Running Head: SRV IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

University of Manitoba

Faculty of Education

EDUA-5600-D02- Introduction to Inclusive Special Education

SRV Implementation Plan

Jennifer Johnson

April.3, 2016

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Key Issue

The key issue that I would like to change in my Social Role Valorization
Implementation Plan is the use of educational assistants in my school. Currently, we have
many educational assistants that work at my school. Some are designated for one specific
student, some work only with oversized classrooms, and others work with multiple
classrooms to provide support. I think that there are some EAs in my school that are
utilized properly. However, I think there are many that can be used differently, including
the ones in my classroom, to support inclusion within the school.
Currently, the EAs that are assigned to my classroom pull out students to work on
reading and math. The first EA I have comes from 11:30-12:00. She takes a reading
group of four students back to the resource room to work on reading and writing. The
other EA I have comes from 1:00-2:00. For the first 30 minutes, she takes a reading group
to the resource room. The next 30 minutes she takes a math group to the resource room.
This is the practice by all teachers that has taken place at my school since I arrived there
3 years ago. Although I previously thought of this as good practice, I now have a few
issues with this. The first issue I have is that removing groups of children from the
classroom setting can cause a feeling of alienation and tear apart their feelings of being
part of a classroom community. Also, due to the time allotments and how busy the EAs
are, they often show up to the classroom 3-8 minutes late. This is sometimes unavoidable
due to returning previous groups to their classrooms and the size of our school. By the
time the EAs walk the students to the resource room and have to walk them back that is
often another 3-5 minutes of valuable time wasted. In a 30 minute session, however, 6-13
minutes wasted is a lot of time!

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The groups of students who work with the EAs are students who need extra
support for reading or math. A few of these students are on IEPs. I would like to
implement this change in my classroom because I want all students to take part in
meaningful instruction and have the same experiences and learning as every other student
in the classroom.
Goal Statement
I will implement EA support, within my classroom, to provide a more inclusive
environment for my grade 3 students who leave the room for support, during math and
reading groups, five times a week, beginning April.11th, 2016. Students will feel more
included in the classroom and less time will be wasted.
Measurable- I will be able to measure my goal by discussing with students and the EAs
how they feel working in the classroom all the time and compare that to what they felt
when they were working outside of the classroom. I will also be able to measure the
current time wasted compared to past time wasted.
Achievable- this goal is achievable because it is something that I have the capability of
changing. I plan for the two EAs who work in my classroom. They are both very flexible
and will be willing to change from pulling groups to the resource room, to working
within my classroom and supporting all students.
Relevant- this goal is relevant because I feel that in my classroom I can better utilize the
use of my educational assistants. I think that by using my EAs differently, I will be able
to provide a more inclusive environment for all students.
Time -Related- this goal is time -related because I will implement this plan on April 11th.
I want to carry on this practice until the end of the school year.

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Rationale
Roles, Wounds, and Risk Factors
Currently, the students who leave classroom have a devalued role of object of
ridicule. The students who were leaving the classroom know that they are struggling and
that they are going for extra support. The students who stay in the classroom know this as
well. These students also may hold the role of object of pity because since grade 1,
have been receiving interventions with an EA outside of the classroom. Three years of
always leaving the room can cause others to feel pity for them. Due to this removal from
the classroom these students also have been in the role of non-human.
Since these students have devalued social roles, they are all likely to be wounded
by being considered part of the low group for reading and math and having to leave to
work with another teacher. They may also be considered not smart enough to
participate in the activities in the class, so they have to leave with another teacher.
Wolfensberger (2013) states that, devalued people get cast into roles that are devalued in
society and their access to valued roles is severely diminished or even eliminated (p.33).
It will be hard for these students to obtain a positively valued role if this isnt changed
sooner than later.
SRV Theme and Role Goals
Groups of students can be devalued because of how teachers or others perceive
them. This can limit me as a teacher from seeing my students potential. I will implement
changes in the way that EAs are used to ensure that students can demonstrate their

