Policy makers as well as head teachers require practical schemes and examples of best practice to help them deal appropriately with problems of inclusion and diversity in school settings. In essence, it is important integrate best practices into processes targeting improvement and self-evaluation to ensure the implemented practices for inclusion and diversity becomes more sustainable in the long run.
Here are some guidelines on how to improve diversity and inclusion in schools:
Train teachers and head teachers in diversity and inclusion
Training teachers in the realm of diversity should be an important priority in all schools. However, one of the impediments for achieving this goal is that most schools seldom have experts who are adept at intercultural training. As a result, many schools are not able to give significant attention to issues diversity and inclusion in their continuing in-house professional training. In addition, a significant number of schools are also failing to recruit teachers from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, especially at leadership levels. Subsequently, this is an area where school systems should lay more emphasis to effectively address issues of inclusion and diversity.
Make efforts to support learner voice
Initiatives that serve the purpose of supporting learner voice in school settings can act as a powerful tool for integrating migrant learners in the culture of the school as well as promoting issues of diversity and inclusion. The limited nature of government policies promoting learner voice is also an area that the relevant actors should consider addressing.
Encouraging national, regional and local support
Supporting the Education system at national, regional and local level plays an important role in not only challenging, but also supporting schools to elevate the achievement of all students and to ensure schools become more inclusive and diverse in terms of their outlook and practices respectively. Specifically, the support offered to schools at national, regional and local levels can help them through the process of monitoring advising and assessment; devising interventions for students who are under achievers; supporting innovation and implementation of successful practice; expedite successful partnership between schools and surrounding communities; helping schools to effectively utilize data with the aim of raising achievement; promoting in-house training for purposes of inclusion and diversity; and creating opportunities for young people to participate actively in various forms of governance that include, for example, young people’s parliament.
Encourage parental as well as community participation and support
Encouraging parents and communities to get involved in the affairs of the schools is essential for several reasons. For instance, it offers stakeholders a formal means to participate in policy making processes for the school; gives parents an opportunity to get involved in their children’s learning; creates a means for marshalling community resources; and helps to enlighten stakeholders on the importance of diversity and inclusion. In essence, involving migrant parents is particularly important in that they may lack knowledge about the school curriculum and also encounter social distance from schools in the host country.
Conclusion
This is a difficult topic, and it’s important to remember that there are no easy answers. But I hope this guide has given you some advice on helping the Education system to improve inclusion and diversity in schools.
