Have you or your children ever been asked to a swimming or skating party? What about joining a pottery or yoga class with a friend? How about attending a learning workshop on technology? All these examples provide great opportunities to actively participate with others.
But what if you couldn’t swim or had no skates? What if there were no extra art materials or yoga mats available? What if your tablet was not charged? How would the experience be different?
Well, you could go to the pool or arena and stand on the sidelines smiling and waving as your friends did cannonballs into the pool or played crack the whip on the ice. You could probably sit at the table for the pottery class and make small talk while your friends experienced the feel of the clay and the turning of the potter’s wheel. It might be okay to listen to the instructions on using the new app while others try it out and discuss how to make it work. You might still be socially included. But it wouldn’t be the same, would it?
Genuine inclusion is vital to thrive in any setting. It's not just about being present but about actively participating. Imagine the conversations, laughter, shared frustrations, and sensory experiences you could have if you were fully engaged in the activity. This is the essence of genuine inclusion. So, what does it mean to be 'socially included’?
There is a distinction between social inclusion and academic inclusion. For some students, goals are set around social inclusion but not for academic inclusion. Many teachers and parents believe that the academics are so far beyond the scope of that student's understanding that they are included for social reasons only. When that happens, are we meeting the needs of all of our students simply by having them in the class for social reasons?
Teachers and school leaders should not limit student participation in classroom activities based on social inclusion goals. Not all students will participate the same way, but they must participate.
Students can participate in the same activity but meet different goals. Some may be working on their oral presentation skills, while others practice using an electronic switch.
If the focus of our classrooms is academics, then we need students to be academically and socially included. When the interests of all learners are considered, everyone's participation level increases—and so do engagement and learning!
Missy Pfaff is an educator in the Avon Maitland District School Board, Ontario
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