TEACHING DIFFERENTIATION METHODS AND ASSESSMENT IN INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS

Abstract

Teaching methods which teachers use and the type of classroom environment that a teacher creates and encourages, can either increase or decrease a student's ability to learn and feel comfortable as a member of the class despite of the specific needs someone might have, and to achieve the maximum of their potential capabilities.Inclusive education occurs when students with and without disabilities participate and learn together in the same class. Research shows that when a disabled child attending school together with their peers who do not have disabilities, good things happened.Inclusive education occurs when there is on-going advocacy, planning, support and commitment. The classroom and the teaching methods environment should do as much as possible to foster cooperation, acceptance and learning. The teacher`s aim should be exactly the establishing of such an environment that is favourable for helping all students work cooperatively in order to learn. Classrooms which welcome all students with or without abilities encourage emotional well-being; create an atmosphere for emotional and learning development. A warm classroom environment can lead to increased achievement and a sense of belonging at school. Knowing of students' characteristics such as readiness, interests and learning styles and teaching methods differentiation based on them are important issues that will be explained later in this paper. More precisely, this paper focuses on description of teaching and assessment methods differentiation and their effects which will help teachers to plan and create a classroom that welcomes and supports all students as well as increasing their skills and learning.