THE ORGANIZATION OF THE SCHOOL
4.7 EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
In YEAR 8 m i x e d - a b i l i t y groups should again be the usual p r a c t i c e . A t t h i s stage a l s o , d i v i s i o n s w i t h i n an area o f c u r r i c u l u m a c t i v i t y based on d i f f e r e n c e s i n a b i l i t y or achievement should n o t be made. I n Year 8 students should be able t o w i t h - draw from some a c t i v i t i e s though n o t from the major
areas o f t h e c u r r i c u l u m d e f i n e d by the Committee. (50) Students a t t h i s stage should not be r e q u i r e d t o f o l l o w a s p e c i f i c and f i x e d ' g r o u p o f s t u d i e s and i n t h i s way be committed t o choices t h a t determine t h e i r subsequent school experience.
The Committee accepts t h a t , from the beginning of YEAR 9, students should be able t o enter i n t o a
"course", t h a t i s , i n t o a group o f s t u d i e s t h a t r e f l e c t s t h e i r p a r t i c u l a r i n t e r e s t s and a p t i t u d e s . This would seem t o be the time when more d e f i n i t e d e c i s i o n s about courses are made but the Committee does not accept t h a t i t i s necessary f o r e f f e c t i v e teaching t o separate c h i l d r e n i n t o d i f f e r e n t l e v e l s o f a b i l i t y and considers t h a t ' m i x e d - a b i l i t y groups may be adopted a t any stage o f secondary education. The Committee considers t h a t the c o n c l u s i o n o f the B u l l o c k Committee t h a t "where i t i s p r a c t i c a b l e mixed-
a b i l i t y grouping o f f e r s most hope f o r E n g l i s h t e a c h i n g "
can apply t o a l l other s u b j e c t s i n t h e secondary c u r r i c u l u m . (51) Whatever d e c i s i o n a school makes about grouping students i t s o r g a n i z a t i o n must p r o v i d e f o r students to work f o r some o f t h e i r time i n each of the major areas o f the c u r r i c u l u m and be f l e x i b l e enough t o p r o v i d e f o r students t o change from one group to another on the basis o f t h e i r e f f o r t and achievement and t o take up new s t u d i e s i f they wish.
In terms o f the grouping o f students the Committee envisages t h a t YEAR 10 w i l l f o l l o w s i m i l a r g u i d e l i n e s to Year 9. Again i n Year 10 t h e r e i s no evidence
t h a t m i x e d - a b i l i t y groups are n o t a p p r o p r i a t e and t h e need f o r f l e x i b i l i t y to provide f o r changed circum-
stances remains. Again a t t h i s stage, students need t o be able t o take up new s t u d i e s on the basis o f changed m o t i v a t i o n s and needs, f o r example i n r e l a t i o n t o
i n d i v i d u a l requirements f o r j o b entrance. Some choices should o n l y take place a t t h i s stage: i n p a r t i c u l a r those determining the l e v e l a t which a s u b j e c t may be s t u d i e d i n Years 11 and 12.
c h i l d r e n w i t h s p e c i a l needs.
The f o l l o w i n g s e c t i o n deals w i t h b o t h the
o r g a n i z a t i o n a l and the c u r r i c u l u m dimensions o f the s u b j e c t . The needs o f these students are summarized i n the f o l l o w i n g q u o t a t i o n :
I t i s w i d e l y recognized t h a t a small number of students are so d i f f e r e n t from the average i n one or more dimensions t h a t i t i s u n r e a l - i s t i c t o expect r e g u l a r educators alone to serve them adequately. These p u p i l s w i t h s p e c i a l a b i l i t i e s or unusual l i m i t a t i o n s are known as 'exceptional c h i l d r e n ' . I f these young people are to be given as g r e a t an
o p p o r t u n i t y to achieve t h e i r p o t e n t i a l as more t y p i c a l c h i l d r e n they r e q u i r e a program o f
'special education' ranging from a s h o r t p e r i o d of time to many years. (52)
A few years ago t h e r e seemed to be an emerging consensus i n A u s t r a l i a t h a t s p e c i a l schools were
i n a p p r o p r i a t e and t h a t c h i l d r e n w i t h e x c e p t i o n a l needs should be i n t e g r a t e d i n t o normal primary and secondary classrooms. Now, however, Tasmanian p r a c t i c e r e f l e c t s a r e a l i z a t i o n t h a t there i s a need f o r a v a r i e t y o f p r o v i s i o n s . We accept the need f o r c h i l d r e n t o be
i n t e g r a t e d wherever p o s s i b l e i n t o normal teaching groups where they may share i n o r d i n a r y s o c i a l l i f e . However, there i s also a need f o r s p e c i a l u n i t s i n normal schools and f o r s p e c i a l schools.
