My experience of working as a pupil teacher
in one of the private schools of North Delhi helped me develop a perspective regarding
the much hyped ‘Inclusive Education’. I taught Psychology at the senior
secondary level and social science at secondary level. The 9th
standard classroom was typically an inclusive one where students from diverse
geographical and linguistic backgrounds, and with hearing disability were
enrolled. On my first day of teaching practice, I was aghast to see the
insensitive and inconsiderate attitude of their peers towards them. The peers
used to call them names, bullied them, considered them as ‘different’ and
alienated them. This made me reflect upon the effectiveness of the inclusive
model. Does the inclusive model genuinely serve its purpose? Does it
incorporate the deeper concerns like recognizing the individuality of each
student and celebrating their diversity in addition to giving them a common
platform? This article purely depicts the ways I adopted to struggle with my trepidations
regarding inclusive education.
What is Inclusion?
Philosophically
speaking, inclusion is a paradigmatic shift from segregation through
mainstreaming and integration to inclusion. Inclusive education seeks to
address the needs of everyone, including children, youth and adults with a
special emphasis on those who are vulnerable to marginalization. It not only
means to include children with disability but also those with diverse abilities
and backgrounds like geographical location, language, socioeconomic status,
caste, gender, ethnicity, color etc. The major issue underlying inclusion is
the acceptance of diversity, and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing
and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within an
individual.
The
inclusive approach suggested by the Salamanca Statement
and Framework of Action (UNESCO, 1994), NCF (2005) and RTE (2009) ensures
the right to education for all, regardless of individual differences. There
is an effort to modify the teaching learning process in accordance with the
individual needs, their personal learning styles, and environmental
consequences of the learners in order to enrich their lives and draw out the
full potential of every individual. However, the problem lies in the gaping
chasm between the suggested measures and their implementation. Introducing
innovative methods in the classroom can not only bridge the gap but also
address the inadequacies of the conventional system of education. However, before
employing innovations, it is fundamental for the school and teachers to realize
that inclusion is not a compulsive burden which they have to abide by but the
right of every child.
Preparing teachers for Inclusion
“It is only when the mind
is free from the old that it meets everything anew, and in that there is joy.” ― Jiddu Krishnamurti
Teachers must psychologically
free themselves from the traditional ways of education which implied a one way
flow of information from the “know-it-all” teachers to the
“know-nothing-at-all” students, and make a shift towards an interactive
teaching learning process where the teacher and the learners collaboratively
construct knowledge. Inclusion is a challenge for the teachers as it demands
personalized pedagogical approaches in order to address the varying needs of
all the learners in a classroom. However, with innovative classroom
modifications, patience and sensitivity a teacher can successfully engage all
the leaners and give them a sense of meaningful existence in the classroom.
Sensitize the Peer Group: The peer group
must be sensitized about the varied needs as well as the strengths of their
classmates in order to develop an amiable and trustworthy relationship. They
must be aware about the facts and myths surrounding special needs in order to
develop empathy and compassionate thinking.
Create a Conducive Environment using Humor:
There is nothing more contagious than a humorous teacher. Using humor in
classroom not only fosters cordial relationship between the teacher and the
learners but it also helps the teacher to create a conducive environment for learning
and communication by reducing stress and relaxing the learners.
Altering the physical environment: Apart
from the psychological wellbeing, appropriate accommodations in the school
building and classroom for the children with physical disabilities and
manipulation of classroom environment for children with mental impairment is
very essential.
Innovative Practices in an Inclusive Classroom
Teachers are
making efforts to put the innovative practices to use in the classroom. They
recognize the potential of innovation in individualized instruction,
exploratory opportunities, collaborative learning, developing social skills,
individualized educational plans, and effective classroom management to include
all the students in an inclusive classroom. Incorporating innovative practices
is also contingent upon the attitudes, beliefs and experiences of the teachers
which in turn influence the decisions and actions regarding teaching progresses
and change.
Following are
some of the innovative practices that I adopted in my classroom:
·
Peer
Tutoring and Support: A peer (tutor) of the same status or higher provides
assistance to the other peer (tutee) who has difficulty in learning. Apart from
a rich educational experience to the tutor, it facilitates the experiences of
the school life and enhance a sense of community among the participants.
·
Cooperative
group learning: I designed appropriate group tasks and taught process
skills to deal with problems. This strategy created a positive interdependence
among the learners yet then remain individually accountable for their work.
Teacher may provide scaffolding where necessary.
·
Individualized
Education Program (IEP): It is an individualized adaptation of the
curriculum for the learner who is not able to cope with the regular curriculum.
After assessing the student in all the required areas, IEP is tailored
according to the educational goals that correspond to the specific needs of the
learner.
·
Learning
styles: Children learn in diverse ways i.e. visual, auditory, tactile and/or
kinesthetic, abstract conceptualization and/or concrete experience. Therefore,
it was a challenge to assess the learning styles of the learners and choose the
method which best fits each student’s learning style.
·
Make
appropriate use of Context: I included contextual examples in the classroom
to create an appreciation for diversity. For instance while teaching geography,
a student from a different geographical location was asked to describe the weather
and soil of his/her native place, thus fostering an acceptance of diversity.
·
Information
and Communication Technology (ICT): Incorporating multimedia in education
leads to better learning as students use multisensory modalities for receiving,
processing and retention of information. ICT creates an adaptable and effective
learning environment in an inclusive setup especially for learners with visual/hearing
impairment and learning disabilities.
·
Other
Strategies: Various other learning strategies were used including semantic
mapping, cognitive strategy instructions, storytelling/drama, discussion webs,
key word picture, alternative algorithm, scaffolding, analogy, acronym, music
etc.
It is essential
for the teacher to regularly assess the learners and provide explicit and
timely feedback. Informing learners about their progress helps them identify
areas of improvisation and enhance their performance.
Conclusion
The identity of
inclusive education would be reduced to paper if we as teachers don’t intervene
to end all forms of discrimination and foster social cohesion. We must realize
the crucial role we can play for the welfare and sustained improvement in the
quality of life of the children with special needs. Nothing gives more
satisfaction than nurturing your learners in a way where they develop
individual strengths and realize their maximum potential.
This is published in EducationMatters@ETMA in its September 2014 issue. You can also log on to www.etma-india.in for the e-magazine.
