How do you actually manage special needs in a mainstream classroom (when you’re not getting the support you need)?
Ever looked around your classroom mid-lesson and thought:
“How the heck am I supposed to meet 30 different needs all at once?”
Yeah. Me too.
This week, I’m kicking off a new mini-series answering your most-asked questions, starting with one I get all the time:
“How do I support students with special needs in my mainstream classroom? There has to be more help out there.”
Spoiler alert: There should be more help. But in the meantime, I’m walking you through what you can actually control, without burning yourself out or playing superhero.
I’ll give you a front seat to:
- The real talk I wish I got at uni about inclusion
- Why “just differentiate” is the most unhelpful advice ever
- The classroom systems and routines that actually make a difference
- And the role your own nervous system plays in it all
This one’s not about perfection. It’s about doing what’s possible—in a way that’s human, sustainable, and actually helps kids thrive (including you).
Let’s dive in.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why you can’t meet every need, and why that’s not failure
- The power of systems over individualised strategies
- What real inclusion looks and feels like
- The two biggest game-changers: routine + regulation
- How to support neurodiverse and neurotypical students at the same time
Have a question, comment, or just want to say hello? Drop us a text!
RESOURCES AND MORE SUPPORT:
- Shop all resources
- Join The Behaviour Club
- My book! It’s Never Just About the Behaviour: A holistic approach to classroom behaviour management
- The Low-Level Behaviour Bootcamp
- Free guide: 'Chats that Create Change'
Connect with me:
- Follow on Instagram @the.unteachables
- Check out my website
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:01):
Oh, hi there, teachers.
Welcome to the UnteachablesPodcast.
I'm your host, Claire English,and I am just a fellow teacher,
a toddler mama, and a big oldbehaviour nerd on a mission to
demystify and simplify thatlittle thing called classroom
management.
The way we've all been taught tomanage behaviour and classroom
manage has left us playing crowdcontrol, which is not something
(00:23):
I subscribe to because we're notbouncers, we're teachers.
So listen in as I walk youthrough the game-changing
strategies, and I mean thethings that we can actually do
in action in our classrooms thatwill allow you to lean into your
beautiful values as acompassionate educator and feel
empowered to run your room witha little more calm and dare I
(00:43):
say it, a lot less chaos.
I will see you in the episode.
Hello, welcome back to theUnteachables Podcast.
It is so nice to have you backwith me.
Uh, or if it's your first time,hello, my name's Claire, and
what we do here is just allthings classroom management.
So if you need a bit of supportwith that, you're in the right
(01:04):
place.
If you're thinking, oh nah, I'mall over it.
My behavior management, myclassroom management is ace,
I've got no problems, then maybedon't listen to this podcast.
Uh maybe I need to come andlearn from you, but uh, or maybe
you're lying because I don'tthink anybody is 100% all over
classroom management.
I think we've always gotsomething more to learn, more to
(01:26):
try.
Uh, tis the nature of humanbehavior.
So uh yeah, welcome.
I'm glad you're here with me.
So I decided to do a few QA'sover the next couple of months.
I wanted to answer all of thesequestions that I've been getting
in my inbox all the time.
I get the same kind ofquestions.
(01:46):
So I wanted to pull out thosequestions that I've been asked
the most, and I wanted to answerthem here on the podcast over
the next couple of months.
We're going into the lastquarter of the year, or we are
in the last quarter of the year,we're pretty deep in it now.
Um, so I wanted to do somethings that were going to be
like, you know, oh my gosh, likeyes, I've been wondering that as
well.
Let me try that.
Um, no better time than thepresent.
(02:09):
The first QA I would like to uhanswer today is how to manage
special needs in a mainstreamclassroom.
And this person said, there hasto be more help out there.
And yes, there does, thereshould be more help out there.
Um and I chose this as the firstone because it's a big one that
(02:31):
not only do I get a lot cominginto my inbox, but it's one that
I have asked time and time andtime again over the course of my
career.
I remember stepping into myfirst classroom and going, what
the actual heck?
Like we spoke about inclusionand we spoke about, you know,
meeting the needs of all ofthese young people.
But then when you are actuallyin front of said young people
(02:53):
who are all, you know, atdifferent levels and behaving in
different ways and havedifferent needs, it is a lot
easier said than done to belike, hey, like, yeah,
inclusion, sweet.
Uh so do I believe in c ininclusive classrooms?
Of course I do.
Of course, I believe that everystudent needs to be catered for,
and I believe that every studentuh should have access to a
(03:17):
mainstream classroom.
Do I also think that somestudents probably require more
support or a more therapeuticplacement than what mainstream
can provide for them?
Yes, I also do think that.