The d i f f e r e n t s o r t s of p r o v i s i o n are c l e a r l y summarized, i n the f o l l o w i n g q u o t a t i o n :
Special schools c a t e r f o r only a small prop- o r t i o n of those p u p i l s who need a d d i t i o n a l
help i f they are to develop t h e i r f u l l p o t e n t i a l . Ordinary primary and secondary schools w i l l ,
t h e r e f o r e always c a r r y what i s n u m e r i c a l l y the greater r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r p r o v i d i n g f o r p u p i l s who need a d d i t i o n a l h e l p , even though t h e i r d i f f i c u l t i e s are u s u a l l y l e s s severe than those of p u p i l s i n s p e c i a l schools. Both types of p r o v i s i o n are v i t a l and complementary p a r t s o f what should be an i n t e r - r e l a t e d system, w i t h r e g u l a r review of p u p i l s , t r a n s f e r made when necessary and a w e l l organised system f o r the r a p i d t r a n s m i s s i o n of e s s e n t i a l i n f o r m a t i o n . Only i n t h i s way can a co-ordinated system of
s p e c i a l education be provided t h a t w i l l ensure t h a t each p u p i l enjoys c o n t i n u i t y of s u i t a b l e educational care. (53)
Five p a r t i c u l a r groups o f e x c e p t i o n a l c h i l d r e n can be i d e n t i f i e d i n secondary schools.
1. C h i l d r e n who are e x c e p t i o n a l l y t a l e n t e d . 2. C h i l d r e n w i t h emotional and b e h a v i o u r a l
d i f f i c u l t i e s or maladjusted c h i l d r e n . 3. Slow l e a r n e r s or those c h i l d r e n w i t h
g e n e r a l l y lower i n t e l l i g e n c e f o r whom the normal school-program may o f f e r l i t t l e and thus need a more a p p r o p r i a t e e d u c a t i o n a l d i e t .
4. C h i l d r e n w i t h l e a r n i n g d i f f i c u l t i e s who, w i t h remedial h e l p , can be expected t o . move towards achievement i n the normal
school program.
5. C h i l d r e n w i t h p h y s i c a l and/or sensory d i s a b i l i t i e s who have problems i n a normal school environment.
C h i l d r e n w i t h s p e c i a l needs form a s i g n i f i c a n t p r o p o r t i o n o f t h e school p o p u l a t i o n and hence the
p r o v i s i o n made f o r them must be c a r e f u l l y considered.
I t should be noted t h a t i n England a Department o f Education and Science Survey found t h a t slow l e a r n i n g p u p i l s c o n s t i t u t e d 14 per cent of t h e school p o p u l a t i o n s t u d i e d . (54) This percentage was s i m i l a r t o t h a t
found i n the I s l e o f Wight Survey and t h e N a t i o n a l Development Study. (55) There i s no reason t o expect any smaller i n c i d e n c e i n Tasmania.
The q u e s t i o n o f adequacy o f t h e v a r i e t y o f p r o v i s i o n needs t o be answered i n terms o f t h e prop- o r t i o n s o f p u p i l s quoted above and i n terms o f t h e i n f o r m a t i o n from t h e Committee's survey o f schools.
The, p e r c e p t i o n o f teachers i s t h a t t h e r e i s an' i n s u f f - i c i e n t p r o v i s i o n of s p e c i a l schools and o f s p e c i a l u n i t s i n normal schools. (56) This p e r c e p t i o n needs
to be tempered by t h e f o l l o w i n g views o f those engaged i n s p e c i a l education r e g a r d i n g t h e use o f s p e c i a l
-education teachers i n secondary schools.
