Inclusion

More than any other difficulty, the hardest one is when children are excluded, do not go to school and feel that others (children and adults) do not care about them.

Children can be hurtful and bully children they see as different. With sensitive teaching, awareness raising and good parenting, children with special challenges can thrive. Other children will play an important part in making them feel supported and included.

Read our Top Ten Messages on Inclusion for children to learn and share to the right. Scroll down to see ideas on what children can do to understand, find out more, take action and reflect on this topic.

Use the links below to browse our FREE resources to help children learn more, share their knowledge and become agents of change.

10 Messages on
Inclusion

We all need the chance to feel included and be part of a group to feel accepted, just as we are.
Some people are born with extra challenges that affect how they see, hear, move, speak, or think. Anyone can face physical or mental challenges at different times in their life, due to accidents or disease.
For healthy, happy development, every child needs to feel they belong in all family, community, school, class, and club activities and be part of a group of friends.
Children who have difficulties with one thing often have abilities in others. Let’s think about our own difficulties and strengths.
Here’s how you can help me: 1. Get to know me. 2. Ask if and how I need help! (I might not.) 3. Listen to me. 4. Ask what else might help.
We all feel unhappy when we are excluded. If you know someone who is struggling, pay attention, and see if you can help.
If you see someone bullying, hurting, name-calling, laughing at or neglecting someone then do something to help or report it to someone you trust.
With an adult, check that everyone can get in and out of places in school and in the community, especially, classrooms, toilets, play areas, and handwashing stations.
So I have challenges! Don’t you? See what I can do, not what I cannot. Play with me, learn with me. Let’s be friends.
If I don’t know how to include someone, I will ask them, their family or others in the community to help me.

Children can learn, collect & share these messages!

While teaching these messages, encourage children to…

MAKE their own Inclusion Messages using their own words in their own language!

LEARN these messages so they never forget them!

ADD these messages to their collection!

SHARE these messages with other children and their families!

If your class or group is struggling to stay connected and engaged, we have loads of ideas for ideas to help them! Have a look at Closing Games & Activities.

Use the questions/discussion topics below to help children to memorise the messages and really understand them.

More Information on
Inclusion for Educators

These messages were developed over many months with input from experts, teachers and doctors. We developed a great poster for people to display in schools, medical facilities and anywhere children are.

In most countries there is specialist support for children who have disabilities like with eyesight, hearing, or movement. These are often called Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) services. Children can help identify children and families who might not know about CBR or who are isolated.

There are so many wonderful role models. In an inclusive classroom all children learn and gain a lot from understanding and being friends with people who are managing extra challenges. Read our storybook, A Mazing Treasures for more about the inclusive classroom.

Some people hold false beliefs about the causes of disability. Mothers especially can blame themselves or be blamed by others. These attitudes must be challenged, and children need to understand that these beliefs are mistaken. Sometimes harmful, local ‘cures’ are tried which can make a disability worse.

What can children make, do and ask?

There are many ways to ensure children are included. Let’s remember this key message…

Here’s how you can help me 1. Get to know me. 2. Ask if and how I need help! (I might not) 3. Listen to me. 4. Ask what else might help.

With the children:

MAKE a lists of ideas for ways they can include others.
CREATE a poster and display it in your classroom to remind all children of the part they play to support each other every day.
SHARE STORIES of the times when we have felt included and excluded and how this made us feel.
TAKE a game you know and change it or play it in a new way so everyone can play it.

General ideas to support children facing extra challenges

Make sure the children who need it are supported by a local CBR service.
Notice and ask when a child seems isolated, quiet or sad.
Help a child catch up with lessons after an illness and absence.
Prepare activities and lessons carefully, making adaptations so all children can participate.
Some children may have more than one challenge to deal with e.g. speaking and moving.
Be ambitious for children with extra challenges now and for their future.

Ideas to support those with vision challenges

Keep the home and school environment the same and predictable and explain when there are changes.
Do you best to enable children to understand what is on a blackboard, a screen and a notebook.
Paint clear and rich mental pictures with words when explaining or reading aloud.

Ideas to support those with hearing challenges

Learn some sign language.
Speak clearly and slowly.
Respond patiently and in a friendly way if a child asks for a direction or explanation to be repeated.

Ideas to support those with movement challenges

Make sure there is easy access to all areas of the home and school.
Move around inside calmly and steadily.
Play stimulating activities and games that all children can join in.

Ideas to support those with learning difficulties

Involve all those important to the child to help them set goals and milestones together.
Adapt activities so that the pace is right.
Give extra time and extra support.

Download these free materials now to help children learn and share these essential health messages. See our free resource section for more!