Do I think that inclusion isdone very poorly because
students are chucked intoclassrooms and teachers are then
expected to, you know, withoutany support or any resources or
(03:39):
any additional training onneeds, like, you know, cater for
these uh specific studentprofiles?
Also, yes, I think it's donevery poorly.
So what do we do?
Because I it's not adifferentiation problem.
It's not that you just have todifferentiate for 30 different
learners and then you're allsweet.
We're often dealing with themost complex trauma.
(04:04):
We're dealing with students withsensory processing challenges,
ADHD, autism, and meetingeverybody's needs and keeping
the class calm and gettingthrough the curriculum is take
is going to take more than justa little bit of differentiation.
The way that people also talkabout differentiation is not my
cup of tea either.
It shouldn't be that we're justlike giving students different
(04:26):
levels of work.
Anyway, that's a whole differentepisode for another day.
Um, anyway, yes, there should bemore help out there, but how do
we actually do this in ourclassrooms?
How do we cater for additionalneeds?
How do we, how do we actuallylive this idea of being an
inclusive classroom?
I like to start with what we cancontrol.
(04:50):
I mean, when I say I want tostart there, like I always start
middle end there, like I alwaysjust talk about the things that
we can control.
Because yes, you should havemore training and more support
for students, like to cater forstudents who have additional
needs, but I don't have controlover that.
I can't go into your school andsay, hey, like give Courtney
(05:12):
some extra training or hey, Gregneeds to be supported with some
more resources or a TA orsomething like that.
But what I can help you with arethe things that you can control
in the classroom to create anenvironment that is more
inclusive.
But let me start with just a bitof a hard truth, which is that
we can't meet every single needin the classroom 100% perfectly
(05:38):
because we aren't 30 differenthumans ourselves.
Like you've got 30 kids in theroom, some with an like, you
know, an ADHD profile, likeautistic individuals, we have
students who have learningdisabilities.
We can't specifically meet everysingle need, which is why I
focus on systems in creating aclassroom where everyone's
(06:00):
nervous system has a chance tofeel safe and successful, where
I'm providing structure, I'mproviding routines, I'm
providing true differentiationwhere students can feel
successful.
So there are things that we cando on a more wide scale with our
class that helps to make itinclusive, to make it safe, to
(06:23):
make it an environment where weare trying to meet the needs of
every single student in the bestway we can.
And I say in the best way we canbecause we can't do it 100%.
It's just impossible.
Like I've had classes where I'vehad 50%, 60%, 70% of students on
individual healthcare plans orindividual education plans,
whatever you call them in yourpocket of the world.
(06:45):
I can't look at every single oneof those planned and say, okay,
here are the adjustments.
What I can do is take all ofthose adjustments and try to put
things into a structure, into aroutine where I'm actually
fulfilling my responsibilitiesas a teacher and someone who
needs to be inclusive withouthaving to address every single
student individually becauseit's a part of my teaching
(07:07):
practice.
So that is what I'm going to betalking about in today's
episode.
How to do that, how to set up aninclusive classroom environment.
The first thing that you need toreally get down pat is your
visuals and your routines,because those kinds of things
increase predictability andclarity, and it just reduces
that cognitive load.
(07:27):
And it's just a game changer forstudents who are neurodivergent.
But for every single student,it's just best practice because
when students come to ourclassroom, and I've spoken about
it in other episodes, where likethe mental health crisis at the
moment in our society, with notjust our young people, but with
teachers and adults as well.
(07:48):
But our young people are turningup to class.
I can't remember the exactstatistic of like how many
percentage were ready to learn.
I think it was like 20% ready tolearn.
But the stats were that one inthree primary school students
are struggling with um anxietyor depression, and one in,
sorry, one in four primarystudents and one in three
(08:10):
secondary students arestruggling with anxiety or
depression.
So like every single student isgoing to benefit from routines
and structures that increasesfelt safety.
Because when we increasepredictability, when we're
giving more clarity, whenstudents rock up to our
classroom knowing exactly whatthey are going to be expecting
from us, knowing that we'regoing to provide them a map to
(08:33):
their learning, that we're goingto be a consistent figure for
them in the way that we aredoing things with our pedagogy,
our lesson planning, but alsolike the person that we are, it
is going to reduce the stressresponse in our students and
we're going to see lessdysregulation, which is going to
(08:54):
be golden when it comes toclassroom management.
So the tangible things that wecan focus on doing in terms of
increasing the routines in ourclassroom and that consistency,
making sure that the routinesthat we use are really familiar.
So we have that same entryroutine.
I've got episodes on like how tocraft a really strong entry
(09:14):
routine, but knowing that whenstudents get to the class,
they've got a starter activity,it's going to last for three
minutes.
It's a pen to paper activity,it's going to be able to, like
everyone's going to be able tobe successful at that.
They know that they've got a mapto their learning that's either
projected onto the board orgiven to them on a piece of
paper that they can tick off asthe lesson goes on.