In r e c e n t years t h e t r a i n i n g o f s p e c i a l education teachers has provided h i g h schools w i t h an i n c r e a s i n g resource i n t h i s area. I n 1977 each h i g h school w i t h an enrolment g r e a t e r than 350 w i l l have a s p e c i a l teacher who w i l l count as 0.3 on the s t a f f i n g formula f o r the school. Now a p a r t i c u l a r need i s a supply of t r a i n e d teachers t o c o u n t r y schools, as o n l y those students who s u f f e r s e r i o u s handicap should be away from home. Steps are being taken t o meet t h i s need i n
the long term,
However, those engaged i n s p e c i a l education advocate t h a t merely t r a i n i n g more s p e c i a l teachers i s not s u f f i c i e n t . What i s r e q u i r e d i s a more
t h o u g h t f u l use o f the resources a v a i l a b l e i n schools.
To t h i s end i t was suggested t h a t s p e c i a l - e d u c a t i o n teachers should be able t o a t t e n d senior s t a f f meetings because i t i s here t h a t o r g a n i z a t i o n a l d e c i s i o n s a f f e c t -
ing the e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f s p e c i a l teaching are o f t e n made.
Moreover, t h e r e i s a need t o d e f i n e the r o l e of the s p e c i a l - education teacher i n the secondary schools. The s p e c i a l - e d u c a t i o n teacher should be considered i n terms o f a resource teacher t o be used as such by a l l members of t h e s t a f f i n c a t e r i n g f o r the s p e c i a l needs o f i n d i v i d u a l students r a t h e r than as a l a s t r e s o r t f o r those students w i t h whom other
members o f the teaching s t a f f are unable t o cope. This i s riot t o say t h a t they do not have an i m p o r t a n t r o l e i n the w i t h d r a w a l o f c e r t a i n students from the normal
teaching s i t u a t i o n f o r s p e c i a l i s t a t t e n t i o n , whether t h i s be i n s p e c i a l u n i t s set up i n the school or i n short-term w i t h d r a w a l s i t u a t i o n s a f t e r which the student r e t u r n s t o the normal classroom s i t u a t i o n .
E f f e c t i v e communication on both f o r m a l and i n f o r m a l l e v e l s between the s p e c i a l - e d u c a t i o n teacher and o t h e r teaching s t a f f are a b s o l u t e l y e s s e n t i a l i f the aims of the school's s p e c i a l - e d u c a t i o n program are t o be achieved. This would lead t o a b e t t e r understanding o f the pressures placed on s p e c i a l - e d u c a t i o n teachers and a b e t t e r understanding of t h e i r r o l e i n the school.
Career o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r s p e c i a l - e d u c a t i o n teachers must be considered. Many teachers do not want t o teach i n t h i s area because they t h i n k i t w i l l l i m i t promotion o p p o r t u n i t i e s . There should also be o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r teachers t o move out of t h i s area a f t e r a p e r i o d o f time i f t h i s i s d e s i r e d , i n order t h a t o b j e c t i v i t y and p e r s p e c t i v e may be renewed.
The Committee considered the kinds o f programs most s u i t e d t o the d i f f e r e n t groups o f e x c e p t i o n a l c h i l d r e n t o be found i n secondary schools.
(a) Talented C h i l d r e n
Considerable concern was expressed i n the evidence t h a t adequate p r o v i s i o n f o r g i f t e d c h i l d r e n i s not being made a t the present time.
