To reflect on our understanding of inclusive education

Aim

To reflect on our understanding of inclusive education and on our provision for some or all of the learners in the class.

Evidence and reflection

Think about a class that you are currently teaching and make notes in response to the following questions.

What kinds of classroom opportunities and experiences matter to the learners? (What do they want to be included in, or excluded from?)

How is inclusion assessed and recorded for the class? (For what purposes? Who are its audience?)

What is the relationship between the inclusion and exclusion of learners?

What is the relationship between the inclusion of learners and different kinds of special or additional support needs?

Is the inclusion of some learners in this class more (or less) highly valued than others? (If so, who? Why? By whom?)

How far is the inclusion of learners in the class influenced by factors that are:

• within individual learners?
• related to their peers?
• relate to you as their teacher and to other professionals?
• related to the school as an institution?
• within families and local communities?

Extension

Reflecting on your responses what might you do next? Do you need to find out more, perhaps by talking to learners, support staff or other teachers?

More in this chapter

• To reveal the interconnectedness between key categories of social difference
• To review the possible influence of common dimensions of inequality on our expectations of students
• To explore the concepts of cultural capital, emotional capital and social capital
• To explore issues related to sexual harassment
• To explore students' understanding of disability
• To explore students' understanding of family practices and roles
• To reflect on common forms of social differentiation and polarization
• To reflect on the quality and consequences of relationships between teacher and students
• To investigate assessment results, their use and implications
• To consider aspects of school life which disadvantage one gender group at the expense of the other
• To identify students who exhibit quiet, non-participatory behaviour during your lesson
• To explore students' perceptions of playground friendships
• To reflect on understandings of learner diversity
• To explore school policy and provision for learners identified as having special or additional needs
• To explore curriculum content, across all subjects, for issues of social inclusion
• To consider the arguments for single sex and mixed sex groupings
• To consider promoting positive images of various ethnic minority groups