They know that they need to belining up outside in a certain
(09:35):
way and that you'll be greetingthem and like, you know, getting
them into the classroom in a waythat's I think I did speak about
on an episode, but like, youknow, walking through that
invisible barrier to go into theclassroom.
So you're regulating the room.
So students know when they getto the classroom that that entry
routine is solid and that iswhat they're going to be
following.
Uh, transition routine.
(09:56):
So when they go into group workor back to individual work or
any of that messy middle, um,what are they going to be
expected to do?
Are they going to know thatyou're going to guide them with
visuals and really be clear onyour expectations?
When they finish the lesson, isthere a routine for that last,
that final five minutes of thelesson?
(10:17):
If they finish early, do theyknow what to do?
If they're, you know, they'repacking up to get ready to go
outside.
Do they know what like reallybeing clear and explicit about
the routines in your classroomand following those routines?
That is going to be so, so, socrucial for your overall
classroom management and makingsure that the lesson is as calm
(10:39):
as it can be and as regulated asit can be.
But that is also inclusivepractice because students who
require routine, they're goingto benefit from that.
Students who have high anxiety,students who have disorganized
attachments, it's all relationalpractice that is going to be so
golden for them as well.
So what's good for thosestudents is good for all
(11:01):
students.
So, as well as your routines,using things like timers, using
things like success criteria,anything that supports students
to understand what yourexpectations are of them when
they're completing a task.
So students are really clear onwhat they have to do and how to
(11:21):
do it.
Again, that's excellent practicefor students who require that
additional support.
That's like that isdifferentiation in action.
It's not about giving 30different tasks to different
students at different levels.
It's about embedding thosepedagogical practices that
support students to understandhow to be successful at
(11:43):
something and you know, givingthem a leg up to do that if they
require it.
So scaffolding, task cards,checklists, timers, um, success
criteria, anything that is goingto help them to be really
crystal clear on whatever theyhave to do.
Like just making success asvisible as possible.
(12:04):
The next thing you can thinkabout when it comes to using
routines and visuals and likebeing really like explicit in
your expectations is thelanguage that we're using, like
using consistent language.
So instead of, you know, can youplease go and do this?
You can say, when I say go,you'll do this.
So really consistent, explicitlanguage around what your
(12:27):
expectations are instead of kindof wishy-washy open-ended
requests.
Um, and you can make that reallyvisible um visual as well.
You can have that as a slide onthe board for say transitions or
anything really in theclassroom.
So embedding visuals, embeddingreally clear, like expectations
of your students, providing themwith scaffolds and examples and
(12:50):
checklists and timers, embeddingthings into a really consistent
routine, all of that is going toreduce cognitive load.
It's going to increasepredictability, which then will
decrease um uh dysregulation.
Uh all of that is going to bethe mark of a very beautifully
(13:13):
inclusive classroom.
If you look at students'individual plans, so much of
that will be arounddifferentiating the learning,
making sure you, you know,provide scaffolds, making sure
you are really explicit, thingsare timed, things are clear,
there's routines, there'sconsistency.
There's so much of that languagein these plans.
(13:36):
So instead of just trying to doit for one student, making your
classroom practice like basedaround that, like I teach that
just for general classroommanagement.
I don't teach specific inclusionbecause I know that every single
thing that I do in the classroomis being inclusive to the
students who require additionalsupport.
(13:56):
The second thing I want to talkabout that is, you know, less
about kind of like planning thelesson and more about ourselves
is just our own regulation.
Because when we are dealing withthe cacophony of like different
needs and different um profilesand all of the things that
(14:17):
manifest in challengingbehaviors in a traditional
classroom setting, oh boy, thatis a recipe for us feeling
dysregulated, out of control,disempowered, like feeling like
in terms of like our power andmastery in the classroom, us
feeling really like lacking inthat, like we can't do our jobs
(14:39):
properly, feeling reallydespondent.
Um, so it's really hard, right?
So really focusing on our ownregulation is so important.
Really focusing on using asteady tone, our face remaining
quite neutral, you know, using areally slow pace, a gentle pace,
because what can happen whenwe're talking about
(15:01):
co-regulation?
Co-disregulation is also a bigfactor in why we can struggle in
the classroom.
When we have 30 students who aredysregulated, who are struggling
in that setting, and then wecome in, it's just as easy for
us to join them in the stormthan it is for us to co-regulate
(15:22):
for them to come into our calm.
So it's easy for us to becomedysregulated in that naturally
dysregulating environment ofclassroom behaviors that are
manifesting.
So I think just being aware ofthat, that we are very easily
dragged into.
I don't want to say draggedinto, but we can be dragged into
dysregulation just as easily aswe can regulate.
