Resource for Teachers – Curriculum
Units
Please note that the page references throughout this document refer to the
Word versions of this document and the Word versions of the other
documents cited herein. Page references in PDF and printed versions of
these documents will be different.
Bar None Community Awareness Kit for Schools
Published by Office for Disability
Department of Planning and Community Development
1 Spring Street
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Phone: (03) 9208 3015 or 1300 880 043 (for the cost of a local call)
TTY: (03) 9208 3631 (for people who are Deaf or hearing-impaired)
Fax: (03) 9208 3633
Email: ofd@dpcd.vic.gov.au
Website: www.officefordisability.vic.gov.au
September 2009
© State Government of Victoria 2009
This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process
except in accordance with provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.
Authorised by the Victorian Government, Melbourne.
Contents
Introduction
Key messages
4
Key organisers
5
Key concepts
5
Rationale
6
Using the Bar None Community Awareness Kit for Schools
7
Planning
9
Support materials
11
Education Activity Selection Matrix
13
DVD Activity Selection Matrix
21
VELS Level 1
Unit 1 Communication: How do you talk to others?
29
Unit 2 Attitudes/mobility: How do we move around?
36
Unit 3 Participation/learning: How do we learn?
42
VELS Level 2
Unit 4 Diversity/communication: Getting along with other people
50
Unit 5 Participation/mobility: Moving around
56
Unit 6 Rights and responsibilities/learning: Why do we learn?
64
VELS Level 3
Unit 7 Attitudes/learning: Learning about disabilities
73
Unit 8 Participation/mobility: Investigating the environment
84
Unit 9 Choice/communication: The power of language
94
VELS Level 4
Unit 10 Diversity/mobility: Moving around in the community
107
Unit 11 Participation/communication: Building a student
representative council
119
Unit 12 Choice/learning: Place the person first
132
VELS Level 5
Unit 13 Diversity/attitudes: The real story
141
Unit 14 Participation/communication: Engaging with the community
151
Unit 15 Rights and responsibilities: Human rights policy and
practice 161
Introduction
The Bar None Community Awareness Kit for Schools has been
developed to support teachers in planning curriculum programs for
students in Prep to Year 8. The kit includes a set of curriculum
units and activities that are designed to develop in students the
understanding, values and knowledge required to recognise and
respect diversity and the skills for creating and living in an inclusive
community. Accompanying the activities is a DVD that includes
biographical profiles of nine students with a disability.
The kit also includes a teacher professional development module
to introduce teachers to the classroom units and accompanying
resources.
The Curriculum Units are organised according to the levels of the
Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS). There are three
units of activities designed to support the standards for each VELS
level from 1 to 5. However, the units of activities may be adapted
to be implemented at different levels according to the needs and
interests of the students.
With the kind permission of the Disability Services Commission,
Western Australia components of these resources have been
reproduced from the Count Us In! Curriculum Support Package.
Visit: www.disability.wa.gov.au/forschools.html.
Key messages
Disability is part of the human experience, so the Bar None
Community Awareness Kit for Schools has been designed to
communicate the following key messages.
 People in our community share similar hopes and
aspirations.
 Everyone has a role in the community.
 Everyone is unique and has a right to be seen as an
individual.
 Differences should be respected.
 Everyone should have the opportunity to contribute to and
participate in an inclusive community.
Key organisers
The Bar None Community Awareness Kit for Schools has been
developed to provide a cyclic, developmentally sound set of
activities appropriate for the age and experiences of students.
Concepts are introduced in the early years and built upon as the
students mature. The units support the development of inclusive
communities, underpinned by respectful social and intellectual
interactions and relationships. The units lead students to an
understanding that people in our community use different ways of
communicating, moving, interacting and learning.
1 Communication: People communicate in a variety of ways, and
we need to communicate respectfully.
2 Mobility: People move around to meet a range of purposes.
Modifying the environment and equipment, as well as providing
support and positive experiences, ensures that everyone has the
opportunity to participate and contribute at home, at school and in
the community.
3 Learning: People learn in different ways, and we need to ensure
that everyone has opportunities to learn.
Key concepts
The Bar None Community Awareness Kit for Schools recognises
that young people need to understand some key concepts about
human society. As young students learn and develop their
awareness of these concepts, they will be building a foundation of
knowledge, understanding and respect for diversity and difference
in people that will endure as they become mature citizens and
decision makers. They will come to understand that inclusive
communities are underpinned by respectful social and intellectual
interactions and relationships.
