Know Inclusive Strategies will be learned

1. Know Inclusive Strategies will be learned Dr. Ellen M.E. Wedemeyer, Harvard University

2. Send an email to: knowspecialeducation@verizon.net Do you want the slides? Do you want to talk about me coming to your school? Anything else you want to communicate to me?

3. What is inclusive teaching?

4. Inclusive teaching describes the range of approaches to teaching that consider the diverse needs and backgrounds of all students to create a learning environment where all students feel valued and where all students have equal access to learn.

5. What are inclusive practices?

6. Inclusive practice is an approach to teaching that recognises the diversity of students, enabling all students to access course content, fully participate in learning activities and demonstrate their knowledge and strengths at assessment.

7. How do you promote an inclusive learning environment?

8. Inclusive Learning Environment StrategiesExamine your assumptions. ...Learn and use students' names. ...Model inclusive language. ...Use multiple and diverse examples. ...Establish ground rules for interaction. ...Examine your curriculum. ...Strive to be fair. ...Be mindful of low ability cues.

9. Examine your assumptions.It is very common for instructors to assume that student share their own background, but this is not necessarily so. Do you find yourself addressing students as if they all share your religion, sexual orientation, or economic class?

10. Learn and use students’ names.Even in large classes, you can start with a few names and build up. At the very least, let students know you are making an effort to do so.

11. Model inclusive language.For instance, avoid using masculine pronouns for both males and females. When you use American idioms, explain them for the benefit of non-native English speakers.

12. Use multiple and diverse examples.Multiple examples increase the likelihood of students relating to at least one of them. Take care to include examples that speak to both sexes and that work across cultures.

13. Establish ground rules for interaction.This will assure that other students are also being inclusive and respectful. In order to generate maximal buy-in into the ground rules, you can involve the students in the process of establishing them. You will still need to enforce the ground rules and correct students for the occasional non-inclusive or disrespectful comment.

14. Examine your curriculum.Are certain perspectives systematically not represented in your course materials (e.g., a course on family focusing only on traditional families, or a course on public policy ignoring race issues)?  Neglecting some issues implies a value judgment (Hooks 1994), which can alienate certain groups of students.

15. Strive to be fair.Especially in courses with multiple sections and TAs, it is crucial to be perceived as fair, both in grading and in implementing course policies. Perceptions of unfairness can induce feelings of learned helplessness (Peterson et al., 1995), which are highly demotivating for students.

16. Be mindful of low ability cues.In their efforts to help students, some instructors inadvertently send mixed messages (e.g., “Sure, I’ll be happy to help you with this, I know girls have trouble with math”). These cues encourage attributions focused on permanent, uncontrollable causes, which diminish students’ self-efficacy. Instead, it is more productive to focus on controllable causes, such as effort.

17. Provide accommodations for students with disabilities.Instructors are required by law to provide reasonable accommodations to students with documented disabilities.

18. Don’t ask people to speak for an entire group.Students of underrepresented identities often report either feeling invisible in class, or sticking out like a sore thumb as the token member. This experience is heightened when they are addressed as spokespeople for their whole group, and can have implications on performance (Lord & Saenz, 1985).

19. Practice inclusive classroom behaviors.Of course we as educators are not out to intentionally exclude anybody from the educational experience. However, many researchers report small unconscious behaviors – “microaggressions” – that certain student groups experience repeatedly. For instance, women report that instructors tend to interrupt them more often than men, ignore them more often, call on them less often, ask them more recall questions and less analytical questions, acknowledge their contributions less, and build on their answers less (Hall, 1982).  These microaggressions add up and have a highly discouraging effect on those students.

20. Where are we? Chasing cows or building the fence?

21. The instructional core

22. Only 3 things increase student achievement

23. Increase knowledge and skills of teachers

24. Increase student engagement

25. Improve content

26. That’s it

27. At the center is task

28. What are you trying to measure?

29. What must a student know how to do?

30. The what and the how

31. Use Comic Sans, Ariel, or Dyslexie for your handouts.A simple change you can make in your classroom is to use a different font—several are easier for students with different types of disabilities like dyslexia to read.

32. Dyslexie font is a unique font developed and designed for people with dyslexia to make reading, learning and working easier – and more fun. With innovative products we clear the way through the digital letter landscape, making it accessible for everyone. See for yourself!

33. https://www.dyslexiefont.com/public/media-upload/video/pen.svghttps://www.dyslexiefont.com/public/media-upload/video/pen.svg

34. Keep some “toys”—even fidget spinners—available.Everybody hates fidget spinners right now, but devices like them help students who struggle to pay attention in class focus more easily. Keeping a few around could make a big difference in your overall classroom behavior—but don’t be afraid to set boundaries if students are abusing them

36. Use restorative justice.We’ve all been there. A student seems bent on creating problems in your classroom so you snap and kick them out instead of taking the time to get at what might be underlying the issues and finding a long-term solution. That student may have an undiagnosed learning disability or severe problems at home. Spend a little bit of extra time figuring out what’s driving the behavior in the first place. Then figure out how to turn the consequences into an age-appropriate teachable moment.

37. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/restorative-justice-resources-matt-davishttps://www.edutopia.org/blog/restorative-justice-resources-matt-davis

38. Keep consequences consistent.As important as it is to find out what’s underlying students’ poor classroom behavior, it’s equally important to ensure that students know exactly what’s going to happen if they do X. Often students with behavioral issues have unpredictable home environments. A predictable classroom may be their only safe haven. Keep the rules and consequences consistent, even when you’d rather do the kid a favor and let them off easy, and you’ll begin building trust.

39. Offer your notes or PowerPoints to students.Students who struggle with hearing issues can benefit from having a written reference available to them so that they don’t miss out on critical details

41. Work with your principal to change school culture.Often the students are way ahead of the rest of us in creating inclusive culture, so working with high level administrators to change the tone from the top down can make a big difference in bringing the whole school on board

42. Supporting Students with Autism: 10 Ideas for Inclusive Classrooms

43. Learn about the learner from the learner

44. Teach to fascinations

45. Get them talking

46. Give choices

47. Choice, competence, control

48. Solve five of the ten problems assignedWork alone or with a small groupRead quietly or with a friendUse a pencil, pen, or the computerConduct your research in the library or in the resource roomTake notes using words or pictures

49. Consider handwriting alternatives

50. Help with organizing Julia Roberts Moment