(15:44):
I mean, it's probably easier forus to be dysregulated than it is
for us to regulate with ourclass.
It is something that takes a lotof practice and a lot of kind of
um self-awareness and us beingable to take care of ourselves.
And it's it's a it's a reallyhard task sometimes in a
classroom, but it is soimportant in terms of like the
(16:05):
tangible things that we can doto co-regulate with our class
rather than feel like we haveto, you know, power over control
or get like swept up in thedysregulation.
So, yes, using a steady tone,really focusing on our face, our
pace.
Um, instead of yellingcorrections across the room,
just using proximity ornonverbal signals, remembering
(16:29):
to stop and not be yelling overthe noise or trying to teach
over the chatter and justbringing it all back to a place
of calm and I say control in theway that we are in control of
ourselves and we are taking adeep breath and we're aware of
our body language and what ourshoulders are doing because our
(16:49):
own regulation is so contagious.
The calmer we are, or the moreregulated we are, the safer you
are as a teacher and the saferyour class will feel.
Um, and I mean emotional safetyand that felt safety that
students can have in yourclassroom.
So, as well as the kind oftangible um like classroom
(17:12):
management structures androutines and like teaching and
learning stuff that we need tobe doing with students who have
additional needs, we really needto be thinking about how we're
fostering that felt safety inour classroom through our
regulation.
Of course, the things I spokeabout before when it comes to
like the expectations we'resetting and the differentiation
and the routines and thestructures and the clarity and
(17:35):
all of those things are alsoeven more so actually going to
foster felt safety in yourclassroom.
And it also will help you feelmore regulated because you'll
feel like all over it.
But really just being aware ofthe weather that we're bringing
into the classroom.
So the one thing that I'm alwaysjust telling people to do, and
something that I do myself, isbefore your lesson, if you know
(17:58):
it's gonna be a tough one, ifyou know you've got that
particular kind of class wherethere are so many different
needs, and you're like, oh mygosh, like some of these kids, I
just don't know how to supportthem in the best way I can.
Like their behaviors are reallylike trying to tell me something
about what they need.
I don't know what they need.
If you're feeling like thatbefore a class, please just
(18:18):
stop, take a breath, and tellyourself, all I can control is
how I am and how I respond.
I can't control their behaviors.
I can't control how they're, youknow, showing up in the
classroom before they come tothat this classroom.
I don't know what's going on.
I can't control those things.
I can't control their kneesprofiles, but what I can control
(18:39):
is what I'm doing in myclassroom, my routines, my
structures, the way that I'mrunning my lesson and myself, my
own regulation.
So keep going back to what can Icontrol?
I can't control the fact that myuniversity didn't teach me how
to deal with all of thesedifferent needs in a classroom
setting.
(18:59):
I can't help the fact thateverything is on my shoulders.
Like I can't help the fact thatmy principal or, you know, my
leadership team are just likeputting kids in my class without
talking me through what theyneed or what their profiles are
or how to best support them.
But I can control what I'm doingin this classroom right now.
And for me, that has been just agodsend throughout my entire
(19:23):
career because I've always goneback to what can I control.
I haven't been bogged down inthe blame or the shame or you
know, like I can't do thisanymore.
I mean, I have at other times inmy career, but like not now.
But what was I saying?
Yes.
So just always remembering whatyou can control because it is a
much more empowering andproactive place than the
(19:46):
alternative, and it's going toget you far further, far
further, much further than thealternative.
Okay, but it's okay to befrustrated, it's okay to care so
deeply and feel like it's notenough.
And please remember that you arenot failing your students.
(20:06):
You are doing the work of 20people at once in that room on
your own, trying to work it allout.
So if you were the one who askedme this question, or if this
question has also been on yourheart, which is, how can I cater
for the needs of all of thesestudents?
There has to be more help outthere.
(20:27):
Please remember that yes, thereare things that you can do.
You are not lost on things todo, but the support that you are
giving to students might look alittle bit different than what
is presented to you by peoplewho aren't in the classroom.
Like they write these plans andthey're not teachers, and or
(20:47):
maybe some of them are.
But um, I'm just talking fromexperience that the people who
have written these, like, youknow, adjustment plans have
actually no experience in theclassroom and you know, don't
know what it is actually like tocater for the needs of so many
students.
So please remember that as well.
Uh, it's it's hard because itfeels hard because it's really
hard.
But just keep going back to whatreal inclusion looks like in a
(21:11):
mainstream classroom, which isus remembering how hard it is,
us giving ourselves a break, usbeing as regulated as we
possibly can, and then puttingin the structures, the routines,
the things that are reallyvisible, uh consistent,
predictable for our studentsthat is going to support
neurodiverse and neurotypicalstudents one in the same.
(21:34):
That is what real inclusionlooks like for me anyway.
