Task Analysis – Introduction to Inclusive Education
31 August 2023Reflective Activity: Identifying Barriers to Learning
In the left hand column, list the teaching activities for a session you might teach. Then in the next columns identify the student activity involved, the barriers to learning that may be created, and the students who may be impacted.
An example of a face-to-face lecture is given below.
| Teaching Strategy | Student activity | Barriers to Learning | Students who may be impacted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face-to-face lecture | Listening
|
Cognitive processing
|
Students with cognitive processing issues or who are deaf |
| Taking notes
|
Writing skills and speed
Large social space
|
Dyslexic students. Students with English as an additional language
Students with hypersensitivity or anxiety
|
|
| Sitting for an hour
|
Sitting comfortably for an hour
|
Students with health conditions
|
|
| Small group discussion with peers | Social interaction in groups | Students with autism or anxiety |
While we cannot eliminate all barriers for all learners in all tasks, by using a range of teaching approaches, and offering multiple means of interaction with learning, we can create an inclusive learning environment which empowers all students to fulfil their potential These are the principles that can ensure social justice in education, and which inform Universal Design for Learning.