MIC Teaching for Inclusion Seminar Series

Presenter: Dr. Orla Slattery with Student Graduates

Tuesday 28 March 2023 at 7pm

As an educator with a background in philosophy, I am primarily interested in the nexus between theory and practice; between the philosophical underpinnings of inclusive education and the pedagogical techniques and strategies traditionally associated with special education and supporting those with additional learning needs. I aim to share some of my personal insights into how these can meaningfully co-exist in the domain of education and reflect on some the learnings which have occurred over the course of my career, working with and learning from adults with intellectual disability. Throughout my discussion, I aim to adopt a strengths-based lens and to celebrate the voices of those who have been marginalized within our educational system, particular in the context of tertiary education in Ireland. 

Registration for this seminar will open March 14 2023

Presenter: Dr. Anne Dolan

Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 7pm

This webinar explores the potential of children’s literature for facilitating conversations about refugees and asylum seekers. Based on extensive research, the workshop 

will showcase examples of picture books and novels which include themes of conflict, forced migration, racism, friendship, survival and integration. 

Strategies for obtaining maximum potential from these books will be discussed. Guidelines for creating children’s literature about these themes 

will also be shared. The session will be populated with many wonderful uplifting stories. If you enjoy a good story this session is for you.

Registration for this seminar will open April 12 2023.

Presenter: Dr Fionnuala Tynan, Lecturer in Inclusive Methodologies, Faculty of Education, Mary Immaculate College Limerick

Tuesday 9 May 2023 at 7pm

This presentation focuses on a research project conducted with children with Williams syndrome in the UK to develop educational guidelines. Most educational guidelines are written for teachers and parents. However, learners have much to contribute about their learning profile and their learning preferences. The guidelines are both empowering and practical to support their understanding of how Williams syndrome affects their learning. The process of involving and enabling the children with Williams syndrome, aged 5-16, to develop these guidelines are discussed within the context of child voice and transformative research.

Registration for this seminar will open April 25 2023

Presenter: Dr. Michele Dunleavy and Maria Dervan

Tuesday 23 May 2023 at 7pm

Social communication is a complex life skill identified as an area needing specific support for autistic students. This session develops an awareness of some of the strengths and needs of autistic students in the areas of social communication and relationships and sexuality. Targeted strengths-based approaches using evidence-based research that provides advice, support and activities will be presented to support learning and teaching for students across the education continuum. 

Registration for this seminar will open May 9 2023

Presented by Daire Dempsey, TENI

This session will explore gender diversity within primary schools. Many young people express diverse gender identities, and this session will explore what this means, language use around this area, and related areas such a mental health. The session will focus on the responsibility of the school to support young people, and look at practical implications around working with young people and families, names, pronouns, uniforms, bullying and other areas. We will also explore Department of Education and INTO guidance and specific teaching resources available for this area of learning. 

This seminar has now concluded and is available to view directly here: Seminar 1 - January 2023

Presented by: Dr. Sandra Ryan

The increase in ethnic diversity in schools and classrooms, with larger numbers of children from a variety of religious and cultural traditions, poses a range of challenges for society in general and for schools in particular. Schools are a natural and critical point of contact on arrival in a new country and, for migrant families, becoming included in the broader school community and being welcomed to be involved in their child’s school learning may help to reduce isolation.  We know from decades of research that when parents are involved in children’s education their children do better in school, like school better and stay in school longer.

This presentation brings together good practice in parent engagement from schools around Ireland. Dr Sandra Ryan will describe practical ways and provide ideas to build positive relationships with parents and engage them in school learning such as literacy, STEM, SPHE and other curricular areas.  This research with Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) coordinators was published in her book, co-authored with Carol Lannin, Parents in Partnership. Mapping the Way for Family, School and Community Engagement, (2021), Limerick: CDU/MIC. To order a copy, please email cdu@mic.ul.ie.

The seminar has now concluded and is available to view directly here: Seminar 2 - January 2023

Presenter: Dr. Fíodhna Gardiner-Hyland

With over 200 languages spoken in Ireland and rising numbers of newcomer international students, there is an urgent need to ‘start from where the child is at’ in accommodating the diverse language and literacy needs of children with English as an additional language (EAL) in primary and post-primary school classrooms. Drawing on research-based evidence (Kirwin and Little, 2020; Gardiner-Hyland, 2021) and the experiences of one Limerick-based community of practice (CoP): ‘The ‘TEAL Project’ (a collaboration between the ‘OSCAILT Schools Network’ and Mary Immaculate College, Limerick), this presentation outlines authentic insights and practical strategies of primary and post-primary teachers in dealing with learners with English as an additional language (EAL), particularly at the beginning stage of their language learning. Using visual examples, it draws on language and literacy practices that reach into, out from and across schools within the TEAL Project, to support the teaching of EAL learners and their families. Its culturally and linguistically responsive, plurilingual, collaborative, holistic approach could potential to be replicated in other locations across the country.  