So I hope that this was helpfulif you've had that question on
your mind.
And I look forward to bringingyou some more of these QAs
because yeah, it's just it'sgreat to talk through these.
I I mean, I just did a big ol'waffle, I think.
But it's nice to brain dump myresponses to this because I also
(21:55):
get these kind of questions inthe behavior club, and it's nice
to be able to point people inthe direction of like a really
explicit response to explicitquestions.
So um, if you do have a questionthat you'd like me to answer,
you can pop over to uh myInstagram, which is at the
dotunteachables, or you canemail me your question at claire
(22:15):
at the unteachables.com and Iwill add it to the list.
It would be wonderful to be ableto answer your question.
And that is all for this week.
I shall see you at the same timein the same place next week.
Bye for now, wonderful teacher.
Oh, hi there, teachers.
Welcome to the UnteachablesPodcast.
I'm your host, Claire English,and I am just a fellow teacher,
a toddler mama, and a big oldbehaviour nerd on a mission to
demystify and simplify thatlittle thing called classroom
management.
The way we've all been taught tomanage behaviour and classroom
manage has left us playing crowdcontrol, which is not something
(00:23):
I subscribe to because we're notbouncers, we're teachers.
So listen in as I walk youthrough the game-changing
strategies, and I mean thethings that we can actually do
in action in our classrooms thatwill allow you to lean into your
beautiful values as acompassionate educator and feel
empowered to run your room witha little more calm and dare I
(00:43):
say it, a lot less chaos.
I will see you in the episode.
Hello, welcome back to theUnteachables Podcast.
It is so nice to have you backwith me.
Uh, or if it's your first time,hello, my name's Claire, and
what we do here is just allthings classroom management.
So if you need a bit of supportwith that, you're in the right
(01:04):
place.
If you're thinking, oh nah, I'mall over it.
My behavior management, myclassroom management is ace,
I've got no problems, then maybedon't listen to this podcast.
Uh maybe I need to come andlearn from you, but uh, or maybe
you're lying because I don'tthink anybody is 100% all over
classroom management.
I think we've always gotsomething more to learn, more to
(01:26):
try.
Uh, tis the nature of humanbehavior.
So uh yeah, welcome.
I'm glad you're here with me.
So I decided to do a few QA'sover the next couple of months.
I wanted to answer all of thesequestions that I've been getting
in my inbox all the time.
I get the same kind ofquestions.
(01:46):
So I wanted to pull out thosequestions that I've been asked
the most, and I wanted to answerthem here on the podcast over
the next couple of months.
We're going into the lastquarter of the year, or we are
in the last quarter of the year,we're pretty deep in it now.
Um, so I wanted to do somethings that were going to be
like, you know, oh my gosh, likeyes, I've been wondering that as
well.
Let me try that.
Um, no better time than thepresent.
(02:09):
The first QA I would like to uhanswer today is how to manage
special needs in a mainstreamclassroom.
And this person said, there hasto be more help out there.
And yes, there does, thereshould be more help out there.
Um and I chose this as the firstone because it's a big one that
(02:31):
not only do I get a lot cominginto my inbox, but it's one that
I have asked time and time andtime again over the course of my
career.
I remember stepping into myfirst classroom and going, what
the actual heck?
Like we spoke about inclusionand we spoke about, you know,
meeting the needs of all ofthese young people.
But then when you are actuallyin front of said young people
(02:53):
who are all, you know, atdifferent levels and behaving in
different ways and havedifferent needs, it is a lot
easier said than done to belike, hey, like, yeah,
inclusion, sweet.
Uh so do I believe in c ininclusive classrooms?
Of course I do.
Of course, I believe that everystudent needs to be catered for,
and I believe that every studentuh should have access to a
(03:17):
mainstream classroom.
Do I also think that somestudents probably require more
support or a more therapeuticplacement than what mainstream
can provide for them?
Yes, I also do think that.
Do I think that inclusion isdone very poorly because
students are chucked intoclassrooms and teachers are then
expected to, you know, withoutany support or any resources or
(03:39):
any additional training onneeds, like, you know, cater for
these uh specific studentprofiles?
Also, yes, I think it's donevery poorly.
So what do we do?
Because I it's not adifferentiation problem.
It's not that you just have todifferentiate for 30 different
learners and then you're allsweet.
We're often dealing with themost complex trauma.
(04:04):
We're dealing with students withsensory processing challenges,
ADHD, autism, and meetingeverybody's needs and keeping
the class calm and gettingthrough the curriculum is take
is going to take more than justa little bit of differentiation.
The way that people also talkabout differentiation is not my
cup of tea either.
It shouldn't be that we're justlike giving students different
(04:26):
levels of work.
Anyway, that's a whole differentepisode for another day.
