Qualities of a good teacher in an inclusive setting

  

Date Posted: 8/6/2020 8:55:48 AM

Posted By: Teacher edna  Membership Level: Silver  Total Points: 138

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Qualities of a good teacher in an inclusive setting.

Teaching in an inclusive setting means an interaction in which the leaner, and the teacher the material ,the environment and the teacher participate in facilitation of learning.
Your role as a teacher is to manipulate the environment to facilitate learning while at the same time considering learners diversity.

You should manipulate the environment by:
1. Ensuring positive classroom environment.
2. Using appropriate teaching methods and techniques to accommodate for all learners.
3. Using variety of learning resources.
4. Reinforcement of learners responses.
In an inclusive setting this sounds easy but it is difficult to achieve in an inclusive setting especially where the teacher has diversity of learners in the same setting. The teacher needs to plan especially using individualized education Program (IEP) so as to cater for many diverse needs as possible.
Inclusive teaching needs recognizing individual differences in the learners with regard to choosing educational materials and teaching methods. This will ensure learning needs for the children are catered for as the teaching will only be considered successful when children demonstrate they have learnt what was intended to.

Qualities of a good teacher

1. A good communicator. This skill in teaching and learning process involves sending and receiving messages. The teacher should pass the message clearly to the learners using appropriate language that is age appropriate he or she should know the following techniques :
- Verbal instruction using verbal communication speaking clearly
- Modelling (observation learning) where an opportunity is created for the learners to observe somebody performing a task and then imitate. However in an inclusive setting learners with visual Impairment may not benefit.
- Prompting. This requires sequencing of learning unit in small sections so that you can quickly signal the learner to perform the activity or

give the response required during the process. Apply prompts only when necessary to ensure learner success. Prompts can be manual, gestural or oral.
2. Knowledgeable and skilled - knowledge in special needs education is extremely necessarily. A teacher should have the ability to address the needs of his or her learners. A teacher should be Knowledgeable with:
a. Barriers within outside that may hinder learning.
b. Skills in teaching and learning approaches.
C. Use of assistive and adaptive education.
d. Support systems in schools and community

3. Positive attitude towards all learners attitudes play a major role in an inclusive setting. A good teacher must understand learners needs and ensure they benefit from learning experiences without being ridiculed by others. Make your learners feel good. and enjoy being members of a class show them that you care. In the classroom make the learners feel liked and accepted your positive and caring attitude will be seen in the way you support and encourage and include all learners in all learning activities as active members. You show that you have a positive attitude by:
- Speaking to learners in clear friendly voice.
- Use simple Language along with gesture pictures among others.
- Praise and encourage successful attempt by learners.
- Call learners by their names as this will show that you recognize them as individuals.
- Smile alot.
- Look at them as you speak to them.
- Be physically near.
- Give them individual attention avoid things like flawing when they do wrong or criticizing their performance. Instead of guiding them let them know their efforts however small are appreciated as this build confidence self esteem
encouragement which is key to success.
4. A good classroom manager. The key to successful class management is how you manage the classroom as seen in how desks and groups are arranged, how educational materials are prepared and used, how learners are motivated and encouraged to participate.
Note learners are likely to change your classroom management strategies for example arrangement of desks and group area will be modified for learners using wheel chairs and those with visual Impairment.
5. A good collaborator. Collaboration is working together towards the main goal for example in your class you have a learner with head problems which require you to collaborate with physician on implication of medication to learning. Collaboration can also take the following forms.
Special needs teacher assisting in curriculum adaptation.
The parents coming in to give medical history of children to enable the teacher to know right strategies to be put in place. Collaboration can be through:
- Organizing seminars and conferences
- Inviting a role model to talk to learners.

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