Concept of Inclusive Teaching Practice
This paper will discuss the concept of inclusive teaching practice and the strategies that will emphasize differentiation as a method of inclusive teaching. Inclusive teaching is also helpful for the development of the childhood workforce. Thus, the importance of establishing and implementing this strategy for educating children will be effective and helpful for their development. The educational institution should follow some new and creative innovation that will create inclusion between the children so that segregation in a classroom will not be a matter of fact. Differentiated inclusive teaching will have a focus on this article. Differentiation in inclusive teaching helps to guide and support the children for their learning and to build creative skills, and also help to develop their whole self. This method of teaching attempts to reach out to all the students of a class so that equality in a class and segregation can be avoided. Also, this method of teaching has a great positive impact, especially upon children with disability, as inclusive education has benefits advantages that help to ensure the growth of the children with disabilities. This technological development can provide adequate support for children with disability to gain success in their life in both academically and socially.
This part will discuss and will cover the importance of differentiation in inclusive teaching and the analysis regarding the subject, which will cover the concept about the understanding of inclusive teaching practice and the concept about the strategy associated with the inclusive teaching practice, that is, differentiation.
According to the author Mette Molbaek (2018), who expressed the thought about inclusive teaching. The concept helps us to know about inclusive teaching practice. Inclusive teaching practice is a method that helps to ensure to have a reflective course that will help the society to maintain its diversity. Though this practice of teaching has some challenges, this process is of high priority to apply in education policy so that the students from all over the world can get the opportunity to have an enhanced way of teaching environment. Inclusive education has some major issues to implement because of the lack of resources and issues for both governments and policies, which discourage the teachers from practising this method of teaching in their classroom (). For having an environment where inclusive teaching practice will take over teaching institutions, some steps are must so that this method can get spread and help the society to evolve the teaching process slowly and steadily. This process is helpful for students with disability and cognitive issues as they can learn by including themselves not in a special school but in an environment where everyone gets the opportunity to learn. This is helpful to gain knowledge and to understand the subject of inclusive teaching and its concept.
According to the author, Katharina-Theresa Linder and Susanne Schwab (2020), inclusive teaching practice helps and allows to make designs and lessons to remove the challenges of the students while learning. There are some aspects that help the teachers with accommodating and to apply this concept in their teaching process. These aspects are collaboration and teamwork, instructional practices, organizational practices, social/emotional/behavioural practices, determining progress.
- Collaboration and Teamwork: This domain involves the practices which are cooperated with the teachers, other adults, family members and stakeholders such as language experts, speech therapists, psychologists and also the students.
- Instructional Practices: This domain is involved with teachers and the methods of teaching, the process they created for teaching the students with diverse characters. This aspect helps to deal with the questions which have instructional content to know about the way of transmission to the students.
- Organizational Practices: This includes the modification and change of the environment of learning institutions or the environment of the classroom, which encourages the students to overcome their challenges and barriers. Also, this domain helps to enable the environment by motivating the students for achieving a stimulating learning environment for every student in a classroom.
- Social/Emotional/Behavioural Practices: This category helps to build a positive environment of an educational institution with the help of teachers, which encourages and motivate the students to include themselves socially emotionally. Also, which is effective for developing the behavioural needs of the students according to their needs, such as communication, interaction, constructive feedback and motivation and encouragement.
- Determining Progress: This category helps assess and monitor the student’s achievement and success individually by making different plans and designs. This method tends to make maintain activeness within the classroom which will eventually help the teachers and family members to know the progress and growth of every student. This method also helps to identify the students with difficulties.
Importance of Differentiation in Inclusive Teaching
According to the author, Charity Neejide Onyishi and Maximus Monaheng Sefotho, (2020), the differentiated strategy of the inclusive teaching process supports the classroom of students so that every student can reach their satisfaction by learning their course materials. Differentiated classrooms mean the approach which has appropriate pedagogy of the students to learn and to gain knowledge and reach the goal. Modification of the old teaching practice in a classroom to remove segregation. This approach enables to plan for the student where everyone can meet their needs and can have an experience of togetherness. For the students who are differently-abled in a general classroom, the structure can feel alienated from the whole class, but this inclusive differentiation structure of the class is the key to enhancing and to promote togetherness. In this structure, the teacher can easily observe and analyze the differentiation between students and can focus on the students individually according to their needs. Thus, the plan and instructions are made according to their needed information. Teachers are expected to teach from different aspects and instruction by planning and categorizing the course in such a way that they can easily provide information for the students. Contents, process, structure and multiple ways of teaching are different from the other process of teaching. This strategy instructs to encourage and stimulate the students’ interest and provides to have a great experience. Research finds out that in this strategy of learning, the student can learn the best from their teachers if this process is applied almost in every institutional setting. Through this process, the student can offer a diverse way to learn and access the curriculum. However, the major challenges are to differentiate the instruction, which will be effective to the environment and will be relatable to the students. Teachers also need professional training to develop this process in their teaching way. Before implementing this process, teachers need training so that they can easily apply their though and this strategy in the classroom where the differently-abled students can gain opportunities. This strategy enhances the environment of the classroom, especially in the classroom with mixed students, differently-abled and general students. However, to implement this strategy in a classroom, organizational support is needed.