Um, anyway, yes, there should bemore help out there, but how do
we actually do this in ourclassrooms?
How do we cater for additionalneeds?
How do we, how do we actuallylive this idea of being an
inclusive classroom?
I like to start with what we cancontrol.
(04:50):
I mean, when I say I want tostart there, like I always start
middle end there, like I alwaysjust talk about the things that
we can control.
Because yes, you should havemore training and more support
for students, like to cater forstudents who have additional
needs, but I don't have controlover that.
I can't go into your school andsay, hey, like give Courtney
(05:12):
some extra training or hey, Gregneeds to be supported with some
more resources or a TA orsomething like that.
But what I can help you with arethe things that you can control
in the classroom to create anenvironment that is more
inclusive.
But let me start with just a bitof a hard truth, which is that
we can't meet every single needin the classroom 100% perfectly
(05:38):
because we aren't 30 differenthumans ourselves.
Like you've got 30 kids in theroom, some with an like, you
know, an ADHD profile, likeautistic individuals, we have
students who have learningdisabilities.
We can't specifically meet everysingle need, which is why I
focus on systems in creating aclassroom where everyone's
(06:00):
nervous system has a chance tofeel safe and successful, where
I'm providing structure, I'mproviding routines, I'm
providing true differentiationwhere students can feel
successful.
So there are things that we cando on a more wide scale with our
class that helps to make itinclusive, to make it safe, to
(06:23):
make it an environment where weare trying to meet the needs of
every single student in the bestway we can.
And I say in the best way we canbecause we can't do it 100%.
It's just impossible.
Like I've had classes where I'vehad 50%, 60%, 70% of students on
individual healthcare plans orindividual education plans,
whatever you call them in yourpocket of the world.
(06:45):
I can't look at every single oneof those planned and say, okay,
here are the adjustments.
What I can do is take all ofthose adjustments and try to put
things into a structure, into aroutine where I'm actually
fulfilling my responsibilitiesas a teacher and someone who
needs to be inclusive withouthaving to address every single
student individually becauseit's a part of my teaching
(07:07):
practice.
So that is what I'm going to betalking about in today's
episode.
How to do that, how to set up aninclusive classroom environment.
The first thing that you need toreally get down pat is your
visuals and your routines,because those kinds of things
increase predictability andclarity, and it just reduces
that cognitive load.
(07:27):
And it's just a game changer forstudents who are neurodivergent.
But for every single student,it's just best practice because
when students come to ourclassroom, and I've spoken about
it in other episodes, where likethe mental health crisis at the
moment in our society, with notjust our young people, but with
teachers and adults as well.
(07:48):
But our young people are turningup to class.
I can't remember the exactstatistic of like how many
percentage were ready to learn.
I think it was like 20% ready tolearn.
But the stats were that one inthree primary school students
are struggling with um anxietyor depression, and one in,
sorry, one in four primarystudents and one in three
(08:10):
secondary students arestruggling with anxiety or
depression.
So like every single student isgoing to benefit from routines
and structures that increasesfelt safety.
Because when we increasepredictability, when we're
giving more clarity, whenstudents rock up to our
classroom knowing exactly whatthey are going to be expecting
from us, knowing that we'regoing to provide them a map to
(08:33):
their learning, that we're goingto be a consistent figure for
them in the way that we aredoing things with our pedagogy,
our lesson planning, but alsolike the person that we are, it
is going to reduce the stressresponse in our students and
we're going to see lessdysregulation, which is going to
(08:54):
be golden when it comes toclassroom management.
So the tangible things that wecan focus on doing in terms of
increasing the routines in ourclassroom and that consistency,
making sure that the routinesthat we use are really familiar.
So we have that same entryroutine.
I've got episodes on like how tocraft a really strong entry
(09:14):
routine, but knowing that whenstudents get to the class,
they've got a starter activity,it's going to last for three
minutes.
It's a pen to paper activity,it's going to be able to, like
everyone's going to be able tobe successful at that.
They know that they've got a mapto their learning that's either
projected onto the board orgiven to them on a piece of
paper that they can tick off asthe lesson goes on.
They know that they need to belining up outside in a certain
(09:35):
way and that you'll be greetingthem and like, you know, getting
them into the classroom in a waythat's I think I did speak about
on an episode, but like, youknow, walking through that
invisible barrier to go into theclassroom.
So you're regulating the room.
So students know when they getto the classroom that that entry
routine is solid and that iswhat they're going to be
following.
Uh, transition routine.
(09:56):
So when they go into group workor back to individual work or
any of that messy middle, um,what are they going to be
expected to do?
Are they going to know thatyou're going to guide them with
visuals and really be clear onyour expectations?
When they finish the lesson, isthere a routine for that last,
that final five minutes of thelesson?
(10:17):
If they finish early, do theyknow what to do?
