FONTEYN

A team of researchers has recently investigated the educational provision of

Fonteyn, a small island state. It is a reasonably sophisticated society which
places great stress on grace and style of movement, much as we stress
intellectual skill. So much so that many of its people abhor clumsiness as some
in our society tend to abhor stupidity. Furthermore, clumsy people, often
referred to as gawkies, are the subject of much humour amongst its locals.

The society has developed a system of writing which can only be mastered by
those who are graceful, whilst its technology is such that a high degree of grace
and skill are necessary to run its machines. Within schools the success of pupils
is largely determined by their movement abilities. The education service has
developed an elaborate vocabulary and forms of assessment for distinguishing
between degrees of grace. Small special schools have been established for those
pupils with severe clumsiness, i.e. those with subnormal grace quotients (GQ,).
In addition special help of various forms is provided in ordinary schools for those
youngsters who are thought to have mild to moderate clumsiness.

On admission to the islands one secondary school pupils are tested and
assigned to classes on the basis of their general movement ability. The
curriculum stresses all aspects of movement, including dancing and rhythmics.
Considerable attention has been paid in recent years to the idea of gracefulness
across the curriculum so that much of the teaching approaches used have a
strong emphasis on movement as a means of communication and recording.

The researchers found considerable debate amongst members of the community

about the state of the islands school system. Many teachers reported difficulty
in teaching pupils who they believe to have insufficient physical potential to take
part in normal school activities. Some feel that special classes should be created
where these less able pupils could be provided with additional help and a
curriculum based on non-academic activities such as literature and humanities.
Others, however, feel that this would be divisive.
Mell Ainscow, Special needs in the Classroom, Teacher Education Resource Pack,
UNESCO, 1993