ALIF- THE TEACHING SYSTEM

Social Action Project

A. Project title: Alif- The Teaching System.
B. Name of participant(s): Somal Kayani , Saleha Hussain and Nayaab Azhar
C. Project location: Malir
D. Proposed starting date: 10th January 2017
E. Project duration: 1 month
F. Expected expenditures and source of funds: 1500 Rs. only per school. Self funding.
G. Inputs from participating agencies/organizations/ NGOs: None
H. Inputs from the participants:

Planning: Somal Kayani

Creativity i.e. designing the logo, designing the activities and material for the
workshop: Nayaab Azhar

I.

Editing, Management and Finalizing: Saleha Hussain

BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION

All students are different from one another. There are simply too many students with too many
needs. Fewer and fewer students fit neatly into the traditional teacher-centred classrooms of the
past. Teachers who over emphasize large group activities and teach to the middle are reaching
fewer and fewer students (Murray, 1993). Educators have debated for decades about how to best
meet the diverse need of the students.
Policy makers in Pakistan are dithering between exclusive and inclusive education system since
1986. Policies have been made several times to incorporate inclusive education but they have
also been abandoned several times by proclaiming that it is an unrealistic goal by policy makers.
Though, now UN Convention, UNCRPD and a number of other international bodies are stressing
upon Pakistan to adopt inclusive education system due to lowest literacy rate of Pakistan in
South Asia. But government is still resilient towards inclusive education system.
Concept of inclusive education whereby school boards are attempting to more fully integrate
handicapped students within their schools and classrooms by restructuring their schools, melding
special education and regular education services and instituting innovative instructional
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strategies and professional teaming approaches. Inclusive education embraces the concepts of
normalization; it reflects the idea that all individuals regardless of their abilities have a right to
the opportunities as everyone else in everyday life. Integration; it refers to the education of
handicapped children with their non-handicapped peers. Mainstreaming; it is a process of
integrating students that includes a continuum of services that aim to provide students with
educational experiences that are least restrictive and the most ordinary.
Successful teaching techniques in todays classrooms include the utilization of team teaching
procedures, cooperative learning groups, peer and cross age tutoring, formative assessment
strategies, self regulatory management approaches, cognitive strategy instruction, differentiated
lesson plans, student assignments and outcome expectations, and other procedures that maximize
students involvement with one another and in their own learning. Essentially, all students benefit
from an atmosphere created by student diversity.
II. OBJECTIVES
Alifs main objective is to spread awareness among different schools and teachers about the
concept of inclusive education. Through this program/project Alif want schools to accommodate
students with mild leaning difficulties by giving them admissions. It want teachers not to put
labels on students who dont fit in to the teacher centred classrooms and teachers should be able
to empathize with those students and understand their diverse needs and its not their fault if they
are unable to learn through traditional teaching system. Alifs motive is to make teachers learn
that how by putting a little bit more effort and creating small changes in their traditional teaching
system would do wonders with students who find difficulty in learning.
Short and long term goals
Team Alif is working on a vision to help students in need. We intend to work with as many
schools as possible and provide them with suitable ways, so that children with mild learning
ability wont be labelled as slow learners, and would be able to stand as individuals and would be
given a chance to showcase their talents.

ALIF- THE TEACHING SYSTEM

III. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN
Expected results:
The following are the expected results of this project:

Schools and specifically teachers will get awareness about the concept of inclusive
education.

Schools will not negatively label the students who dont fit into the teacher-centred
classrooms and will understand the diverse needs of students.

Schools will start giving admissions to student with diverse needs in regular classrooms
and will understand that it is the right of every student.

Parents will understand that their children have diverse needs and it is not their fault if
they cant fit into traditional teaching system.

Parents who cant afford to admit their children in special classrooms will be able to
educate their children through schools who will be trained under this project.

Children whove mild learning difficulties but are not given admission in regular
classrooms because schools are not well equipped to cater their needs. But due to
mildness of their learning difficulties they have not been admitted to special schools
either because it might affect them negatively to study with students having severe
learning difficulties, will be catered through this program.

