Inclusive Teaching

Inclusive teaching is a student-centred approach that involves intentional approaches to curriculum, course design, teaching practice, and assessment that creates a learning environment where students feel valued and respected and have equitable access to learning and educational opportunities (Centre for Teaching, Learning and technology, n.d.). This chapter will introduce tips to create an inclusive and accessible learning environment in your GA/TA role.

Building Relationships with Students

As a GA/TA implementing inclusive strategies can begin with a few small steps such as establishing a teaching environment that encourages belonging. This can begin by developing rapport with students:

• Get to know your students. In large classes, it can help to have students use name cards. You can also incorporate ice breakers or “get to know you” activities with students to learn about student interest and expectations.
• Co-create classroom norms, expectations, and ways of interacting with students. Draw on these co-constructed guidelines when you sense conflict is rising.
• Critically reflect on your own biases and stereotypes that you may have.
• Provide students with clear and constructive feedback on assessments, informed by grading criteria.
• Give students an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback about your teaching approach to foster student voice, but also enhance the teaching environment. Report back on the feedback to students, including what changes you will make and which you cannot.
• Challenge offensive of alienating classroom behaviours such as microaggressions and turn them into teachable moments.

Creating an Accessibility Teaching Environment

As a GA/TA it is important to consider how you can design a learning environment that maximizes the learning for all students. As you prepare for your role, consider the following design principles to ensure the usability of teaching and learning materials and environments for all students.

• Incorporate principles of Universal Design of Instruction (UDI) into your teaching. Based on seven principles, this proactive approach enhances the accessibility, usability, and inclusivity of the teaching space and materials. In your GA/TA role, this may include ensuring PowerPoints, course materials, and videos are shared with students in accessible formats. Small changes such as using closed captions while showing videos, relying on large and dark font sizes on PowerPoint Slides, using a microphone, and adding alt text to images, can have a big impact on student learning. There are several resources to guide you in creating accessible documents.
  • •  Accessible presentations
    •  Quick tips for making your Brightspace site more accessible
    • OHREA’s Creating Accessible Documents
    • University of Waterloo Centre for Teaching Excellence’s Tips Sheets: Inclusive Teaching and Learning
• In addition to thinking about materials, take a careful look at the physical teaching space and whether it can accommodate students who may have physical impairments or limitations. Classrooms often have wheelchair accessible seating so be mindful that these remain available to students. As much as you can, try to arrange the classroom space so there is enough room for students to move around, particularly if you expect them to engage in class activities. Be mindful of what you may be asking students to do physically in the classroom and whether activities can be engaged in by all students. More information on planning for accessibility can be found in this interactive workshop recording.
• Use the class microphone (if available) or project your voice as much as you can while teaching to ensure all students can hear you.
• Always adhere to, and remain the confidentiality of, student accommodations that may be shared with you by the student and course instructor. Student accommodations are provided by the Student Accessibility Services Office. 
• Rely on Universal Design for Learning approaches. This framework is based on three core guidelines, aimed to provide multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression. As a GA/TA this could mean varying your teaching practices, such as allowing students multiple ways to participate in class (e.g., anonymous student response systems vs in-person oral responses), or providing space for individual and group work. As much as possible, provide learning materials in varied formats (e.g., print, electronic, videos, podcasts).
• Share learning materials in advance of the class, lab, or tutorial, when possible, so students have plenty of time to review them.

Decolonizing your Teaching 

• When offering examples, using images, or other resources, integrate voice, perspectives, and works that move beyond white, Eurocentric perspectives, and represent a range of cultural backgrounds.
• Self-education on pronouns through the University of Windsor’s resource dedicated to Understanding Pronouns. You can also model inclusive language by sharing your positionality, such as your pronouns, when you introduce yourself. This is one way to invite others to do so too. Though, it’s important that you do not require students to share theirs.
• Call students by their preferred names and pronouns.
• Learn students’ names and how to properly pronounce them.

Additional Resources

As a GA/TA you might be interested in learning more about incorporating Indigenous content into your lessons, creating an accessible teaching environment, finding ways to integrate Anti-Racism materials into your teaching, or using inclusive teaching practices. Please see the following resources for more details and suggestions:

Indigenization

• CTL Indigenous Pedagogies Resources
• Pulling Together: A Guide for Teachers and Instructors
• Pulling Together: A Guide for Curriculum Developers
• Land Acknowledgment
• Towards Indigenizing Higher Ed
• Horizon Scan Indigenization

Accessibility

• Universal Design for Learning in Higher Education

Anti-Racism

• Anti-Racism and Anti-Black Racism Resources for Lifelong Learning and Action
• University of Leeds Anti-Racism Toolkit
• The Social Justice Syllabus Design Tool: A First Step in Doing Social Justice Pedagogy

Inclusivity

• The Guide for Inclusive Teaching at Columbia
• Inclusive Practices Toolkit
• University of Windsor Understanding Pronouns
• Creating Inclusive Learning Opportunities in Higher Education: A Universal Design Toolkit

References:

1. Burgstahler, S. (2009). Universal design for instruction (UDI): Definition, principles, guidelines, and examples. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED506547.pdf
2. CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org
3. Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology, The University of British Columbia. (n.d.). Inclusive teaching. Retrieved from https://events.ctlt.ubc.ca/event-category/inclusive-teaching/
4. Centre for Teaching Innovation. (n.d.). Inclusive teaching strategies. Cornell University. https://teaching.cornell.edu/teaching-resources/assessment-evaluation/inclusion-accessibility-accommodation/building-inclusive-4#:~:text=Inclusive%20teaching%20strategies%20refer%20to,valued%20and%20able%20to%20succeed
5. University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT). (n.d.). Setting the tone for an inclusive classroom: Some practices to consider. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HTlROLa_n1DH_uDn9O9B3v6MbrJPvomX-4qx4eCzaio/edit
6. UNBC. (n.d.). Implementing universal design and universal design learning. Retrieved from https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/unbctamanual/chapter/implementing-universal-design-of-instruction-into-your-classroom/