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”.

He continues by asserting that practicing diversity means “recognising the

whole range of different individuals and groups in your community who are
your potential learners”.

I think what Scales means is that whereas everyone should be treated

respectfully, fairly and equally, and thereby given the same opportunities as
everyone else, teachers and their organisations should also adopt practices
and procedures, and provide appropriate support, that will overcome learning
differences between individuals.

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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”.

It is generally recognised that the provision of equal opportunities is linked to

legislation and codes of practice which are intended to remove discrimination,
whilst recognising diversity goes further in that when it is practised effectively
it ensures that all learners participate and are therefore included.

Indeed, Emma Westcott of the General Teaching Council UK (2005, p.273)

counsels us that “There is strong evidence of the correlation between
educational under-achievement and social exclusion.”

Notwithstanding this evidence the Senco Report published by

TeachingExpertise (March 2006) makes a case that some educational
organisations, despite apparently strongly supporting equal opportunity,
continue to lack robust strategies that will ensure inclusion in their
classrooms. In that report TeachingExpertise asserts that “recent Ofsted
reports on primary and secondary national strategies show that schools still
have some way to go in developing inclusion”.

However, this is countered by the very many educational organisations who

publicly proclaim their support for specific inclusion policies, as, for example
the North Devon College, Barnstaple, Devon in its 13-page Equal
Opportunities, Diversity and Inclusion Policy published, and freely available,
upon its website. Moreover, on the same website the College proudly states
that “North Devon College expects that everyone who learns and who works
here will feel valued and will be treated with respect by all.”

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.

Differentiation means, in part, recognising that some learners respond best to

visual input, such as pictures and diagrams. Others respond to auditory input,
preferring lectures and stories, while yet a third group are known as
Kinaesthetic learners like to take part actively. This categorisation of learners’
preferred learning styles is known as VAK (Visual, Auditory, & Kinaesthetic).
Knowing which learning style is preferred by each learner is so important to
the teacher that he or she must discover these preferences at a very early
stage in the learning process – that is, at enrolment.

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.

Teachers can include learners by providing them with individual attention

when they appear to be struggling, when they are exhibiting signs of
impatience with the course material, or when their attention seems to have
wandered. This can be done discreetly, for example during a break, or
privately, after the lesson has ended. Individual attention can also be provided
whilst the teacher walks around offering advice and encouragement to the
learners as they complete an exercise. If the teacher fails to act in these
circumstances, it could result in the learner losing interest in the lesson, and
therefore being excluded from the learning process.

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.

Learners’ personal financial circumstances are also off-limits to the. Instead

the teacher should refer enquiries from the learner to the Students Support
Department, or other similarly-named department within the organisation.

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.

External support services are available to learners, including the charities

Drugsline and Shelterline, which as their names suggest offer help to counter
misuse of drugs, and housing advice.

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.

Treating people differently is a form of social exclusion, and is rarely

acceptable to those who are excluded. Put simply, we generally prefer to be
included rather than to feel outcast.

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.

Conversely, likely professional failure, and possible legal action and/or

sanctions await the teacher who pays no heed, or is thoughtless, and who
ends up offending a learner in a way that discriminates.

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

Gender: Mention of the masculine gender is intended to refer to the

feminine gender as well, and vice versa.

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.

Westcott, E., 2005. Equality of opportunity and inclusion report. Journal

of Education for Teaching Vol. 31, No. 4. London: Taylor & Francis.

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

Barnstaple College, 2008. Opportunities, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

[Online]. Updated 22 June 2006. (Accessed 6 October 2008). Available
at: http://www.ndevon.ac.uk/information/2/policies/EDIPolicy.pdf

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