Using DSE to ‘Notice, Recognize and Respond’ to Tools of Exclusion and Opportunities for Inclusion in New Zealand

Main Article Content

Missy Morton

Keywords

curriculum, pedagogy, assessment

Abstract

In this paper, I describe three ways that Disability Studies in Education (DSE) informs our work on curriculum assessment in New Zealand. First, DSE provides a framework for interrogating practices of exclusion in education. Education has a (long) history of being unequally available to all students. Traditionally, in New Zealand as elsewhere, the role of assessment (and expert assessors) has been to decide which students get access to which types of education. Traditional forms of assessment focus on the individual. DSE suggests how this focus on the performance of individual has unintended negative consequences. Second, DSE suggests possibilities for inclusive education. When learning is understood as co-constructed, new approaches to assessment are needed. In this paper I describe a New Zealand project to support teachers to use narrative assessment as an approach that supports teachers to notice, recognise and respond to students’ competences, with a developing understanding of learning as co-constructed. Narrative assessment supports teachers to get to know their students’ interests and strengths and use these to support learning; to build relationships with their students and their students’ families. I conclude by describing how DSE reminds us to be always vigilant to the pull of powerful normatizing discourses.  
Abstract 961 | PDF Downloads 405 Word Downloads 130 Text Downloads 189

References

Broadfoot, P. (2007). An introduction to assessment. New York: Continuum.

Carr, M. (2001). Assessment in early childhood settings: Learning stories. London: Paul Chapman.

Connor, D. J., Gabel, S. L., Gallagher, D.J., & Morton, M. (2008) Disability studies and inclusive education: Implications for theory, research and practice. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 12(5-6), 441-457. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13603110802377482

Cowie, B., & Carr, M. (2009). The consequences of sociocultural assessment. In A. Anning, J. Cullen, & M. Fleer (Eds.), Early childhood education: Society and culture (pp. 95–106). London: Sage.

Ferguson, P. M., Ferguson, D. L., & Taylor, S. J. (1992). Interpreting disability: A qualitative reader. New York: Teachers College.

Gabel, S. L. (2005). Disability studies in education: Readings in theory and method. New York: Peter Lang.

Gallagher, D. (2004). The importance of constructivism and constructivist pedagogy for Disability Studies in Education. Disability Studies Quarterly, 24(2). Retrieved from www.dsq-sds.org

Gipps, C., (1994). Beyond testing: Towards a theory of educational assessment. London: Falmer.

Gordon, L., & Morton, M. (2008). Inclusive education and school choice: Democratic rights in a devolved system. In S. Gabel & S. Danforth (Eds.), Disability and the politics of education: An international reader (pp. 237-250). New York: Peter Lang.

Harrison, J., MacGibbon, L., & Morton, M. (2001). Regimes of trustworthiness in qualitative research: The rigours of reciprocity. Qualitative Inquiry, 7(3), 323-345.

Hatherly, A. & Richardson, C. (2007). Building connections: Assessment and evaluation revisited. In L. Keesing-Styles & H. Hedges (Eds.), Theorising early childhood practice: Emerging dialogues (pp. 51-70). Castle Hill, NSW, Australia: Pademelon.

Hipkins, R. (2007). Assessing the key competencies: Why would we? How could we? Wellington, NZ: Learning Media.

James, M. (2006). Assessment, teaching and theories of learning. In J. Gardner (Ed.), Assessment and Learning (47-60). London: Sage.

Macartney, B. & Morton, M. (2012). Kinds of participation: Teacher and special education perceptions and practices of ‘inclusion’ in early childhood and primary school settings. International Journal of Inclusive Education. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2011.602529

Millar, R., & Morton, M. (2007). Bridging two worlds: Special education and curriculum policy. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 11(2), 163-176.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13603110500375382.

Ministry of Education. (1993). New Zealand curriculum framework. Wellington, NZ: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki matauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, NZ: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2003). The New Zealand curriculum exemplars. Wellington, NZ: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2004-2009). Kei tua o te pai: Assessment for learning. Early childhood exemplars. Wellington, NZ: Learning Media. Retrieved from http://www.educate.ece.govt.nz/learning/curriculumAndLearning/Assessmentforlearning/KeiTuaotePae/Background.aspx

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, NZ: Learning Media. Retrieved from http://assessment.tki.org.nz/Assessment-tools-resources/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum-Exemplars

Ministry of Education. (2009a). The New Zealand curriculum exemplars for learners with special education needs. Wellington, NZ: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2009b). Narrative assessment: A guide for teachers. Wellington, NZ: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2011). Collaboration for success: Individual education plans. Wellington, NZ: Learning Media. Retrieved from http://seonline.tki.org.nz/IEP/Collaboration-for-Success

Mitchell, D., Morton, M., & Hornby, G. (2010). Review of the literature on individual education plans: Report to the Ministry of Education. Wellington NZ: Ministry of Education.

Morton, M., & McMenamin, T. (2011). Learning together: Collaboration to develop curriculum assessment that promotes belonging. Support for Learning, 26(3), 109-114. Retrieved from http://10.1111/j.1467-9604.2011.01488.x

Selden, S. (2000). Eugenics and the social construction of merit, race and disability. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 32(2), 235-252.

Smith, R. & Barr, S. (2008). Towards educational inclusion in a contested society: From critical analysis to creative action.
International Journal of Inclusive Education, 12(4), 401–22. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13603110601145775

Valle, J. W., & Connor, D. J. (2010). Rethinking disability: A disability studies approach to inclusive education. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Wansart, W. L. (1995). Teaching as a way of knowing: Observing and responding to students’ abilities. Remedial and Special Education, 16(3), 166-177.

Wills, R. (2006). Special Education 2000: A New Zealand Experiment. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 10(2-3), 189-199. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13603110500296646.

Wills, R., & McLean, M. (2008). Who’s in, who’s out of New Zealand public schools? How decisions are shaped. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 12(5-6), 511-523. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13603110802377565.