Inclusive practice and the school curriculum
A series of downloadable examples from all levels of the curriculum illustrating how teachers identified barriers and planned inclusively so that all ākonga in their class could participate in learning.
About this resource
Each example of inclusion uses the teaching as inquiry model to show effective strategies the teacher used. The examples include student, whānau, and teacher voices to show how these strategies affected student learning and participation.
To enhance professional learning conversations, the examples also include questions for discussion and links to related content in Implementing an Inclusive Curriculum.
Inclusive practice and the school curriculum
Inclusion in practice
The examples below illustrate how teachers supported all the students in their class to participate and learn across the learning areas of The New Zealand Curriculum.
Example 1: English, reading, level 1 – Greedy cat
A teacher used differentiation in an English reading lesson to support all her students to explore Lunch for Greedy Cat by Joy Cowley.
See Materials that come with this resource to download Example 1 (.pdf).
Example 2: English, writing, levels 2–3 – Haiku
A teacher differentiated and adapted an English task so that all her students could explore syllabification and write a haiku.
See Materials that come with this resource to download Example 2 (.pdf).
Example 3: English, writing, level 6 – Curriculum vitae
A teacher with a year 11 class differentiated and adapted an English task to support all his students to create a curriculum vitae.
See Materials that come with this resource to download Example 3 (.pdf).
Example 4: English, speaking, level 8 – Oral presentation
A year 13 English teacher worked with the learning support coordinator to differentiate an oral presentation task. Most of the class was working towards NCEA level 3, with some students working towards NCEA level 1. A student working at level 1 of the curriculum was engaged in a learning goal related to the visual arts.
See Materials that come with this resource to download Example 4 (.pdf).
Example 5: Mathematics and statistics, number, levels 2–3 – Entertaining patterns
A teacher worked with two colleagues to differentiate a Figure It Out task to support all his students in exploring some key mathematical ideas in number and algebra.
See Materials that come with this resource to download Example 5 (.pdf).
Example 6: Mathematics and statistics, number, levels 2–3 – Fraction problems
A teacher differentiated a problem-solving task to support all her students in exploring some key mathematical ideas about fractions.
See Materials that come with this resource to download Example 6 (.pdf).
Example 7: Mathematics and statistics, number and measurement, level 3 – Growth industry
A teacher differentiated and adapted a Figure It Out task to support the learning of all her students in number and measurement.
See Materials that come with this resource to download Example 7 (.pdf).
Example 8: Mathematics and statistics, number and measurement, level 4 – Planning a settlement on a new planet
A teacher established the mathematics content for an integrated unit on the solar system and then differentiated the content to support all his year 9 students in exploring some key mathematical ideas in number.
See Materials that come with this resource to download Example 8 (.pdf).
Example 9: Science, Physical world, level 3 – Floating and sinking/buoyancy
A teacher used differentiation and adaptation within an introductory lesson on floating and sinking/buoyancy to support all her students in exploring key ideas in understanding and investigating in science.
See Materials that come with this resource to download Example 9 (.pdf).
Example 10: Social sciences, levels 2–3 – School election
A year 3–6 syndicate designed and carried out a 10-week unit focused on civics education. A school election provided a rich context for teaching and learning at multiple levels of the curriculum; students with additional learning needs participated and learned alongside their peers.
See Materials that come with this resource to download Example 10 (.pdf).
Example 11: History, level 8 – Research on a historical event
A teacher used adaptations within a history task so that all students in the class could participate and achieve. The task involved researching an historical event or place of significance to New Zealanders.
See Materials that come with this resource to download Example 11 (.pdf).
Example 12: Technology, level 1 – Making and evaluating a biscuit
A teacher used differentiation and adaptation in a practical technology session to support all her students in exploring the idea that food can be a technological outcome.
See Materials that come with this resource to download Example 12 (.pdf).
Example 13: Technology, level 3 – Making a lantern
A teacher differentiated a technology task (planning the stages for making a lantern) so that all her students could explore the ideas in technological practice.
See Materials that come with this resource to download Example 13 (.pdf).
Example 14: Physical education, level 5 – Invasion games
A teacher used basketball to develop the movement concepts and motor skills required for invasion games and to foster students’ ability to relate positively with others. She drew on a range of strategies to include students working from levels 1 to 5 of the curriculum.
See Materials that come with this resource to download Example 14 (.pdf).
Example 15: Music, level 4 – Exploring the elements of music through composition
A teacher differentiated a task to ensure that students working at a wide range of curriculum levels could create and perform a composition based on a natural phenomenon.
See Materials that come with this resource to download:
- Example 1-15 (.pdf)