This portfolio has great importance to teachers especially in managing

students having special learning needs and varied learning styles. This will

serve as a guide for 21st century teachers in handling diverse learners in the

21st century classrooms. Through this portfolio, the teachers may help the

students to develop belongingness, care, respect and friendship to one

another.

With this portfolio, the reader may be able to know and understand

deeply the concept of inclusive education, its underlying potential benefits,

legal mandates, international laws and agencies that supports its

implementation, and the general placement models that can be employed in

dealing diverse learners with diverse learning needs.

1

Inclusive Education is the process by which schools respond to the needs of all pupils as individuals by considering curricular organization and provisions. Through this process, changes in the philosophy, curriculum, teaching strategy and structural organization are needed to support every pupil regardless of his/her race, age, sex, socio-economic status, physical and mental condition and political affiliation.

The concept of inclusive education is beneficial especially to children with special needs. The potential benefits of inclusive education include: a) Reduces fear of human differences accompanied by increased comfort and awareness; b) Growth in social cognition; c) Improvement of self-concept; d) Development of personal principles; and e) Develops warm and caring friendship towards each student inside the classroom.

Mainstreaming is the ideal inclusive education in the Philippines. It can either be partial or total mainstreaming. Partial Mainstreaming is the inclusion of children in the regular classes in the non-academic subjects such as PE, Music, and Arts. On the other hand, Total Mainstreaming is the inclusion of children in academic subjects like Math, Science and English.

There are three phases in the implementation of inclusive education. The initial phase, transition phase and inclusion phase. The initial phase is the time when the school makes preparation for the practice of inclusion. The transition phase is the period that covers the initial meetings done by the school personnel and other orientation activities prior to the actual implementation of the program. And the inclusion phase is the period when children with special needs are admitted in the regular classes.

2

During this stage, our group made a guide on what to

learn from inclusive education. We conducted research on

inclusive education. During the research, we tried to filter the

information being presented by every site we had entered and

selected only the ideas that has of great relevance to our

topic. After gathering the data about inclusive education, we

compiled and organized these data and we transferred it into

another form.

Also, during this stage, we made approval letters to use

the sound system and Audio-Visual Room of the school and

other documents related to our topic.

3

4

During this stage, we learned that it is not easy to gather

information in the net. As we had experienced, there are

really vast of information related in our topic. And if we will

not be careful in filtering it, then there would be a possibility

that we will be drowned to these vast of information. The

guide that we made is very helpful to us because this serves as

our basis on what to research on the net regarding inclusive

education.

“Two heads is better than one”. We learned that

teamwork is really important in a group in such a way that we

could provide our own ideas and perspectives in a specific

topic and collaborate with our group mates to produce new

knowledge.

5

After 2 months of preparation, we presented a

symposium on Inclusive Education this 24th day of August,

2013 at NONESCOST Teacher Education Department’s Physics

Room which started at 8:30 until 11:30 in the morning. During

this event, we were able to invite more than 25 participants to

attend for our symposium.

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Wait!! Hmmm..

Ako nalang bala!!

Amo ni sya dapat oh…

Kakatol gid ah..

Kadugay mahuman ah….

17

Diin ka makadto day!! Natagak oh

Dal a di bi!!

Naano ni say a man?

18

Kakatol gid ah..

Ako man gani…

Nagsakit ulo ko ah..

Ara gali sada oh…

Amo lang ni sa kaatason oh..

Ano daw?

If a task is done cooperatively with patience and

determination, it would really produce a single outcome,

Success!

We learned that it is hard to put up an event yet

enjoyable especially during the last 2 days before our

symposium. Even if we fail to use the sound system and the

Audio-Visual Room due to miscommunications, we as a group

tried to fix it as best as we can.

We also learned that every individual is unique and has

his own way of learning. Every one of us is different especially

on the way we think and learn. One may learn the lesson

verbally and the other may learn kinesthetically.

19

20

21

22

We learned that all of us regardless of our race, age, sex,

socio-economic status, physical and mental condition, ethnic

origin, political and religious affiliation, have the right to

education and learn together in a regular classroom.

As teachers, we should be sensitive to the needs and

problems of our students. We should not devalue those

children with special learning needs. Instead, we must support

them to the very best that we can.

Let ys always bear in our mind that these students with

special learning needs are just as smart as everyone else; that

they just need to be taught in the way they learn.

Inclusive Education is about equity not equality. It is

about building friendship, personality, love, understanding,

care and unity. In an inclusive setting, students are respected

and valued as who they are.

23

We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to those

persons who really sacrifices their time and effort to help us

to make our event successful.

We would like to thank God for the knowledge, strength

and wisdom. His guidance leads us to choose the most

desirable way to success.

To our parents who provided us their financial supports,

love, moral values and advices.

To Mrs. Marilu Bandolon, our Mentor for Special Topic 1.

We really appreciate your utmost effort in facilitating and

guiding us Ma’am to be better educated. Thank you for

molding us to be competent and knowledgeable in Special

Topic 1 especially in Inclusive Education. We are so blessed

to have you as our Mentor.

And to our classmates and group mates who really have

sleepless nights just to finish this portfolio.

24