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Important principles to keep in mind regarding inclusive pedagogy.

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Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

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Inclusive Pedagogy - Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

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Inclusive Pedagogy Inclusive pedagogy at its core is a student-centered approach to teaching that faculty create an inviting and engaging learning environment to all the students with varied backgrounds, learning styles, and physical and cognitive abilities in the classroom. Drawing from a large bod…

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Don’t believe what you see – digging deeper for the truth – Linking Learning

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How can students get better at sorting truth from fiction from everything in between? At applying their attention to the things that matter? At amplifying better treatments of issues, and avoiding …

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The GO TO Strategies

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English news and easy articles for students of English

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News in Levels « World News for Students of English

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We write news in three different levels of English. We want to help you understand English more. Now all students can enjoy reading and listening to news.

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As of Monday, October 24, content that was on TweenTribune.com will now be available here on our new educational resources page and on our learning pages. While much of the content that you enjoyed will still exist, educators will unfortunately no longer be able to assign content to students. Tween Tribune has been a valued educational brand of Smithsonian magazine, and we appreciate your continued support.

Though the Girl Scouts of the USA initially declared itself a space for all girls, the reality was different for girls of color

Erin Blakemore

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As of Monday, October 24, content that was on TweenTribune.com will now be available here on our new educational resources page and on our learning pages. While much of the content that you enjoyed will still exist, educators will unfortunately no longer be able to assign content to students.

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Voice of America - Learn American English with VOA Learning English

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Learn American English with English language lessons from Voice of America. VOA Learning English helps you learn English with vocabulary, listening and comprehension lessons through daily news and interactive English learning activities.

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Understanding and Evaluating Online Searches

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Understanding and Evaluating Online Searches

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Vocabulary

algorithm (alɡəˌri T͟Həm) ( noun) a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer

search algorithm (sər CH alɡəˌri T͟Həm) ( noun) the mathematical process by which the search engine calculates a response typed into the search bar

reliability (rəˌlīəˈbilədē) ( noun) the quality of being trustworthy

popularity (päpyəˈlerədē) ( noun) the state or condition of being liked, admired or supported by many people
Sources: Google Dictionary, merriam-webster.com, en.oxforddictionaries.com
Lesson Overview

In the age of Google and other search engines, this lesson aims to help students navigate how information comes to them through online search tools. Students will evaluate a Google search result, distinguishing between popularity and reliability among the results. In the form of checklists, they will create a tool to independently discern which sources are most legitimate and relevant as they engage in their own research.

Procedure

1. Put students into small groups and give them copies of the Sample Google Search handout. Ask students to rank results from most to least reliable. As a class, define the term reliability on the board.

2. Have student groups report out their ranking and explain why they ranked certain sources the way they did.

3. Create a t-chart on the board with the headings "Reliable Source" and "Unreliable Source." Based on students' rankings, place each source from the search examples into the appropriate column. Document the reasons the students provided for their rankings.

4. Reveal that the handout illustrates how search results actually appear-not in order of reliability but prioritized based on a variety of factors, including popularity, location and search history.

5. Ask students to find a partner and together create a checklist for evaluating search results.

6. Have students share out their checklist items and compile a class list. Distinguish between checklist items that must be checked and checklist items that may be checked (for example, the website may end in .edu or the website must not state an opinion in its title).

7. Checklists might include, but shouldn't be limited to, the following criteria:

What kind of website or page is this? (Personal blogs, discussion forums and advice columns aren't typically reliable sources.)

Is the website connected to an educational institution or organization?

Is the website from a fact-checked news source I have heard of such as The Associated Press or the Washington Post?

Does the website URL end in .edu, .com, .org, .net or another extension? What does this tell you about the website?

Does the title of the website seem to be "clickbait" or include charged or sensational language?

Does the page or site have a credible author clearly listed?

Does the author cite sources?

Is an opinion stated in the title or heading?

When was the website or article published?

8. If certain key criteria do not come up in the class discussion, bring up additional checklist items for students to consider and explain their importance.

9. Ask students to reflect in their notebooks on the following questions: Why do you think search results are not organized solely by reliability? Why is having a reliability checklist important? How has this activity changed the way you will approach search results online?
Alignment to Common Core State Standards CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.8
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1
Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.2
Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6
Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

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Understanding and Evaluating Online Searches

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algorithm (alɡəˌri T͟Həm) ( noun) a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer search algorithm (sər CH alɡəˌri T͟Həm) ( noun) the mathematical process by which the search engine calculates a response typed into the search bar reliability (rəˌlīəˈbilədē)

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It's time to improve literacy skills during social studies instruction and ensure that readers of all abilities have what they need to access grade-level social studies concepts.

Join us on Thursday, December 7 for a look at scaffolded materials that provide extra literacy support while building key social studies concepts and skills.

