5 myths about inclusive teaching

Ahead of reforms to the special educational needs and disabilities system in England, schools have a deadline to publish a statement setting out their inclusion strategy by the end of December.

To help schools develop their strategies, the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has today published a guide, aimed at teachers and school leaders, to make sure they are embedding inclusive practice in the classroom.

The guide includes universal teaching practices that benefit all pupils, and drives home the importance of making sure that any additional adaptations put in place for pupils who need them are actually effective.

Professional development resources for teachers and leaders to help them implement strategies in practice are also available alongside the guide.

The EEF guide also sets out five pervasive myths about inclusive teaching that schools should avoid when developing their strategies:

1. Inclusion is about what schools do differently for pupils with additional needs

Some pupils with additional needs will require support beyond the universally available, as the SEND code of practice sets out.

But inclusive teaching is fundamentally about helping every child succeed at school, the EEF says, and considering aspects of universal provision that are beneficial for all pupils, but particularly those with additional needs.

2. Pupils will learn more the more adaptations teachers make

Adaptations may not always actually be effective for a pupil, and if they are not, they can hinder learning.

Teachers must be supported to make sure they understand what makes an adaptation effective and to monitor the impact of any put in place.

3. Interventions are the best way to support pupils with additional needs

Targeted interventions can be beneficial, the EEF says, but they have the most impact when they supplement effective everyday teaching instead of replacing it. Targeted interventions are most likely to help pupils when universal teaching provision is strong.

4. Schools automatically know the best way to support a pupil if they have a diagnosis

While a diagnosis can be helpful, it does not necessarily determine what support will have the most impact in supporting learning, the EEF warns.

In some cases, pupils may have the same diagnosis, but have different experiences, needs and strengths, and all of these can change over time.

To get the most effective support in place, schools should have ongoing assessment and monitoring of impact, so they can make decisions informed by the evidence.

5. Teachers need to have specialist expertise to be able to effectively support pupils with additional needs

Inclusive teaching does not have to begin with specialist knowledge, the EEF says. Rather, it starts by looking at the parts of universal provision that are beneficial for all pupils, but especially help pupils with additional needs.

Teachers should grow their understanding of effective inclusive practice as they move through their careers, the guide states, and for many this will include developing specialist expertise. But support can start without specialist knowledge.