The Committee considers t h a t the t a l e n t e d c h i l d can, and should, be catered f o r w i t h i n t h e
'normal' school program. School o r g a n i z a t i o n should be s u f f i c i e n t l y f l e x i b l e t o p r o v i d e f o r
d i f f e r e n t - s i z e d groups f o r d i f f e r e n t purposes, thus p r o v i d i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r t a l e n t e d students t o work t o g e t h e r f o r some o f t h e i r time (though not t o form permanent groups) and t o p r o v i d e o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r
students t o progress a t t h e i r own r a t e . The f a c t t h a t n o t a l l students need t o spend the same time on a p a r t i c u l a r a c t i v i t y has obvious i m p l i c a t i o n s f o r the k i n d o f program s u i t e d t o these c h i l d r e n . One s o l u t i o n i s to o f f e r a basic course t o g e t h e r w i t h s h o r t courses. Whereas much o f t h e time a v a i l a b l e t o such a c h i l d could be spent i n i n c r e a s i n g i n t e l l e c t u a l power i n c e r t a i n areas, t a l e n t e d c h i l d r e n should be encouraged to undertake a c t i v i t i e s which w i l l promote ' s e l f -
c u l t i v a t i o n ' . Competence i n the A r t s and C r a f t s areas could n o t o n l y p r o v i d e u s e f u l l e i s u r e a c t i v i t i e s and - l i f e s k i l l s ~ b u t a l s o c o n t r i b u t e g r e a t l y t o t h e develop- ment of s o c i a l m a t u r i t y i n c h i l d r e n who, i n t h e main, w i l l be younger than t h e i r classmates.
The Committee considered t h e idea- t h a t t a l e n t e d c h i l d r e n may be best c a t e r e d f o r i n one o f a group of neighbouring h i g h schools where s p e c i a l resources- could be concentrated. The Committee would oppose such a c o n c e n t r a t i o n which could lead t o a s c a r c i t y o f
resources and t a l e n t e d c h i l d r e n i n one school and make i t d i f f i c u l t f o r i t t o f u l f i l i t s aims f o r a compreh- ensive i n t a k e . Rather, i t supports s p e c i a l - i n t e r e s t c e n t r e s which are able t o accommodate students i n out-of-hours a c t i v i t i e s .
The Committee considers i t important t h a t the prog- ram o f f e r e d to t a l e n t e d c h i l d r e n be determined by the need t o ensure balanced development r a t h e r than meet the requirements o f secondary c o l l e g e s .
(b) Maladjusted C h i l d r e n
D i s a b i l i t i e s s u f f e r e d by c h i l d r e n w i t h emotional and b e h a v i o u r a l d i f f i c u l t i e s are q u i t e d i f f e r e n t i n nature than those
s u f f e r e d by c h i l d r e n covered by Special Education i n t h a t they are u s u a l l y (or h o p e f u l l y ) n o t permanent as w i t h p h y s i c a l impairment. There i s , i n f a c t , a g r e a t e r a f f i n i t y w i t h normal school s i t u a t i o n s
than w i t h s p e c i a l school arrangements. (57)
C h i l d r e n w i t h such e m o t i o n a l and b e h a v i o u r a l d i f f i c u l t i e s r e q u i r e s t a b i l i t y , a r e q u i r e m e n t t h e o r d i n a r y secondary s c h o o l i s a b l e t o p r o v i d e . The p a s t o r a l - c a r e system can be v a l u a b l e i n p r o v i d i n g
s t a b i l i t y f o r these c h i l d r e n , as can i n d i v i d u a l t e a c h e r s who are seen by t h e c h i l d r e n as a d v o c a t e s and f r i e n d s . However, t h e r e a r e some c h i l d r e n who have n o t been c a t e r e d f o r i n t h e secondary s c h o o l and t h u s B r i g h t o n E12 f u n c t i o n s as a v a l u a b l e a l t e r n - a t i v e f a c i l i t y w i t h i n t h e t o t a l e d u c a t i o n system.
(58) Such a u n i t s h o u l d f i t i n t o a c o - o r d i n a t e d
program " t h a t i n v o l v e s a p l a n n e d and s t a g e d w i t h d r a w a l and r e i n t e g r a t i o n a r r a n g e m e n t , w i t h s u p p o r t programs i n a normal s c h o o l or s c h o o l s . " (59)
Evidence t o the Committee suggested t h a t t h e r e may w e l l be a need f o r t h e p r o v i s i o n o f r e s i d e n t i a l c a r e f o r some s e v e r e l y - m a l a d j u s t e d c h i l d r e n . However,
i t s h o u l d be noted t h a t t h e r e i s a r e a l danger t h a t r e s i d e n t i a l u n i t s can become i s o l a t e d and t h e c h i l d r e n cut o f f f r o m c o n t a c t w i t h everyday s c h o o l s i t u a t i o n s . The need f o r such u n i t s t o be d i r e c t e d towards t h e r e i n t e g r a t i o n o f s t u d e n t s i n t o normal s c h o o l s i s
s t r e s s e d by t h e Committee.
(c) Slow L e a r n e r s
The Committee c o n s i d e r s t h a t c u r r i c u l u m p r o v i s i o n s f o r slow-1 e a r n i n g s t u d e n t s a r e v i t a l l y i m p o r t a n t and secondary s c h o o l s need t o e s t a b l i s h d e f i n i t e aims and o b j e c t i v e s f o r them. Watered-down academic c o u r s e s a r e i n a p p r o p r i a t e as i s t h e p r o v i s i o n o f r e m e d i a l
a s s i s t a n c e t o h e l p p u p i l s whose academic s h o r t - c o m i n g s are n o t r e m e d i a b l e . I t i s i m p o r t a n t t h a t slow l e a r n e r s d e v e l o p w h a t e v e r a b i l i t y t h e y possess i n t h e b a s i c
s k i l l s , b u t t h e i r needs a r e w i d e r than t h i s . The
i m p o r t a n c e o f language, e s p e c i a l l y t a l k i n g and l i s t e n i n g , and t h e development o f p r a c t i c a l l i f e - s k i l l s may o f t e n be o v e r l o o k e d .
How a. s c h o o l i s o r g a n i z e d w i l l a f f e c t t h e t y p e o f e d u c a t i o n p r o v i d e d f o r slow l e a r n e r s . I t i s hoped t h a t the c h i l d r e n w i l l n o t c o m p r i s e a s e g r e g a t e d u n i t w i t h i n the s c h o o l b u t t h a t t h e y w i l l be an i n t e g r a l p a r t o f s c h o o l l i f e . I n t h e f i r s t two years o f a g e n e r a l
c o u r s e , s t u d i e s should be a p p r o p r i a t e t o t h e i r a b i l i t y l e v e l , w i t h t e a c h e r s p l a n n i n g s u i t a b l e programs w i t h a s s i s t a n c e from the s p e c i a 1 - e d u c a t i o n t e a c n e r . Under-
s t a n d i n g of the academic d i f f i c u l t i e s of slow l e a r n e r s i s e s s e n t i a l i f the t e a c h e r s are t o d e a l a d e q u a t e l y w i t h t h e i r problems.
Slow l e a r n e r s , as w e l l as the other students of the school, should have c u r r i c u l u m o p t i o n s open t o them i n the l a t e r secondary years. Examples of
such o p t i o n s could be the development of l e i s u r e s k i l l s , i n t e r - p e r s o n a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s or a b i l i t y to handle
money. The p a r t i c u l a r v o c a t i o n a l needs of these
c h i l d r e n may w e l l r e q u i r e the i n t r o d u c t i o n of a s p e c i a l program t o i n t r o d u c e them t o the w o r l d of work.
(d) C h i l d r e n w i t h Learning D i f f i c u l t i e s The B u l l o c k Report noted t h a t :
A small number of c h i l d r e n have severe reading d i f f i c u l t i e s t h a t cannot be accounted f o r by l i m i t e d mental a b i l i t y or by other r e a d i l y
i d e n t i f i a b l e f a c t o r s . A l l such c h i l d r e n should r e c e i v e a s k i l l e d a n a l y s i s of the nature of t h e i r d i f f i c u l t i e s f o l l o w e d by i n t e n s i v e and sustained help i n a remedial c e n t r e or reading c l i n i c .
(60)
This example of reading d i f f i c u l t i e s h i g h l i g h t s the- need f o r sound d i a g n o s t i c procedures t o be a v a i l - able f o r students w i t h d i f f e r e n t kinds of l e a r n i n g d i f f i c u l t i e s so t h a t the nature of problems can be diagnosed and a p p r o p r i a t e remedial a c t i o n i n i t i a t e d . School o r g a n i z a t i o n a l s t r u c t u r e s must a l l o w f o r
temporary w i t h d r a w a l from the normal classroom s i t u a t i o n i n order t h a t a r e m e d i a t i o n program may be implemented.
