Introduction

Maya is one of 24 students in the grade four classroom. She is an energetic child who
thrives off interacting with her friends and fellow students. Maya doesn’t hesitate when
approaching her peers if she can see that they are upset and will do whatever she can
to help while not being the least bit judgmental. However, Maya’s number one strength
is her resilience. She is always able to bounce back when things have not gone her
way.

Maya is diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). ASD “occurs along a broad
continuum of severity with core impairments in social interactions, communication and
restricted repertoires of activity and interests” (Skokauskas, & Gallagher, 2011). Maya
exhibits ASD traits through several facets – anxiety, receptive language issues and
sensory issues. Maya is constantly wandering around the classroom to sharpen her
pencils, disturb other students, look out the window and unpack and pack the tray
underneath her desk. These could be task avoidance behaviours due to Maya not
understanding the task at hand, anxiety or it could be the need for movement due to
sensory issues.

When Maya is anxious, she displays behaviours of attempting to ease her anxiety by
completing tasks that she has chosen to do, this allows Maya to be in control of what
she is doing and this takes away the need for her to process instructions. This is also
the reason that Maya constantly checks in with the classroom teacher to have
instructions repeated. Having the instructions repeated eases her anxiety, however
due to having ASD and anxiety her receptive language processing is compromised so
she needs to ask again. While it may seem like Maya has a short attention span and
loses interest, her actions are a direct result of not being able to process the
instructions and information being provided.

Description of Lesson
During Mathematics, the students are focusing on statistics and probability while learning
about representing data using a range of graphs both written and using technologies.
The content descriptor for this learning area is, “to construct suitable data displays,
with and without the use of digital technologies, from given or collected data. Include

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 tables, column graphs and picture graphs where one picture can represent many data
values” (Mathematics - The Australian Curriculum, 2017). In regards to this content,
they will be focusing on the elaboration of “exploring ways of presenting data and
showing the results of investigations” (Mathematics - The Australian Curriculum,
2017).

As a class, the students conducted an investigation in the previous mathematics lesson

and collected data about the student’s favorite sports and it is this data that they will
use to create their graphs.

Description of Adjustments
For Maya, curriculum adaptations are not necessary. She is capable of fulfilling the
necessary curriculum, how this is done however, is where the adjustments come into
play. There are three specific adjustments that will be made during the mathematics
lesson.

Firstly, Maya will be allocated a teacher aide for this lesson. Maya thrives off interacting
with others therefore, having the assistance of the aide will assist her immensely. The
aide is not just there to assist Maya; they will be there to teach her.

Lev Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) looks at the difference between
what children can do on their own and what they can do with help from an adult
(Kapon, 2016). ZPD displays the need for children to be provided with scaffolding in
regards to learning how to do something for the first time (Obukhova, & Korepanova,
2009). For the teacher’s aide to work with Maya and teach her the graphing content
one on one, they will be able to work at the same pace and work through the content
together (Womack, 1987).
The second adjustment will be regarding the input and how the instructions and
information is delivered to her. As stated earlier, Maya struggles to keep up with verbal
instructions therefore, adjusting the way that the instructions are given is essential
("Examples of adjustments - ACD", 2017). The Instructions will be given to the class
verbally and they will also be written on the board. To assist Maya further, the teacher
aide will also write the instructions down for her personal use. will allow Maya to always
know what is happening and will eliminate some of the possibility for distraction.

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The last adjustment that will be made for this lesson is to allow movement breaks every
15 minutes to ease any anxiety that Maya is feeling and to also assist with her sensory
processing. “Sensory information serves as an important foundation for adaptive
behaviours such as self-control, learning, and the ability to organise” (Hinojosa, &
Kramer, 2010). If Maya is unable to process sensory information, then her ability to
continue working is in jeopardy. The information Maya receives into her proprioceptive
system by moving around the room allows her to fell calm for short periods of time
therefore, a short 30 second movement will allow Maya to continue working for the
next 15 minutes.

