Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Equality and Diversity
Equality and Diversity
November 2008
Index
Introduction 3
Inclusion 4
Referral 6
Conclusions 7
Notes 8
Reference List 8
Introduction
The purpose of this essay is to discuss issues of equality and diversity and
ways to promote inclusion with learners. It is also to review other points of
referral that are available to meet the potential needs of learners.
People are different in many ways. Not only are we polarised by gender, we
come in many shades of colour – both skin and hair – and we hold many and
varying beliefs. Some of us are disabled, others have different body shapes.
We are, of course, differently aged as we continue our journey through life,
and our sexual orientation varies. Some of us are married, others are single or
divorced.
Our political and/or religious beliefs vary quite dramatically, and our ethnic
backgrounds are often quite culturally distinct. Some are generally considered
to be good looking, others are not. Some people like to dress fashionably;
others consider clothing to be a necessity not an art form. Accents vary
considerably, and today’s social mobility ensures that teachers will come into
contact with many learners who talk differently and use expressions that are
unfamiliar.
In addition to how people look, sound, or act, we often have differing barriers
to learning, including mixed learning styles and abilities, which if not managed
correctly, usually results in some learners missing out on learning
opportunities.
Scales (2008, p.274) defines the practice of equality, that is, promoting equal
opportunities, as “referring to the whole organisation in which you work, its
general ethos and its attitudes towards providing equal opportunities for
learners and staff”.
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Petty (2004, p.81) states, perhaps more succinctly, that “all students must feel
that they are positively and equally valued and accepted, and that their efforts
to learn are recognised, and judged without bias”.
Inclusion
The first step the teacher must take in ensuring the provision of equal
opportunities to learners is to read his or her organisation’s equal opportunity
policy to learn what the organisation’s management is doing to ensure that
equal opportunity. The policy should also state in this respect what the
organisation requires of the teacher, and, crucially, how he should implement
those requirements in the classroom.
For example, what adjustments are in place to allow equal access for the
disabled or elderly? What guidance is available to teachers to cope with
disadvantaged learners? What referral services are available?
The teacher must then ensure that the course he or she is to deliver will be
inclusive; that is, delivered in a manner that that is designed to ensure that
each learner is involved in the process. It means that teachers must
recognise barriers to learning in each of his students then plan to deliver the
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course content in a variety of ways that help to remove those barriers. In this
way every learner has an opportunity to grasp concepts, and absorb
information and ideas in a way that makes the most sense to them. This
process is known as differentiation, and it takes into account, amongst other
things, the differing preferred learning styles of the learners.
Armed with this information the teacher then can plan how to deliver the
course, by developing lesson plans, exercises, and delivery techniques that
ensure that each learner’s needs are met. Handouts should be produced that
reflect various ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and where possible should
include both men and women. Continually assessing the progress of each
learner will allow the teacher to adjust lesson plans to meet changing and/or
developing needs.
Another way to ensure that all learners are included in the learning process is
for the teacher to make appropriate eye contact with each learner as often as
is possible throughout the lesson. The teacher should try to wherever possible
to address the learners individually and by name, and always offer the
learners encouragement and support at every opportunity. However dire the
situation, there is always something for the teacher to comment on to
learners, both positively and individually.
Additionally, teachers should consider how they speak to learners. The use of
genders in sentences, such as he and she, excludes the other gender, and
should be replaced with non-gender-specific nouns. For example, “he said”
could be replaced with “the gardener said....”
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The teacher should always avoid negative references to race, colour, gender,
age, sexual orientation, etc., however innocuous they appear to be. Such
negative references are often extremely offensive to learners, whether or not
the learner considers himself or herself as being referred to.
John Daines, et al, (2006, p.43) states that the teacher should “consider their
own attitude towards and knowledge about the people you teach. The ways
you speak and behave will say something about you, and your perceptions
and expectations of your students”.
Finally, the teacher must ensure that a culture of respect exists in the
classroom. Both the teacher and the learners must recognise their
boundaries, and mutual respect must exist between all. To this purpose the
teacher must ensure that classroom rules are maintained. Those rules should
include definitive statements that disavow bullying and harassment, both
common causes of exclusion.
Referral
However extensive the role and responsibilities of teachers, there comes a
point when learners need specialist advice and assistance that is beyond the
boundaries of the teacher’s role.
Unfortunately these boundaries are not necessarily precise, and are often
learned only through experience. It can be said, however, that a teacher is not
a counsellor, and accordingly the support offered by the teacher should stop
before his or her intrusion into the learner’s personal life or circumstances. For
example, it is inappropriate for the teacher to contact a learner at the learner’s
home, except in the most general of ways, i.e. replying to emails about
homework.
Students Support Departments can often offer the learners assistance in such
matters as Financial Support, Child Care, Assistance with Travel Costs, and
even very specialist support such as Dyslexia Diagnosis and Support.
Help the Aged is another charity which can offer advice and assistance to the
elderly, whilst the Citizens Advice Bureau offers help and advice to all. There
are too many available external support agencies to list here. However, the
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important thing for the teacher to recognise is that such external support
services offer professional help, which is beyond both the expertise and the
role of the teacher. Instead the teacher should make enquiries within the
appropriate department at his or her organisation, and compile a list of
appropriate referral agencies for future use.
Conclusions
Teachers should recognise that we often have inherent and mostly
unconscious bias towards and against different people. Some treat women
more kindly, others value men more. Others show more understanding to
people from the same background as themselves, whilst yet more react
differently to people of certain age groups. Even the way learners dress, act,
or even talk can invoke vastly differing reactions in some teachers.
Often teachers don’t realise that they are treating people differently. It is
therefore important that the teacher understands that to ensure inclusivity for
all it is usually he or she that needs to change, and not the learner.
Taking a positive view, however, much support and advice is available to the
teacher to help him or her create inclusive environments for their learners.
The teacher should actively seek out these resources – often within their own
organisations – and utilise them.
Whatever our differences we must never forget that we are all human beings.
Each one of us is a potentially valuable member of the human race. Treating
learners differently, for whatever reason, is hurtful to them, is morally very
wrong, and is usually illegal.
It behooves us all, especially teachers who are often looked upon as role
models, to learn to appreciate diversity, rather than simply “dealing” with it, or
tolerating it. We are all different in some ways from each other, and we all
have something to bring to the party – be it insight into a different way of life,
humour, wit, personality, understanding, a caring nature, or even a
competitive edge. When that appreciation is introduced into the usual
disparate mix of learners in a classroom, the learners and the teacher will
benefit immensely.
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Moreover, if everyone is valued and treated equally, both inside and outside
of the classroom, then our society will be become stronger and more
cohesive. This will surely benefit society as a whole.
Notes
Reference List
Bibliography
Scales P., 2008. Teaching in the lifelong learning sector. Maidenhead,
Berkshire: Open University Press.
Petty, G., 2004. Teaching today, 3rd ed. Cheltenham: Nelson Thomes Ltd.
Daines, J., Daines C. & Graham, B., 2006. Adult learning adult teaching.
4th ed. Cardiff: Welsh Academic Press.
Internet
TeachingExpertise, 2006. Some way to go towards successful inclusion.
(Senco update) [Online]. Updated March 2006. (accessed 5 October
2008) Available at: http://www.teachingexpertise.com/articles/towards-
successful-inclusion-351
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