How do students of different cultural backgrounds become affected when

parents/carers refuse to test for learning difficulties?

Inquiry question:
How do students of different cultural backgrounds become
affected when parents/carers refuse to test for learning
difficulties?

Description (413 words)

I will be focusing my research on the undiagnosed learning difficulties of
students, and the effect that their parents refusal of testing has on their
ability to succeed. I will be focusing on the cultural reasons in which parents
do not allow their children to be tested and the effect that this has on their
students, as well as teachers who assist as much as possible without support
from the school.

During my first and second practicum I had a year 11 student in my design

class. Although clearly struggling with tasks he had been assigned in class,
he did not have an NEP or any diagnosed learning difficulty. This became an
issue as the student would not be given the best opportunity to succeed if
teachers were not differentiating his assignments, and this was difficult as
there was no record of a learning difficulty at the school. After discussions
with my mentor teachers I discovered that this students parents have
refused to have him tested, this is due to cultural reasons. This student also
has difficulties with language as he originates from the Middle East and
speaks English as a second language.

There have been discussions amongst several of the teachers who have
worked with him about different teaching strategies which can be used to
assist him. It has become clear that he struggles to stay on task, which tends
to result in the teacher spending the entire class assisting him and not
spending enough time with the rest of the students. Having the required

Emma DeBoer Inclusive Education M EDUC 5174

 How do students of different cultural backgrounds become affected when
parents/carers refuse to test for learning difficulties?
tests would result in an NEP and a possible SSO assisting in the classroom,
which would not only help him succeed, but allow the teacher to engage the
rest of the class.

I spent a lot of my time with him while I was on placement, I found the most
effective strategy was to write him a to-do list at the beginning of the class,
each thing he needed to complete by the end of the lesson. I would speak to
him about each point I had written for him, leave him to complete his work,
and then return every 10 or so minutes. I found that although he worked at a
slow pace, he did achieve some work in most lessons. Although this seems to
be the favoured strategy amongst the teachers I spoke with, he still requires
an NEP and unfortunately there can be nothing done in regards to this until
his parents are agreeable.

Feelings (301 words)

The incident in question was a very difficult one to evaluate. After my first
encounter with the student on my observational practicum, I felt frustration
as my first impression was that he was not wanting to comply with the task
at hand and was quite often distracted. After a couple of lessons with this
year 11 design class I noticed that he himself was quite frustrated by not
being able to understand the requirements of the assessment, and he had a
different learning style to others in the class. After spending a lot of time with
him and realising that telling him what to do was not going to assist him, I
spoke to my mentor and discovered the real reason he was not engaging. I
started to use different strategies to help him understand what was required
of him, and spoke to him about what he was interested in to help him feel
more attached to the assignment. I felt sympathy for him as I could see that
he wanted to succeed, and told me he wants to continue his studies into
tertiary education after year 12.

Emma DeBoer Inclusive Education M EDUC 5174

 How do students of different cultural backgrounds become affected when
parents/carers refuse to test for learning difficulties?
There are several AITSL standards which relate to this situation; 1.2
understand how students learn, 1.3 students with diverse linguistic, cultural,
religious and socioeconomic backgrounds and 1.6 Strategies to support full
participation of students with disabilities (Australian Institute for Teaching
and School Leadership 2016). The incident demonstrates that teachers need
to understand their students and how they learn best. The three standards I
have outlined are ones which relate to this incident explicitly and if
considered when supporting this student, will give him the best opportunity
to succeed. The student not only has difficulties with language, but also
needs extra support as well as differentiation. There is no reason this student
should be failing subjects if the correct steps are taken.

Evaluation (315 words)

After great thought regarding this incident, I believe that there needs to be
more support for the student. It is a difficult situation as there will not be any
support from the school until his parents comply and get him tested so he
can be properly diagnosed. The hardest part about this situation is that this
student has struggled all through secondary school and he is nearly at the
end of his secondary education. I have read email correspondence between
teachers regarding this student, and have had discussions with several of his
teachers. They have all attempted to work together, telling each other about
their teaching strategies and attempting to do what is best for the student.
From what I observed while on my placement most of the teachers have
been working together to support the student in the best way they can,
without the support of the school and his parents.

From my own knowledge with this situation, I would suggest that the best
course of action would be to conduct a meeting with him, perhaps with a few
of his teachers, and discuss a learning plan for his success. This way he is a
part of the planning process, and will be held accountable for his own
learning. The problem is not in his attitude, he wants to learn and he wants

Emma DeBoer Inclusive Education M EDUC 5174

 How do students of different cultural backgrounds become affected when
parents/carers refuse to test for learning difficulties?
to succeed.

The conclusion that I have drawn from this incident whilst on my placement
is that this issue has gone almost unnoticed from the school and parents.
The teachers have done what they can to differentiate each of the classes so
that he can pass, and utilising different teaching strategies to assist him as
much as possible, however there has not been anything permanent set in
place. Without the testing the student to diagnose him in the correct way,
there isnt going to be support for him at the school.

