Create an Inclusive & Positive Class Climate

Student Needs	IPRC Exceptionalities	Diagnosed Conditions
Aggression Management Anger/Frustration Management Anxiety Management Articulation Skills Attendance Strategies Attention Skills Assistive Technology Skills Blind/Vision Impaired Bullying Management Skills Central Auditory Processing Deafness Depression/Sadness Management Disengagement/Motivation Strategies Eating Disorder Strategies Emotional Regulation English Language Skills Executive Function Fine Motor Skills Gambling Disorder Grief Management Gross Motor Skills Hearing Intellectual Ability – High Intellectual Ability – Low Listening Comprehension Skills Low Vision Memory Skills Mental Health Strategies Metacognitive Skills Mobility Skills Non-Verbal Reasoning Organizational Skills Personal Care Personal Safety Phonological Processing Processing Speed Self-Advocacy Skills Self-Esteem Self-Harm/Suicide Management Self-Regulatory Skills Sensory Integration Skills Sequencing Skills Social Skills Substance Abuse Strategies Task Initiation Time Management Skills Transition Skills Verbal Ability Visual-Motor Skills Visual-Spatial Processing	Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Behaviour Blind and Low Vision Deaf and Hard of Hearing Developmental Disability (DD) Giftedness Language Impairment Learning Disabilities (LD) Mild Intellectual Disabilities Multiple Exceptionalities Physical Disability Speech Impairment	Acquired Brain Injury Alcohol-Related Neuro-developmental Disorder (ARND) Angelman Syndrome Anxiety Disorders Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Auditory Processing Disorder (Central) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Bipolar Disorder Blind/Vision Impaired Brain Injury Cerebral Palsy (CP) Conduct Disorder (CD) Concussions Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Deafness Depression Disorders Down Syndrome Eating Disorders Epilepsy Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAS/FAE) Fragile X Syndrome Gambling Disorder Intellectual Disabilities Klinefelter's Syndrome Learning Disabilities/Specific Learning Disorders Muscular Dystrophy (MD) Neurological Disabilities Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTS) Prader-Willi Syndrome Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) Seizure Disorders Selective Mutism Spina Bifida Tourette Syndrome Turner Syndrome (TS) Usher Syndrome William's Syndrome

Key Special Education Practices
Accommodations Alternative Programming Assistive Technology Board Special Education Plans Community Resources Differentiated Instruction Create an Inclusive & Positive Class Climate Identification Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) Individual Education Plan (IEP) Ministry of Education Resources Modified Programming Non-teacher Professional Assessments Teacher Assessments Safety/Emergency/Crisis Response Plan Professional Development Reporting on IEP Progress Tracking/Documenting Transition Plans

Characteristics notebook pencil

A positive and inclusive classroom climate is linked to academic achievement, while poor class climate reduces academic achievement and can be detrimental to students in other ways. In positive and inclusive classrooms teachers are welcoming and work towards developing a positive rapport with all students. They address negative behaviours promptly and often have visuals to support the specifics of their inclusive and positive classroom (rules of behaviour, how to work in groups, character education information, etc.).

What it is

Inclusive and positive classroom climates are learning environments where students feel valued, respected and part of the classroom community and are thus ready to learn.

“They may forget what you said but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
–Carol Buchner

Strategies

• Develop and maintain a positive rapport with all students. (Get to know their names quickly, find out their likes and hobbies, greet them at the door each day, provide them a procedure to speaking privately with you, be supportive of their learning academically, behaviourally, socially and emotionally).

• Interact with students positively and use humour. Develop a sense of collaboration.

• Use team building activities and consider establishing a common goal or responsibility for the class (looking after milk orders, class pet, fund raising, social issue, etc.).

• Have well established and posted class rules and consequences and regularly teach and review them with students.

• Speak in a calm and positive way even when addressing negative situations.

• Have a sign for getting the class’ attention to avoid yelling (flick the lights, hand up, etc.).

• Follow up immediately on all reports of bullying/negative behaviour and involve administration and other supports.

• Be aware of potential bullying that students may not report and address it.

• Directly teach lessons on social and emotional skills and character education.

• Circulate frequently among the students and check in to ensure on-task and understanding.

• Reinforce that making mistakes is how everyone learns.

• Learn along with student and explicitly demonstrate problem solving processes.

• Identify students who need increased support and communicate them to the school team.

• Involve community supports for whole class presentations.

• Be in frequent contact with parents, administration and other teachers.

• Enlist school counseling supports (Child and Youth Worker, Social Worker, Counselor, etc.).

• Be aware of increased behaviours and report to parents and school team.

• Provide opportunities for success and rewards for pro-social behaviours.

Resources

• ABCs of Mental Health Various strategies proposed by the Hinks-Dellcrest Centre for addressing worried, sad, self-harm, angry, defiant, poor social relations behaviours.	• Building Inclusive Classrooms: Activities and Strategies
• Including Students with Exceptionalities	• Inclusion Classroom Video: Overview and Activities in Action
• Ontario’s Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy	• OTF’s Safe@School: Resources on racism, homophobia, sexism and general topics to create a positive classroom climate
• Positive Classroom Environment Video: Strategies shown	• Supporting Minds, Ontario Ministry of Education p. 16-23
• What is an Inclusive Classroom: Teacher’s Role and What Classrooms Look Like

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Create an Inclusive & Positive Class Climate