Inclusive Education and ASN: Moving from deficits to strengths-based approaches

This session is for all educators who wish to deepen and extend their thinking around working with and for an increasingly diverse learning community. We will move beyond deficit framing of children’s capacities by exploring concepts from key scholars in the field of inclusive education. We offer an opportunity to unpack what ‘inclusion’ and ‘additional support needs’ should mean for practice. We share how to develop strengths-based perspectives in ways that dismantle systemic barriers and identify positive actions to bring about more socially just, equitable and inclusive learning for all. 
 Aims: 
•    Consolidate an understanding of inclusive education and pedagogy (what it is and what it is not)
•    Recognise learner diversity as an asset and understand strengths-based working in classroom practice
•    Be able to draw on disability theory to reframe our relational working and recognise the rights of the child under both the UNCRC and UNCRPD. 
•    Use creativity and arts-based methods to develop practical strategies for building a sense of belonging, inclusion, and community cohesion.