Innovative Practices 2016 on Education and ICT
Preventing bullying in English schools
| Name of Innovative Practice: | Preventing bullying in English schools |
|---|---|
| Organisation: | World of Inclusion Limited |
| Country of Implementation | United Kingdom |
PROBLEMS TARGETED
The bullying and harassment of students with disabilities occurs at least twice the rate as that of non-disabled students. Research shows that bullying leads to lower academic achievement, low self-esteem, and mental health issues in later life. It is one of the main reasons why parents remove their disabled children from mainstream schools to enroll them in special education institutions, even though this has been shown to lead to poorer academic outcomes.
SOLUTION & METHODOLOGY
In order to prevent bullying a variety of resources have been developed to raise awareness at English schools. These include materials on how to challenging offensive language, a language guide, and a history of disability harassment and bullying. These tools were tested at four primary and two secondary schools, and as a result six short films were created to show how bullying can be discussed and challenged in schools. Subsequently, an additional film on the “social model of disability” was created. All of the films and materials can be found on the Alliance website: www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/send-resources/challenging-disablism-classroom-resources .
OUTLOOK & TRANSFERABILITY
The materials that have been developed can be translated into other languages and adapted to cultural circumstances for the use in many other countries. By reducing bulling, one of the greatest barriers to Inclusive Education can be removed.
