Inclusive Pedagogy

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TESL 0100
Unit 7 Reflection
In this unit we were focusing on how to build inclusive classrooms and it reminded me of something. During an Inclusive Education course that I took this summer at the U of M I watched a video on Inclusive Pedagogy by Kristine Black-Hawkins. In this video, Black-Hawkins shares the key ideas she has been exploring in her research on Inclusive Pedagogy. She outlines what she calls a “fundamental shift in thinking,” in which teachers are moving away from a more traditional approach to inclusion that is individualized, towards a more inclusive pedagogical approach that starts with the class as a whole. In the more traditional approach a teacher would think of “most” of their class as being “okay” and having to do something “different” for “some” students who have special educational needs. In inclusive pedagogy a teacher starts with everybody; it is a way of approaching teaching and learning that extends what is available to everybody in the class, regardless of their special educational needs.
In today’s classrooms and schools there is a diverse range of students; everyone is different in one way or another, whether it be related to culture, language, ethnicity, poverty status, disability or another area. Providing all students with the same opportunities and including activities, resources and supports that allow all students to be successful and make progress is they key idea in an inclusive pedagogical approach.

  Inclusive pedagogy does not require teachers to reinvent the wheel or completely redesign the curriculum or their practice. Instead, they just have to change their way of thinking to focus on all learners rather than most and some. Providing students with choice, as well as a variety of resources and supports, will allow all students to reach their potential. I believe that these ideas apply to all classrooms, including the language classroom. It is a teacher's job to make learning accessible for all, so that all students can succeed. 
To learn more, check out Kristine Black-Hawkins' video on YouTube:

There are also two visuals that I have come across, one in a previous course and one from my own research, that I think represent the idea of fostering inclusion quite clearly. The first focuses on the idea that fair isn't always equal. What one person needs in order to succeed may be quite different from what another person needs, and that's okay. The second illustrates the idea of creating opportunities where everyone can succeed. It builds on the idea of "ramps for learning," both physically and metaphorically. See below:


 Picture retrieved from: http://www.chartnc.com/2015/08/fair-vs-equal.html

Picture retrieved from: http://learningnetwork.setbc.org/udlsd71/sample-page/




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