Strategies for Inclusive Classroom

INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS Strategies to Adopt

Pranamita Ray

Model inclusive classroom for primary school students that enables better learning by creating a healthy and supportive learning space.

Guide: V Ravishankar

INDEX

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Primary school Elements in Primary School Universal Design for Learning Means of Representation, Engagement and Expression Barriers and Misconceptions What and Why of UDL? Their Stories Difficulty: Wheelchair bound Difficulty: Amputated Limb Difficulty: Dwarfism Difficulty: Myopia Difficulty: Fractured Limb Collective Solutions Perimeter Teacher Presence Seating Space for Collaboration Use of Colours Presence of Light Substraction Accessible and Ease of Movements

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PRIMARY SCHOOL The role of primary education is to ensure the broad-based development of children. This means ensuring that all children are able to develop their cognitive, social, emotional, cultural and physical skills to the best of their abilities, preparing them for their life ahead. Carrying out this task places demands on a school’s structure, administration, teachers and parents.

Inclusive education is when all students, regardless of any challenges they may have, are placed in age-appropriate general education classes so that they receive high quality instruction, interventions, and supports that enable them to meet success in the core curriculum.The school and classroom should operate on the premise that students with disabilities are asfundamentally competent as students without disabilities.

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Successful inclusive education happens through accepting, understanding, and attending to student differences and diversity, which can include the physical, cognitive, academic, social, and emotional.

ELEMENTS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS A PRIMARY SCHOOL HAS Classrooms Game and activity room Playground Hall Auditorium/amphitheatre Prayer hall Staff room

THINGS IN THE CLASSROOM Desks Chairs Blackboards Projectors Lockers Shelves Fans Lights Air conditioners Boards Cupboards

A STUDENT HAS Uniform School bag Books Notebooks Stationary Lunch box Water bottles

PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOL Students Teachers Staff Administration Security Heads Transport staff Parents Visitors

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UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework based on research in the learning sciences, including cognitive neuroscience, that guides the development of flexible learning environments that can accommodate individual learning differences.

UDL is an approach to minimizing barriers, maximizing learning. The goal is to create inclusive classrooms that understand the individual needs of the students(both with and without physical difficulties) and encourage learning using the strategies of UDL. Inclusive classroom is NOT special education classroom.

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Multiple means of

REPRESENTATION The WHAT of learning.

Content in multiple media Provide support Use graphics and animation Highlight critical features Activate background knowledge Support vocabulary

To give learners various means of aquiring knowledge.

Multiple means of

ENGAGEMENT The WHY of learning.

To tap learners interest, stimulate interests, challenge them appropriately .

Identify their interests Choices to fuel Allow to take risks and make mistakes Identify and try reducing barriers

Multiple means of

EXPRESSION The HOW of learning.

To provide learners alternatives to demonstrate or express what they know.

Plenty of options to showcase their understanding Feedback and support to help progress

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BARRIERS AND MISCONCEPTION AROUND UDL It takes too much time.

It’s too much to ask the teachers to do.

There is not enough resources for UDL methods.

UDL is just a passing trend.

UDL means that anything goes on in the classroom and focus shifted from academics.

Already differentiated some students. What is the need?

Won’t some students have unfair advantage?

Is it just a set of strategies?

Curriculum has already been set. Is there a real need for UDL?

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One size doesn’t fit all.

Hence, UDL is very much needed in classrooms today.

If one was to bring about universal changes in classrooms applying the principles of UDL for students in primary school, what aspects they should be looking at?

What strategic changes can be incorporated in order to create a healthy and supportive learning space for the students with and without disabilities?

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THEIR STORIES This is Anu. She is currently in class IV. Anu has been diagnosed with spina bifida since birth. She uses a wheelchair which helps her with mobility.

She loves to paint and watching Disney movies.

Krish is in class II. He has dwarfism.Krish might be the smallest in his classes, he however is the smartest and loved solving math problems.

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This is Ryan. He is studying in class V. Ryan had his right leg amputed after a fatal accident.He plans to 1 continue with his love for sports and join para athletics.

Ayan is studying in class IV. He loved reading novels and his favourite subject is English. He declares himself as the the biggest Harry Potter fan.

Tina is studying in class III. She loves a good adventure. She recently broke her ankle after a fall during climbing a tree. That however has not deterred her spirit.

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ANU Difficulty: WHEELCHAIR BOUND Missing ramps.

Absence of elevators.

Door width too small.

Desk height cannot be adjusted Lack of space for easy maneuver of wheelchair in the class.

Height of cupboards and shelves makes upper racks hard to reach.

Lack of supporting side-rails.

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Solutions : Sliding doors.

Adjustable desk height.

Round work tables.

Shelves and cupboards span horizontally.

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RYAN Difficulty: AMPUTATED LIMB Missing ramps.

Absence of elevators.

Door width too small.

Desk height cannot be adjusted Difficulty in movement.

Difficulty in sitting in tight spaces.

Requirement for support .

Difficulty climbing staircase.

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Solutions : Supporting side-rails.

Classrooms should not be elevated, and dias should have a ramp.

Open workspaces with lesser furniture for hindrance.

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KRISH Difficulty: DWARFISM Desk height cannot be adjusted.

Required support to move around.

Height of cupboards and shelves makes upper racks hard to reach.

Lack of space.

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Solutions : Adjustable desk height.

Round work tables.

