Embed inclusive teaching

Rather than being a specific teaching method, inclusive teaching is a broad pedagogical approach which acknowledges and values the diverse backgrounds and experiences of all students and focuses on the design of flexible and accessible learning and assessment that enable all students to participate and learn fully.

Inclusive teaching is not about creating different materials and resources, or focusing on the ‘deficits’ of particular groups of students, but about creating an optimal space for learning and making reasonable adjustments that benefits and helps all students at Monash University to succeed.

Developed in part by the Monash University Library team, the following practices can assist you in making your learning and teaching practices more inclusive.

Structure and scaffold learning View

Consider the ways in which students from different backgrounds approach and interact with their education, and proactively strive to make your teaching and educational environment inclusive from the outset.

Non-traditional university students are less likely to be aware of the implicit expectations of university teaching staff so making those expectations explicit is key to inclusive teaching. This means intentionally designing learning activities and resources in which take into account a wide range of skills, experiences, learning preferences and ways of knowing.

	Be explicit in all aspects of your teaching. Telling students how they can address you, clarifying the learning aims and outcomes and articulating class structure is all part of inclusive practice. Clearly articulate the purpose, aims and expected outcomes of the class or e-learning resources. For embedded classes or resources, these should reflect the unit objectives. The Research Skills Development (RSD) framework (Willison and O'Regan, 2006, 2016) can be useful when articulating and scaffolding these objectives. At the beginning of each class, it is a good idea to give a brief outline of the structure and expectations for the session so that you make your expectations about student-participation in your class explicit. Students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, in particular, can have different expectations of how classes will run, so it's important to articulate your expectations. Students have varied understandings of what to expect and how to behave in the classroom and clarifying expectations reduces anxiety and encourages participation. In zoom, it is particularly important to be clear to students about the value of their contributions as well your expectations about how they can contribute. Consider whether it’s best to use breakout rooms, the chat function, the ‘raise hand’ function, and then be explicit about the format. Be consistent with terminology and make links between topics/parts of the lesson clear through ‘signposting’. Signposting is language which helps learners navigate though the lesson more easily. It can indicate the kind of information being discussed (is this an important point, a divergence, or an example), transitions between topics, and how ideas are related. Examples could be ‘This is a key point’, ‘This is an example of...’, or ‘This relates to…’ Whilst useful for all learners, this is particularly useful for neurodiverse students and students with mental health concerns who may have trouble with concentration, memory, or processing information.
	Scaffold students’ learning, so that it gradually introduces and progresses their knowledge and skills. A 'scaffolded learning' approach begins by providing students with a support structure or framework that is gradually removed as they become more independent (Devlin et al., 2012). This technique helps to alleviate the frustration and discouragement students can feel when encountering new and difficult concepts. Break up complex concepts or skills into smaller tasks, giving students time to practice and give feedback at each stage of the lesson. The Research Skills Development (RSD) framework was designed for this purpose - to scaffold the different aspects of skills development - and can be a very useful tool when teaching research and learning skills and progressing students/researchers to greater levels of autonomy (Willison & O'Regan, 2006, 2016). Articulate complex concepts in multiple ways. This may involve rephrasing key concepts or using visual aids or images to represent them differently. Create vocabulary or concept guides for specific topics and give students a chance to look this over before and after class. This is particularly useful for students who have English as an additional language. Begin with a simple task, followed by learning tasks of increasing complexity. Using Bloom's taxonomy can help with this. Model the task for students. This involves working through the task yourself, whilst verbalising what you are doing and why you are doing it, including any mistakes you may make along the way.
	Scrutinise what assumed knowledge is reasonable, for first-year cohorts in particular, and take time to explain the basics. Take the time to explain jargon as many students have never encountered such terms before. For examples, terms and concepts not widely understood outside academic environments may include: peer review, academic literature, scholarly literature, primary and secondary sources, academic journals, scholarly databases, critical thinking, argumentation, contention, and so on.
	Design classes so that they involve active learning. Active Learning means that students are actively engaging with and thinking about the learning material through tasks or discussion, as opposed to passively listening or reading. This increases critical thinking skills and improves retention and student motivation (Prince, 2004). Examples of active learning activities include: Brainstorming Case studies Debates/discussion Peer feedback Quizzes or polls For more examples, see Active learning cards. Students with less confidence or who are more introverted, for example, may be uncomfortable contributing to a whole-class discussion - working in pairs might provide them with a way to get involved and share their ideas that is less intimidating. You could use a 'Think, Pair, Share' structure, for example. Then you can ask for volunteers to 'Share' with the whole room. This structure also gives students who have learned English later in life enough time to think about and articulate their answers in English. Explore ways of making the most of the teaching space. If there are large whiteboards around the room, for example, they might provide a way to get students active during group work. Find ways to make database and software demonstrations interactive, to keep students involved and engaged.
	Be aware of potential gaps in computer literacy and digital skills. Be aware of potential gaps in computer literacy and digital skills. These gaps are disproportionately experienced by students from low-SES backgrounds and other equity groups. There are significant gaps in digital skills between students from high- and low-SES backgrounds, with schools in low-SES and regional areas reporting a lack of access to skilled IT training and reliable, up-to-date IT resources (Thomson 2015).
	Look for opportunities to integrate learning about, or representation of, Indigenous cultures and traditions into your classes. Embed Indigenous knowledges and perspectives in all university curricula to provide students with the knowledge, skills and understandings which form the foundations of Indigenous cultural competency. (Universities Australia, 2011, p.9) This could involve using positive examples involving Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders, or using works by Indigenous authors or artists when drawing on items from library collections.
	Promote help-seeking behaviours and ensure students are informed of where to go for support. Provide contact information, links to relevant content, or information about student resources wherever appropriate.