Critical Analysis (606 words)

There is a responsibility which lies with the parents and carers of students to ensure
that they are receiving the best possible education they can. The same
responsibility lies with the school and the teachers directly associated with these
students. There needs to be a strong level of communication between all of these
stakeholders. When a students parents refuse to have their child tested, when it
can drastically effect their schooling and success, there is not a whole lot that can
be done by the teachers and administration. This can result in no funding or official
support in the form of an NEP.
There are conflicting views from supporting articles written about this topic, which I
will discuss and compare in a critical manner.
Meteba Harris talks about the involvement of parents in their childrens education,
and how critical this is in terms of their success. There is a strong connection
between parents who take an interest in their students work and have a positive
relationship with the school, and the quality of work produced by the students,
Parent involvement appears to be a significant and fundamental solution (Harris
2011). Harris talks about the contributing factors of cultural relevance and levels of
income relating to how involved parents are with their childrens education. In the
incident in question, the culture of the family was a very large contributing factor as
to why this student was not getting tested. There seemed to be a level of pride
coming from the parents as well as denial that there is nothing wrong with the
student.

Emma DeBoer Inclusive Education M EDUC 5174

 How do students of different cultural backgrounds become affected when
parents/carers refuse to test for learning difficulties?
As Deborah Pergament discusses, there was once a time, roughly sixty years ago,
when having a child with a disability was viewed as a private tragedy (Pergament
2013). Things have since then changed, and having a child with a disability is not
seen as a tragedy, and the immediate reaction is to not shy away from this word.
Although society is still progressing, there are a lot more opportunities available at
institutions, and to be properly diagnosed with a disability only means that the
student will be provided with the support needed so that they may have the chance
to succeed, just like their peers. The parents in this particular situation do seem to
want to be involved with the student schooling, and stress the importance of
success with their child. However, by being in denial about their childs abilities it is
becoming detrimental to his success. If he was able to be offered the support he
needs, he would not be struggling with his work.
Chris Forlin et. al. discusses the laws and regulations surrounding inclusive
education, and the concerns that follow. He states that all teachers and educators
are expected to enable students with disability to receive an education equal to
that of any other student (Forlin et. al. 2014). Although it may be out of the
teachers hands at this point, considering the parents refuse to have their son
diagnosed, the teachers have a responsibility to ensure the student is receiving an
equal education. The fact that this student has not been tested, he is receiving little
support in terms of an NEP and so the teachers are unable to complete their job to
the best of their ability.
There have been some revealing points of view in terms of my original question,
students tend to always be the ones who win or lose depending on how involved
parents are in their education. The importance needs to be placed on the success of
the students assessment and their education, rather than the way that the parents
feel in regards to disability.

Conclusions (366 words)

The articles I have researched regarding the issues with cultural background
effecting students abilities to learn all seem to have the same focus, the
student. The student is in need of support from the school and the teachers,
and for this to occur there needs to be a diagnosis so that he will be able to
receive the support that is necessary. From the readings used, it becomes

Emma DeBoer Inclusive Education M EDUC 5174

 How do students of different cultural backgrounds become affected when
parents/carers refuse to test for learning difficulties?
clear that parents play a very important role in students success, and there
needs to be more emphasis on this within schools. There isnt going to be a
diagnosis or ability to define the students disability, or support needed by
standardised tests or assessments, there needs to be a more concrete way
to define the students needs (National Joint Committee on Learning
Disabilities 2010). The stigma that has so often followed people with
disabilities is unbelievable, and there has been policies in place to create an
inclusive educational environment, nationally and internationally. This
inclusive education policy is helping teachers utilise different teaching
strategies as a way to help all students reach their full potential (Craven
2015). Although the inclusive education policy is a positive step forward for
everyone, there are issues in regards to students who have not been
diagnosed with a disability and arent receiving the support needed. In
regards to the inclusive education policy, it is important that all teachers are
educated to cater for a diverse classroom. There are issues regarding
teachers who have been in the job for a long period of time and havent had
the necessary training that a lot of preservice teachers have acquired in the
past decade (Varcoe & Boyle 2013). Although there is a lot of speculation
around if preservice teachers are receiving the correct amount of education
and experience needed to cater for diverse classroom needs, it has in the
past been proven that there isnt a consistent approach in terms of inclusive
education (Forlin et. al. 2009). The inclusive education policy is an important
addition to the educational needs of students, however this is not something
that can be utilized until parents are in agreeance with teachers and schools
in regards to testing and diagnosis of disabilities.

