TEACHER TRAINING MODULE

ON INCLUSIVE PEDAGOGY

May 2018

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 CONTENT PAGE

S. No Unit Title Page Number

1. Introduction to Inclusive Education 4 - 12
2. Understanding Learning Approaches 13 - 20
3. Classroom for All 21 - 33
4. Partnering with Parents and SMCs 34 - 36

Annexes

S. No Title Page Number

A Indicators for School for All and Teachers 38 - 39
B Websites on Inclusive Education 40 - 41
C List of teaching Learning material 42

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Background

Children learn in many different ways. The learning level of each child is shaped by his or her
interests, experiences, prior knowledge and exposure to various stimuli and the child’s response
to them. Pedagogy and pedagogical approaches worldwide are witnessing a paradigm shift. The
conventional modes of teaching are gradually being replaced by innovative methods, wherein
creativity, communication, child friendly teaching and child centered learning occupy a
significant place.

This approach is also mandated by the Right to Education Act (2009), which focuses on making
the child free from fear, anxiety and trauma and learning through activities, discovery and
exploration. Embedded within this new approach are also the beliefs that children construct their
own knowledge and children need to be encouraged to reflect upon and apply their learning. For
this teachers need to understand, create and give spaces to children so that learning becomes
joyful and fun for them, rather than a burden. This is the inclusive approach to education. The
inclusive approach to education refers to ensuring that all children, despite their differences,
receive the opportunity of being a part of the same classroom as other children of their age; and
in the process get the opportunity of learning the curriculum to their optimal potential. In other
words, inclusive and responsive education implies that when children with different learning
styles and needs study together. Teachers and the school administrators try to address the unique
learning needs, interests, and style of every student through the teaching process. The module
would be developed against this backdrop.

A large number of children with different linguist, cultural. ethnic and socio economic backgrounds
are now enrolled in schools. This has made classrooms more diverse. Hence, it is imperative that the
regular teachers are adequately equipped with knowledge and skills to facilitate learning of all children
in an inclusive classroom. Thus, this teacher training module is developed with an inclusive approach.

Duration of the course

3 – 7 days

Objectives

The key objectives of the module would be to:

• Develop the competencies of teachers so that they can teach with an inclusive approach
• Help the teacher develop effective classroom management skills.
• Orient teacher to various learning approaches and styles that s/he can encounter in a
classroom
• Train the teacher to develop inclusive lesson plans
• Expose the teacher to inclusive and continuous evaluation techniques
• Sensitise the teachers on the role of parents and School Management Committees (SMCs)
• Apprise the teacher on Teaching Learning Material (TLM).

Medium of Instruction

The module would be developed in English. The module could also be translated.

Module Transaction

The module would be transacted through lecture, simulation activities, group work, etc to make it
interactive and participatory

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 UNIT – 1: Introduction to Inclusive Education

(to be transacted through lecture, simulation activities, field visits to inclusive

schools, resource rooms)

Preparing and training a teacher is the first step in making inclusive classrooms a
success.

Definition

Inclusion of children with special needs in the education system is an integral part of human
rights and equity issue. Inclusive education means that all students attend and are welcomed by
their neighbourhood schools in age-appropriate, regular classes and are supported to learn,
contribute and participate in all aspects of the life of the school. Inclusive education is about how
schools, classrooms, programs and activities are designed and developed so that all students
learn and participate together.

Through inclusion, all children are able to take part in all aspects of school life. Diversity is
respected and upheld. Inclusive education fosters the belief that all children are lifelong learners.
The abilities, and talents of all students are recognized and affirmed and their learning needs are
addressed. Inclusive education nurtures effective teamwork and constructive relationships that
identify and support the inclusion of all students. It uses innovative and flexible practices that
respond to the needs of all students. As each child brings unique and diverse experiences, needs,
and strengths to their learning, education systems need to be flexible and responsive to this
diversity.

Policy Framework

The Kothari Commission (1964-66) undertook a comprehensive review of the entire

educational system and recommended a common school system of public education. It also
recommended the concept of neighbourhood schools. It stressed that “The present social
segregation in schools should be eliminated by the adoption of the neighbourhood school
concept at the lower primary stage under which all children in the neighbourhood will be
required to attend the school in the locality.”

The first National Policy on Education (NPE of 1986) that came into force in the year 1968
stressed the need to make efforts for the fulfillment of the Directive Principle under Article 45 of
the Constitution. In addition, it emphasized equalization of educational opportunities for
promoting social cohesion and national integration. It was especially concerned with the
education of girls and development of education among the backward classes and tribal people.
Also, the vision for education of children with disabilities was articulated as:

“Educational facilities for the physically and mentally handicapped children should be expanded
and attempts should be made to develop integrated programmes enabling the handicapped
children to study in regular schools.”

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2006 (ratified by
India) in its article 24 mentions that education shall be without discrimination and on the
basis of equal opportunity and the government shall ensure an inclusive education system
at all levels. This concept of inclusive education has been incorporated into various international
and national declarations and policies and Acts.

The National Curriculum Framework (NCF, 2005): As per NCF, “Children with disability
often confront insensitive environments where their needs are completely ignored. Schools must
be conscious of the importance of creating equitable classroom environments in which students
are not subjected to unfair treatment and denied opportunities on the basis of their sex or
membership of a caste, tribe or minority group. On the other hand, the culture of the school must
be one that highlights the students, identities as ‘learners’ and creates an environment that
enhances the potential and interests of each child. Children with disabilities may need assistance
or more time to complete their assigned task. Thus, while planning teachers must pay special
attention to ensuring the participation of all.”

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With the historic Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009
which provides a justifiable legal framework that entitles all children between the ages of 6-14
years to free education with reasonable quality based on principles of equity and non-
discrimination and completion of 8 years of schooling. Here all includes ALL children from
disadvantaged groups including those with disabilities also. The entitlements for All children
under the RTE Act include free text books, free uniforms, free mid day meal, no screening, no
detention, no expulsion and no corporal punishment.

Equity, to mean not only equal opportunity, but also creation of conditions in which the
disadvantaged sections of the society – children of SC, ST, Muslim minority, landless
agricultural workers and children with special needs, etc. – can avail of the opportunity
(Bordia Committee Report RTE – SSA 2011).

The Government has enacted the Right to Persons With Disabilities (RPWD) Act in 2016. To
provide inclusive education, the Act mandates the appropriate Governments and local bodies to
admit children with disabilities without discrimination and provide education and opportunities
for sports and recreation activities equally with others. It emphasizes participation, progress in
terms of attainment levels and completion of education in respect of every student with
disability. The Act specifically mentions provision of reasonable accommodations and necessary
support individualized or otherwise in environments that maximize academic and social
development consistent with the goal of full inclusion.

Defining Inclusion

Inclusion is seen as a process of addressing and responding to the diversity of needs of all
learners through increasing participation in learning, cultures and communities, and reducing
exclusion within and from education. Inclusive education involves accommodating and making
adaptations for varying needs.

Inclusive education is a team work and a responsibility that is shared by the whole school. It is
not the integration of disabled children from where they are to a ‘regular’ school but providing
more options for all children and structuring schools where all children can learn including
disabled children. All children experience difficulty in learning at some stage or the other and
therefore their learning needs should be supported by teachers and peers where ever they are in
their respective communities.

CASE STUDY

A school called “Ujala” has been running in the outskirts of Delhi since 1960. It is from Classes I-XII. In
1986, the school Principal introduced activity based child-centered learning into the school. She invited
all teachers in M School to attend a four-day workshop led by an educator with years of experience in this
kind of teaching and learning. The workshop was participatory and activity-based. The focus was on
improving teaching and learning in the classroom. Many of the teachers were excited about the active
learning. They began to make creative materials and to try new ways of teaching in their classrooms. The
Principal encouraged teachers to observe and share their ideas with each other. This sharing of ideas
fostered creativity and increased teachers’ confidence. They began to give workshops for each other.
They visited other schools to learn new things, and they invited teachers from all over to visit their school.
As part of its mission, one objective of the School is to show that all children can study well together. In
the 1990s, the school began to admit children with autism, Down’s syndrome, hearing impairments,
hyperactivity, and learning disabilities into the school. Before the children began to enrol, teachers again
received special training in techniques and strategies to use in their classrooms. They have seen and they
believe that in this inclusive, learning-friendly environment, all children—everyone—benefits. The
Principal knew that everyone needed time to change from old to new practices.Now every three to five
years the school writes a new charter that focuses on school priorities for student learning. The school
takes a collaborative, team approach to the change process: “everyone participates; everyone is a learner.”

After reading this case study, what steps of change did the School take to become more inclusive and
learning-friendly? List some of the major ones below, and then share your answers with your colleagues.

1. __________________________________________________________________________________
2.__________________________________________________________________________________
3.___________________________________________________________________________________

Reflection Activity: What’s Our Situation?

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Now, recall a positive change in your classroom, school, or community. List the steps or important
elements that you or others took to achieve this change.

1. __________________________________________________________________________________
2.__________________________________________________________________________________
3.___________________________________________________________________________________

Inclusion: Philosophy

Inclusion means structuring school as community, where all children can learn. It is about
membership and belonging to a community. It is a way to reach all children. It is a philosophy
aimed to improve the quality of education for all children in a classroom. But there’s no recipe
for becoming an inclusive teacher or an inclusive school. It’s not any mechanised format.
Inclusion is just good teaching practices that also endeavour to meet needs of children with
challenges.

Principles of Inclusion

• Inclusion operates on the principle that all students start by being placed in regular education
classrooms, which should be made least restrictive.
• Students with special challenges do show improvement in cognitive and social development
and physical motor skills. But they improve only when regular classroom’s environment is
adjusted to meet their needs.
• All school personnel should display shared responsibility and support for all students.
• All school staff has the potential capacity to work within a collaborative framework to meet
the unique needs of all individual students when given the necessary staff development and
supportive services.
• The rights and needs of all children involved must be considered in determining how and
when to include children with disabilities in general classroom programmes.
• Needed supportive services should be provided in resource room based on a individual need.
• A pre-condition to implementing inclusion initiatives is that staff are prepared.
• Each student should have the opportunity to experience meaningful challenges, exercise
choice and responsibility, interact collaboratively with others, and be actively engaged in
developmental, academic non-academic, inter and intrapersonal activities as part of the
educational process.
• Implementation of these principles depends upon continuous community support, broad
planning, training and evaluation.
• A substantial commitment is needed in school administrators (and local agencies as a whole)
towards staff development. Inclusion implies that all children are the responsibility of all the
staff.
• An adapted school environment (barrier free access to all parts of school, signages, signs in
Braille, etc) is needed to suit the needs of every child with disability.