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Newsela | Content and assessment platform

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Content Aligned To National & State Standard, Flexible To Support Relevant Curriculum. Find the Perfect Piece Of Content For Lessons. Go beyond the book.

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As teachers, we want our courses to be good learning spaces for all our students. But how do we make that possible? Inclusive pedagogy is a method of teaching in which instructors and classmates work together to create a supportive environment that gives each student equal access to learning. In these courses, the content takes into account the range of perspectives in the class, and is delivered in a way that strives to overcome barriers to access that students might have. Inclusive classrooms work to ensure that both teacher and student participation promote thoughtfulness and mutual respect. And research shows us that students of all backgrounds-not just marginalized groups-do better in more inclusive environments! ( African Americans and high blood pressure: the role of stereotype threat. Blascovich et al., 2001.)

Inclusive pedagogy invites us to consider our choices around both the content we teach and the means through which we deliver it. Additionally, inclusive pedagogy argues that the social identities of both student and teacher have a direct impact on the learning experience. Self-awareness is therefore an important point of entry into inclusive pedagogical practice.

Inclusive Pedagogy: Evidence Georgetown Resources Implicit Bias Strategies for Inclusive Teaching Additional Resources

Inclusive Pedagogy: Evidence

Inclusive pedagogy-creating a space that works for all students-makes intuitive sense. It's also supported by a growing body of research. First of all, a sense of belonging to an academic community has been shown to be an important predictor of academic success ( Moallem, 2013), and that, meanwhile, many students-particularly those from groups marginalized because of things like race, class, gender, sexuality, etc.-do feel excluded from learning spaces (see, for example, Tanner, 2013). This experience of exclusion can hamper academic performance ( APA, 2006) in a process that can spiral out of control, through a "negative recursive cycle...where psychological threat and poor performance feed off one another, leading to ever-worsening performance" ( Cohen et al., 2006). Beyond the purely academic, a sense of alienation or exclusion can even lead to negative health effects ( Blascovich et al., 2001, Eisenberger et al., 2003).

Luckily, it's also been found that efforts to increase marginalized students' sense of social belonging or competence lead to increases in both academic success and well-being among those students ( Walton & Cohen, 2011), and these benefits can last years ( Cohen et al., 2009). Furthermore, techniques that help improve the academic performance of students in marginalized groups (e.g., active learning, regular opportunities to practice new skills, etc.) tend to benefit other students, too ( Eddy & Hogan, 2014, Haak et al., 2011).

Georgetown Resources

CNDLS and the Doyle Initiative

Here at the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship, Inclusive Pedagogy is one of our most important priorities. We offer a range of workshops where faculty and staff can gather to think about how to bring inclusive teaching and learning strategies into their engagement with students. We also compiled a pamphlet of tips and resources for making classrooms more inclusive. Additionally, the Doyle Engaging Difference Program, which we administer in partnership with the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, aims to support faculty and the campus community in engaging with diversity inside and outside the classroom, through a faculty fellowship program, campus events ranging from a film and culture series to an annual symposium, and curriculum grants. Find out more about all our Inclusive Pedagogy work here.

Across Campus

Georgetown hosts an array of centers and offices that aim to make our campus a welcoming space for all our students across a variety of dimensions. You can find a compilation of some of those resources here.

Implicit Bias

The human mind depends on unconscious mental shortcuts and generalizations just to get through the day-gray skies probably mean rain so I'd better bring an umbrella; traffic tends to be light on this road, so I'll take it again today; my colleague is usually a nice person, so she must have meant that last comment as a compliment; etc.-so we all regularly do this kind of heuristic thinking. When these shortcuts intersect with identity groups, however, they can be dangerous. For example, maybe, without even realizing it, you have a picture in your mind of what a "good student in the major" looks like, and maybe that picture has a very particular demographic profile. Or maybe you see a particular kind of name on your roster and think, completely unintentionally and perhaps even unconsciously, "That student is going to have trouble writing in the English language." Those are examples of implicit bias, and they can attach to race, nationality, class, religion, gender, sexuality, or any of a number of other identity-related categories, and they can lead to an environment that's not equally conducive to learning for all of your students.

Again, we're all equipped with brains that work this way, so we all have bias of one form or another (or, likely, multiple forms). The appropriate question isn't Who's biased? but What are my biases, and what am I going to do about them?

Luckily, lots of different strategies help. What they all have in common is forcing yourself to think consciously about your approach to the classroom so as to counter any bias before it happens. Here are a few possibilities:

Take the time to ask yourself some questions before entering the classroom: What kind of diversity am I likely to encounter in my courses? What kinds of preconceptions could a person possibly have about those diverse groups, and am I particularly vulnerable to any of those preconceptions?

Use data: rather than leaving room for assumptions about the beliefs or performance or background of different students, collect information directly from your students, through anonymous in-class live polls (e.g., through clickers) or other means.

