Abstract
COVID-19 has shifted the scope of education globally. Virtual and hybrid instruction is taking place via online platforms to deliver curriculum and intervention to students in a socially distanced manner. Promoting inclusion and belonging in these online spaces is integral to maintaining cultural and linguistic diversity in the classroom. Educators can foster an inclusive and equitable learning environment for their students by 1) collecting student demographics, 2) allowing students to screen-share autobiographical presentations, 3) initiating parental involvement and feedback, and 4) creating an accessible forum for ongoing student engagement. By employing online resources such as Trello, FlipGrid, JamBoard, and Google Slides, students can demonstrate their ethnic and racial identities in a manner that caters to their preferred learning style. There is an abundance of online tools for educators to provide the students and families they serve remotely that meet students at their present level. This paper explores how these four facets can bolster the online classroom culture and build rapport among all parties online. By detailing supports and resources for educators, this paper outline how to facilitate these four steps amid distance instruction for all learners, including suggested adaptations for students with disabilities. Working together with families, educators can continue to embody best practices in a sensible manner to meet the needs of their students during unprecedented times.
Presenters
Melody MannStudent, MS Special Education + Mild - Moderate Disabilities Credential, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, California, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
2021 Special Focus - Transcending Social Distance: Emerging Practices in e-Learning
KEYWORDS
Inclusion, Belonging, Linguistic and Cultural Diversity, Virtual Learning, Distance Learning