Students with diverse needs will be able to self-regulate themselves and will not become
dependent on anyone.

Unintended Effects:

An empathizing attitude will foster in teachers and peers towards students with diverse
needs.

Schools will also get benefit economically by being able to educate every kind of
population.

Education, which the right of each and every child, will be ensured through this project.
Literacy rate and human resource of Pakistan will get increase in long run.

ALIF- THE TEACHING SYSTEM

In Quantitative Terms
The following table shows the expenditure per school
ITEMS
Chart paper
Sticky notes
Computer sheets
Markers

PRICE
500 Rs
300
400
400

Possible Challenges:
The very first challenge that team of Alif faced while approaching to different schools was that
management of schools was hesitant because they feel that presenters in the workshop havent
completed their BS (Psychology) yet. So they might not be able to deliver this concept of
inclusive education. To resolve this challenge, Alifs team request their university to issue a letter
which ensures that theyve been trained to work in community. And Alifs proposal has been
approved through university. Team members also sent the profiles of presenters to the
management of schools so that they will be able to trust this program.
The second challenge was the utility of the workshop. School management asked about what
benefit will they get from workshop. To resolve this issue Alif will give them certificates which
will show that participants have participated in a workshop related to inclusive education.
The third expected challenge was the inflexibility of school teachers. They might not show
flexibility because they might feel that they have much more experience and they know whats
the right thing to do. To tackle from this challenge, Alif;s team have designed their workshop as
much interactive as it can so that presenters will create a good rapport with teachers. Secondly,
this workshop has been designed step by step in such a way that it will handle all the concerns of
the teachers regarding inclusive education. So the team of Alif is well-prepared by their side to
handle this challenge efficiently.

B. Project activities and work plan

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Stage 1: It includes identification and selection of schools within the Malir for workshop
regarding inclusive education system.
Stage 2: It includes approaching to schools for permission and finalizing the date for
workshop.
Stage 3: It includes carrying out the workshop. Following is the table for planned
activities:

Activities

Facilitator

Time Duration

ALIF- THE TEACHING SYSTEM

Brainstorming the idea of teaching, their
Somal Kayani

30 mins

Nayab Azhar

1 hour

Saleha Hussain

20 mins

Brainstorming the possible solutions of different

Nayab Azhar

20 mins

resisting statements. (group activity)

Teaching classroom management system.
Teaching tools of behaviour interventions with

Saleha Husssain
Nayaab Azhar

20 mins
20 mins

Saleha Hussain

20 mins

Somal Kiyani

1 hour

challenging experiences, concept of diversity and

inclusive education.
Building self-care:
Go bingo
Recognizing strengths
Understanding conflict and learning how to
A

deal with it.

positive climate

for

collaboration

and

definition

of

consultation:
Brainstorming

the

collaboration and consultation and ways to

achieve that.
Understanding resistance:

activity.
Teaching how to promote social development and
acceptance.
Teaching holistic

program

planning.

(group

activity)
Teaching general Scaffolding techniques.
Discussing ways of assessment.

Nayab Azhar
Somal Kiyani

20 mins
10 mins

Above table of planned activities in intended to demonstrate the following concepts to the
teachers in workshop:

Building in Self-care: If we dont take good care of ourselves, we will not be able to
give anything to anyone else. (Colorosso, 1994)
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ALIF- THE TEACHING SYSTEM

Finding a Buddy: To pair one student with another to work together, to pair an older
student with student new to school to help them. It is one teachers might use for
themselves as well.
Learning to Encourage: We need to look carefully at how we speak to and about
ourselves. Perceiving ourselves positively means applying the labels: valuable, able and
responsible to our lives.
Developing Political Astuteness: Showing commitment and ability to understand diverse
interest groups and power bases within. This includes negotiating, planning, time frame,
developing rationale, involve those who might be affected by change and reconsideration.
Dealing with Conflicts: It means win-win situation. This can be achieved through
establishing respect, pinpoint the issue, explore alternatives and participate in shared
decision making.
Getting over the humps: Humps are the occasion of discouragement, an integrated part
of the change process.
Keeping a Sense of Humour: The ability to let go and not to take life absurdities
seriously.

