Pros And Cons Of An Inclusive Classroom

There is a lot of controversy about inclusiveness and equality in classrooms. This is a very delicate subject because everyone is entitled to their own opinion and has to be respected. Let’s explore a bit more about the benefits and disadvantages of inclusive education:

Benefits of Inclusive Education for students labelled as exceptional:

• Development of social skills by imitating other students in a regular classroom

• All students form friendships

• Students in a regular classroom meet their individualized education plan (IEP) goals better because they have access to the regular curriculum and the presence of role models

• Exceptional children are exposed to diversity and learn how to interact with different situations

• It sets higher expectations for all students increasing potential learning and leadership

• Increases staff collaboration because they all work towards the same goals

• Encourages parent participation. Parents get more involved in the education, and goals

• Teaches other students tolerance and acceptance for people that might be different from them

• Promotes self esteem for students that have the disability and they learn how to build friendships

• Everyone should have the right of mainstream of school and community life

Disadvantages of Inclusive Education:

• It forces students into cookie-cutter model of learning where all students learn by the same model without differentiated instruction

• It can disturb and interrupt learning for other students

• Some physical disabilities require a special classroom configuration

• It can encourage other students to behave inappropriately

• It forces teachers to have a knowledge of different exceptionalities

• Classrooms are too big and so diverse that the teachers can’t teach individual students without extra help or resources

• Exceptional students might not have the opportunity of one-on-one instruction

• Students with exceptionalities may compare themselves to the other students and may suffer from stress or pressure.

• Regular classrooms have too many distractions making it hard to focus

These are only a few of the different points of view for inclusiveness in classrooms.

Inclusion is hard. Just do it!

Resources:

https://www.janinegriffiths.org/

https://vittana.org/

https://www.mentalhelp.net/

https://www.teachersoftomorrow.org/

https://www.noodle.com/

https://www.kidstogether.org/

https://www.google.com/