Inclusive learning and teaching environment

Creating an inclusive learning and teaching environment is essential for fostering an atmosphere where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported in their educational journey. Inclusivity goes beyond mere tolerance; it embraces diversity in all its forms, including differences in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, ability, religion, and more. By intentionally designing an inclusive learning and teaching environment, educators can cultivate an atmosphere where every student feels empowered to contribute, learn, and thrive. 

In the context of my classrooms, I am responsible for educating students on the importance of inclusivity in their future classrooms. In an ever-changing society, students need to know that they will most likely not teach in a classroom that resembles the classroom they attended. In my first year of teaching in 2015, I was confronted with many aspects of inclusion that have not been taught in my undergraduate studies. For example,  one of the male learners' parents were homosexual. I felt unprepared in my engagements with them.

 According to Bornman and Rose (2010), diversity reflects a "salad bowl" of our multilingual and multicultural society. The salad bowl metaphor is different from the "melting pot"  where all the different ingredients assimilate to 'oneness'. The salad bowl notion emphasizes that each ingredient maintain their characteristic and contribute to the final product.  Therefore, the focus of inclusion should not be on the "specialness" of children or the type of education they need, but rather increasing participation by removing the barriers to learning that each child faces. This will result in each child reaching their full potential.

It is therefore important that the students in my classes are exposed to barriers that may prevent the child from reaching their full potential. Exposure to inclusive practices may assist students in developing strategies to meet their learners' needs effectively. Students also need to be aware of the various policy documents that address inclusive practices, for example the Education White Paper 6.  By exposing my students to inclusive practices,  I prepare them to navigate future challenges adapt to the ever-evolving educational landscape.

Student teachers often feel overwhelmed by the presence of children who are, for some reason or another, marginalised or excluded (eg. language, culture, religion, disability, sexual orientation etc). In my experience, these students have often not been exposed to inclusive classroom practices. In terms of academics, I always tell my students to focus on the learner's strengths. Existing strengths can be a scaffold for teaching and learning. Students also need to be aware of the practices that support inclusion, eg. the role of the learner's family, the role of the community, teacher development programmes on inclusion etc.  

How do I promote active participation in my classroom?

• Using tutor periods to get to know one another in terms of language, culture, religion, disability, sexual orientation etc. and encouraging students to interact with one another

• Creating a classroom environment where students feel free to participate without the fear of judgement or rejection

• Group discussions using case studies

• Teaching students how to create activities for differently-abled learners (gifted learners and learners with barriers to learning) using the newly developed lesson plan (Refer to Addendum C)

In the school setting, assessment is the process of gathering information that enables teachers to meet a child's current and future educational needs. In other words, it helps the teacher decide what to teach and how to teach it effectively. Inclusive assessments will therefore focus on the ways in which the design of assessments can minimise the likelihood of students being excluded or disadvantaged through the ways in which they are assessed.

I my own classroom, I have incorporated a wide range of summative assessment tasks to assess students' learning. Instead of relying solely on assignments, I have incorporated some other creative assessment techniques. In my assignments, I have also set up rubrics for each assignment or activity. By using these rubrics, students are aware of the outcomes of the assessment. These rubrics also assist me in assessing each assignment consistently from student-to-student. 

How do I implement inclusive assessment practices in my classroom?

• Incorporating a wide variety of assessment tasks within my four modules (eg. essays, practical presentations, group work, informal discussions, creation of classroom resources etc.)

• Incorporating progressive assessments where students work on one assignment throughout the term with frequent feedback from the lecturer

• Spreading out of assessments across the semester to avoid congestion of students' workload

• Providing in-depth individual and group feedback following assignments and tests

• Development of in-depth rubrics which shows students what are expected of them

• Teaching students how to design inclusive assessments for their Foundation Phase classes during tutor periods

Creating a positive learning environment in the classroom is crucial for fostering student engagement, motivation, and academic success. Classroom learning environments may not only refer to the physical environment, but also the social and emotional environment. Teachers and lecturers need to create classrooms that are socially beneficial to learning. Within the context of my classroom, I make my expectations clear from the start of the semester. I lay my ground rules to them, and discuss the importance of it. Students know what the rules are in terms of class attendance, submission of assignments etc. I expect my students to be self-directed in their learning by taking responsibility for their actions. I motivate my students to work hard and to always ask me for help when needed. Motivational messages are added on the iKamva platform to remind students that they are part of a module where we support one another in our endeavors. By creating a positive learning environment, I aim to promote a strong sense of community where students feel valued and respected.

How do I create a positive classroom environment?

• Building positive and uplifting relationships with students

• Setting clear expectations of students at the start of the semester

Each course outline contains important information related to the content of the module (Assessments, class attendance and participation).

• Promote respect and inclusivity among students through classroom discussions

• Provide constructive feedback on assessments and activities

• Reflection and adaptation

I make use of Google Forms at the start and end of each semester. Students are able to give their input by stating what their expectations of the module are, as well as feedback at the end of the semester.

• In my AFL211 (Afrikaans First Additional Language) I have to translate the Afrikaans classmates to English, as some students do not understand Afrikaans. This challenged me, as my home language is Afrikaans. I also translate the announcements on iKamva to accommodate the English speakers.