Strategies for an Inclusive Classroom

1. Strategies for an Inclusive Classroom

2. Overview • Know your Students • Creating a Safe Environment • Differentiate Instruction • Strike a Deal • Organisational Techniques • Techniques to Increase Participation • Further Assistance

3. Know Your Students • Get to know your students through: • Class surveys (interests, strengths, weaknesses)(Kluth& Danaher, 2010) • Letter to the teacher about themselves • Talk to your students • Ask your students what they want to learn and how they learn best. ACT on it!

4. Creating a Safe Environment “A class environment that teaches students how to work together and support each other creates a sense of community. There is ownership, involvement and a feeling of belonging to a supportive group that values the diversity and unique individuality of each student.” (Keeffe& Carrington, 2007, p.115) • Understand and celebrate differences • Identify and promote strengths, give all students a chance to succeed • Make yourself available • Allow for variation in the way students learn (Kluth, accessed 2011)

5. Differentiate Instruction • Information should be presented in numerous ways • Make lessons engaging and accessible for all • Foster creativity • Allow for multiple ways of expressing understanding • Provide opportunities for personal growth • Ensure you have diverse resources available • Question students in ways that are meaningful to them (Kluth, accessed 2011)

6. Strike a Deal • Negotiate with your students shared values and expectations(student lead) (Keeffe & Carrington, 2007) • Have classroom rules/treaty signed and clearly displayed • Make consequences explicitly known • Prepare activities that work as incentives for whole class and individuals, ie. computer based activities • Negotiate and assign classroom jobs “Careful job assignment can allow students to develop the skills and attitudes of being a full member of the classroom” (Sapon-Shevin, 1998, p.72)

7. Organisational Techniques • Set and follow routines • Assignment checklists (dividing big task into small manageable steps) • Student project progress reports • Set clear timelines • Provide choice in seating arrangements • Provide desktop ‘cheat sheets’ • Display a written and visual daily schedule

8. Techniques to Increase Participation • Personalise topics to student’s interests • Act on what the students want to learn and how they think they learn best • Provide a variety of student centred learning tasks (stations, learning agendas) • Talking Spinner – options on it of how to present information (either for the teacher or the students) • Talking Sticks – iceblock sticks with conversation starters on them, eg. ‘How does this relate to other learning?’ Tailor them to be relevant to the subject area or use for encouraging communication (Kluth & Danaher, 2010)

9. Further Assistance http://rtlb.tki.org.nz (Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour) For Professional Development or Classroom Support

10. References • Keeffe, M. & Carrington, S. (2007). Schools and Diversity (2nd Ed.) Pearson Education Australia, NSW. • Kluth, P. & Danaher, S. (2010). From Tutor Scripts to Talking Sticks: 100 ways to differentiate instruction in K-12 inclusive classrooms. Brooks Publishing, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. • Kluth, P. (n.d.). Differentiating Instruction. Retrieved from http://www.paulakluth.com/readings/differentiating-instruction/differentiating-instruction/ • Sapon-Shevin, M. (1999). Because We Can Change the World: A practical guide to building cooperative, inclusive classroom communities. Allyn and Bacon, USA.

11. Created by Kathryn Gardner, SarieKannemeyer & Tammy Woodward