1 Unit Seven Written Assignment Anonymous Education, University of the People EDUC 5711: Teaching for Diverse and Inclusive Classrooms Dr. William Ringer December 29, 2021 2 Compensatory and remedial education programs are inclusive instructional strategies usually employed by schools, districts or even nations, to meet the needs of diverse student populations. An inclusive classroom should operate on an educational model that places a premium on the whole child and aims to support all students to achieve the learning outcomes. Whiles compensatory education serves as an approach for meeting the educational needs of students from lower socioeconomic and culturally diverse backgrounds (Reyes, 2006), remedial instruction on the other hand is a teaching strategy that is employed to assist students master foundational academic skills by incorporating retrofitting and backwards design (Stanford & Reeves, 2009). Research from Beecher and Sweeney (2008), summarizes a unique schoolwide approach used by an elementary school to improve student achievement and reduce the achievement gap between rich and poor and among different ethnic groups. A thorough assessment of the approach (Enrichment teaching and learning) reveals a blend of both compensatory education and remedial teaching. In their blended approach for example, teachers rewrote the curriculum for mathematics, writing, reading and social studies to include enrichment experiences and differentiated instruction. These are principles of retrofitting and backwards design which are also prominent features of remedial education programs. The enrichment program also offers afterschool programs to provide support for students with learning barriers, this compensatory in nature. Another benefit of the enrichment program was the significant amount of time dedicated to teacher training. Teachers were provided with training, modeling, coaching, and planning time to integrate the new inclusive ideas and skills into their teaching practice and lessons. In Mexico, the Government through laws and compensatory policies attended to the inequality in the educational system among vulnerable groups (i.e., the disabled, the indigenous 3 people, and gender or sexual differences) in higher education (Flores et al., 2015). This action was largely successful because educational policies are essential in the equitable distribution of resources and the assessment of the subjects. In Mexico, the objective was to ensure the quality of the country’s education and reduce the gap of social inequality. In order to achieve the principles of liberty, opportunity and equality for all, compensatory policies (affirmative action) provide the framework of distributive social justice in support of these vulnerable groups. Some of these policies include; reducing regional inequalities in educational opportunities, according to gender and social groups; the federal executive power creating compensatory programs which will provide support to states with the most underdevelopment in education; and introducing measures that accelerate the equality of women and men as affirmative action. Through these compensatory policies and many more, Mexico was successful at addressing the problem of inequality in education, insufficient infrastructure, lack of coverage and the lack of financing for indigenous groups (Flores et al., 2015). Research from Reyes (2006), which focuses on the effects of compensatory education in Texas also provides a detailed reflection of how compensatory educational practices make learning more accessible for all, especially those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. In this article an argument was made to the effect that the intended purpose of compensatory education was to provide supplementary funding and additional investment in human capital for low-income learners to compensate for the higher investments in human capital afforded to more advantaged populations. In providing educational opportunities to decrease the learning gap for poor students, the issue of funding must be addressed. Funding or financing of education still remains an issue and I personally think both the state and federal government must take a central role in funding education in order to make it more equitable. 4 Remedial teaching is designed to cater to the needs of children unable to keep pace with the teaching and learning process in a normal classroom. The first step in implementing a remedial program into an inclusive setting is the diagnosis of specific difficulties through the analysis of students (Roy, 2020). Teachers will then provide suitable remedial measures based on the diagnosis and also provide support to prevent reoccurring of the difficulties in the future. Remedial teaching in an inclusive set up also takes into consideration the social skills of learners and it is also used in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). The initial analysis of students who may require remedial programs includes a diagnostic assessment, this is done to identify the hurdle (barrier) in learning being faced by the student and also to understand the abilities of the student (Roy, 2020). A diagnostic test will furnish the teacher with information about the prior-knowledge, learning needs, learning abilities, learning styles and interests of the student. Planning and preparation before remedial teaching include setting teaching objectives, adapting the curriculum, organizing the teaching material, choosing appropriate teaching strategies and collecting and preparing support materials (Roy, 2020). Remedial teaching can be done individually or in small groups. Teachers may also collaborate and use the co-teaching strategy to ensure comprehensive instructions are imparted to the remedial students. Compensatory education provides support to the child so that he/she can rely on his/her former disability areas to effectively learn by conventional classroom instruction. In compensatory instruction, the teacher has his/her focus on the use of the learner’s abilities whilst minimizing the use of the child’s disability (Miriskoff & Minskoff, 1976). The content of compensatory instruction is the same as that of the regular class, but the methods and the 5 teaching materials for presenting the content are modified in accordance with the learning preference of the specific student (Miriskoff & Minskoff, 1976). In conclusion, compensatory and remedial education programs play vital roles in creating an inclusive educational system. By implementing both programs, educators will address the skills deficits of students as well as enabling them to reach their full potential regardless of their socioeconomic background, gender, interest, disability/ability, culture or belief. Compensatory programs through affirmative action ensure the rights of the vulnerable to quality education are deliberately protected and supported. Remedial programs provide tailor-made remedial instruction/teaching strategies and accommodations to ensure every learner is equipped with the fundamental/core academic skills. 6 References Beecher, M. & Sweeny, S.M. (2008). Closing the achievement gap with curriculum enrichment and differentiation: One school’s story. Journal of Advanced Academics, 19(3), 502–530. Retrieved December 29, 2021, from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ810785.pdf Flores, R.P., Monroy, G.V., Fabela, A.M.R. (2015). Compensatory policies attending equality and inequality in Mexico educational practice among vulnerable groups in higher education. Journal of Education and Learning, 4(4), 53-63. Retrieved December 29, 2021, from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1097791.pdf Miriskoff, E., & Minskoff, J. (1976). A Unified Program of Remedial and Compensatory Teaching for Children with Process Learning Disabilities. Citeseerx. Retrieved December 29, 2021, from https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.912.7985&rep=rep1&type=pd f Reyes, A. (2006). Texas state compensatory education. Journal of Education Finance, 31(3), 221-237. Retrieved December 29, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40704262 Roy, S. (2020, July 2). Remedial Teaching : An Inclusive Instructional Strategy (English). YouTube. Retrieved December 29, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaC6bNyD8wE Stanford, B., & Reeves, S. (2009). Making it happen: Using differentiated instruction, retrofit framework, and Universal Design for Learning. TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 5(6), 1-9. Retrieved December 29, 2021, from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ967757.pdf
