When people talk about education, one question keeps coming up: how should schools respond to differences between students, and what role should selection play in access to particular schools or programs?
Beyond the different ways education systems are organised, there is a more basic question:
How can we make sure that every student has real opportunities to learn and grow?
In this article, we look at what we mean by education, why differences between students call for different educational responses, and what schools can do to reduce barriers to learning and participation.
1. What Do We Mean by Education?
Education goes well beyond passing on academic knowledge.
It also involves helping children and young people build the skills and habits that allow them to take part in life with growing independence.
This includes:
Acquiring knowledge and building the skills needed to learn
Learning to manage emotions and behaviour
Developing independence and responsibility
Solving problems and responding to difficulties
Interacting and participating respectfully with others
A well-rounded education considers both what students learn and the tools they develop to use that learning in different situations.
2. Every Student Deserves Opportunities to Learn and Develop
Every child and young person arrives at school with different experiences, abilities, needs and circumstances.
Their starting points can vary a great deal, but those differences should not determine in advance how far a student is capable of going.
Inclusive education seeks to enable students to participate and learn by providing appropriate opportunities and support according to their individual characteristics and circumstances.
That does not require every student to learn at the same pace or in exactly the same way. Rather, it means recognising that difference is a normal part of every school community and that educational responses need to account for that diversity.
3. Differences Between Students Are Normal
Every classroom includes differences in prior knowledge, skills, pace of learning, interests, attention and ways of participating.
These differences are not necessarily problems that need to be eliminated. The real challenge is to work out what each student may need in order to keep making progress.
Some students may need more time or practice. Others may benefit from a different explanation, extra activities, specialist support or a greater level of challenge.
When students experience bigger difficulties, providing the right kind of support can help them participate, make progress and build greater confidence in their abilities.
The aim is not to make every student the same. It is to provide real opportunities for each student to move forward from their own starting point.
4. Education and Selection Serve Different Purposes
Selection can serve different purposes depending on the educational context. Some schools or programs, for example, may have particular admission criteria related to their educational model, available resources or the nature of the program they offer.
From an inclusive education perspective, however, the challenge should not come down to identifying which students are likely to learn most easily.
We can also ask: what conditions and support will enable a diverse group of students to learn?
Differences in achievement should not automatically lead us to conclude that some students have less capacity to learn. Another question worth asking is: what can we do to help each student move forward from their own starting point?
5. Are We Really Achieving Educational Inclusion?
Inclusion is not defined only by who is admitted to a school. It is also reflected in what happens once students are in the classroom.
Some questions worth considering:
Do students have real opportunities to participate and learn?
Are barriers to their learning being identified?
Are strategies and support available for students who need additional help?
Can students make progress from their individual starting points?
Is their progress observed and supported over time?
A school can have an inclusive policy and still experience difficulties putting inclusion into practice.
Inclusive education requires more than good intentions. It also requires appropriate tools, strategies, monitoring and the capacity to respond to diverse student needs.
How Can the Langford Method Support More Inclusive Education?
The Langford Method provides programs that combine the development of learning skills with habits that support the learning process.
The programs:
Allow children to progress at their own pace
Incorporate practice and repetition to help consolidate skills and habits
Work on six habits over time: following instructions, self-control, independence, calmness, willingness to act and practice
Use structured activities and brief sessions that can be incorporated into different educational settings
Can provide a complementary tool for students who benefit from additional opportunities for practice and support
The Langford Method is not intended to replace specialist support that some students may require.
Its purpose is to provide additional educational tools that can complement the work of families, schools and other professionals supporting the child.
Our aim is to contribute to creating more opportunities for children to develop their skills, strengthen their habits and progress from their own starting point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Student Selection Common in Every Country?
No. Education systems use different admission and selection models, which vary according to the country, level of education and type of school or institution.
The role of selection also differs considerably between education systems, so it is important to understand it within its particular context.
Can a School Effectively Support Students With Different Learning Needs?
Schools can support students with diverse learning needs, although doing so requires planning, appropriate resources, teaching strategies and, where necessary, specialist support.
How that support is organised will depend on the characteristics of the school and the needs of its students.
Inclusive education does not mean that one teacher or one approach is expected to meet every need without additional support.
What If My Child Is Not Keeping Up With the Rest of the Class?
The first step is to try to understand what may be making progress difficult.
There may be a skill that has not yet been consolidated, a specific learning difficulty, insufficient practice, frustration, attention difficulties or other contributing factors.
Once there is a clearer understanding of what may be happening, the school and family can consider what support may be most appropriate.
Does Inclusion Mean That Every Student Should Learn in the Same Way?
No.
Inclusive education seeks to reduce barriers to participation and learning while recognising that students may require different forms and levels of support in order to progress.
Providing different support does not undermine inclusion. In many cases, it is exactly what makes meaningful participation possible.
Conclusion: Education That Creates Opportunities for Every Student
Education is not only about identifying who learns fastest or who achieves the highest results.
It is also about creating opportunities for each student to develop their abilities, learn to respond to difficulties and progress from their own starting point.
Committing to inclusive education does not mean ignoring differences or expecting every student to progress in the same way.
It means recognising those differences and looking for the conditions, strategies and support that give each student a real opportunity to learn and grow.
Every child deserves the opportunity to develop their potential.
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