Individuate: get to know your students as individuals through class conversations (before, during, and after class sessions), and in office hours.

Use "If-then" strategizing: think ahead to a possible encounter and plan how you're going to behave in it. (E.g., "If both a man and a woman raise hands during class, I will....")

Use counterstereotypic imaging: if you discover that you do entertain some generalized notions of categories of people, you can actively imagine examples of people who contradict those stereotypes.

Be well-rested when you're interacting with a diverse group: tired people are more likely to lean on assumptions and shortcuts. Yet another reason to make sure you've gotten enough sleep!

Engage in active learning in the classroom: active learning involves the student in the production of knowledge, and tends to equalize people regardless of their background or experience with the material.

Remind yourself explicitly of some general pedagogical principles, such as: the imperative to educate the whole student, to treat students as individuals (what we at Jesuit schools call Cura personalis), and to always have a growth mindset-the belief that a student's abilities, interests, and capacities can change.

One last thought: it's worth noting that society's -isms are not reducible to individual bias, and can't be corrected entirely by attention to individual bias-they are also driven by structure-level systems and problems that need their own solutions-but attending to your own biases will be, for your students, a step in the right direction.

Strategies for Inclusive Teaching

Beyond the strategies designed to combat implicit bias, there are many ways you can make your classroom more inclusive. This can range from making sure that course materials represent a range of perspectives (and that their authors come from a variety of backgrounds) to planning accommodations for students with disabilities (perhaps through Universal Design for Learning) and avoiding cultural generalizations (including in the form of jokes) in class. Here are a few other considerations:

Setting the Stage

One issue that instructors could encounter in an effort to make classrooms more inclusive is a student-led resistance to the very idea of "inclusivity." An instructor who is careful to use and encourage inclusive language could ultimately run up against an attitude held by students that asks "well, why does this matter?" As we noted above, there's plenty of research to back up an inclusive approach, but, regardless, inclusive teachers should prepare to hold a dialogue with students who disagree with the practice, keeping in mind that the term 'inclusivity' often means including those who are resistant to change. In fact, the pedagogical ideal of a vibrant open dialogue in our courses is probably dependent on adopting a truly inclusive approach to teaching.

Preparing Students for Offensive Material

Preparing students for material is common practice in all classrooms. Teachers often say things like, "Now, this next section is really crucial, and will be covered extensively on the test, so pay close attention," or "What I'm about to get into is intellectually tricky, so let me know if you have any questions," or "Today's material is going to build on the theory we discussed in the last session, so look for connections." Preparation is about making sure that students are equipped to get the most out of the material to come, and so it's a regular part of most teachers' practice.

One of the situations where this is likely to be relevant is when you're introducing content that's necessary but has potential to offend a particular group. Students might have strong negative reactions if, for example, a film were to be shown in class that contains slurs that target their identity or another's. In a case like this, it can be a good idea for the instructor to provide a heads-up to all students (some use the term "content warning" or "trigger warning") as a way of informing them that the course does not support the usage of this language, and that you'll be expecting students to view the material critically. It also helps when teachers explain why the material is important (as we sometimes even have to do with inoffensive material whose relevance isn't immediately obvious to students).

Furthermore, it's never safe to assume that a student claims a certain identity simply because the student appears to bear traits of that identity. This could occur on the grounds of race, class, gender, or sexuality, with instructors assuming that a specific student needs an individual content warning because the instructor thinks they would claim an affected identity. Instead of targeting a student or assuming something about their level of comfort, instructors can use inclusive language generally and give any heads-up to all students. Again, the point is to prepare students to get the most out of the activity.

Difficult Conversations

Difficult discussions may be daunting, but they can also be crucially productive moments in a semester -and sweeping such moments aside when they flare up can lead to problems, including students feeling unheard, alienated, and hurt-but you do have to work to make sure these moments are productive.

Handling difficult conversations comes in two phases. The first is the laying of a foundation for productive discussions. At the very beginning of the semester it's helpful to acknowledge that these kinds of moments may crop up-you could even name particular topics that are likely to emerge or that are probably on people's minds-and to give students guidance in advance on how to handle them, including possible ground rules for discussion (e.g., focus on ideas, not people; connect comments to course material; etc.). You might need to prepare yourself as well. What are your hot buttons? What's likely to make you uneasy or upset? What will you do when your buttons get pushed? Once you've done the preparation, the second phase of handling difficult discussions is dealing with the discussions as they happen-whether you plan them or whether they flare up unexpectedly (e.g., reminding students of ground rules, using the blackboard to distance ideas from individual speakers). For more specific strategies-ideas for ground rules, ways to structure and manage these conversations, etc.-see our Difficult Discussions page.

Additional Resources
Back to the top
Please reach out to us at cndls@georgetown.edu if you'd like to have a conversation with someone at CNDLS about these or other teaching issues.

