Role of teachers in inclusive education

Inclusion is about providing equal access and opportunity to all, and involves removing discrimination and other barriers so that all individuals feel that they belong and are connected. Unlike integration, which expects children with disability to adapt to the regular learning environment, inclusion creates a learning environment that adapts to each child.

Table of Contents Show

What is an inclusive teacher?
What are disabilities and developmental challenges?
How to be inclusive of all children
What is the role of the teacher in an inclusive classroom?
What are the role of teachers?
What are the five key roles of teachers?
Which characteristics of a teacher is important in inclusive education?

What is an inclusive teacher?

An inclusive teacher supports all children to participate, learn and succeed in all aspects of education.

What are disabilities and developmental challenges?

Children with disabilities and developmental challenges might include those who have limitations in mobility (such as difficulty or inability to walk), the way they think or behave (e.g. intellectual disabilities, autism, behavioural/emotional disorders), and sensory difficulties (e.g. vision/hearing).

How to be inclusive of all children

1. Build partnerships with the child and their family

Building connections with the child and their family can support inclusion. Work together to identify learning goals, and to create positive strategies to achieve these goals. Many families inform their school that their child has a disability at the time of enrolment at school. However, some families may not wish to disclose that their child has a developmental challenge or disability, or they may not be aware of it yet.

If you notice that a child requires support in the classroom you can sensitively discuss this with their family. When talking with family members, focus on the learning task/s the child is finding difficult, as well as the child’s strengths. Read more about communicating with families in our teacher guide to parent-teacher meetings. Work with the child’s family to develop effective learning strategies and modifications for their child. Learn more about Individual Education Plans on our transition to primary page.

View teacher guide to parent-teacher meetings

View transition to primary school

If a child struggles with learning tasks or behaviour over a period of time despite the development of strategies to assist, teachers can suggest that their parent seek further help and advice from their general practitioner, paediatrician, other medical or allied health professionals or Student Support Services. You can learn more about the early signs of specific disabilities and developmental challenges below.

Find out more about diagnosis

2. Learn the basics

You can make a positive difference in a child’s life by providing an inclusive environment. Not sure where to begin? See the basics guide for a list of simple things teachers can do to make a difference. Next, find out more about the language used when talking about a child's disability and how to use strengths-based language that focuses on their strengths, interests and personality traits.

Primary teacher basics guide

Primary teacher language guide

The AllPlay Learn primary teacher online professional learning course can help build your skills in supporting children with disabilities and developmental challenges.

Find out more about professional learning

3. Collaborate with other teachers and staff

Collaboration between colleagues supports positive student education experiences at school. Primary teachers and staff working with children with disabilities and developmental challenges may need to learn new knowledge, skills and try new approaches. 

Primary teachers can support each other to be inclusive and work out the best ways to tailor the content of their classes.  They can talk together about learning plans and strategies that have worked well with children, as well as those that didn’t. This way teachers can learn from each other’s experiences and will feel more supported.

Peer mentoring can build a teacher’s skills and confidence. You may consider inviting a specialist school teacher who has worked with children with developmental challenges to work with you for a day, or collaborate with allied health professionals to develop the most effective ways to include children with disabilities and developmental challenges in your program.

Teachers can also promote and support a whole-school approach to inclusion.

Learn more about social inclusion

4. Learn about the different types of disabilities

Learn about the different strengths children may have, and read evidence-based strategies that are effective in school settings.

Anxiety

Autism

ADHD

Blind and low vision

Communication and language disorders

Cerebral palsy

Deaf, deaf and hard of hearing

Intellectual disability

Oppositional defiant disorder

Physical disability

Specific learning disability

5. Learn about common challenges

You might see children in your class needing support for different kinds of challenges. These might be challenges following instructions, staying calm or building relationships. You can read more about some common challenges children with disabilities may have and find strategies and tips to support your teaching.

Attention

Behaviour

Emotions

Fine and gross motor

Learning and memory

Planning and organisation

Processing speed

Sensory

Social skills

Thinking/cognition

6. Bringing it all together

The inclusive teacher strategies provide a summary of evidence-based strategies for including all students in primary school.

Access inclusive teacher strategies

To support a child with a disability or developmental challenge with behaviour, the ABC framework may be helpful.

What is the role of the teacher in an inclusive classroom?

In an inclusive classroom, teachers work together to provide specially-abled children or students from diverse cultures and races with appropriate support to encourage their genuine and valued participation. The concept of inclusive education embraces human diversity at the ground level of a country's education system.

What are the role of teachers?

Broadly speaking, the function of teachers is to help students learn by imparting knowledge to them and by setting up a situation in which students can and will learn effectively. But teachers fill a complex set of roles, which vary from one society to another and from one educational level to another.