Inclusive Pedagogy: Empowering All Learners
- Shanice Smith
- Jun 16, 2024
- 6 min read
Hello reader! I am Shanice Smith, a science educator and travel enthusiast. I am fortunate to have taught internationally at varying levels of education with diverse classes. I am pursuing a doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction with a STEM focus. This post provides evidence-based insights and pedagogical strategies from research analyses and my action research findings for the course curriculum and instructional design for diversity.
Classrooms are diverse and a one-size-fits-all approach might be easier to implement but it does ensure success for all learners. To meet the educational needs of all learners, inclusive pedagogy that integrates students' cultural background and prior knowledge should be considered when designing a curriculum, planning instruction, and managing the classroom (Rodríguez & Rodríguez, 2017).
Instructional Strategies: Which instructional strategy is most effective for diverse learner groups?
Effective Curriculum and Instructional Design for Diverse Learners
We live in a world where most people can access and interact with information at their fingertips. Therefore it is more crucial than ever that education prepare students to be informed citizens who can independently evaluate information to identify misinformation and are equipped with essential skills to improve society. To develop these skills, instruction should be student-centered, appropriately rigorous, engaging, and culturally relevant to all learners.
Effective curriculum and Instructional design for diverse learners includes strategies and techniques that meet the needs of all students, regardless of their cultural or economic background, abilities, or learning styles. The following key points will be reviewed; student-centered instructional methods, diverse learner strategies, teacher perceptions of instructional strategies, effective classroom management techniques, and lesson plan development strategies for educators and curriculum designers.
Instructional Strategies: Which instructional strategy is most effective for diverse learner groups?
Various scholarly articles suggested that using multimodal instructional strategies instead of traditional unimodal strategies boosts student engagement and performance in diverse classrooms. Multimodal instructional strategies enrich the lesson by appealing to the different sensory modes of students (Moreno & Mayer, 2007).
Action research was conducted to determine which evidence-based multimodal instructional strategy is most effective in a diverse classroom. Data was collected from a teacher perception survey and an interview with a veteran teacher. Most teachers thought incorporating multimodal strategies based on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework was the most effective for reaching diverse learners (see Figure 1 below). The UDL framework provides guidelines organized into three aspects: multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression (CAST. 2018).
Figure 1
Teachers’ perception of the most effective multimodal strategy for reaching diverse learners
Benefits of the UDL framework
Learning is equitable
Reduces barriers to learning
Enhance the learning process due to its flexibility
If multimodal strategies are so effective, why don't all teachers implement them?
The results from the action research suggested:
Teachers are not confident that they can implement these strategies effectively
Lack of resources
Being restricted by a scripted curriculum that does not incorporate multimodal instructional strategies
Insufficient planning time
Overcrowded classrooms
Poor classroom management
Lack of support from the administration
Recommendations for implementing multimodal instructional strategies
When implementing the UDL framework for the first time, focus on one principle at a time (Lohmann et al.,2023). As you gain more experience, incorporate the other UDL principles into the lesson.
Provide ongoing collaborative professional development for teachers to engage in discussions with each other on effectively implementing multimodal instructional strategies.
Teachers should be supported as they learn to incorporate multimodal strategies effectively.
Curricular resources should be developed to include culturally relevant multimodal instructional strategies.
Teachers should incorporate inclusive culturally relevant activities in the curriculum that foster cooperative learning to build students' interpersonal skills and prepare them for life.
The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Framework
Integrating the guidelines from the UDL framework with multimodal instructional strategies creates a learning environment where all learners including diverse learners can excel due to participating in an engaging, meaningful, and appropriately challenging learning experience.
Instructional Strategies that meet the requirements of each aspect of the UDL framework
Incorporating the strategies highlighted in the diagram with regular feedback and opportunities for revision of their submissions benefits diverse learners.
*This diagram is not an exhaustive list of strategies. It showcases the main strategies highlighted from the action research and some of the activities meet more than one aspect of the UDL guidelines.
Instructional Strategies: UDL vs Differentiated Instruction
While reviewing the data from my action research, there were times when I questioned if differentiated instruction might be better than the UDL framework for meeting the educational needs of diverse learners. After reviewing the literature I now see that UDL offers greater benefits for diverse learners than differentiated instruction when implemented appropriately. UDL is a proactive approach that is flexible, engaging, and equitable because it reduces barriers to learning (Eagleton, 2021; Lohmann et al., 2023); differentiated instruction is also an excellent strategy but is more of a reactive approach.
Does this mean that differentiated instruction is not effective?
Absolutely not! There is evidence that proves the effectiveness of differentiated instruction. It is okay to use multiple strategies to ensure learners' success. Teachers incorporate various multimodal instructional strategies such as technology-based simulations into their lessons to complement strategies based on the UDL framework as shown in Figure 2 below. Lohmann et al., (2023) highlighted that incorporating the guidelines of the UDL framework with other effective multimodal strategies can promote inclusion and make learning more engaging. Using a specific multimodal instructional strategy may not accommodate every learner’s needs in the class (Eagleton, 2021). However, if the method of delivery chosen is evidence-based and relevant to the student population, it may provide a greater benefit when compared to solely using unimodal instruction.
