Developing inclusive classroom practices: what guidance do commercially published texts offer teachers?

Abstract

Over the last few decades, developments have taken place at international, national and local levels that have encouraged more inclusive forms of educational provision. However, many practising teachers remain concerned that they lack the knowledge, skills and expertise necessary to support an increasingly diverse range of learners in their classrooms and particularly those identified with special needs and disabilities. One response to this has been a proliferation in the publication of texts specifically aimed at classroom teachers, offering practical advice to address these professional concerns. This paper reports on a two-phased study which examined the scope and variety of such texts and the nature of the guidance therein. Three key aspects were considered: the main contents and concerns of the texts, which learners are, and are not, the intended focus of their guidance, and how the process of developing inclusive practices is portrayed. Whilst the findings from this analysis raise important concerns about the limitations of such texts, they also highlight the challenges, more generally, of improving professional development opportunities for teachers who seek to be more inclusive in their everyday classroom practices.