Unit 5

Portfolio Activity

Creating an Inclusive Lesson Plan

University of The People

Edu. 52711 (Teaching for Diverse and Inclusive Classrooms)

Dr. Matheta Righa

22nd December, 2023

 INTRODUCTION

Creating a lesson plan for an inclusive and diverse classroom has further taught me the essence of

a student-centred classroom, in applying my favoured philosophy, Progressivism.

This type lesson plan further strengthens individualized programs for students. It encourages the

active involvement of everyone in the class despite their obvious diversity. When all learners are

fully engaged in the lessons, it excites me as a teacher, it raises my enthusiasm to increase my

knowledge about the lesson planning process in many ways. When faced with new challenges, the

successes of previous inclusive plans spur my desire to tackle the new problem with positivity.

I use the British curriculum (The National curriculum in England, 2013) in my milieu, and the

curriculum’s framework stipulates the development of a rationale with a strong inclusion plan for

cultural, religious or social diversity.

This course has taught me how to improve on my rationale development on a topic and has helped

in my anticipatory set/focus for materials and resources needed to deliver the lesson.

STEPS TO CREATING AN INCLUSIVE LESSON PLAN LEARNT FROM THIS COURSE

As a teacher, creating a classroom lesson plan for a diverse and inclusive classroom can be a

rewarding and enlightening experience. It requires careful consideration of various factors to

ensure that all students, regardless of their backgrounds, abilities, and learning styles, have an

equal opportunity to engage with the material and achieve academic success.

Let us consider the following steps of developing a diverse and inclusive lesson plan and how it

can increase knowledge about an inclusive lesson planning process.

 Understanding Your Students' Diversity:

 The first step is to deliberately learn about each student' diverse backgrounds, learning styles,

and abilities. This may involve a wide range of involvement. It always starts with one-on-one

conversations with students, meeting their parents or guardians, and seeking help from the

school’s administration. Understanding your students' diverse needs will allow me to tailor my

lesson plan to accommodate their unique requirements.

 Set Clear Learning Objectives:

Learning objectives could follow the SMART acronym for achieving goals. They should be

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). By setting clear

objectives, I will be better equipped to create inclusive activities and assessments that can cater

to different learning levels and styles.

 Selecting Diverse and Inclusive Content:

In my plan, I will choose instructional materials, resources, and examples that reflect diversity

in culture, gender, race, ethnicity, and experiences. By including diverse perspectives, it will

help create an inclusive learning environment where all students can see themselves

represented and feel valued.

 Flexible Teaching Strategies

I will utilize various teaching strategies to accommodate diverse learning styles as exhibited by

each student. Some students may be visual learners, while others prefer auditory or kinaesthetic

approaches. Incorporate lectures, discussions, group work, multimedia, hands-on activities, and

more to engage all students effectively.

 Encourage Collaborative Learning

 Encourage students to work in groups, promoting collaboration and teamwork. This fosters

inclusivity and helps students develop essential social and communication skills.

 Use Differentiation Strategy for Assessment

I recognize that students learn at different paces; some may require additional support or

extension activities. Some may even need a more difficult material to meet up their potentials. I

will be prepared to offer individualized attention and supplementary materials to help all

students achieve their full potential. Develop assessment methods that align with the diverse

nature of the classroom. Assessment forms, such as written assignments, presentations,

projects, and quizzes will apply to different individuals.

 Continuous Reflection and Self Development:

Regularly reflect on the lesson plan's effectiveness in meeting the needs of all students. Be

open to feedback from students, colleagues, and parents to refine and improve your inclusive

teaching practices continually.

AREAS THAT NEED IMPROVEMENT IN PLANNING INCLUSIVELY

Despite been exposed to the British Curriculum and its planning style, there is a great room for

improvement.

 Materials used for experiential learning

There is a huge gap in this aspect in my milieu. Translating lesson plans into real life activities

is usually expensive. I need to plan around available resources and wok within the provided

budget.
 An Inclusive Discussion Topic

A class discussion that does not involve the interest of all the students may become boring

and counterproductive. I need to carefully learn to select topics that will be interesting to all

the students by seeking their opinions in the choice of discussion topics.

 Addressing Bias and Stereotypes:

I am aware of biases and stereotypes, and must start with myself to stop it. One major bias is

gender. Another one is favouring more intelligent students in creating content and choice of

assigning class responsibilities. Its stereotypical to think that there are some things only girls

can do, or only boys can do. It is also a biased situation when only a set of students are given

classroom responsibilities like captaincy of prefecture.

CONCLUSION

By creating a diverse and inclusive classroom lesson plan, I will better understand my student's

unique needs and learning preferences. Knowing that this arduous task lies mostly in my hands, I

will constantly make efforts to learn more skills and develop my inclusivity ideas.
Reference:

● Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher

Education, 53(2), 106-116. DOI: 10.1177/0022487102053002003.

●https://assts.publishing.service.gov.uk/

media.the.national.curriculum.in.england.framework.document.2013

● Westerveld, M. F., & Fairbairn, S. (2018). Critical Inclusive Pedagogy: Addressing Power

and Privilege in the College Classroom. Teaching Sociology, 46(2), 83–94. DOI:

10.1177/0092055X17751979.