A Positive Climate for Collaboration and Consultation: Collaboration means working

to achieve a common goal. Consultation means joint decision making to solve common
problem. This can be achieved through: parity, voluntary participation, mutual goals,
common resources, shared responsibilities, shared accountability, cooperative values and
sharing expertise.

Resistance: People may refuse to comply. You may face several situations like: 1. its
hopeless. 2. its not my job. 3. We lack expertise. 4. Low motivation. 5. We lack time. 6.
These solutions are impractical. 7. Show passive resistance. 8. Leave me alone. 9. Im
confused. 10. Weve never done that before. We can deal with resistance through: naming
the resistance, returning to the facts and personal appeal.

Holistic Program Planning: Following are the tables as an example (Teaching numbers
to students) to demonstrate how to plan lectures for students:

ALIF- THE TEACHING SYSTEM

Instruction is
Learning is

Inclusive

Facilitated

Active

Cognitive

Precision Teaching

Parent Volunteer Support

Base Ten Blocks

Behavioural

Classroom Routines

Work Award Stickers

Activity Clock

Social

Choral Number

Cross Grade Tutors

Math Activities

Recognition
Cultural

Braille Numbers

Centre
CNIB

Decorator
Numbers

Physical

Adaptive Technology

Classroom Arrangement

Orientation and
Mobility Training

Emotional

Developmental

Home-School

Counsellor Teaching

Partnership

Assistant

Preview and Review

Consultant Support

Number Games

Conceptual
Prerequisites
Activities

Instruction is

ALIF- THE TEACHING SYSTEM

Learning is

Child Centred

Multifaceted

Cooperative

Cognitive

Number Stories

Multimodal Instruction

Problem Solving
Teams

Behavioural

Sticker Books

Sticker Store

Class Calendar

Social

Personal Numbers

Number Bingo

Group Number
Puzzles

Cultural

Number Songs

Number in

Number Books

Different Languages

Physical

Number Models

Number Line

Emotional

Number Collections Multimedia

Developmental

Number Experiences Indefinite Number

Concepts

Class Numbers

Personal Numbers

Counting, Matching
and Memory Games

Self-regulation: The importance of self-regulation should not be underestimated. In a

broad sense, creating students who are autonomous learners is the foremost goal of
education. After all, students must leave school and guide their own learning in the
workplace and elsewhere. Self-regulation can be achieved through models, guided
practice and practises.

Classroom Management System:

Classroom Management System
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ALIF- THE TEACHING SYSTEM

Planning

Space

Implementation

Communicative

Visibility

School personnel

Proximity

Home

Accessibility

Students

Distractibility

Rules
Limited to five

Rationale

Unambiguous

Explanation

Positive

Demonstration

Consistent

Practice

Student involvement

Instruct

Maintenance
Monitor

Tools of Behaviour Interventions: 1. Activity-Time out. 2. Behaviour modification. 3.

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ALIF- THE TEACHING SYSTEM

Role playing. 4. Logical consequences. 5. Cueing. 6. Imagery techniques. 7. Instructional

detention. 8. Self-talk training. 9. Modelling. 10. Proximity control. 11. Redirection. 12.
Self-monitored program.

Promoting Social Development and Acceptance: 1. Draw childrens attention to the

feelings of others. Ask them to see situations from the other persons perspective. 2. Tell
children how their behaviour affects the feelings of others, including yourself. 3. Talk
about feelings and discuss why people feel the way they do. 4. Make explicit the
actions a child take can take to demonstrate consideration for others feelings. 5.
Emphasize the importance of consideration and respect for others. Tell the child that it is
important to you that students show consideration for one another. 6. Tell children that
you care about their feelings too. 7. Children dont implicitly know what your
expectations are. Remember to take time to explain to them what types of behaviour you
expect. 8. Help children understand peoples feelings by encouraging them to remember a
time when they might have felt the same way. 9. Encourage consideration of others by
giving your approval to children who demonstrate caring behaviours. 10. Model empathy
and tell children your own empathetic reactions. 11. Identify examplesof people who are
empathetic. 12. Tell children about the positive feelings one experiences when one shows
care for others.