If they're, you know, they'repacking up to get ready to go
outside.
Do they know what like reallybeing clear and explicit about
the routines in your classroomand following those routines?
That is going to be so, so, socrucial for your overall
classroom management and makingsure that the lesson is as calm
(10:39):
as it can be and as regulated asit can be.
But that is also inclusivepractice because students who
require routine, they're goingto benefit from that.
Students who have high anxiety,students who have disorganized
attachments, it's all relationalpractice that is going to be so
golden for them as well.
So what's good for thosestudents is good for all
(11:01):
students.
So, as well as your routines,using things like timers, using
things like success criteria,anything that supports students
to understand what yourexpectations are of them when
they're completing a task.
So students are really clear onwhat they have to do and how to
(11:21):
do it.
Again, that's excellent practicefor students who require that
additional support.
That's like that isdifferentiation in action.
It's not about giving 30different tasks to different
students at different levels.
It's about embedding thosepedagogical practices that
support students to understandhow to be successful at
(11:43):
something and you know, givingthem a leg up to do that if they
require it.
So scaffolding, task cards,checklists, timers, um, success
criteria, anything that is goingto help them to be really
crystal clear on whatever theyhave to do.
Like just making success asvisible as possible.
(12:04):
The next thing you can thinkabout when it comes to using
routines and visuals and likebeing really like explicit in
your expectations is thelanguage that we're using, like
using consistent language.
So instead of, you know, can youplease go and do this?
You can say, when I say go,you'll do this.
So really consistent, explicitlanguage around what your
(12:27):
expectations are instead of kindof wishy-washy open-ended
requests.
Um, and you can make that reallyvisible um visual as well.
You can have that as a slide onthe board for say transitions or
anything really in theclassroom.
So embedding visuals, embeddingreally clear, like expectations
of your students, providing themwith scaffolds and examples and
(12:50):
checklists and timers, embeddingthings into a really consistent
routine, all of that is going toreduce cognitive load.
It's going to increasepredictability, which then will
decrease um uh dysregulation.
Uh all of that is going to bethe mark of a very beautifully
(13:13):
inclusive classroom.
If you look at students'individual plans, so much of
that will be arounddifferentiating the learning,
making sure you, you know,provide scaffolds, making sure
you are really explicit, thingsare timed, things are clear,
there's routines, there'sconsistency.
There's so much of that languagein these plans.
(13:36):
So instead of just trying to doit for one student, making your
classroom practice like basedaround that, like I teach that
just for general classroommanagement.
I don't teach specific inclusionbecause I know that every single
thing that I do in the classroomis being inclusive to the
students who require additionalsupport.
(13:56):
The second thing I want to talkabout that is, you know, less
about kind of like planning thelesson and more about ourselves
is just our own regulation.
Because when we are dealing withthe cacophony of like different
needs and different um profilesand all of the things that
(14:17):
manifest in challengingbehaviors in a traditional
classroom setting, oh boy, thatis a recipe for us feeling
dysregulated, out of control,disempowered, like feeling like
in terms of like our power andmastery in the classroom, us
feeling really like lacking inthat, like we can't do our jobs
(14:39):
properly, feeling reallydespondent.
Um, so it's really hard, right?
So really focusing on our ownregulation is so important.
Really focusing on using asteady tone, our face remaining
quite neutral, you know, using areally slow pace, a gentle pace,
because what can happen whenwe're talking about
(15:01):
co-regulation?
Co-disregulation is also a bigfactor in why we can struggle in
the classroom.
When we have 30 students who aredysregulated, who are struggling
in that setting, and then wecome in, it's just as easy for
us to join them in the stormthan it is for us to co-regulate
(15:22):
for them to come into our calm.
So it's easy for us to becomedysregulated in that naturally
dysregulating environment ofclassroom behaviors that are
manifesting.
So I think just being aware ofthat, that we are very easily
dragged into.
I don't want to say draggedinto, but we can be dragged into
dysregulation just as easily aswe can regulate.
(15:44):
I mean, it's probably easier forus to be dysregulated than it is
for us to regulate with ourclass.
It is something that takes a lotof practice and a lot of kind of
um self-awareness and us beingable to take care of ourselves.
And it's it's a it's a reallyhard task sometimes in a
classroom, but it is soimportant in terms of like the
(16:05):
tangible things that we can doto co-regulate with our class
rather than feel like we haveto, you know, power over control
or get like swept up in thedysregulation.
So, yes, using a steady tone,really focusing on our face, our
pace.
Um, instead of yellingcorrections across the room,
just using proximity ornonverbal signals, remembering
(16:29):
to stop and not be yelling overthe noise or trying to teach
over the chatter and justbringing it all back to a place
of calm and I say control in theway that we are in control of
ourselves and we are taking adeep breath and we're aware of
our body language and what ourshoulders are doing because our
(16:49):
own regulation is so contagious.
