Cooperative Learning is a powerful way of creating the inclusive classroom/school.
It raises the level of ’quality first teaching’ allowing all students to
contribute in a way that can make them feel significant.
Students are included in the feeling of belonging among other students, teachers,
and support staff.
The very nature of Cooperative Learning with its carefully crafted structures and
formation of teams – means it is inclusive.
The teams are heterogeneous – they have mix of ability, gender, race, socio-economic,
and character. Each team consists of a high/high medium/medium low/low ability child.
There is no ’top-table’ status. It is this heterogeneity that gives the structures
their power, as a tool, for the teacher to include all the class and
to maximise:
- Peer support, students value and respect each other
- Positive race relations
-
Relationships between the sexes
- Effective class management
- Opportunities
to practise social skills in context
- Opportunities for students to learn to clarify their thoughts and develop language
-
Pupil engagement
- The reduction of discipline problems
AND most importantly, it gives the same learning opportunities to ALL
students.
“Inclusion is changing the rules of the game so that everyone can play and everyone
can win."
Richard Villa
Structures can help you to establish a classroom environment where everyone wants
to be!
“Children who learn together, learn to live together.”