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As teachers, we want our courses to be good learning spaces for all our students. But how do we make that possible? Inclusive pedagogy is a method of teaching in which instructors and classmates work together to create a supportive environment that gives each student equal access to learning.

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Community of Online Research Assignments

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Assignment

This is an activity that helps students develop an interdisciplinary search strategy in stages. Students define their topic, brainstorm questions related to their topic area, and connect these questions to the disciplines and experts where they might find more research and information. Students learn how to identify search tools & information sources based on their questions using the library's website.

Breakdown topic by brainstorming relevant ideas and questions

Analyze these ideas to identify subject areas, this will help inform later searches on topic (ie what databases to consult)

Identifies key concepts and terms that describe the information need

Recognizes that knowledge can be organized into disciplines that influence the way information is accessed

Information Literacy concepts:

Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips:

· Students don't necessarily know a lot about different academic 'disciplines' and may need some help making meaningful connections between their topics and particular disciplines.

· Students may need help and/or to do some background research to think about interesting questions/issues related to their topics.

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Developing an Interdisciplinary Search Strategy

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This is an activity that helps students develop an interdisciplinary search strategy in stages. Students define their topic, brainstorm questions related to their topic area, and connect these questions to the disciplines and experts where they might find more research and information.

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Top 5 Research Strategies for Students and Teachers

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Boost academic research strategies for students with effective strategies. Find reliable sources, organize information & excel academically. Explore now

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6 Scaffolding Strategies to Use With Your Students

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Support every student by breaking learning up into chunks and providing a concrete structure for each.

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Collaborative Classroom Scaffold Strategies 

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Collaborative Classroom Scaffold Strategies 

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Scaffolding Techniques for English Language Learners: Part 1

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When supporting English Language Learners during instruction we must consider that the instruction is two-fold. Teachers are supporting content and language acquisition simultaneously. This is not an easy task! Scaffolding has been praised for its ability to engage most learners. When the learning is scaffolded students are constantly building on prior knowledge and forming associations [...]

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Our next conference has not been scheduled yet. For information about registration, proposals, speakers, location, and more, please visit our 2021 Conference Page.

NNETESOL's annual conference provides professional development hours as well as an opportunity for social and intellectual interaction among people involved in teaching English to speakers of other languages. This one-day conference is affordable and offers workshops and publisher's exhibits.

Please see notes from past conferences here:
November 7, 2020 November 2, 2019 November 3, 2018 November 4, 2017

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NNETESOL's annual conference provides professional development hours as well as an opportunity for social and intellectual interaction among people involved in teaching English to speakers of other languages. This one-day conference is affordable and offers workshops and publisher's exhibits.

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Presented by Della Rodrigues, Math Teacher, Kenmore Middle School, Arlington, VA
Sponsored by Nureva
WATCH THE WEBINAR RECORDING If you attended the live session, you'll be emailed a CE certificate within 24 hours of the webinar. If you view the recording and would like a CE certificate, join the Fostering Student Collaboration community and go to the Webinar Archives folder to take the CE quiz.
More and more teachers are encountering students new to the country in their classes. How do you address the varying needs of these English Language Learners? How do you help these students acquire the language they will need to understand the material? How do you prepare them for the standardized tests that they are going to be expected to take? How do you help them develop the confidence they will need to experience success in school and beyond? In this webinar, Della Rodrigues, Math Teacher at Kenmore Middle School in Arlington, VA, answers all of these questions.

This webinar highlights some successful strategies for working with English Language Learners:

* Breaking down language
* Scaffolding and pacing instruction
* Integrating technology and games
* Fostering collaboration and creation
* Building student confidence

Teaching English Language Learners can be daunting, but with the appropriate strategies not only do these students grow and learn, they can also experience success beyond your greatest expectations.
About the Presenter Join the Fostering Student Collaboration community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming webinars, view past webinars, take a quiz to receive a CE certificate for a past webinar, and access free resources. WATCH THE WEBINAR RECORDING
Della Rodrigues is a teacher at Kenmore Middle School, which is a part of Arlington Public Schools, VA. She has dual certification in ESL and mathematics. She has 13 years of experience teaching English Language Learners, and currently teaches math to seventh- and eighth-grade English Language Learners and mainstream students. She passionately believes that all students can learn at a high level, and that language should not be a barrier to a student's success.

Nureva Inc. develops education solutions that foster a joy for learning. The company focuses on delighting customers with simple, thoughtful hardware, software and services. A passion for deep customer understanding and a commitment to innovation drive the company's product roadmap.

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Building Blocks for the Success of English Language Learners

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Presented by Della Rodrigues, Math Teacher, Kenmore Middle School, Arlington, VA Sponsored by Nureva WATCH THE WEBINAR RECORDING If you attended the live session, you'll be emailed a CE certificate within 24 hours of the webinar.