In India, no operational definition of Inclusion is not

inclusive education has evolved yet.
One can, however, say that “Inclusive • Focusing on an individual or small group of pupils for whom the
education means all learners, young curriculum is adapted, different work is devised or support
people—with or without disabilities assistance are provided;
• About how to assimilate individual pupils with identified special
being able to learn together in regular
educational needs into existing forms of schooling.
pre-school provisions, schools and
community educational settings with Inclusion
appropriate network of support
services.” An inclusive class may have • A process (rather than a state), by which a school attempts to
amongst others, children who are respond to all pupils as individuals;
• Emphasizes the reconstructing of curriculum provision in order to
disabled or gifted, street or working reach out to all pupils as individuals;
children, children from remote or • Emphasizes overall school effectiveness;
nomadic populations, children • Is of relevance to all phases and types of schools, possibly
belonging to religious, linguistic including special schools, since within any educational provision
minorities or children from scheduled teachers face groups of students with diverse needs and are required
tribes, scheduled castes or other to respond to this diversity.
backward classes. The National
Curriculum Framework (2005) clearly gives significance to child centered pedagogy that can

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meet the range of challenges confronting the inclusive school system. The benefits of inclusive
education are given below:

Benefits of Inclusive Education

1. Acceptance of Differences
2. Friendship
3. Learning from peers
4. Sensitisation and Awareness

In order to include students with special needs in schools it essential to earn acceptance and
respect from their teachers peers, for which sensitising them is necessary. Awareness games and
simulation activities help over misconceptions surrounding or relating to students and their
special needs. Some samples are presented which can be replicated in schools to overcome
ignorance and misconceptions about disabilities.

All children may be enrolled in school, but some children still may be excluded from
participating and learning in the classroom. For instance, they may be children:

• for whom a lesson or textbook is not written in their first language;

• who are never asked to contribute;
• who never offer to contribute;
• who can’t see the blackboard or a textbook or can’t hear the teacher;
• or who are not learning well and no attempt is made to help them.

These children may be sitting at the back of the classroom and may soon leave altogether (drop
out). As teachers, we are responsible for creating a learning environment where ALL children
can learn, ALL children want to learn, and ALL children feel included in our classrooms and
schools. Other benefits of inclusion to children, teachers, parents and communities are
given below.

Children
• All children are enriched
• Promotes positive attitudes
• Prepares all children, especially those from disadvantaged groups for independent living and
increases self-confidence/esteem
• Potential is realized

Teachers
• Professional skills are developed
• Change agent and establish rapport with all children
• Peer sensitization
• Views each child as an opportunity to grow

Parents
• Aware of the rights
• Become aware of the services available
• Become better equipped to deal with their children

Communities
• Develop a sense of pride as more children go to school and learn.
• Become more involved in the school, thus creating better relations between the school and
the community.
Group activity
1. All children in school, learning together
2. Schools are for everyone
3. Appropriate support services
4. No discrimination
5. Valuing diversity

Divide into small groups and explain each of the above aspects of defining inclusion?

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 Learner Friendly Environment

Another feature of an inclusive classroom is that it is learner friendly. A “learning-friendly”

environment is “child-friendly” and “teacher friendly.” It stresses the importance of students and
teachers learning together as a learning community. It places children at the centre of learning
and encourages their active participation in learning. It also fulfils our needs and interests as
teachers, so that we want to, and are capable of, giving children the best education possible.
Which classroom below do you think is inclusive and learning-friendly?

Classroom A

Forty children are sitting on wooden benches behind desks with their exercise books open and
their pens in their hands. The teacher is copying a story on the chalkboard from the Grade 3
textbook, making sure that she writes it exactly as it is written in the textbook. The boys, who are
sitting on the right side of the room, copy what the teacher has written into their exercise books.
The girls, who are sitting on the left side of the room, wait for the teacher to move so that they
can see what she has written and copy it into their exercise books. As she writes, the teacher
asks, “Are you copying the story that I am writing?” Everyone answers “Yes teacher.”

Classroom B

Two groups of children are sitting on the floor in two circles. Both groups contain girls and boys.
The Grade 3 teacher is teaching shapes to the children. In one group, the children are talking
about circles. The teacher has shown them some common round objects that she had asked the
children to bring from home. The children handle the objects and then work together to make a
list of other objects that are circular in shape. In the other group, some of the children are holding
rolled up newspapers that look like long sticks. The teacher calls a number, and the child with
that number places his/ her stick on the floor in the centre to begin forming a square. One child
with hearing difficulties adds her stick to form a triangle and smiles at the teacher. The teacher
smiles back at her and says “very good,” making sure that the child can see her lips as she
speaks. A parent, who has volunteered to be a classroom helper for a week, pats her on the arm,
and then turns to assist a student who is confused about where to place his / her stick in order to
form a new shape.

Now, answer the following questions: Which one of these classrooms do you believe is inclusive
and learning-friendly? In what ways is it inclusive and learning-friendly? Brainstorm your list
below.

1.____________________________________________________________________________
2.____________________________________________________________________________
3.____________________________________________________________________________
4.____________________________________________________________________________
5.____________________________________________________________________________
Compare your list with a colleague’s. What items on your lists are the same? What items are
different? You may have many different answers.

Features of an Inclusive Classroom

Group Activity

Participants to divide into small groups and discuss as to how classrooms can be made
inclusive? Each group to give specific characteristics of inclusive classrooms.

Characteristics of an Inclusive, Learning-Friendly Classroom

Traditional Classroom Inclusive, Learning-Friendly Classroom

Relationship Distant (the teacher addresses Friendly and warm. The teacher sits next to and
students with her back towards smiles at the child with a hearing impairment. The
them) parent-helper praises this child and assists other
children.
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Who is in the classroom? The teacher as well as students The teacher, students with a wide range of
with quite similar abilities backgrounds and abilities, and others such the
parent-helper
Seating Arrangement Identical seating arrangements in Different seating arrangements, such as girls
every classroom (all children and boys sitting together on the floor in two
seated at desks in rows; girls on circles or sitting together at tables
one side of the room, boys on the
other)
Learning materials Textbook, exercise book, Variety of materials for all subjects such as math
chalkboard for teacher materials made from newspapers, or posters and
puppets for language class
Resources The teacher is interacting with The teacher plans a day in advance for the class.
children without using any She involves the children in bringing learning aids
additional teaching materials. to the class, and these aids do not cost anything
Evaluation Standard written examinations Authentic assessment; Observations; Samples of
children’s work over time such as portfolios

FILL IN THE EMPTY CIRCLES

Teachers in Inclusive Schools

Research worldwide has mentioned the following characteristics of effective teachers:

• Strongly engage students within academically focused, teacher-directed classrooms, using

sequenced, structured materials.
• Focus on academic matters using activities with goals that are clear to students.
• Allocate sufficient time for instruction.
• Frequently monitor student performance and check student work.
• Plan lessons and questions to obtain many correct responses from students.
• Offer immediate feedback to students on academic tasks.

Teachers who work successfully in inclusive classrooms also possess the following
characteristics:

• Positive attitude towards mainstreaming and integration. Teacher must believe that
children can benefit from being in an inclusive child friendly learning environment. Such
teachers welcome diversity among the children in their classes and help their students learn
to appreciate the contributions that each child has. The teachers are willing to be flexible and
modify their instruction to meet unique needs of students so that they can succeed in the
regular class.
• The ability to collaborate with resource teachers and parents as a team: Children with
special needs require the support and collaborative efforts of regular and special educators.
Effective classroom teachers are also effective team members. They know how to work with
others.
• Personal characteristics: Teachers who work well with children are fair, firm, warm, and
responsive, have patience and a sense of humor, and are able to establish a rapport with
pupils. Rapport refers to a harmonious relationship between the teacher and the child, a
feature of paramount importance. When a strong rapport exists between teacher and pupil,
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 learning often occurs despite inappropriate techniques or materials, or other shortcomings.
Effective teachers provide structure and expectations for students that students realize are fair
and just. Effective teachers know that learning may take a long time and requires many
repetitions, but they have the patience to wait as the child learns.

A simple checklist for inclusive schools and teachers is given at Annex- A and list of useful
websites in IE is given at Annex- B.

Understanding Inclusion through Activities

This section will deal with simple activities for teachers and children related to inclusion of
children with diverse needs. The advantages of doing these activities are that it helps children
and teachers to empathise with the challenges faced by some children in regular classroom. This
exposure helps them in being more sensitive to the needs and requirements of these children.

Simulation Exercises for Sensitizing the General Teachers

The simulation and the other activities included in this Unit should actually be carried out
in the training programme.

• Ask them to wear different types of low vision simulation glasses and walk in the street to
understand the difficulties faced by low vision children viz., central vision, pipe vision, dull
vision, peripheral vision – top / bottom /side peripheral vision.
• Blind fold the teachers to undergo the experiences of a blind child – asking them to find out
the value of currency notes, operating mobile, move around and explore things, etc.
• Make teachers to sit on the wheel chair for almost ½ a day - attending the training sessions,
move around, have lunch sitting on the wheel chair, etc.
• Ask them to fold their one leg and tie it up and asked them to walk with the help of walker.
• Tie both the legs together and ask them to walk with the help of crutches.
• Ask them to wear calliper and ask them to sit on the floor.
• Ask them to plug their ears with thick cotton and ask their friends to do conversation with
them by signs/gestures without speech.

Sensitization of Children

The following ways can be adopted for sensitization of children:

• Age appropriate simulation exercises

• Street plays.
• Children’s meet
• Showing short films on disability
• Discussion in small groups
• Interaction with children with special needs
• Role of children in achieving effective inclusion
• Open discussion and
• Inclusive games

Understanding Communication Problems

Difficulty in communication means that a person is not able to express himself / herself through
speech or make his/her speech understood. This can be caused by many different disabilities or
injuries. Some people with difficulty speaking may use sign language, gestures or small pictures
they carry with them.

Activity 1 - Different Words

If you have students in your class who speak a different language, have them stand in front of the
class and say one sentence in their language. Have the class try to guess what was said.

If you have more than one student who speaks the same foreign language, have them carry on a
short conversation. Then have the class try to decide what was said.

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Discuss how it feels to not be able to understand something. How quickly did the class give up?
What are some other ways they could have tried to communicate? How is this similar to those
people who can talk but are hard to understand? Write a simple sentence on a piece of paper, for
example, “The cat sat on a hot tin roof.” Show this sentence to 1 student. The student must let the
rest of the class know the sentence without writing, speaking or using any letters of the alphabet.
Discuss: Was it difficult to communicate using this method? What would have helped? How to
communicate with someone who can’t talk back? How to help them communicate? If you want to
give more students a chance to try this activity, here are some suggested sentences:

• I feel funny
• I want water
• My foot hurts
• I want mid day meal
• I am not too well
• I want to play.

Understanding Children with Intellectual Challenges

Activity 1: Difficulty Understanding

Have 2 students sit back to back. Give one student a paper with an abstract shape on it
Without seeing each other, he/she must explain to the other student how to draw the shape.

Give the second student a pencil and piece of paper. He/she must draw the shape following
the first student’s directions.

What were the problems? What would have helped?