Just like any other child, Maya’s emotions and behaviour can change and may therefore
alter her abilities within the classroom on the day of the lesson. It is important to
understand this and to be prepared for any further adjustments that may need to be
made.

Impact of Student
The students within the classroom have spent the last five years with Maya and
understand the ways in which she can be easily distracted and may wander around
the room attempting to find something to do. The students understand that there is a
time and a place for social interactions with Maya and are able to leave her to do what
she needs to do and they are able to stay on task. For this reason, Maya is more of a
distraction to herself than to her peers. When Maya is distracted within the classroom,
she is ultimately the only one being hindered by not learning the content.

“Social inclusion relates to how teachers and students interact within the classroom. There
are three facets with the second one being the cognitive component which is
concerned with understanding individual differences and disability in general”
(Inclusion in Action, 2014). As the classroom teacher, it is their obligation to
understand the abilities and behaviours of the children within the classroom with
additional needs. Understanding this will allow the classroom teacher to know when
Maya needs to take a couple of minutes to wander around the classroom or tidy her
desk before collecting herself and being able to complete her work again.

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 Additional Social-Emotional Support
Maya already exhibits a strong ability to be resilient however, there is always room to build
her up to be even stronger. “Students with additional needs are at a risk for poor social
outcomes and the consequential damage to their psychological wellbeing and learning
outcomes” (Inclusion in Action, 2014). For this reason, preparing students to be
resilient is essential, especially for students with additional needs. Teaching for
resilience allows educators to shift “the focus from deficit, risk and disadvantage
towards growth, competence-enhancement and strength-development” (Cefai, 2004).

An essential strategy to ensure that the students are built up to be resilient is to use their
already founded skills within the classroom and allow them to be further developed
(Downey, 2008). For Maya, she finds her strength which interacting with others. To
assist Maya in becoming even more resilient and in putting her strengths to good use
through working with the allocated teacher aide. If Maya feels capable to do so after
the lesson, she will be able to interact with the students around her to discuss what
she has been able to achieve in the lesson and they will also be able to share with
her.

Critical Reflection
The common Good plays an essential role within every inclusive classroom. To ensure
that the actions of the teacher and the students are of a benefit to all within the
classroom. Every action that is made needs to be done so knowing that they are not
going to hinder anyone else. For Maya’s students, having an understanding of this is
vital when it comes to their interactions with Maya. This also goes for the classroom
teacher. It is essential that all lessons are being catered to all of the students, this
means making adjustments for Maya when needed.

In an inclusive classroom “Every person should have sufficient access to the goods and
resources” (Caritas Australia, 2017). This means that every students is able to access
not only the physical resources within the classroom but the assistance of the teaching
team as well. The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) was put in place to ensure
that people with a disability are treated with the respect they deserve and not
discriminated against, that they are cared for to the best ability of all within the

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 community and that equality is paramount through being given the same rights as the
rest of the community. Because of this legislation, The Queensland Governments
Department of Education and Training States that, “all Queensland State schools are
required to adhere to legislation which ensures people with disability have access to
equal participation in education and society as those without disability”.

In the classroom, it is essential that all students have the same rights as one another and
that they are given the same opportunities. If this is being done to an appropriate
standard and all teaching practices are being catered for a classroom of diverse
needs, then inclusive education is at its peak. The legislation and approval of inclusive
classrooms is a relatively new presence within the Australian education system and
for this reason, all educators need to understand that the inclusive classroom practices
are still evolving. Ensuring that all future teaching practices meet the most relevant
standards is essential while also ensuring that human dignity is always at the forefront
of all educating.

Conclusion
While Maya does live with a diagnosis of ASD that she will have for life, she possesses
skills in many essential areas, including communicating with those around her in verbal
and written form. She also has a great amount of empathy for her friends and peers
and a form of resilience that most envy. While adjustments are currently being made
for Maya in the classroom, it is crucial to understand that as she gets older, her abilities
to cope within the classroom setting and within her community without adjustments
being made for her will be possible. With the correct assistance in her childhood,
specifically within her inclusive education, Maya will grow into an independent and
extremely capable young woman.

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 References
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