Be flexible in teaching and assessment View

Inclusive teaching means considering flexible ways of both teaching, assessing, and providing feedback to students. Some examples include moving some of the learning online, varying assessment options or formats, and using different forms of feedback. Being flexible in your approach by creating a variety of activities and resources allow students to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.

Be ready to adjust activities or class plans depending on student needs—whether it’s the needs of a student with a vision, hearing, or mobility impairment, or the learning needs of the class. Incorporate opportunities for student feedback throughout your teaching and adjusting your content accordingly.

	Consider moving learning online, where appropriate. While some classes need to be face-to-face for a variety of reasons, it is worth thinking about ways you can move some of the learning online, or ways you could move to hybrid teaching. Asynchronous content allows students to work through the content at their own pace, pausing and rewinding where needed, whilst also allowing for the inclusion of captions. Captions are not only beneficial for hearing impaired students, but also students with English as an additional language or auditory processing issues. For more information, see Use captions and transcripts in teaching.
	Frequently check students’ comprehension levels so that you can better respond to the skill levels of the students. Consider surveying or polling students anonymously at the beginning of the class to check their confidence levels with different skills or concepts. This can be used to set students at ease (knowing there are others struggling with new concepts) and guide you during the class (indicating what topics need further explanation). For information about polling tools, see Polling tools. Ask comprehension questions regularly to check students’ understanding. If teaching via zoom, consider inviting students to answer using the chat function. Be aware that acquiescent response bias means that yes/no questions are more likely to be answered 'yes', meaning that asking 'do you understand?' is more likely to meet a 'yes' response, although this may not reflect the student’s actual understanding level. Try asking questions where 'no' answers reflect comprehension, such as: 'Would you like further clarification on any point?' Consider implementing formative feedback. This will allow you to poll students about their learning experience during, not just at the conclusion, the teaching period. See Use Feed Forward for formative evaluation.
	Allow short breaks in your classes to give students time to process information and rest. This can mean planning breaks between activities, or factoring in time for reflection. Time for processing information and rest is particularly useful for a neurodiverse group of students. Some students require more time to answer questions or complete tasks for a variety of reasons. Build flexibility around activities into your planning.
	When talking to students about their work, ensure your feedback is constructive. Be clear and explicit about how students can improve their work, providing them with some practical advice for the future. When providing feedback on assignments, refer to assignment rubric/marking guide if available. Comment on what the student is doing well. Focusing only on where the student is going wrong can be demotivating (Sarkany & Deitte, 2017). Encourage the students to ask questions about your feedback, and regularly check their comprehension and understanding of your advice.
	Consider implementing video or audio feedback. All students benefit from clear and detailed feedback that supports them to improve their research, writing and other skills. However not all feedback needs to be written - an audio file attached to a rubric, or even a video with your personalised feedback, could be incorporated into your feedback to students. For more information about best practice for feedback, see our MEA modules Assessment feedback for learning and Improving consistency in your marking and feedback.
