Inclusive Classroom Implications

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.

Consistently throughout the PGDE course we are studying how to become a more inclusive practitioner whether it is through campus based learning, additional readings or teaching experience in local schools. We continuously strive towards learning how to make school a more inclusive environment. This assignment exemplified with references to reading such as Government policies, legislation and research articles as well as reflecting on my own teaching experience I hope to highlight the teachers’ role in creating an inclusive environment within an individual classroom. Having studied selective literature with theories and research, which could have influenced Scottish Education Policies, I draw attention to discrepancies on matters of inclusion and social justice that exist between them and the implications they have for learning.

This area of research is of particular interest to the researcher, firstly because inclusion is widely recognised by the National Curriculum. It highlights ‘A wide range of pupils have special educational needs’ and consequently, ‘Lessons should be

Inclusive classrooms are general education classroom in which students with and without disabilities learn together. It is essentially the opposite of an isolated special education classroom, where students with disabilities learn only with other students with disabilities. Inclusion represents the philosophy that students with disabilities should be integrated into regular education classrooms whether they can meet traditional curricular standards or not. This philosophy brings diverse students, families, educators, and community members together to create schools and other social institutions based on acceptance, belonging, and community.” The inclusive classroom model is a result of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the No Child Left Behind Act. Both pieces of legislation set out to provide a general education classroom in which all students are able to learn. This paper will examine the pros and cons of the inclusive classroom model.

For instance, according to Derma Sparks, “As children who are typically developing and children with disabilities play and learn together in quality, inclusive learning environments, they come to understand and appreciate each other’s strengths and challenges” (Anti-Bias Education p. 127). By not exposing children to the wide variety and uniqueness that surround us, children might reject a child with a disability out of fear of the unknown. Children in inclusion classroom can benefit of this opportunity, they get to have an open door of sharing thoughts and feelings, and a teacher that can answer and educate them of the different disabilities their peers have. In addition, “it fosters an open and safe environment, do not criticize children fro noticing and asking questions about differences” (Anti-Bias Education, p.

Inclusive teaching is a term that expresses a commitment to teaching children with physical, mental, and learning disabilities in the classroom they would attend otherwise (to the greatest extent possible). In inclusive schools, support services are brought to the students as opposed to them leaving class to receive the help they require. This paper is going to focus on the inclusion of students with mental disabilities who are usually separated in special education classrooms. For parents and educators alike, the topic of inclusive teaching is a hotly contested one. The arguments boil down into three categories: the effect on general education students, the effect on special education students, and the effect on teachers.

In this essay, I am going to address why the inclusion of children with behaviour, emotional and social difficulties (BESD) into mainstream education is so important. I will also outline what provisions and procedures I believe schools should have in place to ensure inclusion is seen as a set of practices rather than a completely unattainable ideal. In 2013 ‘53.0% of pupils with statements of SEN were attending mainstream schools (nursery, primary, secondary, academies, city technology colleges), compared to 53.7% in 2012’) (Ofsted 1-14), and with the increase of pupils classified as having BESD the need for an inclusive provision is essential. There are many different views of what ‘inclusion’ means and what constitutes as an ‘inclusive

Schools in today’s society are rapidly changing and growing striving to implement the best practices in their schools. Nonetheless, before a school can implement a program in their school they need reliable evidence that the new program will work. A new program that schools are aiming to implement is inclusion in the classroom because the benefits inclusion could bring. An inclusion program means that the student spends all or most of their school time in the general education classroom rather than a self-contained classroom. However, the students will still receive the support and interventions they would have received in a self-contained classroom. There are different types of inclusive classrooms where different types of teaching occur.

Another factor that incorporates in having a successful classroom inclusive environment is the quality of teaching. Alton-Lee (2003) argues that quality teaching has been identified as an important practice of positive outcomes for diverse students. Forlin (2012) discusses, but with more details than in Alton-Lee (2003) saying that quality teaching for students with diverse abilities has got various characteristics. For example, it has to focus on student’s achievement, to make clear links between the curriculum and the student’s culture, and to respond the learning processes. Foreman (2014) adds that quality teaching is also related to providing a feedback that helps with the students’ self-regulation and scaffolds their learning. Moreover, it is acting like a bridge of interactive communication between the students and their teacher.

Now it is crucial that all of teachers ensure inclusive practice for all students in their classroom and the wider school. Under the inclusion model, students with special needs spend most or all of their time with non-disabled students. Implementation of inclusion practice varies and schools most frequently use the strategy for select students with mild to severe special needs.” (2000 Allen, K.E.)

Inclusion within a classroom is anything but early, for the students or teachers. Some students may not be used to being enrolled in classes with more than 10 students. Teachers tend to at times stress if thins aren’t completely planned out for their classes, so they tend to plan prior to the year starting, to be ready for their upcoming students. “But what if including all students and attending thoughtfully to diversity were part of the solution rather than part of the task overload” (Sapon-Shevin, 2008, p. 49)? Exactly, see I believe the reason there are benefits in my opinions in having inclusion in the classroom, because it teaches the general education compassion and willing to support their peers. For fact they see them struggling. Though I believe the rare benefits to having inclusion in the class with change there are always challenges. Yet I believe the teachers will have the biggest change as they will learn how to manage a classroom with students that learn on different levels. “Part of the problem, I think, was that we were desegregating with- out any regard whatsoever for if that particular child belonged in that particular class” (Carpenter, 2008, p. 136). Now that is a major challenge, placing students in the wrong setting of classes, can be damaging for the students. From my experience with my son, he was enrolled in a different class elective that he chooses, but due to limited assistants he was placed in PE. Which he as a junior doesn’t need to take three

Many people frown upon the fact of inclusion in classrooms. They say, “the disabled student might be disruptive” or “the other students might get upset when the teacher has to slow down for the disabled student.” All students have their right to an education, whether it be inclusive or not. If a student is disruptive, the teacher should be able to handle it. Although people think inclusion has many disadvantages, there are far more advantages and benefits for all students, teachers, families and even for communities. Therefore, we as society should make schools, and communities inclusive.

Inclusive education has increasingly become a focus of debate in discussions about the development of educational policy and practice around the world (Farrell and Ainscow 2002). Education for children with disabilities and special needs is now becoming an established policy objective in many countries. The many issues affecting inclusion of special needs students have been debated over the last 25 years (Odom et al. 2011). The inclusion classroom gives the children with learning disabilities an opportunity to develop social skills and learn with the rest of the group without being separated, this will not hurting their social development somehow. Teacher will have to have prior training if the attempt to teach in a inclusion classroom with children with disabilities and non-disabilities share the same curriculum. Therefore, co-teaching can serve as effective venue to train new classroom educators.

Inclusive education has become a goal in many parts of the world in the last four decades. The process of inclusion involves the restructuring of a mainstream schooling system to accommodate every child, regardless of their needs (Avramidis, Bayliss & Burden, 2000). Inclusive education is centred around social justice; all students are entitled to access to all educational opportunities (Vas, Wilson, Falkmer, Sim, Scott, Cordier & Falkmer, 2015). It is the goal of inclusive education that all students feel a sense of belonging and become a part of the school community (Burke & Sutherland, 2004). However, there are several issues that can impede the development and teachers support of an inclusive school. The key issues are a lack of training, the availability of support and resources, the type of disability, experience with disabled people and the effects on the classroom.