Ecological and inclusive

Ecological approach

As practitioners, we take an ecological approach that considers factors related to home, education, cultural and community settings. This approach acknowledges the contexts in which mokopuna operate, how they interact within their environment, and how these interactions impact on their strengths and needs.

An ecological approach focuses on the contexts, environments and systems that influence the development and well-being of mokopuna.

Learning Support practitioners assess and support learning and development within the normal daily routines and interactions mokopuna experience.

Mokopuna and their learning environments are interactive. To understand the needs of a mokopuna, we must take these interactions into account.
Learning is an ongoing, interactive and contextualised process.
We identify and address any mismatch between physical, interpersonal and learning environments, and the characteristics and needs of mokopuna.

No 'one size fits all'

An ecological approach is not ‘one size fits all’ in. Instead, we acknowledge the complexities of the systems and relationships that we work within. We ensure that our work is flexible, responsive and negotiated in partnership. An ecological and inclusive approach allows practitioners to support educators to develop and design learning spaces and activities so all mokopuna are affirmed in their identity and can learn and participate together. Adults around mokopuna are supported and upskilled to develop inclusive environments so all mokopuna can thrive. We can deliberately remove barriers to learning and well-being.

Review tools for inclusive learning environments

Practitioners can support education settings to review their school values, expectations, systems and practices to support positive, safe and inclusive learning environments. Education settings can use self-review tools such as the Inclusive Practices Tool, Well-being@School, and the PB4L School-Wide School Evaluation Tool. The tools enable a user to audit processes and systems and develop action plans to build or maintain positive and inclusive learning environments.

Resources that incorporate inclusive and ecological approaches and strategies are available on the Ministry of Education's website:

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

“UDL is not a special ed thing or even a general ed thing. It’s just an ed thing. It is a way to connect every student to the learning experience, and a way of looking at learning that is fully inclusive and promotes success for all learners, regardless of ability.” (Mike Marotta, 2018, Inclusive Technology Solutions).

UDL is a research-based framework that education settings can use to design more flexible inclusive learning environments, where everyone is learning and achieving and diversity is seen as a source of strength (the vision of the New Zealand Curriculum).

UDL comprises three guiding principles that seek to increase engagement and accessibility by providing multiple means of engagement, representation, action and expression. Practitioners can use UDL in planning discussions with educators, to guide inclusive design of an activity, lesson, event, hui or process through using a six-stage process.

Guide to Universal Design for Learning – Incusive Education website

Ecological assessment

Ecological assessment involves gathering information relating to mokopuna in their environments. The information collected may relate to their physical environment, patterns of behaviour and activity, individual and collective strengths and barriers, interactions between the adults and mokopuna, interactions between mokopuna, and expectations of the mokopuna by whānau, educators, and peers. This holistic, systemic approach allows for greater appreciation of multiple hypotheses and increases the breadth and depth of assessment.

Involving mokopuna, their whānau, and educators in this process provides a more comprehensive picture of the learner and community strengths, needs, and challenges. The team can then agree on goals, strategies and supports that will promote positive outcomes for the mokopuna.

Process to guide decision-making

Kohikohi – these activities can be used across the layers of Te Tūāpapa (Te Matua (universal), Te Kāhui (targeted) and Te Arotahi (tailored)) to inform sense making, planning, implementation and review.

This diagram is a useful example to guide decision-making that upholds the notion of ‘less intrusive, more inclusive’. Information gathering is informed by and undertaken within contexts.

If using standardised tests, consideration to other sources of information gathering should be considered and our practice principles should not be compromised.

DOWNLOAD DIAGRAM (pdf 23 KB)

Top tip

Example of ecological approach in action

For an example of using the ecological approach in a collaborative team, read Hannant, B., Lim, E. L., & McAllum, R. (2010). A Model of Practice in Special Education: Dynamic Ecological Analysis. Kairaranga, 11(2), pp. 28-32.

This paper outlines a model of practice which aims to increase a team’s efficacy by enabling the development of more effective interventions through collaboration and collective reflection. This process has proved useful in:

clarifying thinking and problem-solving

transferring knowledge and thinking to significant parties

encouraging critical self-reflective practice and growth within a team of learning support practitioners.

Ecological and Inclusive