The five Rs of on inclusive classroom
By Debbie Hamilton-Bogues
Sharing Good Practice
Teaching in an inclusive classroom can be extremely exciting , but also very daunting for many experienced teachers . It can have an even stronger impact on new teachers . An inclusive classroom will have a wide range of abilities in the same class including students , who have been diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum , Down syndrome , ADD / ADHD and dyslexia , and even those with undocumented diagnoses who are in the class must be taught . The most common strand that runs through these disabilities is learning challenges . Here are the 5Rs that I have practised over the years , that have kept my classroom inclusive .
Repeat
The art of repeating is to ensure that instructions and questions are not missed . Whenever I start my lesson , I introduce the class to the learning objective on the board . In order to keep everyone engaged , I asked a number of students , ‘ What is the learning objective ?’ This is done two to three times , and the same goes for giving instructions . I would ask different students to tell the class as a whole or to do so in pairs . One student would pose the question and the other respond .
Rephrase
Since there is a wide range of abilities , I depend on rephrasing to solidify ideas and concepts . I simplify sophisticated vocabularies of expressions to allow all my students to clearly grasp the concepts and skills I need them to know . To ensure that nothing gets lost or misunderstood , I would say the same thing in different ways . In addition , I would ask a student to tell a partner to strengthen understanding and from there , take the feedback to the class again .
Rearrange
My classroom chairs do not remain in the same position for long . I create different learning groups : in pairs , in threes , according to abilities , mixed abilities , in genders , etc . These formations are not only for academic progress but also various social integrations . The supposedly weak students do not only support the strong ; but the strong learns from the weak . It ’ s an awesome sight and sound to experience this eclectic mix .
Class Time
Review
A teacher in an inclusive classroom needs to review the needs of each student , which should be held in mind or be written for easy access . Review teaching strategies to ensure each student is ; engaged in learning , making appropriate progress and being stretched . With the changing legislation and accommodations for students with SEN , a teacher in an inclusive classroom needs to keep abreast of the changes through the process of review .
Rewards
Everyone loves a treat and my inclusive classroom is no different . Recognise and reward is my mantra ! At the end of the each week , every student would have received a merit or a point for a good deed . Reward is not only given for academic prowess , but also to those who demonstrate altruism and for even incremental progress . Rewards motivate , and they also inspire and encourage students to do their very best .
| | Mar - Apr 2017 |
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