General Scaffolding Techniques:

1. Present the new cognitive strategies.
a. Introduce the concrete prompt.
b. Model the skill.
c. Think aloud as choices are made.
2. Regulate difficulty during guided practice.
a. Start with simplified material and gradually increase the complexity of the task.
b. Complete part of the task for students.
c. Provide cue cards.
d. Present the material in small steps.
e. Anticipate student errors and difficult areas.
3. Provide varying contexts for student practice.
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ALIF- THE TEACHING SYSTEM

a. Provide teacher-led practice.
b. Engage in reciprocal teaching.
c. Have students work in small groups.
4. Provide feedback
a. Offer teacher-led feedback.
b. Provide checklist.
c. Provide models of expert work.
5. Increase student responsibility.
a. Diminish prompts and models.
b. Gradually increase complexity and difficulty of material.
c. Diminish student support.
6. Provide independent practice.
a. Provide extensive practice.
b. Facilitate appreciation to new examples.

Assessments: It should be an ongoing process. Understand the nature of childrens

thinking at different stages of cognitive development: It should be viewed as a
collaborative process: Process-folios.

Stage 4: It includes the evaluation of schools. At the end of workshop, theyll be given a
checklist in which theyve to check for the techniques theyve already been using. Also, a
feedback regarding workshop. After 1 month, well revisit the school and will ask for teachers to
again fill the checklist to see whether they have been benefited from program or not. Also, the
challenges they faced while implementing the techniques.
C. Project Beneficiaries
The beneficiaries of this project includes: schools, parents and students, Schools and specifically
teachers will get awareness about the concept of inclusive education i.e schools will not
negatively label the students who dont fit into the teacher-centred classrooms and will
understand the diverse needs of students. Schools will start giving admissions to student with
diverse needs in regular classrooms and will understand that it is the right of every student.
Parents will understand that their children have diverse needs and it is not their fault if they cant
fit into traditional teaching system. Parents who cant afford to admit their children in special
12

ALIF- THE TEACHING SYSTEM

classrooms will be able to educate their children through schools who will be trained under this
project. Children whove mild learning difficulties but are not given admission in regular
classrooms because schools are not well equipped to cater their needs. But due to mildness of
their learning difficulties they have not been admitted to special schools either because it might
affect them negatively to study with students having severe learning difficulties, will be catered
through this program. Students with diverse needs will be able to self-regulate themselves and
will not become dependent on anyone. An empathizing attitude will foster in teachers and peers
towards students with diverse needs. Schools will also get benefit economically by being able to
educate every kind of population. Education, which the right of each and every child, will be
ensured through this project. Literacy rate and human resource of Pakistan will get increase in
long run. So these are the direct and indirect benefits expected from this project.
The project has been designed in a way to involve the beneficiaries as much as possible. The
workshop with teachers include interactive activities. It also includes involvement of school
management and parents through teachers specifically in the module of a positive climate for
collaboration and consultation. So, the team of Alif will present them the inclusive education
system by working with their real life experiences with parents, school management and among
their colleagues. And it expected that teachers when trained under Alif, they will play crucial role
in implementing the inclusive education system in which theyve been trained.
For project evaluation, it has been planned that at the end of workshop theyll be given a
checklist in which theyve to check for the techniques theyve already been using. Also, a
feedback regarding workshop. After 1 month, well revisit the school and will ask for teachers to
again fill the checklist to see whether they have been benefited from program or not. Also, the
challenges they faced while implementing the techniques.
D. Implementing participant management of project
This project is carried out by 3 people who are dealing with different aspects in this programme.
Somal Kayani has done all the planning for this programme i.e. what to do, how to do and with
what kind of students we should work with, Nayab Azhar deals with a creative department i.e.
designed the logo as well as the certificate of participation for the teachers who took part in the
workshop. Saleha Hussain is responsible for the management and finalizing the project by
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ALIF- THE TEACHING SYSTEM

collaborating with different schools by asking for their permission to let us in and work with
them.

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