The above activities will sensitise the teachers towards understanding the needs of children with
various special educational needs, which will help them to deal with them more effectively in an
inclusive classroom.

Simple Adaptations for an Inclusive Classroom

The easiest way to make curriculum accessible to all children is by:

• Assessing needs, abilities and strengths

• Making individual need-based changes in the curriculum
• Using activities in the classroom,
• Doing need based evaluation methods and
• Involving the child in the process of learning
• Structuring lessons.
An inclusive classroom is a diverse and multi level classroom. The task of the teacher is to
strategies that help all children learn. Today’s teachers employ inclusion principles throughout
their day. They have learned to structure their lessons and differentiate materials so that all
students can access age-appropriate material. This universal design of instruction allows teachers
to consider the variety of ways in which information can be presented to reach all learners. In
these ways, the inclusive classroom helps all students achieve regardless of their learning
differences. In any classroom, a teacher uses the key principles of teaching of size of the content,
time, input, output, difficulty level, participation, level of support and alternate goals. These have
been described in a later section on Classroom for All.

Group Work- Do you think that inclusive schools are effective? If yes, why?

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 Learning From Experience: Including Children with Disabilities

We have discovered that children are much more human and more honest than adults. During the
last four years, they have not asked such questions as, “What is the matter with my friend?” or
“Why is he behaving like this?” We have not had a case of a child unwilling to play. When a
friend with disabilities has to be given a mark, there is absolute silence in the classroom, and
after his answer, there is applause. Everyone is sharing the happiness of success. Friends do not
differ in anything. They go together to the swimming pool, on excursions, parties, and birthdays.
But I can quite freely say that in the classes where there are no children with disabilities, the
children behave differently. Sometimes children with disabilities are laughed at, pushed aside,
and stared at by others. Fortunately, there is an immediate reaction from the pupils from the
classes where there are such children, and they defend their friends. Moreover, it is very
important that all parents accept the children. At the beginning of the first grade when parents
notice a child with a disability, most of them keep their distance, with such remarks as, “Why
should my child sit next to such a pupil?” or “He will disturb my child during classes.”
Fortunately, these reactions last for only a month or two. When the parents realize that their
children have accepted such friends, they begin to help them as well. They help them get
dressed, pack their bags, and take them home. The parents of the other children want me to hold
a parental meeting where I will explain what kind of disability is in question. I can conclude
freely that within a short period of time both the children and parents adjust, the class functions
perfectly, and the children with disabilities become the most loved ones in the class.
“Including Children with Disabilities, an interview with Katica Dukovska Muratovska.”
http://www.unicef.org/teachers/forum/0100.htm

Hence, it can be seen that inclusive schooling is often thought of as the inclusion of all students,
regardless of ability, into the same schools and classrooms with peers who are not considered to
have disabilities. Inclusive schooling, however, extends far beyond mere physical proximity to
providing students and adults the support required to belong and achieve in classroom and school
communities. Inclusion is both a process for and outcome of understanding, acceptance, and
valuing of differences among today's school children and youth. It is potentially both a process
and an outcome for achieving social justice and equity in our society.

Through this Unit we have learnt that:

• All children should be in school, learning together

• Schools are for everyone
• Appropriate support services should be provided to those needing them
• No discrimination is one of the key pillars of inclusion
• Diversity is to be valued.

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 UNIT – 2: Understanding Learning Approaches

(to be transacted through lecture, demonstrations, case studies, using checklist

on learning styles)

Children will learn by doing activities and hence activity based learning is given emphasis in
classrooms.

Different Approaches to Learning

There are different approaches to learning especially for children with special needs following
are important.

• Multisensory approach
• Behavioural approach
• Multiple intelligence approach

Multisensory Approach

The multi-sensory method is based on the premise that some children learn best when content is
presented in several modalities. Frequently, kinaesthetic (movement), tactile (touch) and smell
stimulation are used along with the visual and auditory modalities. In this approach, the child
sees, feels, says and hears the content. The multi-sensory programs that feature tracing, hearing,
writing and seeing are often referred to as VAKT (visual-auditory-kinaesthetic-tactile). To
increase tactile and kinaesthetic stimulation, embossed letters, finger paint, sand trays raised
letters and sunken letters are used.

Group Activity

Participants to divide into small groups and give examples of as to how multi- sensory
approach is used in their classrooms.

Behavioural Approach

The behavioural approach involves the following. Elements of an Inclusive Classroom

• Show, demonstrate and model

1. Provide reinforcement in terms of rewards or
• Avoid distractible surroundings
encouragement to achieve the task • Children need to do a task many times before
2. Minimise negative reinforcement they can master it
3. provide prompting to achieve the task which • Practice on newer tasks in the beginning should
can be verbal/gesture be for shorter periods of time.
4. Break down tasks into small segments • Make information as concrete as possible
5. Start from known to unknown concepts • Provide small group instruction
6. Model, demonstrate, and explain each step in a • Read test materials to the student
procedure or new task • Use consistent vocabulary when teaching a new
7. Include as much extra practice and review as skill
needed for mastery to occur • All students should be encouraged and given
8. Incorporate structure and predictable routine time to work collaboratively
into lessons • Give students a chance to share and justify their
9. Generalization or application of the taught thinking in different ways
10. Use monitoring and feedback as lesson • Talk while teaching. This helps the children in
progresses rather than waiting until conclusion understanding.
• Give a lot of praise to children so that they are
encouraged to put in further efforts.
The teacher can make use of the above principles
with all children in an inclusive classroom.

Multiple Intelligence Approach

All children possess a set of intelligences - not just one type and level of intelligence. Schools
and teachers have the view that a child is either intelligent or not, and moreover that the
'intelligent' children are 'good' and the 'unintelligent' children are 'bad'. Worse still many children

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grow up being told that they are not intelligent and are therefore not of great worth. The fact is
that we are all intelligent in different ways.

Schools should be encouraged to think beyond IQ and the 3 R's.

Equal attention should be given to children who show gifts in the other intelligences: the artists,
architects, musicians, naturalists, designers, dancers, etc. who enrich the world in which we live.
Unfortunately, many children who have these gifts don’t receive much reinforcement for them in
school. Many of these children, in fact, end up being labeled or simply underachievers, when
their unique ways of thinking and learning aren’t addressed by a heavily linguistic or logical-
mathematical classroom.

Linguistic

Verbal-linguistic intelligence has to do with words, spoken or written. People with verbal-
linguistic intelligence display a facility with words and languages. They are typically good at
reading, writing, telling stories, and memorizing words and dates. They tend to learn best by
reading, taking notes, and listening to lectures, and via discussion and debate. They are also
frequently skilled at explaining, teaching, and oration or persuasive speaking.

Logical-mathematical

This area has to do with logic and numbers. This intelligence naturally excel in mathematics,
chess, computer programming. And more reasoning capabilities, abstract pattern recognition,
scientific thinking and investigation, and the ability to perform complex calculations.

Spatial

This area has to do with vision and spatial judgment. People with strong visual-spatial
intelligence are typically very good at visualizing and mentally manipulating objects. They have
a strong visual memory and are often artistically inclined. Those with visual-spatial intelligence
also generally have a very good sense of direction and may also have very good hand-eye
coordination.

Bodily-Kinesthetic

This area has to do with movement and doing. In this category, people are generally adept at
physical activities such as sports or dance and often prefer activities which utilize movement.
They may enjoy acting or performing, and in general they are good at building and making
things. Those with strong bodily-kinesthetic intelligence seem to use what might be termed
muscle memory; i.e., they remember things through their body, rather than through words
(verbal memory) or images (visual memory).

Musical

This area has to do with rhythm, music, and hearing. Those who have a high level of musical-
rhythmic intelligence display greater sensitivity to sounds, rhythms, tones, and music. They
normally have good pitch and may even have absolute pitch, and are able to sing, play musical
instruments, and compose music.

Naturalistic

This area has to do with nature, nurturing, and classification. This is the newest of the
intelligences. Those with it are said to have greater sensitivity to nature and their place within it,
the ability to nurture and grow things, and greater ease in caring for, taming, and interacting with
animals. They are also good at recognizing and classifying different species.

Interpersonal

This area has to do with interaction with others. People in this category are usually extroverts
and are characterized by their sensitivity to others' moods, feelings, temperaments, and
motivations and their ability to cooperate in order to work as part of a group. They communicate
effectively and empathize easily with others.

14
Intrapersonal

This area has to do with introspective and self-reflective capacities. Those who are strongest in
this intelligence are typically introverts and prefer to work alone. They are usually highly self-
aware and capable of understanding their own emotions, goals, and motivations. There is often a
high level of perfectionism associated with this intelligence.

Using Multiple Intelligence Approach in an Inclusive Classroom

To use this approach, the classroom is physically restructured to create 7 centers, and each centre
should be labeled. This approach uses a whole new kind of lesson planning, one that approaches
the teaching of any topic in seven different ways. The following example will explain this.

Teaching PLANET EARTH using multiple intelligences to Class IVth children (30-35
children):

A portion of each school day, approximately 1.40 hrs (20minutes in each centre) is devoted to
the students working in the centers. The students move in groups of three or four through all
seven centers spending about twenty minutes at each one. For example, while studying a unit on
Planet Earth, the seven centers provided activities to help the students learn about the structure of
the earth.

In the building center, the students actually constructed a three layer replica of the earth with
three colors of clay to represent the core, the mantle and the crust. They sliced their clay earths in
half for a cross-section view. In the math center, each group worked with geometric concepts
of concentric circles, radius, diameter, etc. At the reading center, the students read a story called
"The Magic School Bus" that depicted a group of school children exploring the inside of the
earth. The music center provided a listening/spelling activity. The students listened to music
while studying spelling words such as earth, crust, mantle and core. The art center involved
cutting out concentric circles of different sizes and colors, pasting and labeling them to identify
the different zones. The working together (interpersonal) center had a cooperative learning
activity where the students had to read a fact sheet on the earth and jointly answer questions. The
personal work (intrapersonal) center involved a fantasy writing activity on the subject:
"Things you would take with you on a journey

At the end of the 2 -1/2 hours spent at the center every one of the students knows the structure of
the earth, and perhaps even more importantly, learns the concept artistically, mathematically,
musically, linguistically, kinesthetically, interpersonally and independently. The teacher’s role
becomes that of a facilitator of learning.

Group Activity

Participants to divide into small groups and give examples of how they would use the
multiple intelligence approach in their classrooms picking up real lessons from text books.

Effective Teaching Techniques

As a teacher, what teaching techniques you use in your classroom? Can we list them?

Some techniques that are useful to be used inside the classroom are as follows:

Task Analysis: The teacher can choose a learning task appropriate for the child to master and
the terminal objective should be stated in behavioural terms. The terminal goal is broken down
into incremental steps arranged in order of complexity, with each item being a pre-requisite for
the subsequent one until the terminal goal is reached. For example, a problem requiring 2-digital
additions may involve (I) concept of `greater’ and `smaller’, (ii) concept of unit and tenth places,
(iii) carry over from the tenth place, if required , (iv) retaining appropriate number at the tenth
place after carry over and (v) the actual writing of the sum in the appropriate place.