(e) C h i l d r e n w i t h P h y s i c a l or Sensory D i s a b i l i t i e s C h i l d r e n w i t h p h y s i c a l and/or sensory d i s a b i l i t - i e s may r e q u i r e s p e c i a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n r a t h e r than a s p e c i a l program. . For example, they may need t o be placed near t o the f r o n t of the c l a s s i f they are p a r t i a l l y deaf or have s i g h t l i m i t a t i o n s , or be
allowed time concessions i f a p h y s i c a l d i s a b i l i t y impedes t h e i r movement from c l a s s to c l a s s . I n p a r t i c u l a r , the Committee supports the p r i n c i p l e of m o d i f y i n g and equipping one high school i n each r e g i o n so t h a t secondary, students w i t h p h y s i c a l d i s a b i l i t i e s can. a t t e n d .-
( f ) Migrant C h i l d r e n
. The Committee received a major submission which drew a t t e n t i o n to the e d u c a t i o n a l needs of migrant c h i l d r e n and the p r o v i s i o n s t h a t are made f o r them.
(61) ' The p r o p o r t i o n of migrant c h i l d r e n i n Tasmanian schools i s so small and so s c a t t e r e d among the schools t h a t the kinds of p r o v i s i o n recommended f o r s p e c i a l education seems more a p p r o p r i a t e than the p r o v i s i o n
recommended f o r disadvantaged groups w i t h whom t h e y might l o g i c a l l y be associated. I n Tasmania such developments as teaching i n the c h i l d ' s n a t i v e
language are not f e a s i b l e because of the t h i n spread of migrant c h i l d r e n and even the p r o v i s i o n of w i t h - drawal classes i s p r o v i n g d i f f i c u l t t o make. The important consequence o f t h i s i s t h a t a l l teachers need to be aware o f the problems of migrant c h i l d r e n and be prepared t o t a c k l e them.
The Committee applauds the aims o f the C h i l d Migrant Education Service, and sees the need f o r
the s e r v i c e t o continue f o r c h i l d r e n who are having obvious d i f f i c u l t y w i t h the E n g l i s h language. I t i s more concerned, however, about the p r o v i s i o n being made f o r migrant c h i l d r e n who appear on the s u r f a c e to be coping w i t h E n g l i s h . The f o l l o w i n g q u o t a t i o n from the submission made t o the Committee m e r i t s r e p e a t i n g :
Some o f these s t u d e n t s , although speaking q u i t e s a t i s f a c t o r i l y , do n o t have a wide vocabulary range and do not handle t h e
language e f f i c i e n t l y . Most, however, would consider themselves reasonably p r o f i c i e n t , would f a i l t o recognise t h e i r own d e f i c i e n c y , and, i n many cases, they and t h e i r parents would f e e l s e n s i t i v e about t h e i r being s i n g l e d out f o r s p e c i a l t r e a t m e n t . (62)
F a i l u r e t o acknowledge t h a t t h e i r E n g l i s h i s inadequate, and d i s l i k e of being d i f f e r e n t from t h e i r peers, a r e two aspects of the migrant c h i l d ' s o u t l o o k .
The Migrant Education Committee sees t h a t i n the f u t u r e i t w i l l need t o consider a l t e r n a t i v e s t o i t s program of w i t h d r a w a l classes, i n order t o f i t i n w i t h the general o r g a n i z a t i o n of schools and t o reduce c o s t s . They see the p o s s i b i l i t y o f t h e e x t r a teaching needed by migrant c h i l d r e n being g i v e n by t h e i r classroom teachers, and the c h i l d migrant
s p e c i a l i s t teachers working as c o n s u l t a n t s and a d v i s e r s to them. The Committee endorses t h i s l i n e o f d e v e l - opment i n p r o v i s i o n s f o r migrant c h i l d r e n .
The involvement o f classroom teachers i n t h i s way, as w e l l as i n p a s t o r a l - c a r e of migrant c h i l d r e n , w i l l r e q u i r e p r o v i s i o n f o r i n - s e r v i c e e d u c a t i o n , since
t r a i n i n g courses i n Tasmania do not c a t e r e i t h e r
f o r teaching E n g l i s h as a second language o r , t o any e x t e n t , f o r a p p r e c i a t i n g the complex problems f a c i n g migrant c h i l d r e n .