	Make arrangements for support workers (e.g. notetakers, assistants, interpreters) who might accompany a student with disability. When teaching a student who is assisted by a notetaker, scribe, or interpreter, direct your conversation to the student, not their learning assistant. Check if you need to pause, or repeat the information, for the support worker to catch up (Mortiboys, 2010). When using breakout rooms in zoom, ensure that the student and support worker are placed in the same room. This may mean manually assigning students to rooms.
	Strive to be flexible in your consultation times and when scheduling library workshops, especially if you know a student (or a group of students) struggles to be on campus within certain hours due to work or family commitments. There may be many reasons why students are unable to come to class, for instance work commitments, or do they live ages away and they have to travel and don't have their own car and they’re limited to the campus bus. Try as much as possible to schedule activities things at times that are a bit more inclusive. Students from low-SES backgrounds, as well as mature-age students and those studying part-time, are often 'time poor' due to 'balancing financial pressures, family responsibilities and/or significant hours of employment' (Devlin, et al., 2012, p.4). Empathising with this experience of time poverty, and understanding when students struggle to complete assignments due to these circumstances, can facilitate better teaching and learning experiences.
	Vary assessment options or formats. Having a variety of assessment options across a unit can assist students to demonstrate their learning in multiple ways. For example. instead of having three written tasks of the same or similar style (for example, three reports), you could have one report, one audio-visual task, and a quiz. You could also design one assessment task with different submission formats. For example, students could submit a response to the assignment in either a written, video, or audio format. Create activities and resources which present information in multiple ways using a mix of visual, aural, verbal, and kinesthetic approaches, allowing for different kinds of student engagement and abilities. Be ready to change activities or formats if what you are doing is not working. You may have a written passage for students to read, then a video or activity which explains that information in another way, or in more depth. Disability Support Services(DSS) can assist in developing materials for students with specific conditions. For more information, see the DSS website (Monash intranet).
	When possible and appropriate, address student displays of exclusion and intolerance directly, but use these as educational opportunities. During a group-based class activity, you hear some students use demeaning language as they proclaim, 'That’s so gay!' A preferable way to respond to this scenario would be to ask the students why they’re using the term 'gay' in such a way, then asking the student to reflect on how the use of the term as a negative might impact LGBTIQ+ people. This addresses the poor behaviour in an educational way, and signals to students who belong to the excluded group that discrimination is not normal or acceptable. For more guidance on how to handle poor student behaviour, refer to the Resolution of Unacceptable Behaviour – Conduct and Compliance Policy.

Ensure accessibility of resources View

Creating inclusive resources requires being aware of and incorporating elements such as universal design, accessibility and cultural competency into all aspects of resource design. All content, materials and resources in your units should be accessible and usable by diverse groups of learners, and should ensure equality of learning experiences. Some of the considerations include web accessibility guidelines, equitable access to off-campus experiences, and consulting library support staff to assist you.

