Question

What are some ways teachers can address student’s physical differences without calling unnecessary attention to the variation?

Answer 1

Answer: Students who are already part of minority groups in society – for instance, due to race, class, gender or a disability – are disproportionately represented in so-called low ability groups; often score below average in tests (because of the system rather than the students); and are frequently misrepresented or underrepresented in curriculum material presented in class. Teachers should be more concerned towards each and every child about their performance and studies.

Interrogate the language you use to describe your pupils and the language used by students themselves in the classroom. Ultimately, the main aim is to help prioritize teacher-student relationships and the relationships between students in the classroom. It’s these relationships that allow the student to be seen as a person, as opposed to, for instance, a middle-ability child.