How can you teach inclusively for all cultures and backgrounds?

1 Know your students

The first step to teach inclusively is to know who your students are and what they bring to the classroom. You can use various methods to gather information about your students' demographics, interests, expectations, and prior knowledge, such as surveys, icebreakers, portfolios, or discussions. You can also invite your students to share their preferred names, pronouns, and cultural backgrounds with you and their peers. This can help you create a positive and supportive learning environment that acknowledges and celebrates diversity.

2 Set clear and inclusive expectations

The second step to teach inclusively is to set clear and inclusive expectations for your course, both for yourself and your students. You can communicate your expectations through your syllabus, learning outcomes, assessment criteria, and classroom policies. You can also involve your students in co-creating some of the expectations, such as ground rules for respectful dialogue, participation guidelines, or feedback mechanisms. You can also explain how your expectations align with the course goals and the institutional values of equity and inclusion.

5 Foster interaction and collaboration

The fifth step to teach inclusively is to foster interaction and collaboration among your students and between you and your students. You can create opportunities for your students to interact and collaborate with each other, such as peer review, peer tutoring, or cooperative learning, to build rapport, trust, and mutual learning. You can also facilitate meaningful and respectful dialogue among your students, such as debates, discussions, or reflections, to promote critical thinking, intercultural competence, and social responsibility. You can also establish a rapport with your students, such as by using inclusive language, showing empathy, or soliciting feedback, to create a sense of belonging and community.

6 Seek continuous improvement

The sixth step to teach inclusively is to seek continuous improvement and growth as an inclusive teacher. You can assess your own teaching practices and beliefs, such as by using self-reflection, peer observation, or student evaluations, to identify your strengths and areas for improvement. You can also seek feedback from your students, colleagues, or mentors, such as by using surveys, focus groups, or consultations, to gain insights and suggestions on how to improve your inclusive teaching. You can also access resources and opportunities for professional development, such as workshops, webinars, or courses, to enhance your knowledge and skills on inclusive teaching.