Incorporating opportunities for inclusion is so beneficial to our special education students! Simply put, inclusion means creating opportunities for classified students to participate in activities (either academic or nonacademic) with their general education peers.
When students with special needs have the opportunity to interact with their peers, it helps them to form friendships, learn from peer role models, and access new opportunities. Plus, it helps non-classified peers learn to be more empathetic and accepting of those who are different from them.
Like so many of you, I teach in a self-contained setting. My students have multiple disabilities, so they remain in my classroom for all academic subjects. But that doesn’t mean we can’t incorporate meaningful opportunities for inclusive moments in our students’ day! Here is a list of ten ways to make inclusion happen for students!
Morning Meeting
Morning meeting is a low-stakes time of day to include students in a general education classroom. Activities during morning meeting often focus on social-emotional learning and community building rather than academics. During this time, students will have a chance to participate in fun activities and have a chance to share their ideas. They will also get to see lots of peer models for behavior.
School Announcements
If your school has student-led daily announcements or news, this is a great opportunity to have your students participate with a peer buddy! Students can practice their lines together, and have their buddy with them for support.
Special Area Classes
While some classified students need adaptive specials, other kids may be able to join their grade-level peers during specials. This is a great chance for students not only to have fun learning alongside friends, but also to show off their own natural skills with art, music, or sports! These visual aids are helpful for keeping your students on track during special area classes.
Lunch
Have your students sit with peers during lunch! The cafeteria can be overwhelming for some students, so having the opportunity to sit with a buddy to chat with while they eat can make this time less stressful. Some schools don’t allow classes to mix, but a conversation with a case manager or admin can help make this happen for your class.
Recess
Many of our students tend to gravitate to the same activities at recess each day. However, encouraging students to get involved in a soccer game, drawing with chalk, or playing on the jungle gym with their peers can help them to form relationships. Kids will start to see that even if we are different, we all can find some common interests!
Playtime
If you have an opportunity to incorporate play time/free time in your day, this is a great chance to invite some peers to join in! Many gen ed classes might set aside some time for a “Fun Friday” activity where the students get extra recess or downtime. Getting together with another classroom for a game or craft during this time is a fun way to get kids together.
See this blog post for how to adapt games for your classroom.
Read Aloud
Lots of classes incorporate a read aloud period in their day. Pairing up during this time is a good way to get your students out into the school community. Sharing an inclusive book can be a great way to foster understanding! Even if you can’t make a shared time work, reading the same book as the rest of the grade level (even an adapted version) helps to make a connection between your class and their peers, and serves as an easy conversation starter.
School Clubs
If your school offers clubs, encourage parents to let their students join! My school has some clubs that run during the school day. That makes it even easier for my students to participate in activities! Clubs are an awesome way for students to meet new friends and participate in activities with their peers. Before you know it, your students will become friendly with lots of different kids!
Assemblies
When the school offers assemblies, it is important to show everyone that ALL students belong! Try having your students sit interspersed with other classes. Assemblies are often about building up some excitement in the students. This shared experience will help create a bond between your students and their buddies.
Community Service Projects
Community projects are a great way to bring students together. My class joined some gen ed peers to create staff appreciation gifts. The kids worked together to decorate cards and deliver them to the staff. After the project was finished, the students had all made a great memory with each other! Check out Brianne’s blog for a fun staff appreciation project you can try!
Giving our students opportunities for inclusion is such an important part of helping them grow. I hope these ideas inspire you to make more inclusion happen for your students! Be sure to read Alyssa’s blog for more inclusion tips. And I’d love to hear more about your experiences with inclusive education below!
Sabrina you are an amazing teacher which is evident by the progress your students make on a daily bases!