Structured Lesson Presentations: Children learn more when lessons are clearly presented, well
sequenced and well organised. Explanations should be concise and clearly understood with the
key concepts highlighted. Content and pacing should vary according to each child’s unique
15
abilities and weaknesses. Children achieve better when the teacher explains “what we will do
today” and summaries at the end.

Organized Equipment and Materials: The teacher must organize the equipment and materials
needed before starting a lesson. The teacher should also ensure that the equipment and materials
are relevant and easy to understand to the students.

Co-operative Learning: Co-operative learning is a method of effectively using student groups

in a classroom. The primary elements involved in this technique are: positive interdependence; or
the feeling that individual goal attainment relies on the performance of all group members,
individual accountability, face to face interaction with peers, use of pro-social skills and group
processing of a given academic task. Co-operative learning is an instructional arrangement in
which small groups or teams of students work together to achieve team success in a manner that
promotes student responsibility for their own learning as well as the learning of others. For
example, four students can be placed in a group of whom one is high achiever, two are average
achievers and one is low achiever. The studies have shown that it is not only the low achievers
benefit from co-operative learning, but the high achievers also show significant gains.

Cooperative learning has been suggested as a technique for aiding in the mainstreaming of mild
to severely handicapped students. Students identified as learning disabled often lack the social
skills necessary for positive peer interaction. Co-operative learning provides an arena for
observation of peers and the development of pro-social skills, as well as helping all students
improve academically.

Peer Teaching: Peer tutoring is also known as peer teaching and child-to-child learning. In this
method children who finish their work first will help her/his friends to complete the task. So
children will learn to help each other either in one-to-one or in small groups. This technique
helps the teacher to meet the individual needs of children in regular classrooms.

It also promotes a co-operative learning, rather than a competitive approach to learning. In

experience, child-to-child teaching is more effective than adult-to-child teaching. It helps to
build mutual respect and understanding between the children who works together. Children will
get benefit to a greater extent when they assigned responsibilities in the classroom.

Children also develop the following skills through peer teaching:

• Listening
• Expressing clearly
• Turn taking
• Supporting and helping those who might need help in learning.

Multi Level Instruction

Teacher needs to plan ways of including all children in the same learning activity. In multi level
instruction, the teacher plans one general lesson for the class and makes provision for including
individual learning styles and needs with the lesson. In multi level instruction the teacher is
aware of needs and learning styles of all students, as well as course content and a variety of
teaching strategies to teach the content.

Using Examples

Learning becomes easier when the new information is connected with known things. Giving
examples, from immediate environment or past experience enhances understanding. While
giving examples, use pictures/real objects or write the word on the board. In this way teachers
can provide opportunities for concrete learning.

Activity-oriented Approach

In activity-oriented approach textbook reading and vocabulary demands are reduced and
student-centered exploration are emphasized. Activities could be designed to provide the
students with an integrated understanding of the lesson. Lesson can be introduced and taught
through play activities. In this method, children learn through discovery and active participation
is ensured.
16
Arranging Field Trips/Visits

Field trips provide hands on experience which contribute to proper concept development.
Relying on reading and speech reading in the class may tire students and information and
knowledge may not be received at the optimum level. Field trips and visits arranged with well-
defined learning objectives can many times overcome the loss of learning experiences which are
forced by the absence of the senses. At the same time the learning of the students should not be
completely dependent on the first hand experience. They should be empowered to comprehend
things which they have never experienced. Moreover, if these visits are not well supported by the
language learning experience then it is of less use.

Use of Teaching Aids

Several concepts taught in the class may not be understood easily, therefore, it is essential to use
additional teaching aids, which may provide the needed support in learning and concept
development. Overhead projectors (OHP) can be used effectively. Teachers can write material
that can be seen by all students while the teacher is facing the class. Preparing additional
teaching aids should not be considered as a burden. In fact, these teaching aids enable even the
non-disabled students to have enriching learning experience.

Summing up at the end of Class

Start the class with outline of the lesson or present the critical information of the lesson. End the
lesson by summing up the content with key points or flow charts and connect to future learning.
Recapitulation is the biggest aid in learning. If the summary is in written form, it goes a long way
in helping the children learn the concepts better.

What are the various learning needs that you as a teacher encounter in your classroom? All
children learn in different ways. Have you ever tried to explore these? Let’s spend a few
minutes on this.

Children learn in different ways and at different phases therefore it becomes important for the
teacher to understand and be sensitive to the needs of every child. Every child has his/her own
potential for learning, therefore how to make the child learn depends on the opportunities and
learning environment developed. Some children are visual learners, whereas others are auditory
learners. Still others may require information to be presented in multiple modalities.

Universal Design of Learning

UDL provides a blueprint (outline) for creating flexible goals, methods, materials, and
assessments that accommodate learner differences. However, Universal" does not imply a single
optimal solution for everyone. Instead, it is multiple approaches to meet the needs of diverse
learners. Universal Design first appeared in education in the design of school buildings;
however, creative educators quickly realized that these principles could also be applied to the
design of curriculum and to classroom pedagogy. It wass realized that this could be applied to all
children.

The principles of UDL are as follows:

• Accessibility
• Flexibility in use, participation, and presentation.
• Consistency
• Supportive learning environment.
• Ensuring a learning space that accommodates both students and instructional methods.

UDL embraces the concept of improved access for everyone and applies it to curriculum
materials and teaching methods. The 3 important tenets of UDL are multiple methods of
presentation; multiple options for participation and multiple means of expression.

Examples of multiple methods of presentation

17
 • Content could be presented using multiple media, such as oral lectures, textbooks, charts
or diagrams, audio tapes, and videos.
• The same content could be changed from one medium to another, such as oral output for
students with reading difficulties or pictures and illustrations for students who need a
visual image.
• Materials would have adjustable presentation characteristics — changeable font style and
size, highlighting of main concepts

Examples of multiple methods of participation

• Students would choose their preferred method of learning new material. One child might
learn vocabulary by playing a game in a race against the clock; another might create
stories or even artwork to incorporate the new words.
• Content would be tailored to match kids' interests. For example, math principles could be
taught using topics ranging from hockey to horses.
• Materials would provide extra support where students need it. For reading practice,
independent readers could read silently from a book. Students needing more support
might read computer-based stories where they could click on a troublesome word to hear
it pronounced or have the entire text read aloud.

Examples of multiple methods of expression

• Assignments would be accepted in various formats. A student who finds written

expression difficult might show his knowledge orally; another might turn in a report,
write a play, or develop a project to demonstrate learning.
• “Paper and pencil" exercises could become "computer and printer" exercises for students
who are slowed down by the physical effort of writing, or for any student who prefers
using a keyboard.

Individual Activity: The trainer to give the following checklist to each participant to fill:

Choose the answer which best explains your preference. You can even select more than one
response.

1. You are about to give directions to a person who is standing with you. She is staying
in a hotel in town and wants to visit your house later. She has a rental car. Would
you?

a. Draw a map on paper

b. Tell her the directions
c. Write down the directions (without a map)
d. Collect her from the hotel in your car.

2. You are not sure whether a word should be spelled ‘dependent’ or ‘dependant’. Do
you:

c. Look it up in the dictionary

a. See the word in your mind and choose by the way it looks
b. Sound it out in your mind
d. Write both versions down on paper and choose one.

3. You have just received a copy of your itinerary for a world trip. This is of interest
to a friend. Would you:

b. Phone her immediately and tell about it

c. Send her a copy of the printed itinerary
a. Show her on a map of the world
d. Share what you plan to do at each place you visit.

4. You are going to cook something as a special treat for your family. Do you:

d. Cook something familiar without the need for instructions

a. Thumb through the cookbook looking for ideas from the pictures

18
c. Refer to a specific cookbook where there is a good recipe.

5. A group of tourists have been assigned to you to find about wildlife reserve or
parks. Would you:

d. Drive them to a wildlife reserve or park

a. Show them slides and photographs
c. Give them pamphlets or a book on wildlife reserves or parks
b. Give them a talk on wildlife reserves or parks.

6. You are about to purchase a new stereo. Other than price, what would most
influence your decision?

b. The salesperson telling you what you want to know

c. Reading the details about it
d. Playing with the controls and listening to it
a. It looks really smart and fashionable.

7. Recall a time in your life when you learned how to do something like playing a new
board game. Try to avoid choosing a very physical skill, e.g. riding a bike. How did
you learn best? By:

a. Visual clues – pictures, diagrams, charts

c. Written instructions
b. Listening to somebody explaining it
d. Doing it or trying it.

8. You have an eye problem. Would you prefer that the doctor:

b. Tell you what is wrong

a. Show you a diagram of what is wrong
d. Use a model to show you what is wrong.

9. You are about to learn to use a new programme on a computer. Would you:

d. Sit down at the keyboard and begin to experiment with the programme’s features
c. Read the manual which comes with the programme
b. Telephone a friend and ask questions about it.

10. You are staying in a hotel and have a rental car. You would like to visit friends
whose address/location you do not know. Would you like them to:

a. Draw you a map on paper

b. Tell you the directions
c. Write down the directions (without a map)
d. Collect you from the hotel in their car.

11. Apart from the price, what would most influence your decision to buy a particular
text book:

d. You have used a copy before

b. A friend talking about it
c. Quickly reading parts of it
a. The way it looks is appealing.

12. A new movie has arrived in town. What would most influence your decision to go
(or not go)?

b. You heard a radio review about it

c. You read a review about it
a. You saw a preview of it.

13. Do you prefer a lecturer or teacher who likes to use?

19
c. A textbook, handouts, readings
a. Flow diagrams, charts, slides
d. Field trips, labs, practical sessions
b. Discussion, guest speakers.

When you have finished making your selections, fill the boxes with your scores?

Total a b c d

Visual Auditory Read Kinesthetic

After this, the trainer will discuss various learning styles with the participants in an
interactive mode.

Group Activity

After doing this exercise, each group to develop a simple checklist on the basis of which
they would assess the learning styles of children in their classroom.

Through this Unit we have learnt that:

• All children have the capacity to learn.

• Children learn in different ways and at a different pace
• All children are intelligent, but in different ways
• Information can be presented and expressed in different ways
• An optimal use of all teaching techniques and methods can help all children learn

20
 UNIT 3: Classroom for All
(to be transacted through case study, demonstration of need assessment by
trainer, discussion, group reports, practice lessons, hands- on, concrete
experiences, model lesson plans)

What kind of children do you find in the classroom? Are they all from the same social,
cultural, linguistic, economic background? May be not. Let’s think about the children that
come to our classroom, their needs, their experiences, etc

Inclusive schools and classrooms are places where all students contribute, are respected and are
cared for. Children learn to value and respect individual differences. Obviously, a classroom will
have children from various cultural, linguistic, ethnic, socio-economic backgrounds. A teacher
would have to develop a classroom, which includes ALL.