Diversity
Diversity relates to the multiplicity of skills, backgrounds, cultures
and abilities of the people who make up the class, school,
community or nation. Learning about diversity gives us an
appreciation of the ways in which every person is unique and
valuable. Celebrating diversity means creating an inclusive
environment that respects differences, and values and utilises the
contributions of people from different backgrounds, abilities,
experiences and perspectives.
Attitudes
Attitudes are the perceptions that affect or determine beliefs and
behaviour. They are predominantly formed through family, school
and the media, and frequently affect how people feel, especially
about things that are unfamiliar.
Participation
Participation is the meaningful involvement of people in their
community. It relates to the ideas of equal access and fair and
equal sharing. Everyone has the right to participate and contribute
at home, at school and in community life. Participation in
community life is maximised where there is an awareness that
every person has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
Choice
Choice relates to the idea that people should be able to make
decisions about various aspects of their lives, and to choose their
life path, goals, friends, extra-curricular activities, post-school
pathways and lifestyle.
Rights and responsibilities
Human rights are the basic entitlements that belong to all of us
because we are human beings. They are based on respect and
valuing another person as a fellow member of the human race,
without regard to Indigenous status, culture, appearance,
background, race, gender, sexuality or ability. Responsibilities are
about cultural, social, civic and political participation of all on an
equal and fair basis, with everyone contributing to the common
good in all facets of community life. When we respect and exercise
human rights for all, we reap the benefits of the diverse
experiences and contributions others can make to our lives.
Rationale
The units in this Bar None Community Awareness Kit for Schools
focus on the importance of social interactions and relationships in
developing an inclusive community. They are designed to raise
awareness, develop knowledge and provide students with
experiences that enhance their understanding of the diversity of
people in the class, the school and the community. The units
highlight the importance of collaborative work in which students
follow inquiry-based processes. Students are provided with
opportunities to interact with others and to learn about and develop
the values of an inclusive community.
Teachers use students’ discussions, theories and ideas to
maximise the learning opportunities provided by various activities.
Group interactions that value and respect other people’s ideas and
experiences are an important aspect of this curriculum.
During class discussions and activities, teachers should remain
alert to the sensitive nature of this program and the implications for
some students and their families. Teachers need to find ways to
encourage students to be aware of the impact of their words and
behaviours on others. It is important to ensure that any student
who has personal, family or other associations with disability is
made to feel part of the community and not the subject of the
activity.
A solution-focused approach to disability is emphasised throughout
all activities, as students develop strategies that ensure everyone
can participate. Strategies for successful interaction between all
people are provided in the Teacher Information Booklet. This
resource kit does not promote simulation activities. These are
discouraged because, unless they have specific outcomes and are
coordinated with a high level of expertise, they tend to highlight
what a person cannot do, and fail to capture the true experience of
disability.
Using the Bar None Community Awareness Kit
for Schools
Each unit in the kit comprises a selection of linked activities that
may be presented to students as an extended unit. Alternatively,
teachers may select specific activities from the unit to provide
short-term activities to meet a particular need demonstrated by the
class or student group. It is also possible to construct a new unit
with a different sequence of activities selected from a range of
other units. All the activities may be adapted and modified to suit
the individual needs of the class.
Each unit comprises:
 a brief outline of the unit
 a list of key concepts
 VELS level descriptions for selected strands and domains
 learning outcomes specific to the unit
 materials required
 approximate time required
 an activity procedure
 assessment ideas
 suggested extension activities
 activity sheets that can be photocopied.
For most units, the key organising thread is either communication,
mobility or learning, and the thread can be traced across levels.
Therefore, a unit may:
 be designed for a particular level
 be extended by selecting activities from other levels
 be varied across the threads to meet the specific needs of
classes and schools
 provide opportunities to emphasise participation between
students, which satisfies other curriculum goals.
The units provide clear links across the VELS levels. While they
contain recommended VELS standards, teachers may determine
other strands, domains or standards to suit their own programs.
Assessment activities are included to match the VELS standards
described, however these are not intended to be definitive and
may be modified as required. Detailed assessment criteria are not
provided. Teachers will identify a range of formative and
summative assessment opportunities that arise from activities in
the units. As students complete activities, feedback and
discussions will inform both students and teachers. This will
provide a basis for successful completion of further activities.
Planning
Education Activity Selection Matrix
The Education Activity Selection Matrix on pages 13–20 provides
an overview of the units included in the Bar None Community
Awareness Kit for Schools. The matrix summarises key
information about the activities, with recommended VELS levels
and domains. The matrix also shows the key threads across the
levels and the key concepts that are related to each unit. Planning
may be based on this matrix, with teachers choosing to use all or
some of the activities in a selected unit.
