Page 35 - ELG1903 Mar-Apr Issue 464

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