Learning & Teaching Topics
Meeting Diverse Student Needs
Dimensions of Diversity:
Visible Diversity:
- Race
- Age
- Physical attributes
- Sex
Invisible Diversity:
- Family educational background
- Past educational experiences
- Abilities and disabilities
- Learning styles
- Geographical – regional origin
- Religious belief
- Political opinion
- Sexual orientation
- Gender
- Ethnicity
- English as a Second Language
- International student status
- Economic diversity
- Veterans status
Inclusive Teaching Strategies:
- Treat students as individuals and not representatives of a particular group.
- Respect varying communication styles. Realize that certain students are often overshadowed in the classroom as a result of communication differences rather than lack of knowledge.
- Notice how you address different groups of students (by first name, last name, etc.); strive for consistency.
- Do not allow inappropriate (sexist, racist, homophobic, etc.) comments to go unaddressed.
- Reflect diversity in course materials (such as gender-neutral textbooks) and use class examples that feature diverse people. If there are inequities in your examples (including visual examples), be sure to explain the reasons for these inequities.
- When using role-playing activities, take precautions against stereotypes and assumptions.
- When students work in groups, insist that each group be as heterogeneous as possible, even if students choose their own groups.
- Encourage students to sit next to people they do not know. Allow two to three minutes for students to introduce themselves.
- Make sure all members of a group presentation have speaking parts. Allow rotating leadership of groups so no one person or group dominates.
Topic References
Arizona State University. (2007). ASU-Intergroup Relations Center Glossary. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from ASU Web site: http://www.asu.edu/provost/intergroup/resources/glossary.pdf
Association of American Colleges and Universities. (2009). Diversity Web: An Interactive Resource Hub for Higher Education. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from Diversity Web Web site: http://www.diversityweb.org/
Chesler, M. (1997). Perceptions of Faculty Behavior by Students of Color. Retrieved April 2, 2009, from University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching Web site: http://www.crlt.umich.edu/publinks/CRLT_no7.pdf
Davis, B.G. (1999). Diversity and Complexity in the Classroom: Considerations of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender. Retrieved April 1, 2009, from Honolulu Community College Faculty Development Web site: http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/diverse.htm
Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning. (2006). Tips for Teachers: Teaching in Racially Diverse College Classrooms. Retrieved March 30, 2009, from Harvard University Web site: http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/html/icb.topic58474/TFTrace.html
Josephs, S. (2009). Teaching Diversity. Retrieved April 4, 2009, from Fisher College of Business: Diversity in the Classroom Web site: http://fisher.osu.edu/offices/diversity/diversity-resources/diversity-in-classroom
University of Colorado at Boulder. (1999) On Diversity in Teaching and Learning: A Compendium. Retrieved April 4, 2009, from Faculty Teaching Excellence Program Web site: http://www.colorado.edu/ftep/downloads/ondiversity.pdf (64 page PDF)
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill Center for Teaching and Learning. (1997). Teaching for Inclusion: Diversity in the College Classroom. Retrieved April 4, 2009, from UNC Web site: ctl.unc.edu/TeachforInclusion.pdf (204 page PDF)
University of Washington. (2008) Perspectives: What Excludes Students? Retrieved April 4, 2009, from CIDR Web: Inclusive Teaching Web site: http://depts.washington.edu/cidrweb/inclusive/condescend.html#faculty
University of Washington. (2008) Strategies for Inclusive Teaching. Retrieved April 4, 2009, from CIDR Web: Inclusive Teaching Web site: http://depts.washington.edu/cidrweb/inclusive/strategies.html
University of Washington. (2008) Inclusive Teaching Resources. Retrieved April 4, 2009, from CIDR Web: Inclusive Teaching Web site: http://depts.washington.edu/cidrweb/inclusive/resources.html