Enhancing Inclusive Learning
Education is a basic human right and the foundation of a society. Therefore inclusive education begins from understanding this belief.
Inclusion means ensuring every child has equal access to education and achieves the same opportunities regardless of their individual needs or barriers to learning.
It is about creating a learning environment that works for all pupils from any community, social-economic background, and those with special needs.
Celebrating and supporting diversity and inclusion in school gives all children the potential to achieve and creates an environment where those with additional needs are part of the same community of learners.
Inclusion addresses negative cultural attitudes and misconceptions about people with disabilities and those from minority communities.
Teachers can ensure inclusive learning for all these children in their classroom with their diverse barriers to learning and needs, as discussed below.
Minimum standards of behavior
A teacher should ensure children in their class have a clear understanding of the minimum and acceptable behavior they should observe. These include rules that are to be adhered to in the classrooms.
Among these rules are no violence of any kind is allowed, hateful and foul language is unacceptable, respecting other people’s property, and so forth.
Enforcing the Rules
You must have straightforward consequences for broken rules as you must make the basic rules understood.
The repercussions must be consistently applied and proportionate.
Additionally, never let anyone get away with breaking the rules as they are the minimum and what is acceptable in the classroom.
Dealing with children that misbehave in a sensitive way
If you write a child’s name on a piece of paper, they will know they have misbehaved. Singling out a child that misbehaves sensitively in front of everyone is insensitive.
For instance, writing the name of a child who misbehaves on the board to everyone will not make them change their behavior because their name will remain there whether they decide to change or not.
Listen to all children.
When solving conflicts between children in your class, give all the parties involved to fully explain how they believe the incident happened and what upset them and why.
During day-to-day learning, create opportunities for children to be listened to since it helps them engage during a lesson and feel included in it.
Give support when teaching.
Giving support to children during a lesson is key to creating an inclusive learning environment if you want all the children to access the same information during a lesson.
Know specific needs of every child
You should know the specific needs of every child to help you consider every aspect of your classroom and how to make it inclusive, purposeful, and safe.
For instance, apart from knowing the children with special needs in your classroom, you should also know those that come from marginalized communities, are in foster care, orphans, and so forth.
