Paper Example on Maximising Learner Potential: Inclusive & Equitable Teaching

Introduction

People are motivated to achieve their learning objectives by the desire to fully utilise their talent (Maslow, and Lewis, 1987). As a teacher, I am expected to ensure that there are inclusivity and equality in class. It is, however, important to consider the needs of each learner because people grasp concepts at different rates and the barriers to effective learning are different. It is, therefore, significant to make adjustments to the overall teaching plan to care of the students' who face challenges in the learning process. For example, the teacher makes adjustments to create time for a student who has missed classes due to sickness. Through these adjustments, all students can qualify. The other responsibility is to carry out assessment, record and prepare reports detailing the progress, the development and the behaviour of an individual learner as well as a group of students. The learner's progress is measured through the achievement of learning outcomes.

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To achieve positive students learning the outcome, I am responsible for designing a teaching plan that is student-focused towards achieving students' goals and achievements. The goals plan contains what the student is expected to have achieved at the end of each year or class. The teaching plan also incorporates the assessment tools that are used in measuring whether the learning outcomes have been achieved. This uniquely designed plan includes class and homework assignments. These assignments help in ensuring that the students have grasped the concepts taught.

Summarise Key Aspects of Legislation, Regulatory Requirements and Codes of Practice Relating to Own Role and Responsibilities

Rules of practice guide the teachers, and by following these principals, they can protect themselves. As a teacher, I am a role model and a mentor to the students, so whatever I do should be something they can embrace. First, I must ensure that I do not discriminate any student. This will help in ensuring that the students embrace equality and do not discriminate each other on any basis may it be race or gender.

One of the legislation that is key in this profession is Calin Rusu Equality and Diversity Act (2010) (Gov UK, 2015). This legislation is linked to the Lifelong Learning UK, and I believe by understanding the Equality and Diversity Act the learning outcomes will be achieved because all the students will be given an equal chance to participate in the learning activities. I will also adhere to the Disability Act (2010) so that students who have a condition that requires specialised attention will also earn just like the other students. Since some of the subjects that I will be teaching are in the hospitality department, I will adhere to the Food Hygiene Regulations. It will also be important to dress decently and keep time. By doing so, it will be easy to instil discipline in the learners because I will serve as a role model.

Explain Ways to Promote Equality and Value Diversity

Equality is promoted by adhering to the Equality Act 2010 legislation, which protects the people from discrimination in any workplace setup. To ensure that there are equality and appreciation of diversity among learners, it is important to avoid examples that promote stereotypic agenda (Petty, 2014). Portraying members of a certain race or gender as having a particular general behaviour affects diversity and is discriminatory. Additionally, I will use multicultural resources when teaching to ensure that learners get knowledge of different cultures and appreciate them. It is significant to let the learners know that no culture is better than the other.

I will promote equality by giving all the students equal opportunities of participating in both the curricular activities as well as Co-curricular activities. This will help in avoiding scenarios where some students feel that they are discriminated. I will punish students with offensive behaviours because it discourages the offended from further engaging in classroom activities. The learning methods applied will be inclusive, taking care of all learners, including those with disabilities. I will encourage learners to respect others and avoid discriminatory remarks. Any learner found violating the equality rules will be punished. To appreciate cultural diversity, we will be watching videos portraying different cultures where the students will write a reflection paper at the end of the exercise.

Explain Why It Is Important to Identify and Meet Individual Learning Needs

It is essential to identify and meet the learning needs of individual learners to effectively motivate them and come up with personalised teaching plans (Olson, 2015). Students understand concepts differently hence the need for making adjustments to the initial teaching plan to accommodate the needs for learners struggling with hearing, seeing, mobility, literacy as well as dyslexia. During the initial assessment, I will try to identify students struggling with dyslexia, which is a learning disorder where students face difficulty in reading. To help such children, I will apply the multisensory learning, such as writing on the sand or using beads (Phillips, and Kelly, 2018). I will also use pocket spell checkers whereby the student spells the word the way they think is spelt, and after finishing the spell, checker spells the word correctly.

For the students with the visual disorder, I will use large print, audio and braille. For those with the hearing disorder, I will use visual presentations to help them learn like normal students. The students with mobility difficulties will be assisted by special care assistants who will help them get to class and ensure that they are comfortable. Their chairs will be uniquely designed to ensure that they sit comfortably and study just like the learners without a disability.

