Strategies for Inclusion

Inclusive Classroom Grouping Strategies:

Peer tutoring:
Student tutors another student to assist their SEN and to achieve academic goals.
Supplement to other methods- use to review and practice skills, not teach them.
Forms: More abled/less abled, Cross-age and Class-wide
How to: 1) Set clear goals and structure 2) Carefully select the reading material so that it is within the tutees level of
understanding. 3) Train the tutor in; Modelling, supporting correct answers and responding to errors/giving constructive
feedback 4) Demonstrate these skills to the tutors 5) Provide them with a summary of their task 6) Give session a limited
time period 7) Supervise the tutoring 8) Regularly assess the tutees progress 9) Recognise the tutor. (Mitchell 2014)
Cooperative learning
Working in small group to accomplish a shared goal
Groups of 2, 3 or 4.
Key features:
1. Positive interdependence: Student believes their success rests on the success of their group.
2. Promotive interaction: Involves students encouraging and facilitating each other's efforts.
3. Individual accountability: Each group member accepts responsibility for completion of their part of the task to contribute
to the groups goal. One way to ensure accountability is to assign each student a different role according to their strengths.
4. Group processing; What have we done well? What could we have done better? And what do we still need to do?
(Friend and Burscuk 2011).

Inclusive Classroom Management Strategies:

Classroom Climate
Strategies that promote acceptance of individual differences and diversity - e.g. Provide learning experiences that teach students to
respect and learn from each others similarities and differences
Strategies that promote friendship - e.g. Selecting activities that involve collaboration and cooperation rather than competition
(Soodak, 2003) (Salend, S. and Whittaker, C., 2012)

Behaviour Management
Positive Behavioural Support Approach
Based on the belief that problem behaviours are context-related and purposeful, and interventions should reflect an
understanding of and respect for the student. (Soodak, 2003)
Involves proactively modifying contexts and teaching students to use appropriate behaviours.
Usually begins with an analysis of the situation through a functional behavioural assessment which provides an understanding of
the student and the function of their behaviour so a plan for altering the environmental conditions can be developed.

Physical Organisation
Designate specific areas in the room for specific activities
Reduce potential distractions
Ensure easy access to resources
Arrange workspaces to facilitate flexible grouping and differentiated instruction
Select desks and chairs that offer maximum flexibility in use and placement (Mitchell, 2014)

Instructional Materials
Simplify the language use short sentences, substitute difficult terms with simple terms;
Pre-teach any important new vocabulary;
Create step by step instructions to be given to students or displayed on a whiteboard;
Present information in small blocks of text rather than dense paragraphs;
Use bullet points and lists rather than paragraphs;
Improve legibility of print and layout: if necessary, enlarge the size of print;
Highlight important information by using underlining or printing the words in bold type or colour.

Instructional Methods
Explicit instruction;
Re-teach concepts or information using simpler language and more examples;
Pitch questions at different levels of difficulty so all students can contribute and experience success;
Try different tactics to gain and maintain the interest of poorly motivated or distractible students;
Provide corrective feedback and descriptive praise;
Provide more assistance or less assistance to individual students depending on their needs;
Extra practice may be provided for some students, often via differentiated homework assignments;
Extension work may be set for the most able students, requiring independent study, investigation and application.

Relevant references:
Archer, A. L., & Hughes, C. A. (2011). Explicit instruction: Effective and efficient teaching. New York: Guilford Press.
Ashman, A., & Elkins, J. (Eds.). (2011). Education for inclusion and diversity (4th ed.). New York: Prentice Hall.
Friend, M., & Bursuck, W. (2011). Including students with special needs: A practical guide for classroom teachers (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Foreman, P., & Arthur-Kelly, M.
(Eds). (2014). Inclusion in action (4th
ed). Sydney: Harcourt Brace.
Soodak, L. C. (2003) Classroom Management in Inclusive Settings. Theory Into Practice, 42(4), 327-333. http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4204_10
Saland, S. and Whittaker, C. (2012). Inclusive education: best practices in the United States. In K. Topping & C. Boyle (Ed.), What Works in Inclusion? (pp. 81-97). Maidenhead,
Berkshire: McGraw-Hill Education
Mitchell, D. 2014. What Really Works in Special and Inclusive Education (2nd ed.). Abingdon, OX: Routledge. Retrieved from http://www.eblib.com
Westwood, P. S. (1997). Commonsense methods for children with special needs: Strategies for the regular classroom (3rd ed.). New York;London;: Routledge.

By: Bronte Hunt, Elizabeth Le Breton, Scarlett Yakovina