Student diversity

Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has included in the Curriculum policies that surround student diversity.  ACARA specifically looks at students with a disability; gifted and talented students; Teaching students English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) and ensuring that education is accessible for all young Australians (ACARA, 2013).  The attached link is the ACARA website:

http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/student_diversity/student_diversity.html

Vision impairment

Vision impairment does not always mean complete blindness, it can also be low sight. There are endless learning aids that can assist in the classroom to ensure that all students are able to learn in the classroom environment.

'Braille soon coming to Visual Libraries Project' by Claire Sambrook available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/create_up/3485756495/ under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0.

In relation to learning needs, some of the aids that may assist a visually impaired student include:

• Braille
• Low vision devices such as hand held magnifiers, 
• Large print books
• I-pad app's specifically for visually impaired
• Allowing students to have additional time in completing activities
• Being mindful of lighting; desk height, situation and position
• Pedagogy

Ideas sourced from Hyde, Carpenter and Conway (2010). Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement (2nd ed). Oxford University press

Hearing impairment

Another very quick (46 second video) regarding aboriginal ear health.  Hearing impairment can be of major concern when it comes to children learning and may result in serious consequences developmentally.  One condition that is quite common in the community where I reside is called 'Otitis media' otherwise known as glue ear.

This condition has been reported to be more prevalent in indigenous communities and in low socio-economic groups.  When it comes to hearing impairment there are three major areas which seem to be affected - inner ear; middle ear and outer ear, Otitis media affects the middle ear.

Some of the symptoms known to be associated with Otitis media include:

• behavioural problems;
• complaints regarding sore ears
• difficulty hearing
• hearing buzzing noises

I will be focusing on hearing impairment as one of my forms of diversity as this is one field that is particularly relevant to where live.  Being able to recognise the symptoms and perhaps escalate medical treatment may avoid the long term effects.

Diversity!

Here's a short clip regarding cultural diversity specifically in regards to learning.  The primary focus is on student learning and interpreting that all backgrounds need to be respected.  All students can learn and it is important to value diversity.  One of my interests and forms of diversity that I will be investigating further is cultural diversity...