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Inclusive Environment

Student Name

University of the People

EDUC 5710: Understanding Barriers to Learning

Instructor: Dr. Binger

November 18, 2020

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Learning Diversity in Chinese Classroom

Definition of Diversity Acceptance in Education

Diversity is any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups and people from one

another, empowering people by respecting and appreciating what makes them different, in terms

of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, education, and national origin

(Global Diversity Practice, n. d.). The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect,

which means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing individual

differences (Queensborough Community College, n. d.), and accepting and tolerating individual

differences based on race, ethnic, culture or otherwise.

Definition of An Inclusive Teaching Environment

An inclusive learning environment is a school or classroom where students of every

ability level receive teaching in the same place (Koenig, n. d.). It is based on learning and

educational systems that are open to all children, ensuring that all children can learn and

participate (K12 Academics, n. d.).

Characteristics of A Diverse and Inclusive Environment

According to K12 Academics (n.d.), there are some principles/characteristic of a diverse

and inclusive environment that teachers and educators need to keep in mind: 1) Every child has

an inherent right to education on basis of equality of opportunity; 2) No child is excluded from,

or discriminated within education on grounds of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or

other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, disability, birth, poverty or other status ; 3) All

children can learn and benefit from education; 4) Schools adapt to the needs of children, rather
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than children adapting to the needs of the school; 5) Children's views are listened to and taken

seriously; 6) Individual differences between children are a source of richness and diversity, and

not a problem; 7) The diversity of needs and pace of development of children are addressed

through a wide and flexible range of responses.

Environment Design Features

Diversity means more than just acknowledging and/or tolerating differences, based on

(not limited to) age, ethnicity, class, gender, physical abilities/qualities, race, sexual orientation,

as well as religious status, gender expression, educational background, geographical location,

income, marital status, parental status, and work experiences, it is a set of conscious practices,

involving: 1) Understanding and appreciating interdependence of humanity, cultures, and the

natural environment; 2) Practicing mutual respect for qualities and experiences that are different

from our own; 3) Understanding that diversity includes not only ways of being but also ways of

knowing; 4) Recognizing that personal, cultural and institutionalized discrimination creates and

sustains privileges for some while creating and sustaining disadvantages for others; 5)Building

alliances across differences so that we can work together to eradicate all forms of discrimination

(Queensborough Community College, n. d.).

List of Basic Teaching Elements/Features

7 Components of Inclusive & Equitable Learning Communities (West Linn-Wilsonville School

District, 2017)

No. Compo The Vision Guiding Questions

nents
Engage  Engagement strategies  Where is the locus of control over learning in the
1 ment connect to and build on classroom?
Strategi students’ academic
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es for background, life experiences,  What specific strategies and structures are in
All culture and language to support place to facilitate participation and
Student rigorous and culturally relevant meaning-making by all students? How are options
s learning. for engaging in differentiated?

 Engagement strategies  How does the teacher ensure that all students
encourage equitable and have access to participation in the work of the
purposeful student group? How is participation distributed?
participation and ensure that all
students have access to, and are  In what ways are issues of status and privilege
expected to participate in, addressed in engagement strategies?
learning.
 The physical arrangement of  How does the physical arrangement of the
the room is welcoming and classroom welcome students and promote positive
conducive to positive peer peer interactions?
interactions and student
learning.  How do elements of universal design contribute
to access for all students?
Effectiv  School staff works
e proactively to eliminate  How do students use physical space to maintain
2 Physica barriers to access (using a lens social-emotional and sensory regulation?
l of universal design).
Spaces  How is student voice evident in the physical
 Physical spaces help students arrangement of the classroom?
maintain social-emotional and
sensory regulation.  How do materials and resources reflect diverse
cultures and experiences?
 When students walk into the
classroom, they want to stay.
 Teachers have prepared in  What are the school-wide processes for
advance to identify collaboratively identifying common classroom
school-wide and classroom expectations – including student voice?
expectations for all students.
Teachin  How are students introduced to high quality
g  Students know common examples of expected classroom behavior?
Commo expectations through
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n models/examples of positive  How often and in what context do teachers
Expect classroom behavior. review common expectations throughout the year?
ations
 Common expectations are
taught at the beginning of the
year and reviewed throughout
the year.
Rituals,  Routines and rituals are  How and to what extent do the systems and
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Routine established to communicate routines of the classroom reflect values of

