3.10. Targeted support - special educational needs and learning difficulties

This monograph analyses and describes successful educational actions with a specific focus on vulnerable groups. Concrete data that shows success in school performance is provided, as well as on children, teachers and families accounts of the impact of this success. Alongside, there is an analysis of the relationship between these childrens educational performance with their inclusion or exclusion from different areas of society. This monograph provides actions for success identified through the INCLUD-ED project, thus providing both, contrasted data and solid theoretical background and development. Some examples of these actions are interactive groups, extension of the learning time, homework clubs, tutored libraries, family and community educative participation, family education, or dialogic literary gatherings. All these actions have been defined as successful educational actions, which mean that they lead to both efficiency and equity. Finally, recommendations for policy and practice are included and discussed.

Interactive Groups is one of the Successful Educational Actions (SEAs) identified in the research project INCLUD-ED. INCLUD-ED analysed educational strategies that contribute to overcoming inequalities and promote social cohesion, and those generating social exclusion, particularly focusing on vulnerable and marginalised groups. Interactive Groups are used to improve the education of children and youth in different contexts. They consist of grouping students in a class into small heterogeneous groups, each of them supported by an adult. Each of these groups is organised around four or five students, in a heterogeneous way regarding ability level, gender, culture, language and ethnicity. This example provides an understanding of IG and the results of their practice.

Dialogic Literary Gatherings (DLG) is one of the Successful Educational Actions (SEAs) identified in the research project INCLUD-ED. DLG are used to improve education of children and youth in different contexts around the world. DLG is a dialogic reading activity based on two principles: reading a classical literature book (as Romeo and Juliet, the Odyssey, Don Quixote) and then sharing meanings, interpretations and reflections with the dialogic learning methodology. It can involve children and their family members. This example provides an understanding of DLG and the results of their practice.

The InScool methodology is designed to flexibly guide schools through the start of a journey towards inclusion, improving personal and academic outcomes for all children and young people by focusing on their access to – and participation in – quality, relevant education.

This paper seeks to examine evidence regarding the potential for multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary teams to play a key role in the prevention of early school leaving. As part of developing a strategy for such multi/interdisciplinary teams, an important focus is on necessary and supportive conditions for their effectiveness, rather than a deterministic assumption of their inevitable effectiveness. The report highlights the need to provide strong strategic guidance to the teams on important issues to be engaged in by the teams such as mental health support, alternatives to suspension, marginalized families outreach, teacher conflict resolution and diversity training skills, bullying prevention skills, positive school climate promotion, engagement with parenting skills and a focus on children?s language development etc.

The CARMA Toolkit fosters collaborative learning approaches in schools, based on non-formal learning (NFL) techniques, for learners who have been identified as being at risk of early school leaving and/or low achievement. The Toolkit provides practical resources for classroom practices and to transform school cultures to improve student motivation and participation. Involvement of the wider community in supporting collaborative learning is also encouraged. A Competence Assessment Model supports teachers to assess learners’ collaborative skills. A teacher’s diary to track implementation and learner progress accompanies the Toolkit.. The Toolkit is available in full and short versions in 8 languages English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Portuguese, Dutch and Turkish.

With the aim of ensuring success for all children and preventing early school leaving, this project in Flanders, Belgium is specifically focused on introducing a school culture and a range of measures to avoid grade repetition.