| Description of good practice: |
The project “Mehrstufenklasse” has been developed as an experimental example running within the public educational system in Pedagogical Training School Vienna, Austria. “Mehrstufenklasse” has 10 to 16 year old students in one class including children with disabilities. The inclusive education in that class is achieved by accepting the natural feelings and behavior of children at their particular ages. This attitude is the most important attribute of the teachers and the students themselves in inclusive education. The primary resource is peer-learning. The children learn to reflect on their own work.
The school is placed in a district with a high percentage of students from diverse cultural backgrounds, consequently with a different mother tongue than German. One of the main
principles of this school is to face the reality and implement the most ideal teaching approach in practice as well as to monitor and evaluate this process from a scientific point of view in order to ensure as large an impact as possible on the school system. The project has been accompanied by a scientific survey over the last 2 years.
The teachers’ team sees the main task in educating the young learners and facilitating their autonomous cognitive and social learning. The social maturity gained in this mixed class with all its individual learners is considered as a great success to be achieved. It requires enormous acceptance and flexibility from all participants within this learning process. It is positive for students to take more responsibility for their education. The approach of teachers has an impact on motivation and success in the classroom.
As the team wants to reduce anxiety and stress within this learning system, marks are only given during the school year when the student wants to get them. The parents are informed regularly about the personal achievements of their children, but especially at the end of a half term. All students receive a written report with marks at the end of a school year. The last year students then receive it twice, in January and at the end of the school year.
The class consists of 18 - 22 students, including four to five students with disabilities. At this moment, there are 7 “leavers” concluding their last year in this class. Therefore, another 6-7 younger students will be welcomed to this class.
A group of 8 or 9 teachers usually work with the students. This team consists of subject teachers, five of whom obtain additional training and education, for example a Degree in reform pedagogy and Montessori, degree from sociology and mediation or diploma in special pedagogy for children with intellectual disability.
The students are enabled to learn individually and thus moving at a personal “speed” is guaranteed. The learning process is mostly arranged in topic based modules. The day is structured by the timetable of the students. At the start of any subject, and as necessary, the learning in class can also be teacher-centred, and then follows tasks that vary according to the levels of students and to different grades. Students with disabilities also get their “flow charts”, but they need more guidance by the teacher or a peer. |