The seminar has now concluded and is available to view directly here: Seminar 3 - February 2023

Presenter: Karen Dervan, Tiffy Allen and Homayoon Shirzad (Schools of Sanctuary Ireland) and staff members from St Mary’s National School, Desmond College, Newcastle West and St John’s Boys National School.

This presentation will explore how Schools of Sanctuary Ireland, a stream of the Places of Sanctuary Ireland movement, promotes primary and post-primary schools to engage with learning about displacement, migration and ethnic diversity and how that is experienced and understood in Ireland. With anti-migrant sentiment being increasingly exploited and promoted here, we cannot underestimate the value of the school institution as a beacon of sanctuary, where facts and statistics counter myths and fear-mongering and where understanding and empathy are fostered and practised. SoSI staff will share information and guidelines about how a school undertakes its Sanctuary Award and why it can have transformative social value to do so. Three schools in Limerick who were officially accredited as Champion Schools of Sanctuary in 2022 will share the stories of their journey to that achievement and how they plan to sustain the culture of sanctuary in their schools.

The seminar has now concluded and is available to view directly here: Seminar 4 - March 2023

Presented by Dr Ailbhe Kenny, Department of Arts Education and Physical Education (AEPE)

This talk explores the place and potential of music within diverse schools. Musical participation in Irish primary and post-primary schools is examined as a potential means to develop and enhance belonging, intercultural dialogue and shared understandings. At the same time, the talk also debates the potential for othering and stereotyping through music. The discussion will focus in particular on the opportunities that musical participation can offer to newly arrived children in schools. 

This seminar has now concluded and is available to view directly here: Seminar 1 - September 2022.

Presented by Dr Ruth Bourke & Áine Lyne, EDNIP

EDNIP is a partnership initiative that works with 5 DEIS Band 1 primary schools to promote and support the integration of migrant children and families into school and community life. Across the 5 schools there are children from 46 different nationalities, speaking 36 languages and from 17 religious backgrounds. This workshop will share key learning and strategies developed from the EDNIP model on promoting integration in primary schools.

This seminar has now concluded and is available to view directly here: Seminar 2 - October 2022.

Presented by Jean Reale, Centre for Learning Enhancement & Academic Development (LEAD)

By using the UDL framework educators can accept learner variability as a strength to be leveraged, not a challenge to be overcome. (Rose & Meyer, 2002).  

In this session we will explore everyday technologies through the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) lens to unlock their assistive technology potential. This practical session will support teachers in identifying language supports for ESL students to create fully inclusive environments.

This seminar has now concluded and is available to view directly here: Seminar 3 - November 2022.

Presented by Dr Sabine Egger, Department of German Studies & Irish Centre for Transnational Studies, with Florence Ajala and Alicja McCloskey, Faculty of Education, MIC

This lecture introduces practising and future teachers to examples of international fairy tales and their adaptations in visual media in different cultural contexts. It explores their potential as a pedagogical tool in the primary and secondary classroom. The narratives discussed can help learners to develop their intercultural and language awareness, but also to deal with traumatic experiences. These aims are becoming more and more important in intercultural and multilingual classrooms in today’s Ireland. (“Intercultural” is used in a wider sense here, applying recent approaches based on new research on alterity and transculturalism).

This seminar has now concluded and is available to view directly here: Seminar 4 - November 2022

Presented by Donnah Vuma, Doras Luimní, MASI (Movement of Asylum Seekers Ireland) and ECIYC (Every Child is Your Child) and Dr Brighid Golden, Department of Learning, Society, and Religious Education (LSRE)

This lecture draws on Donnah’s experiences as an activist working in Ireland with Doras, MASI, and ECIYC to support those who have migrated to Ireland. Additionally, this lecture will share teaching resources written by Dr Brighid Golden which support teachers to explore the topic of migration with pupils in response to evolving global contexts. Resources used include 'Journeys: A Teacher's Handbook Exploring Migration and Migrant Rights in the Primary Classroom' available in both English and Irish and published by the MIC CDU in conjunction with the DICE Project and Doras Luimní, along with 'Forced to Flee: Why Should I Care About Migration and Refugees?' published by Trócaire. Through the lens of lived experiences, Donnah and Brighid will share flexible, adaptable approaches to support the teaching about migration in classrooms.

This seminar has now concluded and is available to view directly here: Seminar 5 - December 2022

Resources for Teaching Learners with EAL

Plan-Teach with a Multilingual Lens Checklist

Recommendation CM Rec 2022