The Inclusive Class

An inclusive classroom welcomes students of all ability levels. There may be students with learning disabilities, students who are gifted and/or talented, students who work at grade level, and students who work below grade level in one class. How does a teacher not only provide instruction for such a wide variety of abilities, but also assess student growth and progress? Accessing Curriculum Teaching strategies such as Universal Design for Learning give teachers a way to deliver instruction to these various learners.   Methods of delivery such as differentiating curriculum , allow teachers to present the subject material in several different ways. The intent is to make concepts and content understandable for students who are auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learners. Assessing Students Who Work at Grade Level Students, who work at grade-level, are expected to learn pre-determined concepts and content through the course of the school year. These are general...

Students with cognitive disabilities deserve the same quality education as their peers. In an inclusive classroom, students with intellectual disabilities are not required to meet the grade-level standards. Instead, students with ID have their own set of achievable goals created for his or her specific needs (and indicated in the student's IEP). The state of Wisconsin has created a set of alternate achievement standards for students with intellectual disabilities that are aligned with the achievement standards for the Common Core curriculum. These corresponding standards provide opportunities for the students with ID to work with the same material as his or her peers yet reach ability-level goals.  The English Language Arts alternate achievement standards can be found here . The Math alternate achievement standards can be found here . There are also alternate standards available for Science here . 

My first teaching job was not what I had expected it to be. It was in a small, rural school with a student population of approximately 50. Our teaching staff of 2 included the intermediate teacher and myself. She instructed students who were in fourth to seventh grade while I was assigned to teach 26 students ranging from kindergarten to third grade. We had a handful of support staff and parent volunteers who helped with office tasks, the library, and recess supervision. Our principal and learning assistance teachers were based at another school, which happened to be 75 miles away. When weather permitted, they would visit once a week. Weather rarely permitted. Including All Learners in the Curriculum Over several months of trial and error, I eventually found a way to teach the wide range of abilities in the classroom. The premise was the same for every lesson. I would present a concept to the entire class; yet change the learning activities and outcomes depending on stu...

I first wrote this post in 2013. Since then, I have come across many more wonderful blogs about inclusion that are a great resource for teachers and families! So, I'm adding another 10 fantastic blogs to this list!! With school starting in just a few short weeks, teachers and parents are thinking about the new beginnings that each school year brings. We reflect on our student’s growth over the past year and look forward to what the future holds. For me, the new school year also means finding new resources for the classroom that I can use to spur on creativity, enthusiasm and learning throughout the coming months. I can easily spend hours in bookstores and online searching for information that will help guide my inclusive practice. Over the past couple of years, there have been many internet sites created to support inclusive education. While I am not going to be in a classroom this year, I have used my time instead, to search for resources for you . In particular, I have ...

I was thinking the other day about all the ways to include others. We can use modified material, assistive technology, paraprofessionals, and adaptive devices.  Teachers can use Individual Education Plans for guidance, and strategies for instruction. While all useful, and helpful and needed....there is a much simpler way of including.   How about we begin  with a simple invite? An invitation, when you think about it, is a powerful gesture. It can make someone feel welcome or excluded. It gives the choice to say "yes" or "no", because remember, not everyone wants to be included all the time. An invitation provides opportunity for new experiences. It can facilitate new friendships.  An invitation can open doors we never knew existed.

Anyone who is or knows a teacher also knows that summer vacation is a time for professional development. Whether it is attending workshops, reading about the latest teaching trends or finding new lesson ideas on Pinterest , teachers are using their summer vacation time to plan for the school year ahead. Here is a list of helpful resources  that teachers can read and use in the inclusive classroom: The Inclusion Tool Box: Strategies and Techniques for All Teachers Authors, Jennifer Kurth and Megan Gross, provide a comprehensive resource for inclusive education in this essential resource! Full of research-based strategies, tools, and practical advice on inclusive education. The Inclusion Tool Box  will expertly guide any teacher through the development, implementation, and expansion of an inclusive classroom. Topics include collaboration techniques, lesson planning for inclusion, grading, and ideas for behavior management. Checklists, templates and examples of sc...