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GERMANY- "CO-OPERATION PROJECT"

1. Information on the school

» Type of school: Primary school (age 6-9 years) (co-operation partner: special school for children with learning difficulties)

» Number of pupils: 360         Number of teachers: 17

» special school policies concerning equal opportunities:

The school has no school policy on equal opportunities in place.

» Particular social characteristics of the school's catchment area

The school is situated in a part of town with a mixture of family homes and social housing.

2. Reasons for the activity

» Target group(s) of the activity are

Primary school classes of all age levels and pupils from the special school are involved in the co-operation project.

» Who is involved in implementing the activity?

The co-operation classes are planned and carried out by teachers of the primary school classes in close coordination with the special school teachers.

» Date and duration of the activity?

Co-operation classes have existed for approximately six years and have become an integral element of the school.

» Methods and strategies of implementation

The basis of the co-operation classes is a co-operation agreement between the primary school and the neighbouring special school for disabled pupils. Parents are asked before their children start at the school whether their children may be taught in a co-operation class. In the co-operation classes, disabled and non-disabled children are taught jointly during arts, music and PE/games lessons. Lessons are planned and taught jointly by the teachers involved and take place on the premises of both co-operating schools (special school and primary school). Also, joint events (e.g. the first day of school), outings and other activities take place.

3. Development of the activity

» Reasons for carrying out the activity?

One reason for introducing the co-operation classes lay in the conviction of the headteacher that primary school and special school pupils profit equally from the joint lessons. In relation to the primary school pupils, a possible increase in social competence was one of the objectives, and in relation to the special school pupils was a greater motivation to learn as a result of the access to a wider curriculum.

» Aims of the activity?

The aim of co-operation classes was for disabled and non-disabled children to learn jointly and from one another in primary school.

» Reasons for discrimination worked on by the activity

The activity is intended to promote an understanding between disabled children and non-disabled pupils and aims at removing the barriers to the curriculum for disabled pupils.

4. Results

» What has improved as a result of this activity?

Due to the co-operation classes the school has achieved a high degree of integration between the children in the school.

» Factors which hindered or facilitated the success of the activity.

  • Dedication on the part of teachers despite the increased work load
  • Acceptance on the part of the parents
  • Close proximity of the schools
  • Flexibility in planning and implementation