Introduction

The study of neuroscience in learning has taught us that learners will retain more information if they feel safe in the classroom and feel that the instructor has an investment in learners and the learning process. Facilitating classes where learners are relaxed and receptive involves a conscious and purposeful commitment to creating a place of belonging for everyone. In order to do this, we need to reflect on our roles as instructors and our beliefs about the classroom.

Take a few moments to answer the following prompts for yourself. There are no right or wrong answers. You can simply think about your response or make a note of your answers to refer back to later.

Relationships With Instructors

It is important to remember that learners are entering courses with very different educational backgrounds. This can influence their perception of the role of the instructor as well as their beliefs about their role as a learner. Some of these might be influenced by the cultural approach to education in the students’ previous schooling. This may be particularly true of learners coming into post-secondary who have been educated in other countries.

In order to support English Language Learners in content courses, it is important to know who they are and what will best serve them. In the video below, some ELLs speak about their experiences entering post-secondary classrooms in North America. They discuss their relationships with instructors and approaches that helped them succeed. While this is a small sample of learners, it can help give insight into the process of living and learning in an additional language.

As we can see from the learners in the video, there is often an adjustment process when international or multi-lingual learners enter post-secondary in North America. One of the things that can ease this transition is establishing positive relationships with instructors. When teaching a diverse group of students (whether or not they are English Language Learners), it is important to be aware of differences in cultural expectations and behaviours. This awareness can help prevent misunderstanding and create a classroom environment where learners feel seen, heard, and supported. In addition to the cultural expectations that were described above, some other cultural behaviours to be aware of include:

1. Cultural approaches to eye contact. In many cultures, making direct eye contact with someone in a position of authority could be seen as disrespectful.
2. Cultural approaches to listening. In some cultures learning takes place through observation, modelling, or hands-on techniques. Learners might not be familiar with active listening or note-taking approaches.
3. Cultural approaches to discussion and debate. In some cultures, debating or engaging in lively discussion is seen as a challenge to the participants and could be interpreted as a sign of disrespect. Learners may not have encountered debates or discussions as a learning method (Alrubail, 2016).

Understanding who learners are is the first step in creating positive relationships. Being aware of learners’ backgrounds and creating space for them in the classrooms communicates to learners that it is okay to be who they are.

Other Considerations for Creating a Welcoming Classroom

There are a number of factors to consider that can make a course welcoming before learners enter a physical or online classroom. It is important to keep in mind that all learners experience a classroom differently depending on their backgrounds, experiences, and identities.

The Syllabus

One of the first elements that students interact with in most courses is the syllabus. Like curriculum, the syllabus is not neutral or culture-free. It is important to consider how you design and deliver a syllabus because it is “one element of a course that may send cues of power and oppression to minoritized students or serve as a cue of social inclusion” (Pacansky-Brock, 2021).

Some of the elements of a syllabus that may cause learners to feel that they are not welcomed or supported in a course are academic jargon, threatening policies, lists of what to do and not to do. In addition, the syllabus is usually housed on an institutional page that is password protected. For a variety of different administrative reasons, learners may have delayed access to the learning management system. One way to make the syllabus more accessible and inclusive is to consider using the liquid syllabus. A liquid syllabus is intended to act as a humanizing and welcoming element in a course.

The Physical Classroom

Close your eyes and picture a physical classroom. Maybe it was one you experienced as a learner. Maybe it is one you currently teach in. What does it look like? Where to learners sit? Where does the instructor sit or stand?

Most post-secondary classrooms in North America are organized with rows of tables or desks for learners and a podium at the front of the classroom for the instructor. This classroom organization can establish or reinforce a power dynamic where the instructor is the dispenser of knowledge and the learners are passive recipients. Try to consider ways to shift this power dynamic such as positioning yourself throughout the room or, if possible, creating different seating configurations such as a circle.

It is important to remember that circle formations are used in many cultures and contexts as a method for learning, communication, and relationship-building. In particular, talking circles are a feature of many Indigenous approaches to knowing, doing, and being. There are numerous benefits to talking circles, but they must be implemented with care. As Barkaskas and Gladwin (2021) point out, “when educators engage in the work of learning how to apply talking circles respectfully and with proper attentiveness to the Indigenous pedagogy and methodology of circle work, they can create truly transformative spaces for correlative understanding.”

Addressing Micro-Aggressions

In order for instructors and learners to function effectively in the classroom, they must feel safe. Part of an instructor’s role is creating a well-managed classroom. In order to do this, we must be aware of, and prepared for, microaggressions to arise. While it may be very uncomfortable, microaggressions are best addressed as soon as they happen.

Dr. Frank Harris III and Dr. Luke Wood provide a model for addressing microaggressions called R.A.V.E.N.

1. Redirect the interaction with the goal of immediately stopping the conversation to prevent further harm from occurring.

2. Ask probing questions.

3. Values clarification.

4. Emphasize your own thoughts and feelings.

5. Next steps.