DVD Activity Selection Matrix
The DVD Activity Selection Matrix on pages 21–28 provides
suggestions and focus questions for using the Bar None
Community Awareness Resource for Teachers – DVD. The
selection of activities may arise from the biographical segments on
the DVD. The DVD opens with a navigation page that links to the
following sections:
Student experiences
VELS level 1–3
VELS level 4–5
Adult perspectives
Prior to the activities, one or more appropriate segments can be
selected as the basis for classroom work. Teachers may use the
DVD as described in the units or as stand-alone resources to
serve other purposes. It is also possible to use the DVD in flexible
ways, for example students may watch one or more whole
segments, select stills and discuss freeze-frames.
The DVD segments may be used to provide both teachers and
students with knowledge about other schools or about living with a
disability, as an orientation to a classroom learning context, to
stimulate discussion or to provide a topic for writing, art work or
drama.
Assessment
The Education Activity Selection Matrix includes a guide to the
VELS that are most likely to be associated with the unit, or with
specific activities within the unit. Where teachers make flexible
decisions about the structure and composition of units, and about
the year level of the class undertaking the unit, other VELS may be
included.
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority states:
‘Assessment for the Victorian Essential Learning Standards
requires a mix of summative assessment of learning to determine
what the student has achieved, formative assessment to inform the
next stage of learning that will occur, and ongoing assessment
which focuses on teacher feedback alongside student reflection
and self-assessment.’
Each unit in the Bar None Community Awareness Kit for Schools
contains various opportunities (assessable moments), when
different kinds of assessment (as, of and for learning) may be
appropriate.
Teachers are advised that each unit will provide only some
evidence towards the assessment of students’ achievement of the
standards. The activities may also contribute evidence of
achievement of other VELS strands, domains and dimensions.
Support materials
Teacher Information Booklet
The Teacher Information Booklet provides teachers with general
information and aims for a broad-brush understanding of some key
issues related to disability. Disability is complex and multi-layered
so the information contained is not exhaustive but rather an
overview of key statistics, definitions and some suggestions for
practical ways to create welcoming classrooms. Teachers are
encouraged to source further information by following some of the
links and contacts provided in the Teacher Information Booklet.
DVD
The Bar None Community Awareness Kit for Schools contains a
DVD comprising biographical segments that provide insights and
information about nine students with a disability. In addition, there
are several segments that present viewpoints from parents,
teachers and young adults with a disability. Each unit includes an
activity that links to specific parts of the DVD. However, the DVD
segments lend themselves to a range of activities and responses
and may be selected in different ways to meet specific curriculum
purposes. The DVD Activity Selection Matrix on pages 21–28
provides initial guidance for selecting activities.
Books
The reading of storybooks that contain and/or portray children or
adults with a disability can be a valuable way of opening up a new
topic and providing opportunities for students to learn about,
discuss and make sense of their experiences and explore their
views of disability. A list of storybooks is available in the Teacher
Information Booklet and other resources.
Stimulus pictures
Teachers are encouraged to use other resources to support the
units. The activities will be enhanced by access to a range of
graphic, visual and film resources already available in schools.
Teachers can source other materials through current programs
and initiatives in the local community, or by contacting relevant
organisations listed in the Teacher Information Booklet.
Use of the internet
The internet provides a valuable source of information, and some
web addresses have been included in the units to help teachers
find current and accurate information. A list of useful websites is
available in the Teacher Information Booklet. Where possible,
websites have been chosen for their download provision and
Australian context. Photo libraries and other relevant resources are
also available online.
Education Activity Selection Matrix
Key concepts of Diversity
VELS Level 1 Diversity/communication
Year Prep
Unit 1: How do you talk to others?
Students express their ideas about the ways that
people communicate.
VELS focus
 Interpersonal Development: Building social
relationships
 English: Speaking and listening
 The Arts: Creating and making
VELS Level 2 Diversity/communication
Years 1 and
2
Unit 4: Getting along with other people
Students focus on the ways that people
communicate.
VELS focus
 Interpersonal Development: Building social
relationships
 Interpersonal Development: Working in
teams
 English: Speaking and listening
 Information and Communications
Technology: Design, creativity and
technology
VELS Level 4 Diversity/mobility
Years 5 and
6
Unit 10: Moving around in the community
Students focus on the ways that people move
around in their community.
