Inclusive Learning in Adult Education: Classroom Strategies

Introduction: The Challenge of Inclusive Adult Learning

"Inclusive learning is about involving all of your students, treating them equally and fairly, without indirectly or directly excluding anyone" (Gravells 2012: 56). For an instructor of adults, the principles of inclusive learning are particularly important. Even an instructor of elementary school-aged children is aware that children may enter the classroom with different levels of preparation and different learning orientations. However, a class of adults will be even more diverse.

Not only will there be students who are visual as opposed to verbal learners, or students with learning differences, but there will also be a wide range of preparation levels. Some students may not have been exposed to a formal classroom environment for many years, while others may have graduated only recently. Some students may be changing careers and feel confident in their identity as learners, while others may have been badly bruised by the educational system and approach this next phase of their lives with fear and trepidation. It is the instructor's considerable responsibility to convey the material to all students in a friendly, accessible, and effective manner.

Knowing Your Classroom: Assessment and Awareness

One of the first steps in constructing an inclusive learning environment is to "know thyself" — or rather, to know the composition of the classroom. The teacher should design initial assignments to assess the skill levels and abilities of students, which will provide a clearer picture of which deficits need to be addressed and what strengths adult learners may bring to the environment. Having students submit a brief essay or respond to a short questionnaire about their reasons for taking the class, their previous level of experience, and their personal strengths and challenges is also advisable.

Every class is different, and an inclusive teacher will understand the need to remain mindful of each student's unique circumstances. A class of adult learners, for example, may require a longer review period than younger learners. They may expect less hand-holding and need fewer reminders about keeping up with assignments; on the other hand, they may have greater life commitments — from family and work — that interfere with their studies. While such data should inform the syllabus and overall approach, it is equally important not to rely too heavily on initial impressions or stereotypes. Over the course of the semester, the teacher will need to continually reassess and reformulate plans based on ongoing feedback.

Curriculum, Culture, and the Inclusive Learning Environment

At its core, "a truly inclusive learning environment should: reflect the diversity of those present in the learning activity itself in the curriculum and pedagogical/andragogical style; attend to the wider and immediate institutional contexts in which the participants work and live; and in some way reflect the changing needs of an increasingly diverse society. Because learners 'do not live in a vacuum', addressing institutional and societal levels is important, but the most significant level is the selection of appropriate materials and methods that address the characteristics of learning group members" (Imel 1995).

For example, when teaching a classroom of nursing students, the adult instructor may wish to explore different cultural perspectives on health rather than assuming all students share the instructor's assumptions. Even when the instructor is communicating a particular ideology or practice and attempting to bring students to view the world through that lens, she acknowledges that all students come from different backgrounds. The inclusive instructor views this as a strength rather than a weakness, recognizing that classroom diversity is an asset — since students will later need to work with diverse patients in their professional lives.