	Use web accessibility guidelines Whether online or offline, content and materials should comply with accessibility guidelines for learners with disabilities. There are Web Content Accessibility Guidelines that should be followed to ensure online content is accessible to all, as well as Monash guidelines about ensuring accessibility. Ensure that Moodle sites are clear to read, with clear pathways through the content, consistent use of font (formats and colour), and providing image descriptions on all visual material. Downloadable or offline content (such as assignment sheets or PDFs) should be legible and clear, and able to be read by the screen readers used by those with visual impairments. Avoid images of text saved as PDFs or image files, as the text cannot be picked up by a screen reader. If including videos on Moodle or with Panopto, make sure they have captions. For more information, see Use captions and transcripts in teaching.
	Be mindful of colour blind users and don’t depend on colours alone to communicate meaning in your resources. Lack of awareness around colour blindness means that many visuals – particularly graphs, charts and maps – aren’t designed with colour blind users in mind. To avoid producing inaccessible visuals, consider the following: Use symbols, as well as colours, to convey your message. When using colours in charts or graphs, consider using textures as well. Avoid colour combinations that are indistinguishable for some colour blind users (e.g. red and green, blue and purple, light green and yellow, etc.)
	Use resources that reflect diversity. Avoid using stock images and creating examples that reinforce stereotypes around gender, sexuality, people of colour and people with disabilities. When selecting images or taking new photos—whether it’s for slides, websites, or promotional material—aim to represent diversity wherever possible. For example, if using pictures of families or couples, consider including pictures of LGBTIQ+/rainbow families. Cultural diversity is similarly important, as stock photos can reinforce stereotypes about people of colour. Media representations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, for example, are consistently negative and it is important to avoid reinforcing those stereotypes. Consider gender diversity in images. Stock photos in which all doctors are men and all nurses are women, for example, reinforce gender stereotypes around these professions, which can make women studying medicine or men studying nursing feel isolated or uncomfortable.
	Ensure that resources are accessible to students with visual impairments or reading difficulties. To make visual information clear to visually impaired students in your classes, describe and explain images, and avoid using images alone to convey meaning (Mortiboys, 2010). Conversely, adding images to text explanations aids in comprehension. Wherever possible, avoid putting text in images. When text is necessary (in flow charts, for example), ensure 'alt text' is provided, or produce alternative text-only versions. Students with vision impairment or reading difficulties often use screen reading software, and unless alternative text is provided for images, or text-only versions are produced, visual resources can be inaccessible. Presenting text in images also means that text cannot be resized (to become more readable) without losing quality. Provide handouts in electronic form. Make sure that Powerpoint slides; Use a large font Have maximum contrast Use a sans serif font eg. Arial or Calibri Limit the amount of text on each slide Further guidance on creating accessible materials can be found here (Monash intranet resource).
	Provide equitable access to off-campus experiences If your unit includes learning activities such as field trips or excursions, ensure that these are accessible to a variety of students - remember that not all students have extra money to pay for learning activities off campus. Consider free or inexpensive activities as an alternative for all students, not just those unable to afford to go off campus. Make sure all off campus activities are also accessible to students with disabilities; the student themselves, or their Disability Support Service case worker, can assist with any requirements they may need. It would be worthwhile also checking the disability provisions with the staff at the location of the off-campus activity so you’re more informed when you discuss this with your students.
	Consult with library support staff Resources held by the library such as books and journal articles also need to be accessible. While many of these resources with online access have accessibility options built in, many hard copy books and journals may need to be scanned to make an electronic file. Library staff can assist you with ensuring these are accessible for students, including liaising with Disability Support staff in particular cases.

Communicate clearly and inclusively View

Clear communication is the key to ensuring your teaching is inclusive and accessible for all students, whether this is your verbal, written, audio or video communications. Some examples include the pace of your speech, using simple and clear language in written and oral communications, and using captions and/or transcripts for videos and audio wherever possible.

The language and resources used in teaching and learning are central to making students feel welcome and included in academic study and university culture. Therefore it is important to avoid using gender-exclusive language and be mindful of preferred terms for different social and cultural groups. Inclusive communication also involves avoiding colloquialisms and other culture-specific means of articulating information, and being aware of what kinds of examples, images or anecdotes might be culturally insensitive.