The calmer we are, or the moreregulated we are, the safer you
are as a teacher and the saferyour class will feel.
Um, and I mean emotional safetyand that felt safety that
students can have in yourclassroom.
So, as well as the kind oftangible um like classroom
(17:12):
management structures androutines and like teaching and
learning stuff that we need tobe doing with students who have
additional needs, we really needto be thinking about how we're
fostering that felt safety inour classroom through our
regulation.
Of course, the things I spokeabout before when it comes to
like the expectations we'resetting and the differentiation
and the routines and thestructures and the clarity and
(17:35):
all of those things are alsoeven more so actually going to
foster felt safety in yourclassroom.
And it also will help you feelmore regulated because you'll
feel like all over it.
But really just being aware ofthe weather that we're bringing
into the classroom.
So the one thing that I'm alwaysjust telling people to do, and
something that I do myself, isbefore your lesson, if you know
(17:58):
it's gonna be a tough one, ifyou know you've got that
particular kind of class wherethere are so many different
needs, and you're like, oh mygosh, like some of these kids, I
just don't know how to supportthem in the best way I can.
Like their behaviors are reallylike trying to tell me something
about what they need.
I don't know what they need.
If you're feeling like thatbefore a class, please just
(18:18):
stop, take a breath, and tellyourself, all I can control is
how I am and how I respond.
I can't control their behaviors.
I can't control how they're, youknow, showing up in the
classroom before they come tothat this classroom.
I don't know what's going on.
I can't control those things.
I can't control their kneesprofiles, but what I can control
(18:39):
is what I'm doing in myclassroom, my routines, my
structures, the way that I'mrunning my lesson and myself, my
own regulation.
So keep going back to what can Icontrol?
I can't control the fact that myuniversity didn't teach me how
to deal with all of thesedifferent needs in a classroom
setting.
(18:59):
I can't help the fact thateverything is on my shoulders.
Like I can't help the fact thatmy principal or, you know, my
leadership team are just likeputting kids in my class without
talking me through what theyneed or what their profiles are
or how to best support them.
But I can control what I'm doingin this classroom right now.
And for me, that has been just agodsend throughout my entire
(19:23):
career because I've always goneback to what can I control.
I haven't been bogged down inthe blame or the shame or you
know, like I can't do thisanymore.
I mean, I have at other times inmy career, but like not now.
But what was I saying?
Yes.
So just always remembering whatyou can control because it is a
much more empowering andproactive place than the
(19:46):
alternative, and it's going toget you far further, far
further, much further than thealternative.
Okay, but it's okay to befrustrated, it's okay to care so
deeply and feel like it's notenough.
And please remember that you arenot failing your students.
(20:06):
You are doing the work of 20people at once in that room on
your own, trying to work it allout.
So if you were the one who askedme this question, or if this
question has also been on yourheart, which is, how can I cater
for the needs of all of thesestudents?
There has to be more help outthere.
(20:27):
Please remember that yes, thereare things that you can do.
You are not lost on things todo, but the support that you are
giving to students might look alittle bit different than what
is presented to you by peoplewho aren't in the classroom.
Like they write these plans andthey're not teachers, and or
(20:47):
maybe some of them are.
But um, I'm just talking fromexperience that the people who
have written these, like, youknow, adjustment plans have
actually no experience in theclassroom and you know, don't
know what it is actually like tocater for the needs of so many
students.
So please remember that as well.
Uh, it's it's hard because itfeels hard because it's really
hard.
But just keep going back to whatreal inclusion looks like in a
(21:11):
mainstream classroom, which isus remembering how hard it is,
us giving ourselves a break, usbeing as regulated as we
possibly can, and then puttingin the structures, the routines,
the things that are reallyvisible, uh consistent,
predictable for our studentsthat is going to support
neurodiverse and neurotypicalstudents one in the same.
(21:34):
That is what real inclusionlooks like for me anyway.
So I hope that this was helpfulif you've had that question on
your mind.
And I look forward to bringingyou some more of these QAs
because yeah, it's just it'sgreat to talk through these.
I I mean, I just did a big ol'waffle, I think.
But it's nice to brain dump myresponses to this because I also
(21:55):
get these kind of questions inthe behavior club, and it's nice
to be able to point people inthe direction of like a really
explicit response to explicitquestions.
So um, if you do have a questionthat you'd like me to answer,
you can pop over to uh myInstagram, which is at the
dotunteachables, or you canemail me your question at claire
(22:15):
at the unteachables.com and Iwill add it to the list.
It would be wonderful to be ableto answer your question.
And that is all for this week.
I shall see you at the same timein the same place next week.
Bye for now, wonderful teacher.
Popular Podcasts
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.