ESTABLISHING A POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Objectives of this part

• Explain and compare teaching and learning preferences.
• Reflect on and gain a deeper understanding of one’s positionality and its impact on leading a classroom.
• Understand what intercultural pedagogy is and what culturally responsive pedagogy means.
• Consider the ways that intercultural pedagogy and self-reflection might be applied in your instructional context as TAs, lab demonstrators, marker-graders, and instructors.
• Understand the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and their application in teaching.
• Apply accessibility considerations into pedagogy.
• Recognize the importance of the TA’s role in navigating challenging dialogues and creating an inclusive environment.
• Define critical reading and emphasize the significance of this skill across academic disciplines.
• Outline practical steps and strategies that Teaching Assistants can use to support their students in reading critically.
• Get tips on increasing the class’s effectiveness.
• Get insight on how to keep students motivated.

This part can help Teaching Assistants and Lab Demonstrators.