	When you are speaking to and with students, speak clearly, using a moderate pace of speech. Speaking too fast can make it difficult for those for whom English is an additional language to keep up, and can discourage learning. If you have a tendency to speak fast, make yourself a ‘Slow down’ sign to put in front of you to remind you when you teach. Speaking at a moderate pace also allows note takers and Auslan interpreters to be able to provide adequate interpretation of what you are saying. It’s also important to face your students when speaking with them. Avoid words or phrases that might only be understandable to certain students (such as Australian slang). You can test how clearly you’re communicating by using the “Rehearse with Coach” feature of Powerpoint in Microsoft 365 which will look at, amongst other factors, your pace, pitch and how inclusive your language is.
	Try to face students when you’re talking. Following your mouth movements while you’re speaking is essential for students with hearing impairments who might lip-read, and can make comprehension easier for students who have English as an additional language. Examine the physical teaching space beforehand to determine the best place to stand to increase your visibility. In some classrooms there are no obvious places to stand. In this case, try standing in the place where you intend to deliver most of the class from as students arrive. Those who benefit from watching you speak can then seat themselves closer to you. In an online context, ensure your face is well-lit, try to look at the camera and use headphones with a microphone to ensure a clearer sound quality.
	Use captions and/or transcripts to ensure that the videos you create or use for teaching follow accessibility guidelines and be inclusive. The videos you create yourself (lectures, content) should include closed captions that can be turned on and off. Videos you use from elsewhere (i.e. YouTube or other video platforms) should either have captions as an option, or a transcript provided. You can use features of word processing programs such as the “voice typing” option in Google Docs or the “dictate” option in Microsoft Word 365 to create transcripts as these platforms can transcribe audio from videos reasonably well if the original audio is clear and moderately paced.
	Use simple and clear language (and formats) for written and oral communications. This includes messages and emails to students; the instructions and assessment criteria for assessment tasks; feedback to students on their work; etc. Avoid giving overly-complicated instructions for assessments, and provide one consistent ‘source of truth’ (document, Moodle page) for everything students need to know about the assessment, even if you refer back to it two or three times in different places. Keep all relevant information (for example, details about the submission format) together in one place so that students don’t have to consult multiple sections, pages or documents to find the information they need. Ensure that the language you use is accessible to all learners by scaffolding your content to first provide definitions for specific jargon (especially if it is discipline jargon or terminology).
	Avoid using slang, colloquialisms, metaphors and other culture-specific references or language conventions. If you do, try to clarify what you mean or explain the context. These may not be understood by students from other cultures, or unfamiliar with the conventions of Australian English. If using cultural references, provide some context so they can be understood by all students. Metaphors, like the 'paragraph burger', are often inaccessible to students who do not have English as a first language, and/or for students on the Autism spectrum. If you do use metaphors, try to offer alternative phrasing or an explanation that clarifies what you mean.
	Avoid using ableist language, particularly when it implies having a disability or mental illness is inherently negative. For example, avoid saying ‘that’s so nuts’ or ‘this is crazy’, as comments like these suggest that you think mental illness is a synonym for ‘bad’. Similarly, ‘that’s so lame’ is a common phrase that suggests mobility issues equate to worthlessness. Using language that affirms the stigma about having a disability and/or mental health concerns can exacerbate other forms of prejudice. For example, LGBTIQ+ people disproportionately experience anxiety, depression and poorer physical health outcomes resulting from the additional stress caused by discrimination (Meyer & Frost, 2013).