s& school/classroom values of
Recogn community, inclusivity and
ition equity.
 Routines and rituals
contribute to a stable,
predictable classroom
environment.
 Students are recognized for
positive contributions to the
school/classroom community.
 Teachers identify specific
social-emotional skills to teach
and have appropriate resources
for instruction.
 Social-emotional skills
(including self-awareness,
Teachin self-management, and
g social/relational awareness) are
Social- taught in explicit and implicit
5
Emotio ways.
nal
Skills  Students have opportunities
to generalize skills across
settings and with different peer
groups.
 Students recognize their
social-emotional strengths and
areas for additional learning.
 A pro-active culture of
community-building allows
restorative practices to be a
natural extension of the
Restora
classroom culture.
tive
6  What structures are in place to help students
Practic
 Responses to inappropriate or
es
disruptive behavior emphasize
acknowledging responsibility,
repairing harm and restoring
relationships rather than
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community, inclusivity, equity and accountability
for learning?
 How and to what extent do the systems and
routines of the classroom facilitate student
ownership and independence?
 What structures and systems are in place to
recognize students for positive contributions to the
school/classroom community?
 How do rituals, routines and recognition (in the
classroom and school-wide) provide opportunities
for student leadership and voice?
 How do the teacher and other school staff
partner to provide instruction in social-emotional
skills?
 How does the teacher create opportunities to
practice specific social-emotional skills within the
context of classroom tasks?
 To what degree are students able to talk about
their social-emotional needs and strengths in
different contexts and identify specific strategies
to match their current need?
 What structures and routines are in place to
create a positive and supportive classroom culture,
where students and teachers naturally engage in
constructive and restorative dialogue?
identify the harm they have done to the
school/class community?
 What structures are in place to provide
opportunities for repairing harm and restoring
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emphasizing consequences. relationships?

 Schools use structures and  How do students learn the skills to engage in
strategies that promote restorative dialogue?
restorative dialogue and build
empathy (e.g. peacemaking
circles, mediation,
conferencing).
 Teacher is a “warm  How does the teacher create opportunities for
demander,” holding high productive struggle?
standards while offering
emotional and instructional  How does the teacher communicate high
scaffolds to help each student, expectations for all students while providing
every student access classroom emotional and academic support?
curriculum.
Relatio  In what verbal and non-verbal ways does the
nships  Teacher uses culturally teacher express warmth?
with responsive teaching practices.
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High  How do students respond to feedback and
Expect  Teacher shows respect and challenge?
ations personal regard for each
student, every student.  How are students becoming more independent in
their learning?

 What structures in the environment and personal

invitations from teachers engage each student,
every student, in rigorous study, coursework,
co-curricular activities, etc?

Impact on Feelings and Attitudes of Students, Parents, Teachers, Community

Teaching and learning diversity make students feel safe and believe they belong to the class,
the group or the community.

Pictures of Actual Classroom Settings and Diversity Practices

Here are some ways in which inclusive educational practices build a school's capacity to educate all

learners effectively:

Differentiated instruction increases student engagement

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Academic supports help each student access the full curriculum.

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References

Global Diversity Practice. (n. d.) Diversity.

https://globaldiversitypractice.com/what-is-diversity-inclusion/

Queensborough Community College (n. d.). Definition for diversity.

https://www.qcc.cuny.edu/diversity/definition.html

Koenig, D. (n. d.). What is an inclusive learning environment?

https://classroom.synonym.com/inclusive-learning-environment-7305062.html

K12 Academics. (n. d.) Inclusion classroom.

https://www.k12academics.com/educational-philosophy/inclusion-classroom

West Linn-Wilsonville School District. (2017). 7 Components of Inclusive & Equitable Learning

Communities.

https://www.wlwv.k12.or.us/cms/lib/OR01001812/Centricity/Domain/43/7%20Components%

20of%20Inclusive%20and%20Equitable%20Learning%20Communities.pdf