Dtlls 402

DTLLS Assignment Units 402 and 411


Delivering Lifelong Learning and Planning to Meet the Needs of Learners



































1.1

Before looking at methods that can promote inclusive teaching and learning, it is important to define what is meant by ‘inclusive’ in an educational context. Gravells (2011) defines inclusion as involving all learners, treating them equally and fairly, without directly or indirectly excluding anyone. The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘inclusive learning’ as ‘a process of increasing the presence, participation and achievement of all learners in educational settings'. Hockings (2010) describes the inclusive learning process as the ways in which pedagogy, curricula and assessment are designed and delivered to engage students in learning that is meaningful, relevant and accessible to all. It embraces a view of the individual and individual differences as the source of diversity that can enrich the lives and learning of others.

Inclusive teaching and learning can therefore be described as adopting a philosophy and utilising methodologies that are focused on learners as individuals. It is about making sure that teaching is inclusive for each learner depending on their requirements and their needs. Today’s educational establishments have evolved over the years with extensive theories and studies that identify the link between learning and the barriers that can prevent it. Wilson (2009) identifies inclusion as ‘finding opportunities to integrate all learners’ and inclusive as ‘not excluding any individual or group of learners’.

In my teaching practice, there needs to be a strong emphasis on the recognition that not everyone is the same and students may have their own individual ways of learning. In doing this, it is important to understand that the way individuals learn can be influenced by many factors including background, past experiences of learning and personal approaches to...