VELS focus
 Civics and Citizenship: Community
engagement
 The Humanities – Geography: Geospatial
skills
 Thinking Processes: Reasoning, processing
and inquiry
VELS Level 5 Diversity/attitudes
Years 7 and
8
Unit 13: The real story
Students focus on the attitudes that underpin the
depiction of people with a disability in literature and
film.
VELS focus
 English: Reading
 English: Writing
 Information and Communications
Technology: ICT for communicating
Key concepts of Attitudes
VELS Level 1 Attitudes/mobility
Year Prep
Unit 2: How do we move around?
Students are introduced to different ways that
people move around.
VELS focus
 Interpersonal Development: Building social
relationships
 Health and Physical Education: Movement
and physical activity
 The Arts: Creating and making
VELS Level 3 Attitudes/learning
Years 3 and
4
Unit 7: Learning about disabilities
Students research and learn about specific
impairments.
VELS focus
 Personal Learning: Managing personal
learning
 English: Reading
 Information and Communications
Technology: ICT for creating
Key concepts of Participation
VELS Level 1 Participation/learning
Year Prep
Unit 3: How do we learn?
Students are introduced to different ways that
people learn.
VELS focus
 Personal Learning: Managing personal
learning
 English: Speaking and listening
 Health and Physical Education: Movement
and physical activity
VELS Level 2 Participation/mobility
Years 1 and
2
Unit 5: Moving around
Students consider some different purposes for
moving around.
VELS focus
 Health and Physical Education: Movement
and physical activity
 The Arts: Creating and making
 English: Writing
VELS Level
3
Participation/mobility
Years 4 and
5
Students focus on accessibility for everyone.
Unit 8: Investigating the environment
VELS focus
 Interpersonal Development: Working in teams
 Mathematics: Measurement, chance and data
 Design, Creativity and Technology:
Investigating and designing
VELS Level
4
Participation/communication
Years 5 and
6
Students focus on strategies to encourage
participation of all students in decision making.
Unit 11: Building a student representative council
VELS focus
 Interpersonal Development: Building social
relationships
 Interpersonal Development: Working in teams
 Civics and Citizenship: Community
engagement
VELS Level
5
Participation/communication
Years 7 and
8
Students focus on the participation of all people in
the classroom and in social and civic life.
Unit 14: Engaging with the community
VELS focus
 Civics and Citizenship: Community
engagement
 The Arts: Creating and making
 Interpersonal Development: Building social
relationships
Key concepts of Choice
VELS Level 3 Choice/communication
Years 3 and
4
Unit 9: The power of language
Students focus on the ways that people
communicate.
VELS focus
 Interpersonal Development: Building social
relationships
 The Arts: Creating and making
 Communication: Listening, viewing and
responding
VELS Level 4 Choice/learning
Years 5 and
6
Unit 12: Place the person first
Students focus on the ways that people with a
disability are portrayed in literature and the media.
VELS focus
 Interpersonal Development: Working in
teams
 English: Reading
 Communication: Listening, viewing and
responding
Key concepts of Rights and responsibilities
VELS Level 2 Rights and responsibilities/learning
Years 1 and
2
Unit 6: Why do we learn?
Students consider the reasons why people learn.
VELS focus
 Personal Learning: The individual learner
 English: Speaking and listening
 Thinking Processes: Reflection, evaluation
and metacognition
VELS Level 5 Rights and responsibilities
Years 7 and
8
Unit 15: Human rights policy and practice
Students focus on the rights and responsibilities of
all people.
VELS focus
 Civics and Citizenship: Civics knowledge and
understanding
 The Humanities – History: Historical
reasoning and interpretation
 Information and Communications
Technology: ICT for communicating
DVD Activity Selection Matrix
The DVD has been provided as a resource to assist students to
understand and to respond to their peers with a disability.
The matrix on pages 23–28 provides initial guidance for selecting
activities. However, the DVD segments lend themselves to a range
of activities and responses and may be selected in different ways
to meet specific curriculum purposes.
The focus questions are provided as a guide, but may be adapted
or replaced as required by the curriculum activity. Some additional
general questions are provided below to be used in conjunction
with the DVD.
General questions
What is the person’s name? What kind of person is he/she? What
makes you think that?
What can you tell about the person by looking at them? How are
you deciding which person has a disability?
What are his/her favourite things or interests? Which of their
ambitions, goals and beliefs are similar to the rest of their class?
What moments of communication rely on expressions, gesture or
body language?
