Inclusivity and social justice
The needs of every student are important. Students in Australian classrooms have multiple, diverse, and changing needs that are shaped by individual learning histories and abilities as well as cultural, language backgrounds and socio-economic factors.
Good teaching practice values and includes the understandings and knowledge of all groups.
In the planning of curriculum and learning activities, teachers must be inclusive of all groups of students, irrespective of the educational setting, by providing them with a wide range of knowledge, skills and values. This means recognising the different starting points, learning rates and previous learning experiences of students as well as their cultural differences. Ensuring that there is provision of a balanced curriculum for all students includes identifying the learning needs of individuals and groups as part of the process of classroom planning.
Individuals and groups that could require varied delivery of teaching and learning programs include:
- students for whom English is a second language or dialect (ESL/ESD)
- students with disabilities
- students with learning difficulties
- gifted and talented students.
Teaching and learning adjustments that promote learning, participation or curriculum access may include:
- differences in the level of complexity of instructional materials or tasks
- alternative means of presentation or response to activities or assessments
- adapted content or expectations in class activities
- acceleration, which may be across the curriculum or single-subject acceleration
- flexible groupings within the class
- encouragement/explicit teaching of critical and creative thinking
- individual research
- enrichment and extension activities
- specialist support, such as visiting teachers or master classes
The teaching and learning activities within this resource provide opportunities for students to increase their understanding and appreciation of supportive environments, equity and diversity. Included are activities that encourage students to:
- understand that sexual health is a significant health concern for young people and the broader community
- acknowledge that diversity of sexual orientation exists within the community
- challenge heterosexist, homophobic and transphobic attitudes that marginalise sexually diverse groups, as well as leading to physical and emotional harassment of some young people. These attitudes do not only marginalize sexually diverse people but everyone, as they determine how we can and can't act based on rigid gender roles.
- For example: In response to a child saying that gay and lesbian people are disgusting, you can say: ‘Men and women have always fallen in love. Sometimes they fall in love with a man, sometimes a woman. It is wrong to say that someone is disgusting. It hurts their feelings and can make them very sad.’
- In response to a child criticising another child for breaking the unwritten rules about how gender should behave, you can say: ‘There are no rules at this school about what girls or boys are allowed to like. But we do have a rule that says both boys and girls can play soccer, play with dolls or like pink without getting a hard time.’
It is important for students to be given clear feedback about discriminatory language but
care should be taken to do it in such a way as to not inhibit their engagement with learning (Adapted from Catching On Early, Education Victoria)
