Inclusive education strategies refer to any number of teaching approaches that address the needs of students with a variety of backgrounds, learning modalities, and abilities. These strategies contribute to an overall inclusive learning environment where students feel equally valued (Cornell University, 2020). As an educator building a classroom community where all students feel a sense of belonging is an area, most educators focus on the first few weeks of school.

To create an inclusive classroom, the teacher must create an inclusive environment.

• When talking with students during class, communicate beginning the first day that students are with you the expectations for an environment that is supportive, respectful, and one that promotes diversity and fairness.
• Set and enforce ground rules for respectful interaction in the classroom, such as guidelines for contributing ideas and questions and for responding respectfully to the ideas and questions of others. If a student's conduct could be silencing or denigrating to others (intentionally or not), remind the entire class of the classroom rules, and if necessary talk with students individually outside of class about the potential effects of their conduct. Also, remind them that silence is confirmation. Therefore, it is important to take action to try to improve the learning environment of everyone (Washington University, 2016).
• Communicate high standards for student learning and achievement in your course and express confidence that every student can achieve these standards. Including trusted support within the course that will assist students to achieve standards is important. Examples of such are connecting students to course-specific resources - help sessions, peer mentors, and study guides (Washington University, 2016). Research shows that students respond better when they feel that their teacher has faith in their abilities and is not focusing on their abilities.
• Create a supportive peer culture both inside and outside the classroom. This is when you empower learners to respect and trust each other, making empathy and caring ‘fashionable’ and reinforcing positive and pro-social attitudes by encouraging learners to help each other.
• Plan learning which includes participation from everyone and encourages success. You can do this by creating an environment that is personalized to students’ needs and by talking about learning that focuses on what students can do and what they would like to do next. This can be done through tutorials, Individual Learning Plans (ILPs), and short and long term goal setting by the learner so that they feel they have ownership of their learning. If you provide students with opportunities to tell you what is working and what needs attention, you will have a better idea of where to focus.
• Take a "community" approach to learning and teaching. Inclusive values are developed through a student’s lived experience and their exposure to other cultures and world-views. Bring your community into the classroom and take your classroom out to the community.

Creating an inclusive environment will not only help those students with learning differences – but it will also support those students that don’t have a learning difference by making them more aware, tolerant, and understanding of each other. The inclusive environment when done correctly makes a better learning environment for all and teaches/ reteaches the fundamentals principles that we should be into practice daily.

References:

Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., & Lovett, M.C. (2010). How learning works: Seven research-based principles for smart teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.

Banaji, M. R., & Greenwald, A. G. (2013). Blindspot: Hidden biases of good people. Delacorte Press.

Chesler, M. A. Perceptions of faculty behavior by students of color. University of Michigan. Center for Research on Learning and Teaching. Occasional Papers, 7. www.crlt.umich.edu/sites/default/files/resource_files/CRLT_no7.pdf

Cornell University. (n.d.) Inclusive Teaching Strategies. Retrieved from https://teaching.cornell.edu/teaching-resources/building-inclusive-classrooms/inclusive-teaching-strategies

Dweck. C. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. NY: Ballantine.

Good, C., Aronson, J., & Inzlicht, M. (2003). Improving adolescents’ standardized test performance: An intervention to reduce the effects of stereotype threat. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 24(6), 645-662.

Kardia, D. and M. Wright. Instructor identity: The impact of gender and race on faculty experiences with teaching. University of Michigan. Center for Research on Learning and Teaching. Occasional Papers, 19. www.crlt.umich.edu/sites/default/files/resource_files/CRLT_no19.pdf

Lin, S. Y., & Day Scherz, S. (2014). Challenges facing Asian international graduate students in the US: Pedagogical considerations in higher education. Journal of International Students, 4(1).

A new guide on increasing inclusivity in the classroom. Vanderbilt University. Center for Teaching. cft.vanderbilt.edu/2014/11/a-new-guide-on-increasing-inclusivity-in-the-classroom/

Perception Institute. (2014). The science of equality, volume 1: Addressing implicit bias, racial anxiety and stereotype threat in education and health care. perception.org/uncategorized/perception-institute-releases-the-science-of-equality/Project Implicit. Harvard University.

Schmalz, J. (2015). ‘Ask me’: What LGBTQ students want their professors to know. Chronicle of Higher Education. http://chronicle.com/article/Ask-Me-What-LGBTQ-Students/232797

Steele, C. (2010). Whistling Vivaldi: How stereotypes affect us and what we can do. New York: Norton.

Warren, L. (2002). Class in the classroom.

Washington University. (2016). Strategies for Inclusive Teaching: Promoting inclusion, reducing, stereotype threat, and fostering a growth mindset. Retrieved from https://teachingcenter.wustl.edu/resources/inclusive-teaching-learning/strategies-for-inclusive-teaching/