How You Could Promote Inclusion, Equality and Diversity with Your Current/Future Learners

As a teacher it is important that no student is, or feels to be, excluded because of his or her race, religion, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability. Other factors to be aware of when ensuring inclusion of all the class are learning styles, learning speeds, the amount of knowledge a student may be starting the course with and personal financial restrictions. Gravells heading: “Entitlement, equality, inclusivity, diversity and differentiation.” I believe can be used as an all encompassing statement that all students are “entitled” to education and are “included” with “equality” and awareness of “diverse” demands of the needs and to be taught with any “differing” resources and styles necessary to attain the required knowledge. Race, ethnic origin and religion are issues that can often overlap and a teacher must be aware of different demands placed on individuals because of these and make allowances for things such as varying religious festivals and perhaps even attempt to include these and differing racial influences into class topics to encourage inclusion. Each disabled individual needs to be assessed to discover how they best feel that they can achieve full inclusion into the lesson and what special resources the student and teacher believe will best achieve this. Examples may be: Audio equipment for the hearing impaired, Braille or special typeface for the visually impaired or special classroom or seating arrangements for the physically disabled. Different teaching styles can be used to incorporate everyone into the lesson, perhaps by direct questioning of the less confident, taking care not to be negative with responses to incorrect answers. The teacher must also ensure that the learners are treating each other with respect and without harassment on any grounds. As with most issues, including questions on equality, students with financial restrictions or other personal problems can be referred to the on site mentors at the Academy.