Helpful Tips To Manage Inclusive Classroom

28th June 2021

The whole idea of inclusivity encompasses equal treatment. More than textbooks children learn from each other. Providing children with equal opportunity is relevant in society. This comprises of all students, irrespective of who they are and where they come from, their participation in learning is equally valued.  

While navigating an inclusive classroom, teachers must consider the cultural differences, developmental differences, learning differences, and socio-economic backgrounds of students. The benefits of inclusivity are enormous. Aside from enhancement in problem-solving skills, communication skills, inclusion in the classroom can enhance creativity, boost self-esteem and confidence.

Classroom management is inherently tricky. It is intrinsic to allow a collaborative approach to provide a healthy learning environment for diverse students. A teacher can include parents to gain detailed knowledge of each child. It allows a vivid understanding of student’s character, their strengths, and weakness. Team effort from teachers and parents can enhance successful inclusion.

Top 3 classroom management practices to encourage inclusivity –

Establish Consistency in Routine & Transition

An inclusive classroom caters to a broader spectrum of students. Sharing the space with such differences requires teachers to make the learning environment stable and predictable. Children feel comfortable when they know what to expect also, what is expected from them. Preparing the environment before sudden intervention will allow meaningful engagement and less stressed-out behavior.

Students with learning differences are more prone to get anxious with changes without intimation. Doing warm-up, using coolers after full-on physical activity, using material resources before providing direct instructions are a few easy ways to support a smooth transition.

Encourage Autonomy

Helping children to be independent does not imply students need to do it all. Classroom management can be practiced appropriately when the teacher is there to facilitate the learning process. Providing students with just enough support instead of getting too much involved marks fuller engagement.

Inclusive settings require student’s engagement through customized learning experiences. Depending upon the need of each student, teachers can build the lesson using multiple resources that addresses various difficulty levels. This way student’s success rate can be increased. It builds up the strength of each student and allows them to maximize their highest potential.

Promote Collaborative Interaction

Practicing healthy interaction in the classroom amplifies engagement, and cooperation through enjoyable activities. Frequent use of collaborative activity enables students with learning differences to share and explore their ideas, connect with each other in meaningful ways. Healthy bonds between students help to create a sense of community and thus, make them feel values and be appreciative of each other.

Collaboration completes a respectful learning environment. The more the interaction, the more chances there is to increases emotional quotient – where children develop patience and compassion for their peers.

Apart from these classroom management practices, inclusive classroom strategies must also need elaborative focus on behavior management. Whether your classroom consists of students coming from different cultural backgrounds or there are learning differences, handling a wider range of students requires flexibility, adaptively and spontaneity.
 

So, how to approach behavior management in an inclusive classroom?

• Ingrain the sense of belonging. When students are accepted and acknowledged for who they feel included in the group.
   
• Reinforce positive behavior. An inclusive classroom requires the teacher to encourage positive behaviors to set examples and keep students motivated.
   
• Display classroom rules & expectation. Use chart and artworks to attach the classroom rule. Also, stating clear expectations means letting them know which behaviors are encouraged and which are not tolerable.
   
• Create a positive learning environment. Maintaining a positive atmosphere within the classroom can be practiced through thoughtful seating arrangements, being nurturing towards them.
   
• Replace punishment with individual attention. When the matter of concern is individualistic, the teacher must speak to the student privately instead of exaggerating the situation in front of the entire class.

For teachers, accomplishing inclusion lies in addressing student’s needs alongside building technical knowledge. Helping them getting along with each other through mutual respect. The classroom is a place of first societal interaction. Experience of this dynamics gives them the bigger picture of society, what it looks like to be out in the world.

Surely, teachers' role is critical when it comes to inclusivity. Often time, it can be challenging to know which strategy to use or how much help does individual child needs. A healthy balance can be struck in providing latest teaching assistance through self-awareness, observation, technical planning, and modification down the road.

Written By : Angira Mitra