READDRESSING CURRICULUM OF TEACHER EDUCATION AT ELEMETARY LEVEL

READDRESSING CURRICULUM OF TEACHER EDUCATION AT ELEMETARY LEVEL TO SUPPORT INCLUSION By Ms. KIRAN RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, National Multilingual Resource Consortium (NMRC), Jwaharlal Nehru University E-MAIL: anterdrishtikiran@gmail. com

Equality and Social Justice……. l l Characterize fundamental rights in present civil society Education - a prime medium to achieve equality through – AWA NT REN ESS TIV I S SEN ITY ME N E T H IG ENL CAP ACI TY BUI LD ING

Education to All as fundamental right in Indian constitution

Education: A single potent tool to address present challenges if results in: n Learning to know, Learning to do, Learning to be, and n Learning to live together. n n

It requires acknowledgement of Individual differences all children can learn Enabling educational structure and methodologies to meet the needs of all children Conversion of process of education in a dynamic process

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

MOST COST EFFECTIVE RIGHTS REALISED AND ACTUALISED CHILD REMAINS AS NATURAL SELF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION TEACHER EFFECTIVE IN INCLUDING ALL CHILDREN IN LEARNING PROCESS LEAST RESTRICTIVE CHILD CENTRED EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPATION

TEACHERS’ ROLE IN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IS CRUCIAL AS - • Immediate executioners • Establish the relationship between educational ends and means

CHILDREN HAVE DIVERSIFIED NEEDS DIFFERENT ASSESMENT AND EVALUATION MIXTURE OF VARIOUS MEANS AND MEDIA ALONG WITH STRATEGIES OF COMMUNICATIONS FEATURES OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION UNIQUENESS OF THE CHILD REUIRES CONTINUOUS SUPPORT AND ATTENTION DEMANDS FLEXIBILITY IN LEARNING NO FIXED TEACHING STYLE

Guide Information provider Networking for Sharing counselor Researcher TEACHERS’ ROLE Resource person Continuous learner

Adequate Application (4) Innovation (3) Positive Orientation (1) TEACHERS FOR INCLUSION Flexibility (2)

SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE UNDERSTANDING AND SKILL REQUISITES ü Knowledge of: Ø informal screening procedures Ø Knowledge of the procedures to facilitate peer-acceptance. Ø Knowledge about resource requirements and support services available. Ø Knowledge of behaviour management techniques and skill to carry out behaviour modification appropriately. Ø For effective communication functional knowledge and understanding of specific language skills and techniques such as Braille, Sign language etc.

ü Understanding of: Ø Ø Ø Ø the complexities of inclusive classroom teaching. the legal issues involved in education of children with disabilities. different types of disabilities and their characteristics. the problems of children with disabilities which certainly are different from other children. educational strategies and psychological aspects of disability. techniques and methods to enhance their learning such as peer-tutoring, grouping, Ability to prepare class for inclusion and acceptance of CWD. Understanding of curriculum. ü Skills and abilities to: Ø assess the needs of students and to set the goals. Ø Collaborate for meeting the needs of all children within the normal regular classroom. Ø chaining, programmed learning etc. ; and ways to make them more effective to fulfill the needs of an inclusive classroom situation. Ø Evaluate learning of the children with disabilities. Ø Manage learning environment. Ø Teach fundamental and social skills (particularly for primary level teachers). Ø carry out individualized teaching.

Analyze of DIET curriculum in terms of its scope q Focus is on average learners. q Course wise objectives though encompass the orientation of inclusion but no explicit statement in objectives or in rationale to guide the execution of the programme leading to lose of vision while transaction q Attempts to provide experiences and understanding about the characteristics and needs of different types of learners through its coverage yet freedom of choice limits the scope of providing quality and relevant experiences to pupil-teachers q Curriculum – contains a full paper entitled Education of Disabled but, it is optional and not compulsory in nature, therefore q The paper on disability is amongst the least chosen elective courses due to many reasons q Weak Practice Each area in the curriculum has an ample scope to be translated in reference to the inclusive education; however, to ensure that the desired knowledge, understanding, and skills are developed in

WAYS TO COPE Sound Planning and development of teacher Education requires – • Clear definition of teacher’s role in terms of tasks they are required to perform, i. e. scenario based approach (task analysis approach) should be followed to develop teacher education programme. • Task analysis would help in determining: Ø the type of knowledge teachers require to perform their work Ø attitude to be developed in teachers Ø behavioral characteristics required to be developed in prospective teachers Ø and finally the nature of curriculum Ø Curriculum for education and development of teacher educators also needs revision in the similar manner as for teachers considering the requirements of inclusion.

Theoretical component of pre-service teacher education programme must include: • Compulsory paper on disability for all prospective teachers to provide a clear understanding and to sensitize them about the characteristics, needs, problems and challenges etc. of CWD. • The papers dealing with the areas such as psychology, child development, sociology etc. are needed to be readdressed. These areas must wrap things like psychology of disabled, marginalized etc. , their psycho-social challenges and problems, their behaviour pattern, and means and ways to deal with challenges of diversities in abilities, background etc.

Overhauling of practice component of pre-service teacher education programme requires: • Duration for practice teaching should be increased • Provision for frequent compulsory visits to the centres and schools dealing with diverse children, and also for working there for at least some time. This must be given weightage in evaluation. • inclusion of delivery of lessons with children with disabilities in Practice teaching. • Simulated situations can be created by bringing different types of students (normal and challenged) together to provide practical experience to the prospective teachers to prepare them well for actual scenario. • Practice teaching with children with disabilities or in inclusive classrooms must be given adequate weightage in the evaluation. • Component of community work should be strengthened to provide them with firsthand experience in the actual set-up. • Prospective teachers must be given functional level exposure in communication strategies or skills like Braille, Sign language etc.