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strengths and be part of the learning environment within the classroom. These students
have often felt the feeling of isolation by being removed from the regular classroom. I
feel that making these changes relate to Wolfensbergers characteristics of measures that
are social role valorizing. Wolfensberger (2013) states that, the content addresses a major
or significant need of the people to whom the content is conveyed (p.140). I think that
my goal meets Wolfensbergers criteria because it focuses on having all students as part
of the class and eliminates wasted time and allows the EAs to work with all students.
I think that the SRV theme of interpersonal identification relates to my
implementation plan. Wolfensberger (2013), states that, the more people identify with
each other, the more they are likely to want good things to happen to each other and the
more they are likely to do or provide good things to each other (p.119). This is what I
hope the end result of my implementation plan is. I want all students to interact in that
way.
I feel that my implementation plan will fit into the concepts of image
enhancement and competency enhancement. By having all students working in the
classroom, it shows that all students are competent. By having the EAs working with all
students, it also sends a message to students that EAs work with all students not just the
ones who need extra assistance. By having the students working in the classroom rather
and have an independent focus, I hope to enhance their image of how others perceive
them. Students in their reading and math groups will still be working on material
appropriate to them, which will enhance the students competency also.
Action Plan

SRV IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

1. My first step will be to meet will my vice-principal, resource teacher, and EAs. I
will introduce to them my plan and get their feedback on what they think. I will
ask the EAs to work in my classroom during their designated time throughout the
day. I will inform them that I have a table and all supplies in my room for when
they begin. Their role will be similar to what they were doing in the resource
room. However, when students are working independently on a task, I would like
them to circulate the room and work with all students on reading and math. This
meeting will take place April 6th, 2016.
2. Assuming that both of my EAs agree to this, they will begin working in my room
on April.11th, five days a week. I will inform the class that both EAs will now be
working in the class with all students and that students in their group will no
longer be leaving our classroom. I will share with them the IEP goals of students
that are in their group so they can help them work to achieve their goal.
3. Seeing as the EAs will now be working in my room, I will be able to check in and
see how things are going. I want to continue building the positive relationships
that I already have with both of them. I will also be able to check in with the
students. I will be sure to document and observe the EAs and students.
4. Now that the EAs are working in my room, time wasting should be minimized.
When the groups are working on an independent activity, the EA will be able to
work with all students in the class. This will create positive imagery by all
students seeing that everyone can work with an EA, not just certain groups.
5. We will have a check-in meeting on April 20th to see how things are going. All
members of my support team will be in attendance and we will share our findings
and monitor the progress of inclusion. Check-ins will continue on a bi-weekly
basis to share. We will re-evaluate students IEP goals and change them if needed.

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6.

I will have check-ins with students in these groups throughout the

implementation plan to see their progress and feelings of staying in the classroom

versus leaving.
7. When we are done implementing the plan, I would like to share our findings with
my PLC group and see if other teachers would like to incorporate this structure
into their classroom.
The students, who are now working in the classroom and the EA working in my
room with all students, will likely create positive imagery for the students who left
the room before the implementation plan. It will also create enhancements in
competencies. These students will hopefully be valued as capable learners by
everyone in the class. Everyone in my classroom will be able to see these students in
a valued role rather than the roles of, non-human, ridicule and object of pity
I feel that this change is relevant and needed because, although I thought I was
doing a good job of being inclusive, I clearly can make changes to be better at this. It
is evident that the time wasting and groups of children leaving the classroom are not
in the best interest of the students. As a teacher, I need to include all students in my
classroom regardless of their academics. I will be able to observe the EAs working
with all students and have all students in my room feel part of their classroom
community.
Materials
The following materials that I will need to implement EAs working with students
within my classroom are as follows.

Another larger table- I will need another large table in my classroom to

accommodate the EAs and the groups of students. Luckily, I have a fairly large

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classroom and we have access to extra tables that are stored in the school. This
space will be designated for my EAs when they are in my class but will be open

for all students to use if they are not in the room.

