Effective Instructional Strategies

in Inclusive Education
Domain 4: Diversity of Learners
Discussant:
Zairah T. Paragas
Janine Cuba
 Mainstreaming
• was the first movement devoted to
placement of students with
disabilities within the general
education classroom. Educators used
the term to refer to the placement of
students with disabilities – after part-
time-into general class settings.
confers a sort of “dual citizenry” on
students (Gee, 2002).
 Inclusion
• This term has been used to describe the
education of students with disabilities
(SWD) in general education settings.
What then is the
demand of the
situation?
 Characteristics of Effective Teacher
(Westwod 2003)
 Have a well managed classroom.
 Provide students with the maximum opportunity
to learn.
 Maintain an academic focus.
 Have high expectations of what students can
achieve.
 Adopt a style that is business-like and work-
oriented.
 Show enthusiasm.
 Use strategies to keep students on task, motivated
and productive.
Characteristics of Effective Teacher
(Westwod 2003)
Present new material in a step by step
manner.
Employ direct and explicit instructional
procedures.
Use clear instructions and explanations.
Demonstrate appropriate task-approach
strategies.
Monitor closely what students are doing.
Adjust instructions to individual needs, re-
teach when necessary.
Characteristics of Effective Teacher
(Westwod 2003)
Use a variety of resources .
Spend a significant amount of time in
interactive, whole class teaching.
Use assistive technology – video
viewing.
Do scaffolded instruction.
Do collaborative teaching.
 Discrimination
Learning

Problem
Solving and
Factual
Critical
Learning
Thinking Types
of Learning

Different
types of
learning

Conceptual
Learning Rule Learning

Procedural
Learning
 - Discrimination learning involves
determining how one stimulus is
either the same of different from
another stimulus. In learning the
alphabet, numbers, colors, shapes,
mathematical concepts and plants,
for example, learning to distinguish
among stimuli may be difficult for
students with disabilities. Repeated
practice that emphasizes
comprehension of the distinctions
promotes learning.
- Factual learning is an aspect of
school learning and includes
vocabulary words and their
definitions, names of people and
places, dates and causes of historical
events and sight words.. Because
many students with disabilities have
difficulties with memory, learning
factual information can be
problematic for them.
- Rule learning includes social
behavior rules, and mathematics
rules. Rules are pervasive in school as
well as in society in general. Many
students with disabilities and other
special needs have difficulties
learning these rules.
- Procedural learning involves the
sequential execution of multiple steps
and is found frequently in school
tasks. Some examples are reading
comprehension, Math algorithms,
organizational and study strategies. It
requires that students recognize,
describe, demonstrate and apply the
steps of the procedure.
- Conceptual learning occurs when
concepts can be applied to new
instance. Concepts can range from
simple to complex. Students with
disabilities experience difficulties
learning new concepts. This kind of
learning can be enhanced by
examples, provision of non-instances
and statement of and application of
new rules.
- Problem solving & critical thinking
types of learning refer to determining
solutions with no specific strategy for
solving the problem is known and
involves using active reasoning to
acquire novel concepts, ideas or
solutions respectively.
Four common Stages of Learning
1. Acquisition
2. Maintenance
3. Fluency
4. Generalization

- Wollery, et al,1992 in Havorsen & Neary, 2009

-Acquisition which involves
acquiring the new skill and
learning the motor,
cognitive or communicative
subs-kills needed.
 Maintenance which
-

consists of practicing the

new skill. Though not
perfectly but with more
independence.
- Fluency where the quality,
speed, accuracy and the
ability to perform the skill
are developed with
increasing perfection
accompanied by
confidence.
- Generalization where the
skill becomes apart of the
person’s competence and is
demonstrated across
setting, people and
activities.
 Instructional Strategies for Types of
Learning
Types of Learning Instructional Strategies
Discrimination - Present examples and non examples:
use models, prompts, and feedback,
instruction on the relevant dimensions,
mnemonics.
Factual - Repetition, rehearsal, practice using
drill procedures, chunking pieces of
information together, elaborating on
information to enhance
meaningfulness, use mnemonic
strategies
Rule - Practice using the rules, repetitions,
making up meaningful “sayings” using
the rules, drill and practice with the
rules, modeling the application of the
rules.
 Instructional Strategies for Types of
Learning
Types of Learning Instructional Strategies
Procedure - Model use of procedures, cue cards w/ steps of procedures
written out as reminders, drill and practice, practice with
application using the procedures, mnemonics involving
acronyms, feedback on recall of steps and accurate use steps.

Concept - Use procedures for teaching rules and discriminations,

examples and non-examples, model, prompt, feedback, use
“if-then” scenarios to demonstrate instances and non
instances of concepts, use coaching questioning procedures,
application activities, use elaborations to enhance
meaningfulness.

Problem Solving - Use of modeling, coaching, prompting, demonstrate examples

of successful problem solving. Show how to activate prior
knowledge to solve problems.
 Instructional Strategies for Specific
Levels of Learning
Types of Learning Instructional Strategies
Acquisition - Slower pace of instruction, model, demonstrations, lots
of reinforcement for accurate responding, show examples
and non-examples, direct questions

Fluency - Faster pace of instruction, reinforce more

rapid, accurate responding, graphing performance and
goal setting, vary types of reinforces

Application - Several instances and application problems, model

procedures and directions, provide demonstrations, make
examples concrete and meaningful and etc.

Generalization - Ensure students have mastered relevant skills, train

and retrain in “real-world” settings and situations
and etc.
Snell (2010) presents these levels of
learning as follows:
Acquisition
(learn it)

Generalization
Maintenance Fluency/Proficiency (use it anywhere
(use it routinely) (make it faster) and anytime)
 General guidelines in considering
instructional strategies for inclusive
settings:
1. Employ frequent practice to ensure that skills will be
reinforced throughout the day by all staff, students and
parents.
2. Provide non-stigmatizing instructional prompts and
consequences.
3. Select instructional strategies that are natural, yet still
effective.
4. Ensure that all staff members have the information and
skills to instruct systematically.
5. Establish regular opportunities to review their
effectiveness.
• Diversity can be a resource not an obstacle.
(Haddad, 2009)
• Inclusive education should be seen as an
approach to school improvement. Inclusion is all
about making quality education available to all.