	Use gender neutral language where appropriate. When referring to generic or unknown persons, use gender neutral pronouns, such as 'they' and 'them.' For example, an assessment task that requires students to 'interview a researcher about his practices' assumes that all researchers are men – replacing 'his' with 'their' avoids this gender exclusive language. Avoid using gendered terms or phrases when referring to groups of students. ‘Men and women’, 'he or she' and ‘ladies and gentlemen’ are gendered phrases, and using this language can exclude non-binary students. ‘Guys’ is a masculine term yet it is often used to refer to groups of diverse genders. Although it remains a common practice in to say ‘ok guys!’, this can lead to feelings of exclusion or invalidation on the part of women and those of non-binary genders. Try out different terms instead, such as ‘ok everyone,’ ‘ok students,’ or just ‘let’s finish up our conversations'.
	Respect students’ gender identity and pronouns. Avoid hastily assuming genders of students, and be mindful of using their correct pronoun when it is indicated. Using the wrong gender pronoun* is called 'misgendering.' If you misgender a student, correct yourself and apologise briefly, as emphasising your mistake may make the student feel uncomfortable. You can list your pronouns in your email signature, or on opening slides along with your name, which can signal to transgender/gender diverse students that they are in a safe space. In Zoom, you can edit your profile to add your pronouns after your name, and even encourage students to do the same using the rename function during a session.
	Where appropriate, use ‘women’ or ‘woman’ and ‘men’ or ‘man’; avoid using the terms ‘female’ or ‘male’ as nouns. For example, instead of saying ‘there are so few females in STEM', you can say ‘there are so few women in STEM'. One reason for this is that ‘female’ is a term that can be applied to animals and objects while ‘women’ refers only to humans. It is important to emphasise the humanity of women given the broad historical and cultural context. ‘Female’ and ‘male’ have medical or biological connotations, and can be exclusive of transgender and intersex people who identify as men or women and do not necessarily feel comfortable with ‘male’ or ‘female’ designations. This is because the terms ‘men’ and ‘women’ tend to allow for personal identification in a way ‘male’ and ‘female’ do not. Gender neutral language is preferred when addressing groups, as ‘men and women’ or ‘ladies and gentlemen’ are exclusive of people with non-binary gender identities.
	When discussing a specific Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person, it is best to refer to the specific nation or language group that individual belongs to. For example, Rueben Berg, who runs the Cultural Safety workshops at Monash University, is a Gunditjmara man. There a diversity of opinions within community about terms for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. For example, Indigenous Australian (with a capital ‘I’), First Australian, First Nations Peoples, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, are all terms applied to the community but there are a diverse range of opinions about whether these names are appropriate and accurate. Ultimately, referring to the specific nation an individual belongs to is the best approach.
	Where appropriate use ‘people first’ language, as this puts the person first, rather than the condition or characteristic. Use ‘people with disabilities’ rather than ‘disabled people’. Try to be as clear and specific as possible. In some contexts ‘people with disabilities’ may be more accurate and more respectful of people as individuals. Not everyone uses people first language to describe themselves for a variety of reasons. Respect how people wish to refer to themselves and don’t correct the terminology of others.