As per the Section 29 of RTE Act, curriculum should not be burden for children and they cannot
be retained in the same class. It also highlights child centered and learning friendly classrooms to
enable children to participate in learning which is free of fear, anxiety and trauma.

To accomplish this, the emphasis should be on developing an inclusive and a learner friendly
environment. But it may not be easy in diverse classrooms as there are children from different
backgrounds and abilities. Hence, it is important for every teacher to assess the needs of all
children.

The objective of this Unit is to familiarize the teacher with the following important tenets of
teaching in a diverse classroom:

• Developing a teaching plan for an inclusive classroom

• Barrier free classroom arrangement
• Inclusive TLMs
• Adaptations to make learning accessible to all children
• Comprehensive and continuous evaluation.

Developing a Teaching Plan for an Inclusive Classroom

An inclusive classroom comprises heterogeneous group of children: girls & boys; those from
different cultural, linguistic, migrant, economical backgrounds; those with special abilities or
learning needs; and those with health problems. It is really a challenge for teachers to make an
appropriate teaching plan covering learning needs of all children in the regular classroom.
Meeting the learning needs of all children in the regular classroom at a time requires proper
resource support system at school level.

Making teaching plan for inclusive classroom is more time-consuming but it is a challenge to
teacher’s creativity. Arranging the things in advance as per the plan with the help of children and
parents, colleagues and volunteers would be a great help. Sometimes it is difficult to get the right
kind of resources that is required to make children learn. For example additional teaching aids,
special equipments like magnifying glass, large print materials, provide computer for learning,
provide human support at classroom for providing individual attention to children with high level
support needs, etc

However children and parents can be involved in planning so that they can bring materials from
home (concrete things viz., plants, fruits, cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables, eatables, cosmetics
etc.) and also help to develop simple materials together in class, such as preparing large print
materials, flash cards, making existing teaching aids into tactile, cutting cardboards into different
shapes, making cloth toys, etc. Local resources have to be used from the community.

It is equally important to make the local community to understand that learning is not restricted
to the classroom. Children should be taken out of the classroom to give them exposure to the real
world. This will help them to link up classroom’s learning with their real life.

Teaching needs to be well planned and it is an important skill for all teachers. Hence, it is
essential for every teacher to develop a teaching plan for every lesson. An inclusive teaching
plan should comprise the following:
21
• Selecting topic/ content
• Deciding upon the objective
• Deciding methods/techniques
• Developing activities for testing the pre-knowledge/prior learning of children
• Planning learning activities in relation to the topic for all children
• Listing out teaching learning materials / resources
• Thinking ways for organizing classroom / learning environment
• Planning activities for children to work in pairs/groups
• Incorporation of ways for feedback /assessment

Some of the sample teaching plans that the teacher can develop prior to the lesson are given
below.

Sample Formats for Teaching Plan

Sample Teaching Plan # 1: Subject- Science

Topic: Energy & its Sources Class: 5

No. of children: 35 Time: 40 minutes

Objective: To make children to understand Energy and its Sources

Teaching Testing Classroom Children’s Feedback/ TLMs/Resource

methods Pre- arrangement activities assessment s
knowledg
e
Multi- What is Adequate Children Frame simple Picture of Sun
sensory energy? space for understand questions &
approach, Where & demonstration the energy get answers Exposure to heat
cooperative How do Seating and its Orally/Writin & light of real
learning & we get arrangement sources g sun
peer teaching energy? of children? through Indicating/
Why do Lighting? dialogue/ Signing. Picture
demonstratio we need Safety activities/ flashcards of
n with the energy? considerations demonstratio Observation Fan, cart, train,
children for ? n of children’s electric bulb, etc.
showing Reading, participation if possible real
muscle writing To switch on individually ones.
power materials? the Fan to and also in
Work understand groups Vehicles’ Chart-
Visit to displays? Fan runs with Bus, Lorry, car,
places where the help of see student’s Auto, Motor
solar energy electricity note book Bike, etc.
is utilized.
For eg. Solar Expose A chart of
Cooker, Solar themselves to running person
Heater, Solar sun to feel
Lighting, etc. the heat Picture
flashcards of
Tug of war to Vehicles
demonstrate
the muscle Worksheets for
power evaluation for
CWSNs
Vehicles run
with the help
of fuels

22
 Sample Teaching Plan # 2: Subject-Mathematics
Topic: Fraction Class: 4
No. of children: 35 Time: 40 minutes

Objective: To make children to learn the concept of Fraction – whole, ½, ¼ & ¾

Teaching Testing Pre- Classroom Children’s Feedback/ TLMs/Resources

methods knowledge arrangement activities assessment
Cooperative What is Adequate space Children Frame Real Water melon
learning & fraction? for classroom participates in simple (knife to cut it)
peer teaching How to activities demonstratio questions &
write half, Seating n get answers A chart with the
quarter, third arrangement of (cutting water Orally/Writi coloured picture of
Demonstration & fourth in children? melon into ½ ng whole water melon
fraction? Lighting? , ¼ & ¾ and Indicating/ and cutting parts
Safety showing each Signing. of it -half, quarter,
considerations? part to ¾.
Reading, children and Observation
writing asking them of children’s Picture, words &
materials? to say the participation number flash cards
Work displays? parts in individually For eg.
fraction & and also in Flash card of ½ , ¼
write it on the groups &¾
black board)
Worksheet Worksheet for
Answers to for evaluation
questions evaluation
asked by the of CWSNs /
teacher on math’s note
fraction book

Reading &
Writing
fractions
On the board
& in the
math’s note
book

Sample # 3: Subject: Environmental Science

Topic: Transport and Communication Class: 4

No. of children: 30 Time: 40 minutes

Objective: To make children to understand various types of transport

Teaching Testing Pre- Classroom Children’s Feedback/ TLMs/Resources

methods knowledge arrangement activities assessment
Multi- Divide the Seating Understanding Frame simple Picture Charts of
sensory, class into two arrangement of types of questions & Bus, Train, Aero
co- groups. children? transportations get answers plane carrying
st
operative Ask 1 group Lighting? with the help Orally/Writing people,
learning to show how Safety of charts, Indicating/ Truck, Lorry
& peer vehicles move considerations? models and Signing. carrying luggage
teaching through acting Reading, flashcards. & Ship /boat
& 2nd group to writing Grouping Observation carrying people
guess which materials? vehicles as of children’s
vehicle is that? Work land, water & participation models of
displays? air transport. in groups. Vehicles – Bus,
Write down car, Lorry, boat,
types of ship, Aero plane
transport in & helicopter
their note

23
 book Flash cards of
vehicle’s picture
with names

After developing the teaching plans, these need to be implemented in a classroom through an
inclusive lesson plan in the following manner.

Inclusive Lesson Plan - 1

Subject: Science
Name of the Lesson: Energy & its Sources Std: 5

Competency: To know about energy and its sources

Steps Learning Learning Teaching/ Learning Activities/Methods

aids points
Tactile / Visual cues Physical Cues for
auditory cues Children
cues
Pre-Learning Literature on The Teacher Help Give Allow Encourage
Activities a short song starts class with children to children children to them to sing
in the form of a song/ poem on do action visual clues sing with with action
handouts & sources of while – pictures of possible with the peer
Tape recorder energy with singing sun, rain, actions group support
with cassette, action by through fire, blowing & give more
computer Playing tape touch & feel wind, etc Those who time to them
with CD or recorder. method literature of cannot
any other Burning fire, by teacher / the song on stand
recording blowing wind, friend “What is the should be
material, etc rain, etc source of allowed to
Picture and energy” sing with
flash cards of Teacher has action from
Fire, wind, to stand in sitting
rain such a place position
where the only
child with
hearing
problems
can see
teacher face
clearly to
follow the
song by lip
reading &
they can do
action for
the song
Learning Real heat & Our entire Help them Help them Allow these Help them to
Activity light of the source of to to children to understand
Sun energy is ‘Sun’. understand understand participate by providing
by by using with their Peer group
Picture flash We get energy providing concrete friends, if it support and
cards of Fan, in the form of concrete learning is required encourage
cart, train, light & heat aids and self aids, picture from sitting them to
electric bulb, from the sun. experience charts & position participate in
etc. if People, Animals through flash cards itself simple
possible real & Machines experiments experiments
ones. need energy to Example,
do work. The exposing Demonstrati
Vehicles ability of doing body to ons with
Chart- work is called direct sun other
Bus, Lorry, as energy. walking, children in
car, Auto,
running, groups or in
Motor Bike, Sources of
etc. energy: etc pairs
Sun, blowing
A chart of wind, Water,

24
 running fuels, food
person items,
chemicals &
Picture Electricity.
flashcards of
Vehicles Explain with
demonstration
Muscle power:
walking,
running, pulling
cart, etc.
Biogas energy:
Fuels used in
vehicles –
Petrol, Diesel,
cooking gas,
etc.
Usage / Examples for Allow them Allow them Can answer Encourage
Application Solar energy to answer to answer by like other them to
orally showing children answer with
Examples for picture flash the peer
fuels used in cards group
vehicles support

Examples for
muscle power
Evaluation Worksheets Which is the Large print Provide Provide Adapted
Oral main source of worksheets/ worksheet worksheet worksheets-
evaluation energy? oral fill in the
Adapted evaluation blanks, match
worksheets related to the
Energy following,
objective
type, etc

Inclusive Lesson Plan -2

Subject: Maths
Name of the Lesson: Fraction Std: 4
Competency: To understand about Fraction – ½, ¼, ¾

Steps Learning Learning Teaching/ Learning Activities/Methods

aids points
Tactile / Visual cues Physical Cues for
auditory cues Children
cues with
Intellectual
Difficulties
Pre-Learning Real water The Teacher * help * Teacher Allow Encourage
Activities melon fruit start sher children to has to stand children to them to
class by answer in such a answer like answer with
Flash cards of showing through place where other the peer
words viz., water melon touch & feel the children in group support
water melon, fruit to method child can the class and & give more
Orange, children and by teacher see teacher if they are in time to them
Guava & ask them to face clearly wheel chair
Pumpkins say the name to follow or in special The teacher
of that fruit the chair allow has to
question them to understand
She asks the and see answer that the child
children if the fruit from sitting might not
she gives the position only grasp the
whole fruit to entire lesson
them, how Help them and here s/he
they will to answer would have
share? by using to adopt a
flash cards development
By asking if they have ally
this question problem in appropriate
she wants to saying approach
25
 draw their orally
attention
towards the
concept of
fraction
Learning Cut Real Asking Help them to Help them Allow these Help them
Activity Water melon questions by understand by to understandchildren to to understand
fruit cutting the self by allowing participate by
kept on the water melon experience them to see with their
providing
large plate. fruit into two through very friends, if it
closely
Peer group
Picture chart equal parts touch & feel is required
with picture from sitting support and
depicting What is E g. be with
fraction Flash Fraction? the teacher charts & position
encourage
cards of Fraction is a while cutting flash cards itself with them to
numbers (½, part of a the fruit the assistive answer and
¼, ¾) and whole They can device accept even
words (half, Whole. Help write if they
quarter, third It divides an children to numbers in They can answer in
& fourth and object into understand fraction read and single word
numerator & equal parts. first on the write like
by self
denominator, What is half? black board other Children with
experience
etc.) Division of and then children learning
through copy it into
an object into problems
touch & their note
equal parts is may require
called half. It feel Eg. be book one word at a
can be with the time. They
written as ½ teacher can read &
The number while write with the
written under cutting the peer group
the line is fruit. support.
Deno-
minator. It Provide
tells you how tactile Flash
many parts cards of ½
the whole has (can be done
been divided by cutting
into. the numbers
The number in sand
written above paper and
the line is stick on the
Numerator. It thick sheet
tells you how of paper)
many parts
are being
taken out
from the
whole.

