In the final part of this module, we look into the different “hard” and “soft” skills teachers should acquire in order to include learners with disabilities in every part of the process. Within an inclusive classroom, teachers should be seeking for the most appropriate ways to respond to diversity and students’ needs and deliver meaningful instruction. This means adapting their current instruction to make leaners with disabilities collaborate effectively in the learning process, as well as introducing alternative means into their teaching methodology (e.g. assistive technology).
There is a wide variety of competences proved to help teachers deliver effective instruction to learners with diverse disabilities and needs. These can be divided in four different but interrelated categories:
- Classroom Management
First, teachers should be able to keep learners organised and productive during a class. This requires skills regarding the organisation of the physical space (i.e. the classroom) arranging the training materials to accommodate learners’ needs, and setting rules for everyone to follow.
- Instructional Delivery
Another key set of skills concern the proper interaction between teachers, learners, and the educational content, to help learners experience success. Teachers must have proper understanding of the content and resources available to them, to help them deliver those materials based on learners’ interests and goals.
- Interpersonal Skills
An inspiring teacher is not only knowledgeable of the taught subject, but also indicates a number of interpersonal or “soft” skills aiming to stimulate learners’ interest and motivation, and achieve a more personal relationship with each learner. The finest teachers display enthusiasm and excitement during the class, and engage in activities to build positive interactions with their students, which go beyond traditional teaching methods.
- Assessment
Assessment, either formal or informal, is vital to have a thorough image of learners’ progress. It involves gathering, interpreting, and providing information regarding learners’ performance, attitudes, and process, as well as receiving feedback from learners in terms of the teaching methods applied.
Below is a comprehensive list of competencies for each category:
| Category | Competences |
| Classroom Management | Be able to resolve conflicts |
| Set clear rules and procedures to be applied in the classroom | |
| Apply active teacher supervision regarding leaners’ behaviour through observing their way of behaving | |
| Instructional Delivery | Have knowledge and awareness of the cognitive, social, and behavioural capabilities of learners |
| Know teaching methods that can stimulate learners’ creativity | |
| Show sufficient mastery of the subject matter | |
| Facilitate group interaction and active participation of all learners | |
| Modify existing instruction based on learners’ unique learning characteristics | |
| Incorporate technologies to facilitate the learning of people with disabilities | |
| Apply peer tutoring, experiential learning, and collaborative learning | |
| Interpersonal Skills | Build positive relationships with and among learners based on communication and trust |
| Indicate cooperation and willing to actively involve learners in the learning process | |
| Be sensitive, non-judgmental, supportive, adaptive, and flexible | |
| Recognise and reinforce learners’ success to enhance their self-esteem | |
| Apply active listening to become familiar with learners’ struggles, aspirations, and needs | |
| Show empathy | |
| Assessment
(Formal/Informal) |
Measure leaners’ performance based on evaluation indicators |
| Use a range of assessment tools (digital/non-digital) based on learners’ abilities (observation, interviews, assessment forms, etc.) | |
| Provide learners with feedback on their performance and support progress toward their learning goals | |
| Interpret assessment results to identify learners’ gaps and room for improvement | |
| Adapted from Abba and Rashid (2020), Bataineh et al (2008), Mehta and Panju (2018), School Education Gateway (2016), The Wing Institute (2022) | |