Understand Ways to Maintain a Safe and Supportive Learning Environment

Explain Ways To Maintain a Safe and Supportive Learning Environment

It is my responsibility as a teacher to ensure that both physical, social, and learning needs are fulfilled. Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory presents these needs in a pyramid whereby the basic needs are placed at the bottom and the less basic needs at the top (Maslow, and Lewis, 1987). In a classroom setup, the basic needs of students are ventilation, lighting as well as learning resources. When the classrooms have a conducive environment, the students will perform well. Ensuring that the classrooms are safe will be a priority. This will be achieved by ensuring that there are objects that are likely to fall on the students, and there are no loose wires.

Social needs will be taken care of by designing a seating arrangement that promotes interactions. I will employ the double horseshoe seating arrangement as it promotes student-student interaction as well as student-teacher interaction (Powell, and Powell, 2015). I will create a learning environment free from hazard and ensure that all the equipment in the classroom is working appropriately. This will help in ensuring that the learning activities continue uninterrupted.

To boost interactions, I will encourage students to work in groups. I will cater to the psychological needs by creating a learning schedule which creates breaks between sessions during which students relax and have refreshments. By providing break sessions, the students will get the energy to get them through the next sessions because it is difficult to concentrate when tired and angry. I will encourage learners to ask questions.

Explain Why It Is Important to Promote Appropriate Behaviour and Respect For Others

• Effective learning is possible in an environment where learners behave appropriately and respect others.
• Students will be discouraged from making inappropriate or stereotypic comments about their peers.
• Students will be encouraged to respect the opinions of others, and if they do not agree with the ideas presented, they should not attack the person but should instead oppose the ideas.
• Any student found laughing at the other will be severely punished because such behaviour is likely to discourage participation.
• Good behaviour will be promoted through positive reinforcement such as by clapping or by rewarding the students with desirable behaviour. A student will repeat a behaviour if it attracts a positive reinforcement.
• Students with inappropriate behaviour will be warned, and they will face the consequences such as punishment or being expelled if they do not change.
• Avoiding topics that can cause conflicts among learners.
• Using positive words when giving feedback and correcting students

Failure to promote good behaviour and respect for each among learners impacts the overall performance. Bad behaviour such as making unpleasant comments towards each other reduces cohesiveness in class so affected learners will not be willing to participate in class (Olson, 2015). Lack of respect creates conflicts whereby each learner feels that they are better and that it is only their ideas that matter.

Understand the Relationships Between Teachers and Other Professionals in Education and Training

Explain How the Teaching Role Involves Working With Other Professionals

Teaching involves working with other professionals such as

• Examination officers
• Managers
• Teachers for other subjects
• Library attendants
• ICT technicians who are involved in setting up projectors that will be used to teach students
• Laboratory technicians. I sometimes may require to carry out experiments with students and will, therefore, require the assistance of the technicians in setting up the apparatus.
• Examination officers will be involved because as a teacher, I have to set examinations and submit them for evaluation.

Teaching can be an exhaustive and emotional draining profession, especially when dealing with ill-mannered students and at the same handling home issues. As a teacher, I need to team up with other professionals to help the students achieve the learning goals. Teamwork is also a source of moral and emotional support. I, for example, need to work with the manager and provide him with the exact number of students in my class and the resources they need. It is also essential to work as a team to help new staff get conversant on where different amenities are and the culture of the institution. New staff adapt more quickly in an environment where they are assisted than in an environment where people are individualistic. Without help from different professionals in the school, teaching would be complicated because a teacher would consume a significant amount of time doing something someone else could have assisted in.

Explain the Boundaries Between the Teaching Role and Other Professional Roles

Teachers' main role is to help students achieve their educational goals (Olson, 2015). However, sometimes, a teacher is faced by situations that require him/her to go beyond this role. Although the school has a guidance and counselling assistance, sometimes I may feel under pressure to assist the students who struggle with a particular behaviour and emotions. It is easy to have a negative perception of a student, especially when several teachers have complained about their behaviour. Sending the leaner for counselling may prove futile. In such a situation, I will be under pressure to find a solution for the student, even though this is not my role. I am likely to get too friendly to the student with aiming of getting information that will help in behaviour change.

A learner may be facing a challenge that is difficult for me to assist. It can be challenging for me, for example...