Our vision of an inclusive preschool
3: Our vision of an inclusive preschool
As you continue to learn about your role and responsibilities as an ICO, you may wonder what an inclusive preschool that supports children with diverse needs looks like.
When you and your centre is ready to work towards greater inclusion, you will find this domain relevant in providing building blocks to support your centre.
Inclusive practice is evident throughout the preschool environment and communicated in many ways:
- Materials displayed, books, and other media available;
- Adult interactions with children and each other;
- Schedules for class routines;
- Indoor and outdoor play; space allocation for class activities;
- Centre timetables have protected time for educators and other professionals to meet and co-plan, to meet parents etc.
3.1: Building Blocks and Best Practices for Inclusion
EC educators can consider possible modifications to environment and curriculum, if they wish to be more effective in including and teaching young children with DN.
A useful approach is the Universal Design for learning (UDL), which is a set of principles for curriculum development that supports the needs and abilities of all learners. This teaching approach aims
to improve educational experience by introducing a learning environment where there is flexibility in which learners access material and information, engage in, and demonstrate their learning.
Check out these resources on building blocks for inclusion:
- About Universal Design for Learning
- UDL: A Teacher's Guide
- EC Building Blocks: UDL in EC Inclusive Classrooms
References
- Sandall, S. R., Schwartz, I. S., & Joseph, G. E. (2019). Building Blocks for Teaching Preschoolers with Special Needs, Third Edition. Brookes Publishing.
- www.include.sg