This structure is helpful for any teacher and any student, which push the setting of the institution to achieve significant growth. This works as a gift for the students with disability to be present in a classroom that has the characteristics of heterogeneity and inclusion. This approach builds an idea to build and to modify the structure for allowing to gain goals by giving special attention to the individuals who are in need. As this structure adds extra support for the students who struggle to learn thus, resources should be appropriate for this classroom. Unlike other ways of teaching process and strategy, a differentiated, inclusive teaching classroom does not separate the students and the classroom between ability and disability. This makes the process a standard and unique way of approach to teaching all the students in the same classroom without differentiating between them rather encourages and help to create an environment of inclusion in a teaching process.
Challenges and Strategies of Implementing Differentiated Inclusive Teaching
Differentiated instruction for inclusive teaching classrooms gives the effort to maintain and to meet the need for the heterogeneous classroom. This aspect has two goals to achieve so that they can able to meet the demand. The first goal is to maximize the grade level for all the students through a general and standard curriculum. This provides support for the students who struggle a lot to learn. The second goal is to provide a curriculum that can be easily adapted and acquired by the students. The goals of this strategy of inclusive teaching represent an idea of an enriched and enhanced curriculum system that should be prioritized in the educational; system.
Additional support to achieve the strategy of the inclusive method of teaching through differentiation strategy. In this group, not only differently-abled students but also students who have difficulties in learning skills and languages, students who have limited experience and background guidance for learning a new subject and also students who have difficulties in their behaviour are included so that they get encouraged and motivated to achieve the individual purpose of learning. Active learning and availability of additional support are beneficial for all students because of the aim and the goal of this strategy, which seeks to meet a high rate of success and low rates of failures for their students.
According to the author, Yolanda Munoz-Martinez, Cecilia Alejandra Marambio Carrasco and Francisco Javier Garate Vergara (2021), there are some additional supports that are highly required for the differentiated strategy of an inclusive classroom.
Categories which are Important for Applying this Strategy by changing the previous:
- Changes in teaching practise This factor which will include the change in curriculum, routine of the classroom, evaluating the process of the students’ progress, planning the way of teaching; this factor will change in this strategy.
- Changes in an organizational setting: Organizational change for inclusive teaching strategies and differentiated practice of teaching is prevalent. Coordination between the teacher, student and the authority is needed and should be modified according to the needs. Arrangement of a formal meeting in regards to knowing about the process and progress about the strategy to improve the relationship between teachers and students is required. Also, family participation for improving the condition of learning of the children is needed as per the requirement of the student.
- Co-operative learning, support and guidance, implementation of new strategies and methods to help to overcome the difficulties students face during their learning, and application if practicality for developing the concept is needed. Thus, changes in the routine and curriculum will be appreciated for developing the factors of the differentiated strategy of inclusive practice.
- Training and support for the teachers to give attention towards the children with difficulties and to solve their problems. Evaluation and measuring levels for the students so that teachers get to know about their progress report frequently and they can build their strategies accordingly.
- Cohesion and integration between the students of a classroom are effective, especially for the differently-abled students, which helps to develop their cognitive health.
- Techniques to solve the issues and build confidence so that every student can encourage themselves to be independent learners.
- Seminars and, presentation, pictorial description seeks the attention of the students, which guide them to clear the concept of the study.
- Designing the course and the availability of enough resources is useful for fundamental elements of this learning process.
According to the author, Deirdre Desmond et al. (2018), assistive technology is required to establish this strategy almost in every educational institution. Technological products enable people and the human society to participate and also help to guide them and to solve different issues as per their demand. Assistive technology helps to enhance the possibility of learning in themselves. Individual adaptation, acceptance and support from this technological tool can guide the students and the teachers also to establish this strategy. These resources are useful to have a good consequence for their learning in the education system. Thus, the replacement of poor infrastructure with technological tools is necessary to implement the differentiated strategy of inclusive teaching practice. Collaboration of education and technology can build a developed educational system that creates a progressive dimension.
As per the author, Charity Neejide Onyishi and Maximus Monaheng Sefotho (2020) stated that differentiated instruction approaches to learning the appropriate and relevant pedagogy to gain knowledge. This approach helps to build cognitive development with active and constructed knowledge. Theories from Vygotsky’s cognitive development and Gardner’s multiple intelligence help to relate with the strategy of differentiation of inclusive teaching.
Vygotsky’s Sociocultural, Cognitive-Developmental Theory: In this theory, the theorist Vygotsky strongly opined about the importance of active relevant and constructivist knowledge so that children gain interest and remain active to learn different things for their growth. He focused and emphasized upon social interaction and the connection and significance of social learning, which is a social process. He believes that this society and educational system have a gap between what a student wants to learn and what a student is learning with the guidance and assistance of the teacher. This situation he coined as ‘Zone of proximal development (ZPD). This ZPD is working as the yardstick to measure the level of independent learning outcome of any child. If the level of the ZPD is high, then that means that the child can learn the subject with the help and guidance of their teacher, and if the level is low, then the child is able to learn the subject independently. This helps the teacher to know the level of the student and act accordingly. Teachers should take the responsibility to change the level of the student so that they can acquire and move forward from their level. This can be attained through some certain processes and proper guidance and communication. This theory is the implication and relevant for the application of the differentiation strategy of inclusive teaching. Social interaction and communication are the base of this theory which implies that interaction can build and develop the level of the student and can develop the relationship between the student and teacher. It is helpful to support and collaborate the process of the differentiated strategy of inclusive teaching practice.