What different ways of communicating do you see?
What equipment is used by this person to communicate?
How does this person move around with their classmates, family
and friends?
What equipment for moving around do you see?
What things make it easier for this person to move around?
What features of the environment assist or hinder accessibility?
What makes this place an inclusive community?
What lessons are happening in the DVD?
Who works with this person in the classroom?
What different ways to learn did you see (for example, using a
computer, using touch to learn, listening carefully and trying new
things, and taking a break at times)?
What helps this person to learn?
What kinds of tools or equipment did you see? How do they help
this person to learn?
What kind of classroom do you see?
What things in the classroom help everyone to learn?
How do tools, classroom organisation or kinds of lessons help the
whole class?
How does this person participate in the classroom?
What other places do you see?
How does this person join in activities outside the classroom?
How does this person participate in the class or social group?
What are some of the challenges that this person meets as he or
she accesses parts of the community?
What kinds of rights and responsibilities are discussed?
What are some of the ways that everyone’s rights are recognised
and catered for?
Specific questions
Talent
Sam,
Brian,
Jake
Age: 6
DVD activity
focus questions
Communication
Mobility
Learning
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
What helps the
boys to start
learning?
Unit 14
Why do the boys
need a quiet
place to work?
Who uses the
tent? Why?
Why is signing
special for all the
children?
How can you tell
that they are
trying hard?
Talent
Thien
Tuoc
Age: 7
DVD activity
focus questions
Communication
Mobility
Learning
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
How does Thien
Tuoc get to
school?
Unit 4
Unit 5
Unit 6
Unit 8
Unit 11
Unit 10
Unit 13
What helps
everyone to keep
safe in the
classroom?
What senses do
children in the
class use to
communicate?
What equipment
does Thien use
to learn? How
does it work?
How does Thien
Tuoc read?
What is different
about the ball
game?
Talent
Harvey
DVD activity
focus questions
Communication
Mobility
Learning
Unit 14
Unit 2
Unit 3
Age: 8
What activities
does Harvey do?
Unit 5
Unit 11
What are
Harvey’s
favourite things?
Unit 8
Unit 12
Unit 10
Unit 13
Communication
Mobility
Learning
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
Unit 5
Unit 6
Unit 9
Unit 8
Unit 11
Why does he like
them?
Why did he want
to join Nippers?
What equipment
does Harvey use
to hear and to
move around?
What does
Harvey want to
be when he
grows up?
What does
Harvey’s brother
think of him?
Why?
Sophie
Age: 8
DVD activity
focus questions
Why does the
school have
double signs?
Why does
Sophie like the
monkey bars?
What lessons
Unit 13
can you see?
Why does
Sophie like
music?
How does
Sophie spend
time at home?
Talent
Rohan
DVD activity focus
questions
Age: 10 What does Rohan
use to
communicate?
Communication Mobility Learning
Unit 4
Unit 11
Unit 7
Unit 12
Unit 14
Unit 13
How does he
show he is
pleased with his
work?
What equipment
does Rohan use
to learn?
Natalie
DVD activity focus
Age: 13 questions
How does signing
help
communication?
Why is Girls’
Group special for
Natalie and her
friends?
What does Natalie
wish for in the
future?
What is similar
about Natalie and
the people in your
class?
Communication Mobility Learning
Unit 7
Unit 11
Unit 14
Unit 12
Unit 13
Talent
Megan
DVD activity
focus questions
Communication
Unit 14
Age: 14 What kind of
person is Megan?
What are
Megan’s
interests?
Mobility Learning
Unit 5
Unit 11
Unit 8
Unit 12
Unit 10
Unit 13
What is her
attitude to
physical activity?
What can you tell
about Megan’s
relationships with
her classmates
and friends?
What can you tell
about Megan’s
mobility in the
community?
Talent
Brett
DVD activity
focus questions
Age: 15 Why is Brett a
member of the
performance
group?
What are Brett’s
favourite
subjects?
What are Brett’s
goals for the
future?
Communication
Learning
Unit 14
Unit 11
Unit 12
Unit 13
Talent
Jake
DVD activity
focus questions
Age: 15 Can you think of
a reason why
Jake’s interest in
bikes might be
considered
unusual?
Which of Jake’s
interests is met
by the use of the
mimeo
equipment? What
else do you find
out about his
interests?
What kind of
person is Jake?
Communication
Unit 14
Unit 15
Mobility Learning
Unit 5
Unit 11
Unit 8
Unit 12
Unit 10
Unit 13