Create safe and supportive learning environments View

Creating a safe and supportive learning environment is about the physical layout of a learning space, as well as the atmosphere or culture of the classroom - whether that is a face-to-face or online space. Some considerations below are ensuring physical learning spaces are set up to be inclusive, creating a supportive classroom culture, learning your students’ names (and other important information), and encouraging students to use the various support services available.

	Find out ahead of time whether any students will need special accommodations due to disabilities, and plan your class accordingly. This may involve asking the lecturer or unit coordinator if they are aware of any students with special needs. Check physical teaching spaces before classes begin, to ensure there are no obstacles that would impede accessibility for students in wheelchairs or with other mobility impairments. If you have administrative access to the unit's Moodle site, you can generate an AAA (alternative arrangements for assessments) report (Monash intranet resource). Although some information will be of limited relevance, it may still indicate whether classroom accommodations need to be made for any students. The AAA report will indicate whether a student has a support worker. If so, when using breakout rooms in zoom, ensure that the student and support worker are placed in the same room. This may require manually assigning students to rooms.
	Ensure inclusive set-up of physical learning spaces. In physical learning spaces, it is important to ensure all students can use the space freely, including those with mobility issues or who use a wheelchair. Move tables and chairs around the room wherever possible so that students with disabilities can be included within the learning space - they should not be expected to sit on the sides, or away from their peers. If possible, make sure students can see each other, and everyone can see you as the educator. Some students may also have specific visual needs, such as avoiding glare from whiteboards, or sitting at a particular distance to the presenter.
	Mental health conditions and neurodiversity may cause students to behave in a variety of ways. Be flexible in accommodating student needs so that they feel comfortable. Students may need to leave the room during the class. Be understanding if a student asks to leave the classroom, or if a student leaves abruptly. It can be helpful to mention at the beginning of a class that this is acceptable. Some students with anxiety, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (for example) may not wish to work in a group, or may ask to work with specific people. Giving students choices is a flexible approach which can make them feel more comfortable and accepted.
	Dietary requirements If providing treats (or catering) during classes, tours or events, be aware of dietary requirements and eating restrictions and try to provide alternatives. Whenever possible, provide gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegan, halal, kosher alternatives, such as Skittles.
	Create a supportive classroom culture. The culture of your classroom should foster a supportive learning atmosphere, which can make all the difference to help students feel supported and secure. Create an environment of positive reinforcement where students feel safe to test out ideas, ask questions, or provide responses - regardless of whether they are ‘right’ or not. Calling out student responses as ‘wrong’ can embarrass some students, and discourage others, so think of other ways to steer students towards correct or more appropriate responses. Encourage them even if they make mistakes - after all, mistakes are a learning opportunity! When asking students to engage with group work, ensure that expectations about roles and respectful interpersonal conduct are clear. This empowers students with different cultural backgrounds and values to better understand how to contribute to an inclusive learning environment. When creating scenarios or selecting images to supplement your learning materials, making an effort to ensure the subjects of these scenarios reflect the diversity of the students in your classroom will contribute to all students feeling more supported.
	Learn your students’ names - ask them to advise you of their preferred names if they differ from the name on their enrolment or in Moodle. For face-to-face classes, you could use a “name tent” - a folded piece of card where students can write their names and place them on the desk in front of them. You can collect these at the end of class, and use them in the early weeks of semester to learn their names as you hand them out at the start of class. For online classes, you could use an online survey, or ask them to change their screen name to their preferred name. In both cases, you can use these methods to find out if students have specific gender pronouns they would like you to use. For name tents you could ask students to write their pronouns inside (for privacy), or other relevant information. When conducting classes via Zoom, students are also able to include their pronouns with their display name if they wish. If you feel comfortable, you can also include your own.
	If you have to identify a student during a class, use names whenever possible, otherwise find neutral descriptors. Avoid using racial or gendered terms. If you’ve asked for volunteers and several hands have gone up, you could call upon “the student at the back” or “the student in the red shirt,” as opposed to identifying the student by assumed race or gender. Consider activities that help you use students’ names, as this can facilitate a more personal and inclusive approach. NOTE: Spotlighting students for individual contributions to a class is not generally good practice, as this can make more introverted students highly uncomfortable – such students could contribute in other ways, such as in written exercises, electronic polls, or pair-based activities.

For more specific strategies about creating a welcoming and inclusive classroom community, see the Creating community in your classroom MEA module.

Be empathetic and understanding View

There are a lot of subtle ways where we can unintentionally 'other' people. Being empathetic to students and making the effort to understand their needs and frustrations is essential to good teaching and learning practice. Empathy builds awareness of individual and cultural perspectives and assists in developing teaching that is relevant and accessible for students.

