Inclusion here is defined as the facilitation of learning through pedagogy which allows for the differences between all learners. It is based on an assumption that when we educate, we are aiming to assist learners to achieve to the best of their abilities. And without the methods of teaching acting as an impediment to learning.
As an example consider the different reading speeds of students in an average seminar room. If a lecturer asks the students to read a journal article in the first 5 minutes of the session then begins a discussion of the content you can be sure that some readers will not have finished the article before the discussion ensues. However, if the text is set as reading before the session, with specific instructions about what is expected of the students during the seminar, the students can will be allowed the opportunity to come to the seminar prepared, having read the article in advance in their own time and at their own pace. Many staff will teach in the way described in the second method but they would not realise that they are teaching in an inclusive way.
Try these three questions when assessing your own practice. In what ways, during my teaching, do I:
- Allow for differences between learners
- Assist learners to achieve to the best of their abilities
- Ensure that my teaching methods facilitate learning for all students