In the same
way the
concept of
quarter and
three quarters
can be
taught.
Usage / Black board Identify the Allow them Allow them Can answer Encourage
Application with yellow numerator to answer to answer like other them to
chalk and the orally with by showing children answer with
Chart of the denominator the help of words flash the peer
pictures with in the given tactile cards group
shaded parts Fractions. numbers support.
for different 1/3, 2/4, 4/5, pasted on
fractions 3/6, 8/12 etc. the thick Prepare
Write a sheet of Worksheet
fraction for paper with
the shaded Colourful
part. pictures and
give clue to
enable them
26
 to practice it
Evaluation Doing What is Oral Provide Provide Provide
fraction sums fraction? evaluation worksheet worksheet adapted
on the Black Colour the Giving to answer to answer worksheets to
board parts of the responses in answer with
Worksheets given picture Braille Colour the Colour the peer support
(adapted/ & write the Large print parts of the parts of the
large print) fraction worksheets given given Colour the
picture & picture & parts of the
write the write the given picture
fraction fraction & write the
fraction
Note: The water melon fruit will be distributed to all the children at the end of the class.

Inclusive Lesson Plan - 3

Subject: Environmental Science

Name of the Lesson: Transport & Communication Std: 4

Competency: To know about various types of transportation

Steps Learning Learning Teaching/ Learning Activities/Methods

aids points
Tactile / Visual cues Physical Cues for
auditory cues Children
cues with
Intellectual
Difficulties
Preparatory Birds’ chart A Kannada * help them * give them Allow them Encourage
Activities rhyme on a to do action visual clues to sing them to sing
Handouts of bird is given while – picture of rhyme with rhyme with
rhyme on below: singing a flying possible action with
bird through bird & actions with the peer
(Bird, how touch & feel literature of their aids & group
Vehicles’ did you fly in method the rhyme on appliances. support &
picture flash the air? You by teacher / a bird give more
cards didn’t fall friend Teacher has Those who time for
while flying, to stand in cannot stand them
why is it so? front of the should be
child with allowed to
learning sing with
and hearing action from
problems sitting
so that position only
child can
see teacher
face clearly
to follow
the rhyme
by lip
reading &
they can do
action for
the song
Pre- Divide the Help them to Help Allow these Peer group
Learning class into two guess by children children to support and
activities groups. touch & feel who are in participate encourage
Ask 1st group method 1st group to with their them to
to show how For eg. act by friends, if it participate
vehicles Teacher showing is required
move would to picture from sitting
through teach flash cards position
acting & 2nd children & allow 2nd itself with
group to with seeing group the assistive
guess which problems children to device
vehicle is how to guess by
that? peddle a showing
cycle, flash cards
27
 rowing a
boat, etc.
Learning Picture chart Meaning of Children Children Make Make them to
Activity of various transportation can learn the can learn children understand
modes of Explaining types of the types of realize that types of
transport land, water & transportation transportati wheel chair, transport
air transport with the help on with the tricycle are with the help
Models of with the help of models & help of also a kind of picture
land, water, of picture sounds of picture chart of transport chart,
air transport chart & vehicles & flash models and
models. cards Taking provide
Picture charts Ask them to children out them peer
Bus, Train, Allow share their List down in the nature group
Air carrying children to experience the types of and support
people share their regarding transportation exposing
experiences modes of on the black them to Taking
Truck, lorry regarding transport board various children out
carrying modes of modes of in the nature
luggage transport Share the Taking transport, and
experience children out their exposing
Ship /boat In the past of going in the nature sounds, etc them to
carrying our elders around lake and various
people used animals in the boat exposing modes of
for transport during them to They can transport,
Pictures of school trip various practice by their sounds,
vehicles At present, modes of grouping etc
models of we are using Taking transport, models into
vehicles and bullock cart, children out their land, water Encourage
flash cards bus, lorry, in the nature sounds, etc & air them to
train, ship, and transport practice with
aero plane exposing They can and write the peer
for our them to practice by their names group
travelling various grouping support and
modes of vehicles give more
Transport transport, with the time
people and their sounds, help of
luggage from etc picture,
one place to flash cards
another place and name
is known as They can them with
transportation practice by the help of
grouping flash cards
moving on vehicles
the land is (models) by
known as land touch & feel
transportation method and
say orally
Provide
models &
pictures of
vehicles with
flash cards to
children and
ask them to
group them
as land, water
and air
transport

Usage / Vehicles’ List out the They can They can They can They can list
Application models & vehicles, write it in list out or list out the out vehicles
charts their types of Braille with match the vehicles, by using
transport & the help of vehicles, their types models with
their uses in models of types and its and their peer group
their note vehicles uses with uses like support and
book the help of other by repetition
pictures & children
flash cards

28
 For eg.
Lorry – land,
transports
luggage
Evaluation Models & Activity They can They can They can Encourage
pictures of Game answer by answer / participate them to
vehicles Divide the listening and name the in the participate
class into two can name vehicle by activity like in the
groups: the vehicle saying/guest others in the activity with
Ask 1st group by touching uring/signin class the help of
to name the the model g/showing peer group
vehicle and with the Support and give
ask 2nd group help of them in more time
to say the chart and mobility/ and reward
type of flash cards writing etc., them even
transport & if it is for the small
use of that required progress.
vehicle

Note down the

important/
brief points on
the black
board

If there are children with special needs in the class, their special needs should be considered in
the teaching plan (extra support, individual attention, special assistive devices, concrete teaching
aids, extra time, etc.) and make the arrangement in advance to meet those needs in regular
classroom.

Group Activity

Trainees to divide into groups and develop subject specific inclusive lesson plans based on
the chapters in the text books to be provided during the training.

Effective Classroom Arrangement

Teachers should maintain a motivating learning environment for all children including children
with special needs to learn. Make the appropriate seating arrangement by using the available
space for the entire class and arrange the classroom in such a way that children should move
freely between groups during group activity without disturbing others.

Make sure proper lighting and suitable seating arrangement is done as per the needs of the child,
especially children with special needs and allow them to participate in the learning activity with
the assistive devices. The information, learning materials should be accessible to all children
especially for children with special needs and also display areas should be accessible to display
their work. However the existing classrooms need to be made barrier free so that all children can
be accommodated.

Children with mobility problems who are using assistive devices like wheel chair, crutches,
special furniture, etc should have easy access for getting in and out of the school, should be able
to move within the school and in different class rooms. Some children may not be able to sit
without support. For many children, a table placed in front may provide adequate support.
However, for children who have difficulty in controlling their head, keeping their body straight,
a special chair or seat may be required for extra support in order to maximize their physical
ability for participating in classroom activities and tasks.

Every child requires use of some structure in the learning process. Structured teaching uses the
strength of learners, utilizing visual / tactile cues which help children focus on the relevant
information, thus circumventing the difficulty that some children face in distinguishing relevant
information from the non-relevant.

Some other important considerations for a barrier free environment are:

29
• Seating position
• Lighting
• Safety considerations
• Explore the possibility, through the class teacher of the school implementing “a keep to the
left" rule for movement around the school
• School should be free of unnecessary hazards such as electric cables trailing across the floor,
doors left ajar, windows or cupboard doors left open at head height etc
• As a general rule, visual displays should be bold, clear, well contrasted and as near to eye
level as possible. Tactual displays or those involving Braille should be lower, to facilitate
comfortable tactual exploration. While demonstrating to the child, the teacher should
describe everything clearly
• While teaching, the teacher should be careful that the children get a clear view of his/ her
face
• Ensure that all children, including the visually impaired child has access to materials in an
appropriate format, whether it is books, diagrams, maps, etc,
• Say the notes aloud as you put them up on the blackboard, so that they can then be recorded if
necessary.

Individual Activity

Can you suggest more ways by which your classroom can be made barrier free?

Inclusive TLMs

The teacher teaching in an inclusive classroom should develop the following kinds of TLM:

• Tactile
• 3-D
• Visual and auditory aids
• Tactile aids
• Models

Real objects should be given first preference as they give opportunity for hands-on and
experiential learning to ALL children.

As a teacher, do you get opportunity to make TLM or do you procure it? Have you ever
thought of using children in the process of developing TLM?

Let’s list down some points in the context of TLM

Teachers can teach effectively with the help of appropriate teaching learning material. Learning
through the aid of pictures or other visuals creates a better understanding in the minds of the
learners. At the same time, TLM discourages memorization as a technique of learning since it
facilitates comprehension.

In an inclusive classroom the role of TLM is more valuable. In earlier conventional educational
system the students were classified as per their needs and hence curriculum and TLM were
specific to the needs of the students. With inclusive philosophy today the classrooms have
students with diverse needs. Their family support, abilities/disabilities and learning qualities
differ from each others to a great extent. For such a class what is required are flexible classroom
strategies and strong support from appropriate TLM so that all students benefit from the
teaching. In a classroom where students are from various cultural, linguistic background and
some of them have disabilities; keeping the pace of learning is bound to be little difficult.
Appropriate TLM will facilitate teaching and learning.

It is important that children in every grade able to acquire the grade level competencies and skills
before they move up to the next grade. Thus, it is important to look at ways that can make
education more accessible for all children. One of the ways is through the use of Learning
Resources. This is an important resource for the teachers to enable and enhance the learning
process of children. Therefore learning resources play a significant role both for the teacher
and learner to facilitate learning. There are different types of learning resources such as concrete
materials (TLM), devices, activities, ICT and open education resource which provides ample

30
opportunities for developing effective classroom pedagogy, besides shaping participatory and
collaborative processes of learning. It also facilitates professional development of a teacher.

Open education resource (OER) is a revolution in the field of education resources. This
technology is developed with the objective of knowledge development in the field of education
and research. OER designates “teaching, learning and research materials in any medium, digital
or otherwise, that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that
permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited
restrictions. This includes course materials, modules, textbooks, videos, tests, software, and any
other tools, materials, or techniques used to support access to knowledge." (UNESCO, 2002)

The success of developing effective inclusive practices largely depends on teachers. Thereby it
becomes essential for teacher to understand the significance of these resources because it helps
the teacher to make learning effective for all learners in terms of understanding the concept,
assimilation and generalization.

