You are here
Being an inclusive teacher
Resources to embrace diversity in your classroom
Inclusive teaching starts with understanding the diverse needs of your pupils and using a range of strategies to support every learner. Whether you're just starting out or looking to strengthen your approach, these free resources offer practical tips to help you create a more inclusive and engaging classroom.
What do teachers need to know about neurodiversity?
"Different studies indicate that in the UK approximately between 15–20% of people are neurodivergent. The rest of the population is classed as neurotypical. Now think how these figures may equate to your class, and what the impact will be for you as a teacher." (Alix, 2023)
This chapter from Sarah Alix’s The Neurodiversity Handbook for Trainee Teachers explores what neurodiversity means, why embracing it can make a difference in your classroom, and how to best support your neurodivergent students.
How can teachers support SEND pupils?
It can be tricky to differentiate the role of the SENCo, Class Teacher and their responsibilities.
Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of the pupils in their class, including where pupils access support from teaching assistants or specialist staff. Include examples of this within your lesson planning.
• The class teacher should remain responsible for working with the child on a daily basis, even when interventions involve group or one-to-one teaching away from the main class or subject teacher. Include examples of how feedback from interventions inform your lesson planning.
• The class teacher should work closely with any teaching assistants or specialist staff involved, to plan and assess the impact of support and interventions and how they can be linked to classroom teaching. Include examples of this within your lesson planning.
• Working with the SENCo, the class teacher should revise the support in light of the pupil’s progress and development, deciding on any changes to the support and outcomes in consultation with the parent and pupil. Include examples of this in your weekly mentor meetings.
Continue reading about your responsibilities when teaching children with Special Educational Needs and Difficulties.
*This is an extract from The Primary SEND Handbook for Trainee Teachers by Sarah Alix.
What does DEI mean for teaching practice?
✓ Terms and principles of diversity, equity and inclusion
✓ Examples of inclusive teaching practice
✓ Print it for your classroom or refer to it on the go
Download your DEI concepts poster from Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Teaching by Maude & Davis.
Teaching pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL)
There is a great deal of evidence to show that, if pupils have a sense of belonging and of being valued in their classrooms, their attitudes to learning will be much more positive and this will help their achievements to improve. On the other hand, pupils can very quickly gain the sense – even if it is unintended – that their languages are not welcome and must be kept hidden from the teacher. This can have a negative effect on their learning, as the following example shows:
Five-year-old Rukshana began school speaking no English. Punjabi was the language of her home. Twenty years later, when she was training to be a teacher, she wrote about the way she felt as a child when, as a new child in the class, the teacher did not allow her to use Punjabi when assessing her knowledge of colours. This is part of what she wrote:
The teacher left me staring blankly at the other pupils. Every one of them was doing something: playing, reading, working or talking in English, I sat back and felt sorry for myself. The teacher was probably thinking, ‘just another incident with an Asian child who does not know colours’, this was a day I felt so many emotions inside me. Feelings that I had never experienced before. I did not want to be myself.
Multilingual and EAL learners need to feel that their home languages are recognised and valued in the classroom in order to feel that they themselves belong. To do this is often not difficult, and it does not involve complex changes to the curriculum or classroom practice. Actions that may seem very small can make pupils feel recognised and valued and that they belong in the classroom:
- Learning greetings or doing the register in different languages
- Choosing a story with a particular setting or theme
- Making your classroom a safe space to speak their additional language and make mistakes
- Being encouraging of multilingual learners
*This is an adapted extract from Conteh, The EAL Teaching Book.
5 steps for a more inclusive curriculum
From history as a vehicle for change to understanding DEI, explore hand-picked extracts to help you on your journey to decolonise the curriculum and nurture diversity in your classroom.