Shelves and cupboards span horizontally.

Open workspaces with lesser furniture for hindrance.

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AYAN Difficulty: MYOPIA Greater distance from whiteboard and teaching area creates difficulty in perceiving and following the teacher.

Glossy teaching surfaces make them harder to perceive.

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Solutions : Better sitting arrangement.

Anti-reflective surfaces.

Larger, continuous windows to allow more natural lights.

Diffused overhead lights.

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TINA Difficulty: FRACTURED LEG Plastered leg, diffcult to fold.

Difficulty in movement.

Difficulty in sitting in tight spaces.

Requirement for support .

Difficulty climbing staircase.

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Solutions : Supporting side-rails.

Classrooms should not be elevated, and dias should have a ramp.

Open workspaces with lesser furniture for hindrance.

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PERIMETER The classroom door and window placement should be such that there is plenty of natural light and cross ventilation, without compromising on the interference of external disturbances.

Walls to be used for showcasing work of the children and to be made a part of the The classroom perimeter needs to be such that it can accommodate the following : 1. Art and crafts area 2. Space for collaboration.

3. Manipulative and interactive learning.

READING SPACE CLASSWORK SPACE

SENSORY AREA

BUFFER

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INTERACTIVE SPACE

TEACHER PRESENCE The class teachers footprint across the class floor should be the maximum. Teacher desk and chairs compel teachers to sit away from the students, thereby reducing interaction and individual attention.

The class seating, as suggested earlier, allows teacher to move across freely from one table to another, and cater to multiple students at once.

Instead of a particular seating spot, seating arrangements for adult can be laid across the space.

Shadow teacher For classroom having more than 20 children, a shadow teacher allows more students teacher interaction and better individual attention. A shadow can also cater to the needs to students with physical as well as learning difficulties.

Instead of a particular seating spot, seating arrangements for adult can be laid across the space.

READING SPACE CLASSWORK SPACE

SENSORY AREA

BUFFER

INTERACTIVE SPACE

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SEATING The classroom planning has been divided in four parts: Sensory Area : This area will cater to the creative side of the child encouraging one to engage in activities arts and crafts. This area covers around 20% of the floor space includes redesigned tables and chairs that can be arranged to occupy minimum space .Children can gather around these area to unleash their creative streak.

The Reading Area : Covering around 10% of the floor plan, this area has shelves containing reading materials and books , and serve as a classroom library. Also if a kid needs some personal space, this area will provide that.

Manipulatives and interactive area : This area, taking up another 20%, contains all the interactable materials for the kids , including puzzles, interactive floor mats and toys.

Classwork area : This covers 40% of the floor space and has been redesigned in a manner that allows maximum teacher-student interaction within that space. Round tables that can seat 4-5 students at a time instead of individual desks and chairs. The tables are of adjustable height, and can be used for floor sitting as well. The space should incorporate the needs of students with any physical difficulties.

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SENSORY AREA CLASSWORK SPACE READING SPACE

Individual chair table

INTERACTIVE SPACE

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6

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1

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5

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Interactive floor mats

Group work table

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SPACE FOR COLLABORATION Collaboration and group works developes team building skills, co-operative mentality, and communication skills.

The interactive area as well as the sensory area in the classroom allows children to gather around and interact. Elements in the sensory area will have colourful walls, textures and tactile elements, craft materials.

The interactive area will have manipulatives.

Manipulatives, are physical tools of teaching, engaging students visually and physically with objects such as coins, blocks,puzzles, markers, etc. The use of manipulatives allows students to engage in discovery during the learning process.

Interactive floor game mats not only create seating space, but acts as classroom play area.

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5 4

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2 1

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USE OF COLOURS The use of color can have a significant impact on emotion, which can ultimately influence an individual’s working and studying. The key to creating an environment conducive to learning in a classroom is to not over-stimulate learners.

Calming and neutral color on the walls. furniture can add a splash of color to an otherwise dull classroom. Since color is not used in large amounts on furniture, it does not have the same effect as bright colors on walls.

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PRESENCE OF LIGHT An effective classroom lighting scheme will make use of any natural light that is available, with the addition of artificial light where it is necessary.Natural light is shown to benefit the health, concentration and even test scores of pupils.Lighting is an important.

Furnitures and elements should have reflective surfaces so as to the child is able to work without shadows.Use of warm colours and pastels help make classrooms more spacious and well lit.

SUBTRACTION This is vital in saving floor area and maximizing the utilisation of the classroom space.

Instead of cupboards and cabinets, wall shelves saves area.

Lockers on the walls to save space for bags and books.

School bag. A child often carries the heavy school bag to and fro from school which poses a serious health risk. Worksheets instead of heavy books. Books if any, to be kept back in lockers allowing the bag to be less heavy.

Do away with individual chairs and tables. Round tables allow children to interact freely.

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ACCESSIBLE AND EASE OF MOVEMENTS The classroom should be at the same level of the school floor, with no threshold or staircase blocking the entrance.

The movable furnitures inside the classroom consists of only chairs and tables which have rounded edged and are placed solely in the specific area.

The furnitures come locking wheels,so that they can be easily moved to create more space or change arrangements if required.

Adjustable heights of desks enable students to adjust work desk height that meets their requirements.

More open spaces for ease of movements.

Walls with side rails or at specific areas to help students who might have any physical difficulties.

Easy to reach wall shelves and cabinets that are safe and fall proof.

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