A suggestive list of TLMs is given at Annex- C.

Curriculum Transaction

Let’s hear your thoughts on how you teach/ transact curriculum. What are the challenges
in this regard that you face in the classroom?

A very effective model of curricular transaction is the 8-point model, which says that
curriculum needs to be adapted with respect to:

Size of the content- Adapt the number of item the learner is expected to learn or complete. For
example, the number of definitions one is expected to learn for one concept can be reduced for
some children.

Time - Adapt the minutes, hours or days allotted for learning, assignment or test completion.
This will vary from child-to- child, depending on individual needs.

Input - Adapt the way instruction is delivered to the learner. For example use charts, games,
activities, peer learning, etc. The teacher may make use of projector, or computers also for doing
so.

Output- Adapt the way learner can respond to the instruction, e.g., instead of writing the
assignment, allow drawing or pictures, scrapbook, verbal responses. It can also be made into
objective type items.

Difficulty level- Adapt the skill level or problem type or the rules according to the learner’s need
and level. For example, allowing calculator for calculations, ticking answers instead of writing in
detail.

Participation- Adapt the extent to which a learner is actively involved in the task. E.g. allowing
the student to distribute material, collect assignments, write on the board while other/ teacher
speaks or in organizing the activity.

Level of support- Increase the degree of interaction as per the need of the student, e.g., give
more individual attention if possible or assign the peer study buddy/ some parent/ volunteer. The
peer group / some parent/ volunteer can be different for different subjects. They need to be
oriented to the needs of the child, level of the child and the strategies suitable for them.

Alternate Goals- Adapt the expected outcomes depending on the individual abilities of the
learner, e.g., in science if some are able to name the constituent elements, others can identify the
same from the mixtures.

Continuous & Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE)

The aim of this system is to reduce the workload of students and to improve overall skill and
ability by means of evaluation of other activities. The word comprehensive covers evaluation of
both academic and non-academic areas by using multiple techniques. The evaluation is

31
continuous all through the year. This system ensures the assessment of students in the beginning
of instructions as well as assessment during the instructional process. Students could be
evaluated continually based on their classroom performance, completion of project work,
behaviour, teamwork, innovation, regularity etc. Therefore, proportionate weightage should be
allotted for non-academic areas too. Teachers can identify the aptitude and interest of students
that help the students in making decisions for their future by choosing subjects, courses and
careers. The rate of student’s achievement in a particular task against a set criterion after
teaching is noted under evaluation.

Each teacher needs to develop a flexible and implementable Continuous and Comprehensive
Evaluation (CCE) system for the enhancement of learning which needs to take into account the
social environment and the facilities available in the school. RTE provides for Comprehensive
and Continuous Evaluation (CCE). CCE implies continuous assessment, rather than no
assessment. This means that assessment should be treated as an integral part of teaching and
learning. There are no exams, but a student can move to the next level only after attaining
proficiency in the previous one. Thus assessment is inbuilt into the teaching learning process,
and is recorded for each child at his/her own pace of learning, on an assessment chart.

It is important to identify the unique strengths of the students. The evaluation system needs to be
more open, flexible, creative and student-friendly. As children learn differently, they need to be
evaluated differently.

There are other CCE techniques (5 more tools) which provide for an appropriate assessment
profile for each child, namely (a) Engagement pattern of the child, (b) Observations in general,
(c) Observation in classroom during group-work and individual activity (d) Understanding
child’s written work on work assigned by the teacher, and (e) an anecdotal record/ portfolio
assessment. It also involves asking Questions that are direct, open-ended and allow the child to
express herself / himself verbally or by alternative communication methods- gesturing, signing,
eye contact, pointing, etc.

Formative and Summative Evaluation

Formative evaluation is where the students are given tests at small intervals to monitor their
progress. This gives the student a feedback on their learning and also provides the teachers
feedback on their teaching efficiency. There are individual differences in learning and it is
through formative assessments that a teacher comes to know about the pace and quality of
learning of a student. Summative assessments are done at the end of a course of instruction. It
assesses the overall performance of the learners. It provides a general assessment of the
outcomes of learning.

The specific techniques used for carrying out both the types of evaluation could be similar:

• Oral question answers:

• Written exercises;
• Project work / assignments;
• Presentations;
• Exercises through visual manual method;
• solving a puzzle;
• Acting out responses / pointing;
• Close set multiple choice exercise;

Combinations are always better than any single type. It is incorrect to arrive at a decision after
using only one method of evaluation. Keeping track of performances by recording information
on a monthly or periodical basis and analyzing the information periodically provide important
and immediate feedback. This feedback can be used for evaluation. Students’ participation in
their evaluation makes it most effective and contributive.

General CCE Techniques for an Inclusive Classroom

• Extra time may be provided, as per the needs of the child. Breaks may also be allowed to
counter fatigue
• Use of devices to be allowed as per the individual needs of the child e.g. calculators, abacus,
Brailler, Taylor Frame, communication board, slant boards, pencil/ pen grips etc.
32
• Use of technology e.g. computers (adapted key board, head indicator may be provided for
cerebral palsy children), tape recorders, voice synthesizers to be allowed as per the needs of
the child
• Flexibility in evaluation to be given. For example, if the child is learning at a slower pace,
s/he may be tested on smaller units of content rather than the whole syllabus at one time
• Assessment procedures may include objective type questions, instead of essay type questions
for children with difficulties in language acquisition, questions to be modified e.g. in simple
language
• Accommodations are to be provided in the area of response methods. Example, oral
responses instead of written (can be taped) or amanuensis to write down answers, which
would be given orally or through a communication board
• Instructions and questions to be read out to student when needed
• Suitable posture and seating arrangement to be made by providing adapted chair/table, if
required
• The teacher should encourage use of sign language and gestures as a mode of
communication.

Inclusive classrooms cannot be the result of the efforts by one teacher. It involves team work,
collaborative partnerships and support from community.

Through this Unit we have learnt:

• To develop inclusive teaching plans

• To develop inclusive TLM
• About effective classroom management and curriculum transaction
• The importance of CCE.

33
 UNIT 4: Partnering with Parents and SMCs
(to be transacted through lecture, role play, group work, drama, songs, poems)

There is little doubt that parents know their child

the best. All teachers have the responsibility to Entitlements for children in school
communicate regularly with parents or guardians
about their child’s progress in learning and • Books, newspapers and magazines in the
achievement. Parents can help teachers by giving library
information about the child and suggesting what • Sports equipment and play material
• Textbooks, including large print & Braille
can be done. Parents organizations have been books for the visually impaired
formed with more structured links with • Notebooks & stationery
professionals. Experience indicates that they can • Uniform
be trained in the development and evaluation of • Mid-day meal, cooked at premises
early childhood programs for their own children • Special training for age-appropriate
and be encouraged to prepare and manage the use enrolment
of low-cost teaching-learning materials, including • Aids and appliances
locally made toys and written materials in the form • Transport escort
of traditional stories, legends, songs and poetry. • Provision of a resource teacher
Teachers can prepare their students to interact with • Barrier Free Access
the community as part of the curriculum, and
through special activities and events and invite parents and members of the community to be
involved in the classroom.

Promoting community involvement is the key to inclusive education. Communities are as much
places of learning as schools. An inclusive approach to education recognizes that the community
have a real contribution to make to children’s learning and they have the right to be involved in
the decision making process. Schools and communities need to understand each other and
reinforce each other’s role. Communities may not be aware of the difficulties schools face and to
what extent certain children have education related problems that could be solved through
increased support from families and communities. A great challenge is to get the families of the
most marginalized students involved. It becomes necessary to give them the confidence and self
worth.

Experience indicates that communities can help in building awareness and creating positive
attitudes towards child rights by conducting sensitization programmes with active participation
of stakeholders. Inclusive practice shows that communities have played a crucial role in handling
cultural differences, promoting girls education and handling discrimination and stigmatization.

Teachers have to harness support from the parents, community, resource teacher and School
Management Committees for effective implementation of inclusive education. With the coming
of RTE, there is a shift from incentives based approach to an entitlement based approach. Hence,
it is important that all stakeholders are aware of the provisions under the RTE Act.

Parents have to play a key role in the implementation of RTE Act. They have to be made aware of
the rights and entitlements available for all children under RTE Act. There can be no inclusion
without parental and community support.

Group Activity

Participants to divide into small groups and discuss the challenges faced in availing the
entitlements available under the RTE

The parents should:

• Ensure enrollment, regular attendance and retention of their children

• Be in constant touch with the teacher
• Be teacher aides/ volunteers/ care givers
• Participate in the teaching learning process (share their experiences in the classroom, help
teacher in developing TLM, etc)
• Ensure that there is no denial of admission to their child on any ground, including non-
possession of a disability certificate

34
• Involve in making Educational Plan / child profile and also monitor that the profiles are made
and maintained
• Involve in monitoring the functioning of schools and teachers
• Take constant feedback from the teacher regarding their child’s performance
• Facilitate interaction among all children
• Attend and participate regularly in the SMCs meetings
• Be aware of entitlements for children as per the RTE, including the provisions available for
children with special needs through other schemes and programmes
• Ensure development and inclusiveness of school development plans.

Role of School Management Committees

As per RTE each school should set up a School Management Committee. 75% of members of
SMCs have to be parents or guardians of children enrolled in school and 50% of members have
to be women. Parents of children with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups can also be a
part of SMCs to make it more inclusive.

The SMCs should

• Ensure enrollment, regular attendance and retention of all children, including CWSN
• Make sure that teaching learning related matters are discussed in the Meetings
• Be involved in identification and child tracking
• Be in constant touch with the school staff, teachers and volunteers
• Ensure that schools are barrier free.
• Ensure that the children receive textbooks on time
• Develop inclusiveness in the School Development Plan

Group Activity

Participants to divide into small groups and list ways by which awareness can be created
on RTE in various stake-holders. Trainer to encourage the use of strategies like street play,
skits, songs, poems, etc

A regular teacher should also constantly meet or be in touch with the other teachers / volunteers
to understand and address the specific learning needs of children, including the development of
School Development Plan. S/he should also be aware of the facilities and entitlements being
provided to children. Similarly, the Panchayati Raj Institutions can also be involved in promoting
inclusive education.

Group Activity

Participants to divide into small groups and list the resources available in and around the
community to effectively implement inclusion.

This module is aimed at sensitizing teachers to understand the key elements involved in the
process of implementation of inclusive education. It is the responsibility of the teacher and the
community to ensure that all children access education of an equitable quality. This can only be
achieved through inclusive education as it is founded on the values of democracy, tolerance and
respect for differences.

Through this Unit we have learnt:

• How to involve parents in the learning process

• How awareness can be created ion a rights based approach
• Use of local resources to promote inclusion
• Role of SMCs.