Figure 2
The most used multimodal instructional strategies
Action Research Video Presentation
Components of Effective Lesson Planning
To meet the needs of a diverse student population lesson plans should incorporate cooperative grouping activities and rigorous student-led, inquiry-based activities. The role of a teacher has shifted from being a champion of knowledge to being a facilitator and collaborator of inspiration and innovation (Sias et al., 2017). Therefore instruction should evolve to be student-centered, culturally relevant, and rigorous. An interview was conducted with a veteran teacher to determine the best approaches to creating a lesson plan with rigorous and appropriate technology, resources, and instructional materials that engage all learners in the classroom; the results are displayed in Table 1 below.
Table 1
Analysis of Interview Results with a Veteran Instructor on Rigorous and Appropriate Technology, Resources, and Instructional Materials to Engage All Learners.
Criteria for evaluating rigorous and appropriate resources, technology, and materials. | Process-focused strategies | Product-focused strategies |
|---|---|---|
Fostering student knowledge of self and others, promoting diversity, and cultivating empathy | Use cultural stories during lessons as anecdotes to engage students in the lesson while learning about cultures they are interested in. | Students create a classroom environment of mutual respect for diversity. This process begins with self-awareness through the practice of self-reflection (Delors, 1996) |
Incorporate social-emotional learning into daily activities. | Instructional activities incorporate diverse cultures and encourage the sharing of different perspectives. | |
Use random grouping when working on collaborative projects and activities.
| Delors (1996) highlighted that although education aims to improve knowledge and skills; it plays a pivotal role in personal development and fostering relationships among individuals, groups, and nations. | |
Managing the classroom and resolving conflicts through dialogue | Include students in establishing classroom expectations. | When there are challenges with addressing conflict, seek guidance for intervention.
|
Follow through on consequences for breaking established expectations consistently. | ||
Consider student’s culture and voice when establishing classroom expectations by letting them help create them. | ||
Selecting rigorous and appropriate resources and materials to achieve academic standards | Fosters the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This should involve a blend of group learning and independent learning because it is not always beneficial for students to work in groups all the time. After all, some lower-level students may always look to higher-level students for answers instead of taking ownership of their learning (Kiran, 2020). | Promote lifelong learning by incorporating the four pillars of education (Delors, 1996). |
Consider students’ individual needs, abilities, and learning styles when selecting resources and materials. | Assigning homework may be ineffective if students are not supported at home.
| |
Consider using Marzano's instructional strategies when creating lessons to increase the rigor of activities. | Use a variety of instructional strategies such as note-taking, summarizing, giving feedback, and rewards to increase engagement and improve behaviors. |
Selection of Rigorous and Appropriate Instructional Resources, Technology and Materials
A rigorous curriculum increases engagement, fosters a deeper understanding of concepts, and allows students to demonstrate independence, understand their strengths and weaknesses, and develop interpersonal and communication skills through working in collaborative groups (Kiran, 2020).
Recommendations for creating a rigorous and appropriate lesson plan
reflect on student data to determine appropriate strategies
experiment with various instructional strategies grounded in research.
include clear learning objectives and cross-curricular concepts
consider students’ prior knowledge
include differentiated formative and summative assessments that align with the academic and social needs of the students (Kan & Soman, 2018)
consider cultural relevance of activities
incorporate a variety of educational innovations such as student-centered learning, integrated curriculum, integrating technology, project-based learning, core STEM practices, 21st-century skills, and inquiry-based learning (Sias et al., 2017).
When selecting rigorous and appropriate instructional resources for the curriculum, the teacher may consider using Marzano’s approach. Marzano detailed thirteen strategies proven to increase the rigor of instructional activities (Marzano & Toth, 2024).
Marzano's thirteen strategies are:
identifying critical content
previewing new content
organizing students to interact with content
helping students process content
helping students elaborate on the content
helping students record and represent knowledge
managing response rates with tiered questioning techniques
reviewing content
helping students practice skills, strategies, and processes
helping students examine similarities and differences
helping students examine their reasoning
helping students revise knowledge
helping students engage in cognitively complex tasks
Selecting Rigorous and Appropriate Instructional Technology
Instructional technology has multiple benefits but may have downsides when abused by students.
Consider the following;
accessibility of the technological tool
does the tool encourage in-depth thinking and the use of critical thinking skills
is the feedback instantly provided with or without details or is feedback teacher-generated
what is the role of the tool; as a tutor, teaching aid, or learning tool (should be at least one else it is merely busy work)
Recommendation: Student-centered instructional methods
working on relevant real-world problems through phenomena-based or inquiry-based activities
activities that consider multiple perspectives
cooperative grouping
activities that encourage students to reflect on the information and articulate their views
students are not told what to do but instead supported through coaching and scaffolding
include authentic assessments that are performance-based
Differentiated Classroom Management
The following infographic contains 3 pages and provides an overview of differentiated classroom management strategies and techniques, successful and unsuccessful management strategies for students from diverse learner groups, learning activities an instructor should avoid or reduce in a difficult-to-manage class group, whole-group teacher-directed versus student-group activities, demographic make-up considerations, teacher self-awareness, and administrative support level.
Summary of Classroom Management Strategies
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