect of support. It is the responsibility of all practitioners and partners to deliver this universal entitlement within their own teaching environments.
The Learner Profile is a working document which can be continually updated, reviewed and should inform practice within the classroom information on the learners’:
Section 2.3 highlights the information from the holistic identification process which should be included with a learner profile. This may not be the term your authority uses, as local authorities use various terms for files which collate information on the learner.
Within the context of Scottish education, a single standardised assessment or a screener used on its own is not considered to be the most effective way to identify dyslexia. While the information can be helpful it must be recognised that it reflects a snapshot in time and that it cannot provide the in-depth analysis and quality of a holistic assessment which involves school staff, partners, the family and the learner.
If standardised assessments are used, it is extremely important that the tester:
A ‘single’ standardised assessment is not the same as an independent or private assessment as these assessments will include a range of assessments. However, if used correctly and appropriately standardised assessments can contribute towards information gathered during the identification process.
Standardised assessments are usually commercially purchased assessments aimed to compare an individual’s profile and abilities with their peers enabling. There are a wide range of standardised assessments to choose from and great care must be taken to ensure that the assessments are appropriate, up-to date and that the person carrying out the assessment is competent in doing so. Standardised assessments can highlight strengths and areas of difficulty and some will provide advice on appropriate strategies.
From time to time, however, parents may have their child assessed by an independent psychologist. This assessment will take account of the child’s history and the ‘one-off test’ described above is only one part of that assessment. To support the learner, it is good practice for an independent assessor and school staff to work together.
Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 as amended - is very clear that education authorities must take account of independent assessments unless they have a good reason for not doing so. The Supporting Children's Learning Code of Practice states the following:
“The education authority must also take account of any relevant advice and information provided to them by parents on behalf of their child, or the young person. For example, if the parents have privately commissioned an assessment or report on the child or young person, or the young person has commissioned the report, then the authority must take that report or advice into consideration if asked to do so. Also, the authority must seek and take account of the views of parents and, where appropriate, of children and young people themselves."
Transition can be a difficult, nervous and exciting time for any pupil, however for children and young people with additional support needs it can be a particularly stressful time for them and their family. Nevertheless, the process can be eased with appropriate understanding, partnership work, support and planning. It is important to understand that transitions occur each day, throughout the year and not only at the commonly highlighted stages such as P7 – S1 or S4/5/6 to post school. This section provides some guidance to support the various stages of transition which school communities are involved in to ensure that they are child centred positive experiences which support learners with dyslexia.
The 2010 Code of Practice states:
‘Education authorities should have appropriate arrangements in place to ensure that changes in school education for all children and young people can be as smooth as possible. Effective planning helps to promote shared understanding and close communication among all relevant persons and above all helps to ensure that any required action is co-ordinated appropriately’.
Nursery, primary and secondary schools need to work within time scales and collaboratively to put in place strategies which will help pupils who are dyslexic to cope with this new stage of their educational career. This requirement is supported by educational law for children and young people whose dyslexia is considered to be ‘significant’ or if they are otherwise at risk of not making a successful transition.
To positive and sustained destinations such as employment and further and higher education.
The transition from secondary school to post school can be daunting for young people with dyslexia and their families. In cases where dyslexia is a significant additional support need, the transition planning must begin no later than 12 months before they leave school and it is often the case that the transition support begins earlier as highlighted in the 2010 Code of Practice
It is very important that the assessment information gathered by staff in school over the years is given to the young person and that they understand the value of the report so they can use this when discussing their support needs in post school situations.
Taking stock of learners’ progress and achievements is particularly important at transitions, when we know that some can fall through the net. An effective transition should promote continuity and progression in learning. All practitioners, staff, parents and support agencies need to work together to ensure this and to involve learners in the process. Such partnership approaches are particularly important to ensure children’s wellbeing and progress in the Curriculum for Excellence early level, which spans the pre-school into primary school transition. The secondary to post-school transition is another example where partnership working needs to be well planned to allow appropriate engagement and, if necessary, further assessment of needs by partner agencies. Quality assurance and moderation is particularly important at points of transition in order to share standards and expectations across sectors and providers. This will ensure confidence in assessment judgements and reliability of information so that children and young people can experience continuity and progression in their learning.
Module 3 has a specific focus on post school transition. However, for those undertaking Module 2 it is also extremely important that practitioners both in primary and secondary settings have an understanding of post school transition in order to:
The criteria involved in providing a post school identification of dyslexia is different from a child or young person who is attending school in Scotland, therefore, it is important that the information gathered at school is made available to the young person before leaving.
Post school Independent Assessments are carried out by practitioners who hold specific qualifications which are not required for teachers in Scottish schools. Independent assessors usually charge for this service.
In summary, the entitlement to assessment and identification of dyslexia differs between school and post school due to the different systems which have been developed for different settings and age groups.
In your reflective log consider how well do your current transition arrangements ensure a smooth, seamless transfer with particular reference to:
Now go to Enquiry and research.