Supplies for students and EA that can stay in the classroom- to prevent my EAs
from carrying books, paper, pencils etc back and fourth from their room to mine,
it makes the most sense to gather all materials and keep them in a bin to access

easily.
Journal- I will use a journal to record my findings and discussions that I have with
the students and the EAs.
Resources

The following are resources that I have found so far and will refer to and use throughout
the implementation process.
Butt, R. (2016). Teacher assistant support and deployment in mainstream schools,
International Journal of Inclusive Education, 20(4), 13,
doi:10.1080/13603116.2016.1145260
Gaad, E. (2015). The teacher assistant programme across the UAE: empower to
include. Journal of International Education Research (JIER) JIER, 11(1), 57-62. doi:
10.19030/jier.v11i1.9100
Giangreco, M. (2013). Teacher assistant supports in inclusive schools: research,
practices and alternatives. Australasian Journal of Special Education, 37(2), 93106 doi:10.1017/jse.2013.1
Katz, J. (2012). Teaching to diversity: The three-block model of universal design for
learning. Winnipeg, MB, Canada: Portage & Main Press.

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Manitoba Education and Training. (1996). Success for all learners: A handbook on
differentiating instruction.
Manitoba Teachers Society. (2013). What is an educational assistant?
Mcvittie, E. (2005). The role of the teaching assistant: An investigative study to discover
if teaching assistants are being used effectively to support children with special
educational needs in mainstream schools. Education 3-13, 33(3), 26-31, doi:
10.1080/03004270585200301
Moore, W., & Hammond, L. (2011). Using education assistants to help pave the road to
literacy: Supporting oral language, letter-sound knowledge and phonemic
awareness in the pre-primary year. Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties,
16(2), 85-110, doi: 10.1080/19404151003763029
Pembina Trails School Division. (2008). Educational assistant handbook.
Manitoba Education (2009). Educational assistants in Manitoba schools.
Race, David G. (1999). Social role valorization and the English experience. London,
England: Whiting & Birch.
Symes, W., & Humphrey, N. (2012). Including pupils with autistic spectrum
disorders in the classroom: The role of teaching assistants. European Journal
of Special Needs Education, 27(4), 517-532, doi:
10.1080/08856257.2012.726019
Wolfensberger, W.(2013). A brief introduction to Social Role
Valorization: A highorder concept for addressing the plight of societally devalued
people, and for

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structuring human services. (4th ed). Plantagenet, ON:Valor Press.

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Support Plan
My support plan consists of people and activities and can provide me with support
as I implement my plan. First, my support plan will include my vice-principal. I will
inform her of my implementation plan and ensure that she is on board. She will be
included in the meetings and discussions with EAs. If I am in need of any advice, she
will likely be the first person I go to. She is very experienced and prior to becoming a
vice principal she was a resource teacher and a grade 3 teacher.
Next, I will inform my resource teacher about the implementation change. She often
delegates to the EAs and informs them of any changes. I want to make sure she is aware
of this change because it will be a different practice than how our school typically uses
EAs. I also work closely with my resource teacher and will be co-teaching with her twice
a week. If I have any questions or concerns she will be more than willing to assist if she
can. I want my educational assistants to also be part of the support plan. I want to ensure
that not only they can support me, but I can support them also.
Sharing Plan
During the SRV Implementation process, I want to have bi-weekly meetings with
my vice-principal, resource teacher, and EAs. We will discuss the plan, what we have
done, what have been the benefits so far, and the progress we are making. Everyone in
our meetings will be able to share their findings and others can provide recommendations
on what they think might work. I will share with them what students they are working
with are on IEPs and what their specific goals are. This will assist them in understanding

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what those specific students needs are. I want to ensure that everyone is willing to make
this change and will go in with an open mind. I also want to ensure them that this is
something that I want to try due to providing a more inclusive environment for all
students. I will share with them the importance of this and we will begin to discuss our
first steps. I have a strong relationship with all of the mentioned people above. I know
they will all be very honest and supportive during this process. By the end of the process,
I would like to share the implementation plan with our PLC. My hope is that the results
will be positive and there may be other classrooms that would like to try using their EAs
in this way also.

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Reference

Wolfensberger, W.(2013). A brief introduction to Social Role Valorization: A high-order

concept for addressing the plight of societally devalued people, and for structuring
human services. (4th ed). Plantagenet, ON:Valor Press.