Page 35 - ELG1903 Mar-Apr Issue 464
P. 35

FEATURES & COMMENT
                                                          OUT


                                            PXHERE         OF THE
                                                            BOX




                                                                       Inclusion


                                                                     is good for

                                                                       everyone



                                                           Incorporating inclusive practice into the
                                                           classroom does not need to be diffi cult

                                                       Most teachers will have heard   When planning our lessons, we
                                                       the term ‘inclusive practice’ as   could think about how we will
                                                       an ideal to aspire towards, but   pace the session, making sure
                                                       some might feel that it is too   we move on in small steps, and
                                                       time-consuming, too expensive, or   that there is time for reviewing
                                                       just not possible in their context.   previous material. We can
                                                       However, teaching inclusively   also make use of multisensory
                                                       (i.e. so that all members of the   activities, that engage all learning
                                                       group feel valued and make    channels simultaneously, such
                                                       the progress they are capable of)   as musical activities, or those
                                                       does not have to mean a lot of big   that bring in an element of drama
                                                       changes. Small tweaks to the way   or art.
                                                       we do things in our classrooms can   All of this might sound like basic
 ve speaker’ can refer to people from many             have huge impacts                         good practice –
 on world.                                             on learners who         At the heart      indeed it is! The
                                                       are disengaged                            best news is that
        almost everywhere, and the learners can have   or falling behind.    of inclusive        research evidence
        meaningful exchanges with the locals.            At the heart of                         indicates that
          However, researchers have highlighted that   inclusive practice is  practice is good   there are benefits
        some students find the local accent difficult to   good relationships.                   for all learners
        understand. There is also the tendency to code-  When we make a   relationships.         in an inclusive
        switch and talk in ‘Taglish’ (a hybrid of English   real effort to get to                classroom, not
        and Tagalog). But on the whole, the students   know our learners, and value their   just those who are identified as
        seem to be satisfied with the teaching. Most of   individuality, we set the tone for a   having challenges to overcome.
        the teachers are qualified and schools have to   respectful classroom culture, where   If you would like to know more
        conform to strict accreditation criteria.      learners are encouraged to support   about making your classroom
          Last month, The Linguistics Society of the   each other. We can make use in   more inclusive, getting in touch
        Philippines celebrated its 50th anniversary – all in   the classroom of skills our students   with the IATEFL special interest
        English, of course, and mentioned the forthcoming   have developed elsewhere, and   group ‘Inclusive Practices and
        publication, Philippine English: Development,   acknowledge their non-academic   SEN’ is a great way to start. Visit
        Structure and Sociology of English in The Philippines,   gifts as well.      our website: https://ipsen.iatefl.org/
        edited by Ariane Macalinga Borlongan. This is the                                   or find us on facebook:
        comprehensive and definitive guide to Philippine                                    www.facebook.com/
        English, firmly establishing the islands as one of                               ELT WELL ELT WELL  IPSEN.SIG
        the major hubs of English in the world. And, of
        course, Malta and Eire are fast-growing centres for                                 ■ Anne Margaret Smith
        learning English too.                                                               is an ELT teacher, trainer,
          So, whose English is it anyway? I wonder what                                     author and dyslexia
        Gimson would have made of all this?                                                 assessor. She helped
                                                                                            to set up the IATEFL
        REFRENCE                                                                            Inclusive Practices &
        ■ Born in India, Rakesh Bhanot grew up in England                                   SEN SIG and runs her
        and, at the age of 21, began teaching English in                                    own company: ELT well
        Spain in 1972. Since then, he has been involved in                                  (www.ELTwell.com)
        various aspects of English language teaching in many
        countries around the world. He is the founder editor
        of Language Issues, the journal of NATECLA,
        National Association for Teaching English and
        Community Languages to Adults.

        editorial@elgazette.com                                                                                35
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