Conclusions (Specific) (369 words)

The issues regarding the incident I encountered on placement all revolve
around the parents not testing their child. When the parents made this

Emma DeBoer Inclusive Education M EDUC 5174

 How do students of different cultural backgrounds become affected when
parents/carers refuse to test for learning difficulties?
decision to have their son continue through his schooling without a
diagnosis, they lost all official support from the school and the teachers.
Without having the ability to identify the issues this student is having with
his school work, there is no way to help him to succeed, and there is no way
for the teachers to fulfill their purpose at the school and ensure that each
student has an equal opportunity to succeed. Although the teachers have all
attempted to work together, without an NEP or some kind of solidified plan,
there is never going to be a unified strategy for this particular student. The
lesson plans and assessments wont be differentiated to suit his needs, and
the teaching strategies will be utilised through trial and error, which isnt
catering to the best interest of the student.
The teachers whom are involved with this student have spoken to his parents
in regards to this issue, and it has become clear that it is a cultural reasoning
for not having him tested. This relates back to Pergaments paper regarding
the cultural shame of having a child with a disability, and the detrimental
way parents dealt with the situation many years ago (Pergament 2013).
Although we have moved forward in the way that children and adults with
disabilities are supported, it becomes clear that there are still issues with
families accepting the help they may need, and doing what is best for their
child. The aitsl standard 1.3 states that as teachers we must cater for
students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic
backgrounds (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 2016),
however in this particular case it is the cultural background of the parents
which is affecting the student and as a result, he is not able to gain the
support needed for his educational success.
The most important person in this situation is the student in question, and it
is important that he is receiving the best education possible and he has a
chance to succeed the same as the rest of his peers.

Personal Action Plan (553 words)

Emma DeBoer Inclusive Education M EDUC 5174

 How do students of different cultural backgrounds become affected when
parents/carers refuse to test for learning difficulties?
If, and when, I am next facing a situation similar to this one, I will act quicker
than I did. If I face this whilst on placement, I will be sure to discuss with my
mentor teacher to see if there are any existing teaching strategies in place
for the student. If I am facing a similar situation as a registered teacher, I will
similarly discuss this student with other teachers and find out if there are any
strategies that work for him or her. I will ensure I speak to the student in
regards to how they learn best and what I can do to help them succeed. I will
also be sure to set up a meeting with the parents to discuss the students
future and what actions can be taken. If this situation is quite similar to the
one in question, I will have to be considerate of any cultural differences and
ensure that the students best interests are being looked after.
When this incident originally occurred, there were time restraints I was aware
of. Such as; if I spend the entire lesson with this one student, the other
students in the class are not receiving an equal education. In the future, if I
notice myself spending a lot more time with one student, I will consider my
actions and teaching strategies much earlier to ensure each student is
getting equal attention and assistance.

In the exact example of this particular situation, there are strategies that I
slowly learnt to use over the duration of the placement. It began with a small
amount of frustration as I did not completely understand the situation, and of
course did not notice an NEP associated with the student. Once I realised
how this student learns, I was able to incorporate that into my lessons,
without spending an entire lesson with him and neglecting the rest of the
class. The best course of action for this student in this situation is to
complete a clear to do list at the beginning of each lesson. Once he has
each of his short term tasks written down, he finds it a lot less overwhelming
and will continue on with his work. He needs assistance in keeping on track,
as he becomes quite easily distracted by his peers, however this strategy
has been proven to be most effective. I have found that this may be an
effective strategy to utilise for other classes, perhaps classes that are easily

Emma DeBoer Inclusive Education M EDUC 5174

 How do students of different cultural backgrounds become affected when
parents/carers refuse to test for learning difficulties?
distracted and have behavioral issues. I can complete a to do list on the
board. This situation has helped and equipped me with some experience I
can carry onto future placements and my career.

Inclusive education states that a teacher must give equal opportunities to

the students in his/her class. In regards to this incident which occurred on my
placement, it is obvious that the teachers involved with this student gave
him the best opportunity to succeed. Although there was funding and
support lacking from the school, due to not being tested, all of the teachers
differentiated his tasks and ensured that he was completing the tasks to the
best of his ability. This situation was handed extremely well by the teachers
involved with the student, as the importance was placed on the student and
his need to succeed.

2,923 Words

Reference List

Forlin, C., Chambers, D., Loreman, T., Deppeler, J. and Sharma, U. (2014).
Inclusive Education for Students with Disability, Australian Research Alliance
for Children & Youth, Canberra.

Harris, M. K. (2011). Self-responsibility of African American parents in the

education of their secondary students with disabilities. PhD Dissertation, The
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (2010). Comprehensive

Assessment and Evaluation of Students with Learning Disabilities, LD Online.
[online] Available at: http://www.ldonline.org/article/219/ [Accessed 1 Nov,
2016]

Emma DeBoer Inclusive Education M EDUC 5174

 How do students of different cultural backgrounds become affected when
parents/carers refuse to test for learning difficulties?
Pergament, D. (2013). What does choice really mean?: Prenatal testing,
disability, and special education without illusions. Health Matrix, 23(1), p.55-
84

Craven, R. G., Morin, A. J., Tracey, D., Parker, P. D and Zhong, H. F.

(2015) Inclusive Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities,
Information Age Publishing, Charlotte.

Varcoe, L and Boyle, C. (2013) Pre-service primary teachers attitudes

towards inclusive education. Educational Psychology. 34(3), p.323-337

Forlin, C., Loreman, T., Sharma, U. and Earle, C. (2009). Demographic

differences in changing preservice teachers attitudes, sentiments and
concerns about inclusive education. International Journal of Inclusive
Education, 13(2), pp.195-209.

Standards | Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (2016),

viewed 3 November 2016, http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professional-
standards-for-teachers/standards/list

Emma DeBoer Inclusive Education M EDUC 5174