Benefits of Inclusive Education for Students with Disabilities
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligence: The theorist Gardner established his thought and expressed it through his theory in which he talks about multiple intelligence, which is effective for learning purposes. He established some criteria of intelligence which includes verbal, logical, visual, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic and existential, which refers to the ability of an individual to understand and have clear knowledge about the concept of the subject. Manipulating the languages is also included in these criteria, which helps to have an understanding of the subject so that learning ability gets increased. Also, it holds the ability of intelligence, which helps to create and solve the issues and to provide and product with valuable outcomes in different contexts. This theoretical framework is relevant in the real setting of education which follows the differentiated strategy as it enhances the creativity and problems solving skills so that the students develop the ability to learn and to solve the issues. The idea is to relate the concept of the study in different ways so that the students can achieve the ability to develop their common sense and to support their learning and education. This theoretical approach helps to make plans actively for different students in a classroom. Differentiated strategy and instruction if flexible and equitable in accommodating learning and teaching in an intelligent way. This allows the teacher to present different learning activities and content to adapt and to assess the need of the students as per their requirements. These methods and activities should be modified to meet the diverse approaches of different category students in a classroom. Adaptation of content, approaches, environment is also helpful and should be modified according to the need. The strategy of differentiation is a concept that focuses on ‘differentiated assessment’, ‘inclusion’, ‘student-centeredness’, ‘individualized instruction, ‘adaptive instruction’, ‘personalized learning, ‘response to intervention’ and design of learnings. Irrespective of the differentiation between the students, it seeks to develop their ability of them by helping them to adopt the specific and particular strategies of teaching which emphasize the activeness and pursue to gain the maximum outcome from them so that they also can meet their own goal as their need.
This part will discuss the policies which were created for establishing the key of inclusive education. Society and educational institution develop their teaching strategies and methods that will guide them towards a system that will have multi-sector approaches for the educational system. This will help to reduce the barriers of the children; thus, active collaboration and making policies, rules and regulations to implement and establish this system is highly required.
- Mobilizing people for the opinion on the right of inclusive education practice.
- Building consciousness about the importance and increasing the quality of education.
- Reforming the legislation and educational policies so that it gets easier to establish in any society.
- Supporting the system and building a training session to develop the capacity of the teachers is that students can get effective results.
- Development of the schools, classroom and environment of the institution.
- Helping the adults and teachers to understand the concept of this strategy and to apply this process in their teaching.
- Development of the resources and assistive support of technology is required to apply this process.
- Commitment for all the government departments to work together for establishing this inclusive teaching practice.
- Introducing laws and legislation to implement and to build consciousness from the local people of the society. (UNICEF, 2017)
- Making clear the goal and aim of this strategy with the help of the government so that it gets easy to convince people about the importance of this to reduce discrimination from the society.
- Helping the children with difficulties and differently-abled in the same classroom so that they never feel segregated from society.
- Introducing the procedure and giving proper training to the authority of the schools with the help of the government.
- Policymakers should include the important factors of this practice. (UNICEF, 2017)
Conclusion
According to the discussion and the literature review, which includes theoretical framework, concept and factors which are extremely necessary for the implementation of this strategy guides to have an understanding regarding the subject. Though this strategy is not established in every society, but the importance of this method of teaching builds a consensus that this strategy should be implemented in every educational setting. However, the approach and the effort for establishing this method is ongoing as it created the attention of the people. Governments and policy makers are also investing their time through researching and evaluating the effectiveness of this process so that they can start implementation of the strategy rapidly and help the society to develop the educational aspect. The requirement of resources in enough numbers is highly required. This strategy is beneficial and useful for the betterment and the wellbeing of the society and social structure. This strategy helps to promote active learning of the students, which includes practical and relevant experience and application of real-life according to their course and concept. Also, connection with the subject matter and building interest and confidence helps the students to develop and flourish their skills and creativity, which eventually helps to develop their knowledge and experience about the subject and particular course. Additional support helps to achieve creative learning methods and various bits of intelligence to develop a high-quality education base and to solve the issues through overcoming the difficulties to learn. This process is helpful for the development of the cognitive aspect of the students, memory and ability. This approach is extremely useful for personal growth and development, which helps to increase the ability and effectiveness. Improving the factor to solve logical reasoning and to be an independent learner as much as possible. Training will make the work easier to apply. Therefore, from the discussion and evaluation, this can be concluded that this process is extremely helpful, especially for the differently-abled and poor students who face difficulties in their learning. Helping from the government is necessary to change and to transform the educational institution the methods and practices of teaching procedure. Communication and building consensus are also needed for establishing this strategy worldwide.
Differentiated Instruction Strategies for Students in a Classroom
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