35
 BEST PRACTICE: ACTIVITIES OF SMCs IN JHARKHAND

Regular Monitoring of School by SMC- A monthly and daily monitoring checklist with
guideline provided to SMC for regular monitoring of school. The best SMC is provided award
for school monitoring.

Mukhiya Sammelan- To make aware and ensure role of Mukhiya (executive head of
Panchayat) in elementary education, a Mukhiya sammelan has been organized in all the districts.
All Mukhiyas have built their capacity towards the improvement of the school under the
Panchayat.

Sankalp to SMC and Mukhiya- The state government has provided the following five Sankalps
to SMC and Mukhiya to enhance attendance and quality education which is as follows-

i. Zero Drop Out

ii.100% Teacher's Attendance
iii.100% student's Attendance
iv.100% Student Enrollment in Next Class
v. Proper Utilization of Fund received and Swatchhta Abhiyan

Regular monthly meeting of SMC- To ensure regular monthly meeting of SMC Mukhiya are
tagged in this meeting. Every last Saturday of the month, for half day SMC meeting is conducted
in the school with the presence of Mukhiya and 2nd half of the day is devoted to Gurugosthi
where Mukhiya and one member of the SMC also take part in the meeting.

School Monitoring- Mukhiyas of the Panchayat visit school of their respective area to monitor
attendance of student and teaches. They also see use of toilets and cleanliness as well as monitor
the progress towards child’s entitlements.

36
ANNEXES

37
 Annex- A

INDICATORS FOR SCHOOLS FOR ALL*

S. No. Indicators
1. The school has developed a vision and shares it with people in the community
2. The school vision, beliefs, mission and goals are developed in a collaborative manner by
including all stakeholder groups
3. The school vision emphasises valuing and accommodating differences in children and
reflects the idea that the school exists for all students
4. The school gives a message of respecting all and celebrating different cultures and
communities
5. The school has a policy of interacting with the parents on how to support their child's
learning
6. The school strictly discourages any kind of discrimination and violence amongst the
students
7. The school has a programme or policy to support the children from poor families
8. The school welcomes and gives encouraging message to all parents in the neighbourhood to
send their children to the school
9. The school has developed linkages with the early intervention programmes for identification
of needs of CWSN
10. The school has developed systems to provide for counselling of the parents
11. Teachers, parents, communities and learners in the school believe and share a philosophy of
inclusive education
12. The school regularly evaluates and reviews its policies with the changing needs related to
the child's learning process
13. The school ensures adequate sport facilities for all children
14. The school has a policy to identify and bring out-of-school children to school
15. Acquisition of social skills is also valued along with academic skills in the school
16. The school's management committee has a parent of CWSN and of a child belonging to the socially
disadvantaged groups as a member

17. The school makes use of data for improving school planning and management
18. The school classrooms have a lot of students who are actively engaged in doing different things
19. The school values the participation of all parents irrespective of their background, religion or socio-
economic status, etc.
20. All students in the school have access to curriculum
21. The school policy encourages creation of structures, time and general climate to enable the teachers to
work together for promoting innovation
22. The school gives admission to all children in the neighbourhood without following any strict
admission procedures
23. The school has a policy of reducing class size , especially of classes where CWSN are placed
24. The school is considered to be a safe place by parents for their children

INDICATORS FOR TEACHERS IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS*

S. No Indicator
1. Teachers understand the concept of inclusive education and try to change the system to
accommodate the diversity in the classroom
2. Teachers accept the inclusion of all children in their classrooms as a matter of their right and
give equal opportunities to participate
3. Teachers encourage positive interactions amongst students and discourage any kind of
38
 discrimination in the class room
4. While teaching, teachers take into account the unique characteristics, interests, abilities and
learning needs of each child
5. Teachers recognise and accept their role in child's success or failure
6. Teachers try to address the diverse needs of children in the classrooms and do not use labels
like blind, deaf, etc.
7. Teachers encourage the parents of out-of-school children to send their children to the school
where they teach
8. Teachers show respect and appreciation for children’s ideas and approaches
9. Teachers value and respect all kinds of skills that students bring to a class, not just the
academic skills
10. Teachers assign tasks to each child turn by turn and not to a specific group of children
11. Teachers engage in free and open dialogue with each other and with children
12. Teachers are accessible/approachable to all the students and not to a specific few
13. Teachers have high expectations from all students academically and also behaviourally and
this is reflected in their teaching practices
14. Teachers believe that no child is inferior
15. Teachers welcome children with special needs (CWSN) in their classrooms without
considering them as a burden and also make the other children understand their strength and
special needs
16. Teachers give equal opportunity to children for participation in classroom by differentiating
curriculum and activities

17. Teachers develop their skills by viewing each child in the class as an opportunity to learn
rather than a problem to be coped with
18. Teachers feel responsible for all children in the class and do not neglect some children
19. Teachers understand the particular problems related to security, safety, lack of privacy and
domestic work faced by girls
20. Teachers practice collaborative planning and teaching for implementing inclusive education
effectively
21. Teachers share their experiences/expertise with other teachers to enhance teaching-learning
in the classrooms
22. Teachers show curiosity to learn from other teachers’ experiences with diverse group of
learners
23. Teachers communicate regularly with family/parents to learn more about their child and to
share his/her progress
24. Teachers encourage parents to participate in decisions regarding their children
25. Teachers treat information shared by the parents regarding their child with the maximum
degree of confidentiality
26. Teachers encourage students to support each other for studies and other activities
27. Teachers make effort to develop positive relationships with the children
28. Teachers collaborate with other teachers in identifying the talents and needs of students
*Adapted from Index on Inclusive Education developed by NCERT

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 Annex- B
SOME USEFUL WEB SITES IN IE

S. No Title of the Site About the Site

1. http://www.uni.edu/coe/inclusion/index.html Philosophy, teacher competencies, teacher
competencies, decision making and preparing for
inclusion
2. http://www.weac.org/resource/june96/speced.htm Offers definitions, legal issues, bibliography and
recommendations for effective implementation of IE
3. http://www.faiseinuk.com/ Provides tips to facilitate IE at the Secondary level
4. http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/ Explains instructional strategies for teaching science to
students with disabilities
5. http://www.asri.edu/cfsp/brochure/abtcons.htm Collaborative effort to build the capacity of state and
local education agencies to service children with and
without disabilities.
6. http://circleofinclusion.org/ The Circle of Inclusion Web Site is for early childhood
service providers and families of young children. This
web site offers demonstrations of and information
about the effective practices of inclusive educational
programs for children from birth through age eight
7. http://www.enablinginclusion.org/ Gives ideas to promote the concept of Inclusive
Education with a special focus on the Asian
perspective.
8. http://www.bobsedulinks.com/inclusive.htm This site covers different kinds of information on
ADHD, assistive technology, autism, hearing
impairment and details out various resources for
inclusion
9. http://www.inclusion.com/ Site provides information about inclusion and provides
links to sites concerning inclusion and school
psychology
10. http://www.manchester.gov.uk/EDUCATION/sen/inclusi Provides information on inclusive education practices
on.htm in Manchester
11. http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/6600/ Dedicated to the purpose of gathering information on
inclusive education and providing a forum for
interested parties to network and educate themselves
12. http://www.ed.wright.edu/~prenick/ Features research concerning inclusive education with
scholarly contributions from faculty and graduate
students
13. http://www.eenet.org.uk/parents/faminvolve.shtml Family involvement in Inclusive Education and the
role of family
14. http://www.bristol- Offers information on policy, definitions, rationale and
lea.org.uk/policies/inclusive_policy.html implications of inclusive education
15. http://www.plym.ac.uk/researchcover/rcp.asp?page=145& The research based site focusses on supporting
pagetype=G learning in inclusive settings
16. http://www.europeanagency.org/IECP/IECP_intro.htm This site presents the findings of the Classroom and
School Practice project. The project is focused on
revealing, analysing, describing and disseminating
apparently successful classroom practices in inclusive
settings. The project is mainly focused on primary
education; however, an extension to the secondary
sector is now being conducted and findings from this
part of the project will be made available here in the
near future.
17. http://www.familyadvocacy.com/kit03.htm This important information about inclusive education
for all students will be of value to families, educators,
school communities, teachers and other professional
trainers, community workers and policy makers. It
explains the values and beliefs on which an inclusive
education is based, importance of diversity, effects of
labelling, importance of belonging and friendships as
outcomes of education. It gives examples of policies
based on inclusion and it raises questions and
alternatives about educational practices
18. http://www.cacl.ca/index.cfm?PID=220&LNG=E The main aim of this site is to raise public awareness
by developing strategies to convey the importance and
benefits of inclusive education.
19. www.unescap.org/decade/question1.htm Website on education for children and youth with
disabilities

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S. No Title of the Site About the Site
20. www.accesstoplay.com Website to promote and develop inclusion for disabled
children and young people
21. www.fcsn.org This web site is for families of children with special
needs to keep them informed
of their rights in the areas of education, health care,
and many other areas
22. www.specialchildren.about.com A tremendous resource for families, caregivers, and
teachers who work with special needs children.
23. www.childrenwithspecialneeds.com/index.html A resource guide on children with special needs
24. www.edbydesign.com/specneedsres Inspirational ideas and information for teachers,
therapists and parents to encourage children with
intellectual disabilities to reach their full potential.
25. www.nichcy.org/index.html National information center for children and youth
with disabilities
26. www.dfes.gov.uk/sen A wide range of advice and materials for teachers,
parents and others interested in or working with
children with special educational needs.
27. www.education-world.com/special_ed Here, you will find information and tools, from
Education World and other valuable sources, chosen
specifically for the special education community
28. www.hearingexchange.com/ Leading community for deaf and hard of hearing
people, parents and professionals.
29. curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/specialed/ Information about special education and disabilities

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 Annex- C

SUGGESTED LIST OF TEACHING LEARNING MATERIAL

• Text- books, talking books, story books and other reading material
• Abacus
• Various kinds of tactile and embossed materials - globes, charts, models,
diagrams, etc including tactile and audible maps
• Tactile geometry kit, geometry devices
• Talking devices, Brailler,
• Adapted recreation and leisure materials (audio
balls, playing cards, chess, etc)
• Provision for felt pen and ruled notebooks
• Low-vision writing frame
• Illuminated writing device
• Audi Cassettes of lessons
• Visual aids - Pictorial TLMs, flash cards and story cards
• Language acquisition and reading softwares, etc
• Workbooks
• Concrete material, flash cards, pictorial illustrations for concept learning
• Montessori TLMs
• Weighted cuffs, weighted/vibrating pencils/pens
• White boards and white board markers
• Adapted furniture
• Reading board
• Communication board

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 Three types of school

Don't come to me, Come, but you Welcome! I change

I am not for you. change, I won't. to respond to you all

Which one is an inclusive school?

Think...and, we meet again,
May be in your inclusive school !
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