Creating a learning environment that maximises learning and teaching in any classroom can be a task in itself, let alone creating a successful learning environment within an inclusive education setting. There are however numerous ways to do this with both advantages and difficulties in implementing such a curriculum; it seems an overwhelming experience, especially as a new teacher. Foreman (2008) likens the classroom environment to an ecosystem to which there are four interconnecting dynamics; teacher factors, student factors, curriculum and resource factors and physical setting factors. These four factors provide many ways that teachers can set up the learning environment to maximise the occurrence of teaching and learning, however it …show more content…
From experience in my current practicum classroom I have seen my mentor teacher strive to establish and maintain relationships in order to provide a positive and successful learning environment. This has shown me that although building relationships is essential to the inclusive classroom (Ashman & Elkins, 2008)building and maintaining these relationships can be quite a stressful time, especially as a new teacher where the feelings of being overwhelmed and judged will be present. . Negative experiences of family members can also prove to be a difficulty in the development of relationships. My mentor teacher has got a classroom this year that includes two students that require full time teacher aides. This is the first year that she has had to include a student who is wheelchair bound and one who has a visual, speech language and hearing impairments. I have seen her become overwhelmed at having to maximise the learning environment as well as directing up to four different adults plus parent helpers in one day. Through the formation of relationships a lot can be accomplished when setting up a classroom. Relationships are at the hub of successful collaborations to create learner-centred classrooms. Collaboration is important to obtain in-school support from the proper people, such as administration, guidance counsellors and specialists in order to set the
Critical issues facing educators today include; educational inequity, socio-economic status of students, cultural diversity, stereotyping, dominate cultural paradigms, and social disadvantage. Because of these issues, educators will be best prepared for classroom life if they find ways to adapt and modify the learning environment in order, to provide for inclusive regardless of the learners needs. All children in Australia are presented with the opportunity to attend schools which are designed to be inclusive for any and all abilities. Due to the diverse nature of the school age population in Australia classrooms are made up of an assortment of needs in relation to social, cognitive, and physical areas of learning.
Inclusive learning is about ensuring all your learners have the opportunity to be involved and included in the learning process. It’s also about treating all learners equally and fairly, without directly or indirectly excluding anyone. Inclusion is about attitudes as well as behaviour, as learners can be affected by
Inclusive practice is about adapting what is being delivered to make learning accessible to everyone regardless of ability, special education need (SEN) or any other barrier that might exist. When planning to meet the needs of everyone in the group it is essential that the teacher has as much information about everyone as possible. (The City and Guilds textbook level 3 Award in Education and Training). Features of inclusive teaching and learning starts with knowing which learning styles your learners prefer, to do this you can use VARK (visual, aural, read/write and kinetic) test which was designed by Neil Fleming to help learners and teachers know what learning methods they are best suited to e.g. in the first lesson my tutor asked for us
2.1. Creating an inclusive learning environment benefits all students to enable effective learning to take place. The environment in which you are teaching the subject can sometimes be restricted but teaching can take place anywhere not necessarily just in a classroom, for example, colleges, learning centres, the workplace, prisons are to name just a few.
As a teacher when delivering any lessons planned we have to make sure that each students individual needs are met, so they will feel included in the lesson. “Inclusion is about creating interesting, varied and inspiring learning opportunities for all learners, ensuring all learners contribute and are never disadvantaged by methods, language or resources” Wilson (2008).
In a contemporary Australian school setting, inclusion is the ongoing collaboration of all members of the school community to effectively meet the diverse needs of all students, including those with additional needs (Blackmore, 2009; Lyons, 2014). All students regardless of their cultural background or ability level should experience an enriching education where they feel included and supported. Creating inclusive cultures, producing inclusive policies and evolving inclusive practices are the best ways to promote learning and participation in schools for all students (Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education, 2012; Dempsey, 2014).
An inclusive environment is a condition where everyone has an opportunity to fully participate. In education, this means everyone has the same opportunity, there should be no borders such as ethnicity, gender or disability. All students should feel valued, be able to mix and participate with all members of the group be in a safe and positive environment.
The first part in having a successful inclusive classroom is to identify the social, emotional and academic needs of all students and meet them. The first thing I would do is to review the student file to see what has been done or not done in the past. This will give any indication if past needs or behaviors have been identified or if they have just started. Collecting data will be important here because I will need a complete and clear picture of students ' strengths and challenges, so that
The focus of this assignment is the key factors that influence inclusive teaching and learning and how it is incorporated into my specialist subject area. It is likely that you will be teaching a diverse group of students – from various backgrounds, with differing levels of prior learning and expectations, as well as different learning needs. Taking an inclusive approach when teaching will help to ensure that your teaching meets everyone’s needs enabling students to learn effectively. As a result students will feel that they belong in the classroom and learning environment. Inclusive learning means treating all of your students fairly and equally.
Creating an inclusive learning environment is an extremely important aspect of modern education, which, according to Gravells (2008: p18), ensures that “[…] all learners are entitled to be treated with respect and dignity. Everyone is an individual, with different experiences, abilities and needs.” She also offers a brief explanation of inclusivity (2008: p18), which is “[…] involving all learners in relevant activities rather than excluding them for any reason directly or indirectly.” Inclusion has also been defined by John Tomlinson (1996: p26) as “the greatest degree of match or fit between individual learning requirements and provision”. In the other words, inclusive learning environment nurtures individual potential of all learners,
Inclusive learning is about making sure that every learner in the classroom has their needs identified and met. It is about realising that every learner will have specific individual needs and it is the job of the teacher to accommodate the needs of all of their learners. Booth et al. (2000) state ‘Inclusion is seen to involve the identification and minimising of barriers to learning and participation’ (Booth et al., 2000: 13).
During the ten years that I have worked in primary education inclusivity has played an increasingly important part when considering how the curriculum can be delivered and how a classroom can be managed to ensure that it is accessed by all children. Experience of working within a primary classroom has shown that the accommodation of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and the delivery of inclusive lessons have had a vital part to play when determining classroom
Through my theoretical and small practical understanding of inclusive education I will be embracing the concept and practice of inclusion through the use of the term Curriculum Differentiation, which is all about arranging the classroom learning environment to be more suitable for students of all types, abilities and learning capacities to have the chance to reach their own individual maximum potentials (Carpenter, 2010). Through researching and learning about inclusion I have come to believe and agree with the statement of “Diversity not Deficit” when teaching in an inclusive school or classroom (Queensland Government, 2005). This statement reflects my own personal philosophy of inclusive education, as it pushes my strong belief that education is about not seeing any of the students, their families or the
In making my teaching inclusive I reassess the material I use in my teaching and the way in which it is delivered and assessed.
Inclusive education is concerned with the education and accommodation of ALL children in society, regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, or linguistic deficits. Inclusion should also include children from disadvantaged groups, of all races and cultures as well as the gifted and the disabled (UNESCO, 2003). Inclusion tries to reduce exclusion within the education system by tackling, responding to and meeting the different needs of all learners (Booth, 1996). It involves changing the education system so that it can accommodate the unique styles and way of learning of each learner and ensure that there is quality education for all through the use of proper resources, suitable curricula, appropriate