	Be mindful of the expenses involved in university education and take opportunities to promote library copies of textbooks and other cost-free resources available to students. Academic textbooks can be prohibitively expensive for low-SES students, so if a student mentions not having bought the textbook, try not to respond with, 'It's important to buy your textbooks,' but with, 'Let’s look at how to use Search to find library copies of the textbook,' or by informing students about The Campus Bookstore's textbook rental. If a student is expressing serious concern about the cost of textbooks, it might be appropriate to encourage them to look at the university's equity scholarships.
	Strive to be empathetic and understanding of time-poor students, who may have difficulty making it to class or meeting assignment deadlines. If a student mentions not having attended class, or not having time to do the required readings, try withholding judgement and understanding the challenges the student might be facing. Such a scenario might also provide an opportunity to discuss time management and efficient reading skills, and coming from a place of empathy, rather than judgement, will likely make the student much more receptive. Being time poor is a common aspect of the student experience today, but this can be an even greater issue for students from low-SES backgrounds or non-traditional pathways, who may have no choice but to juggle work or family commitments with their studies.
	Listen empathetically to students when they tell you about their experiences. Consider the ways their experiences might differ from your own, and in the process you can gain some valuable insights and adjust your approach so that it’s more inclusive (Walton, 2015).
	Avoid making assumptions about how much time a student has spent on a task or how much effort they’ve put in. A student’s work does not always reflect the time or effort involved in its creation, and it can be very discouraging to hear that they haven’t worked hard when they have.
	Privately discuss students' learning needs Where appropriate, privately discuss students' learning needs and adjust your lesson or approach accordingly (Mortiboys, 2010, p. 112) If students disclose a condition to you, ask them what approaches are useful and, if appropriate, refer them to Disability Student Services(DSS). Be careful not to doubt or question their condition.
	Remember your own experiences of learning complex new things, and strive to be empathetic to students who are learning skills that are familiar to you, but may be unfamiliar or difficult for students. The research process can be broken down into the actions a student or researcher takes, but also by the emotions experienced (Kahlthau, 1993). The Research Skills Development (Willison and O'Regan, 2006, 2016) stage, 'Embark and Clarify', might evoke uncertainty, 'Find and Generate' might inspire optimism where 'Evaluate and Reflect' can involve feelings of doubt and frustration. Conveying to students that you understand the range of emotions they may experience during the research process can make it easier for students to ask questions and admit to difficulties.

Reflect on your teaching practice View

Teaching practice is continually evolving so it’s important to continue developing your teaching skills. Reflecting on your teaching performance is essential to improving and refining inclusive teaching practices. Think critically about your experiences and explore your behaviour, thinking, and emotions, identifying opportunities for improvement.

It is essential to remember that everyone can make mistakes. What is important, is to deliberately evaluate your teaching to recognise and reflect on these mistakes in order to improve your teaching practices.

	Engage in peer observation activities by inviting a colleague to participate in your class and offer constructive feedback. Alternatively, observing others allows you to see how techniques you use are experienced by the learner, and develop new ideas or practices for your teaching.
	Engage in an ongoing reflection about your culture and assumptions. Be mindful of your own culture and the basic assumptions and norms that are informed by your background. Your culture and experiences will shape your assumptions about gender, sexuality, cultures and ethnic groups, students with disabilities and low-SES students. Take opportunities to reflect on your assumptions, particularly when they are challenged. Be open to learning about other cultures as much as possible, through self education and through participating in Cultural safety training.
	Develop a structured approach to reflective practice. Use reflective writing as a tool for analysing both your positive and your negative teaching experiences. You could try keeping a journal in which you record teaching or consulting experiences. Critical reflection involves four stages (Lane, McMaster, Adnum, & Cavanagh, 2014, p.886): Description of event Personal opinion Linking to previous experience or knowledge of pedagogical theory Critical understanding of implications for future practice
	Collect feedback from students and staff, and use this to guide the design of future classes or resources. For classes and workshops, consider using Google Forms or Polling tools to facilitate student feedback. These can be filled in on laptops or devices. If you want to keep student responses over the longer time, use Google forms. For asynchronous online resources, make sure there are feedback avenues in place, so users can let you know if they found something unclear. Consider gathering formative feedback during the teaching period, and adjust your teaching as necessary.. For more information see Use Feed Forward for formative evaluation.