Teaching for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Overview

This unit critically examines how education systems both reproduce and challenge social inequalities. The unit highlights a teacher’s professional responsibility to provide children and young people with an equitable education in line with political and legislative priorities. Pre-service teachers will critically reflect on their educational experiences and assumptions to more effectively engage all students. Pre-service teachers will explore the diverse needs, strengths, interests, and backgrounds of students, especially in relation to social class, disability, culture, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, and sexuality. Pre-service teachers will formulate critically-informed and socially-just teaching strategies that value the diversity of students.

Learning outcomes

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Assessment

Content

• Key sociological tools for examining the explicit and implicit work of educators and education systems
• The ethics, theory, and practice of inclusion
• The philosophy, purpose and political nature of education
• Equity vs equality in education
• The representation and language of diversity, equity and inclusion in education
• The persistent myth of meritocracy, colourblindness, and deficit discourses in relation to educational access, participation, and achievement
• The role of schools in debating, reinforcing, and challenging classism, racism, sexism, and ableism
• The perspectives and experiences of marginalised students
• Characteristics of common additional needs
• Strategies for implementing reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities
• Strength-based and valuing approaches for diversity, equity and inclusion
• Learning environments that promote diversity, equity and inclusion
• The importance of collaborating with families and other professionals to access support, resources, and additional services
• Codes of ethics and conduct, relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes