The instructional strategies and attitudes of effective inclusive teachers

This study considers effective teachers in inclusive classrooms, with a focus on the instructional strategies employed by these teachers and the rationale underpinning their use. Observations were conducted in the classrooms of six principal-nominated effective teachers working in four regional Australian schools with follow up interviews employed to clarify and extend observational data. Analyses were guided by a framework incorporating a range of extensively-researched instructional strategies. Results indicated that effective teachers used a selection of strategies, with the most favoured being feedback, direct instruction, questioning, and cooperative learning. In contrast, reciprocal teaching, metacognitive instruction, mastery learning, and worked examples were rarely observed. Teacher attitudes about inclusion were examined to clarify the practices observed and to identify enablers to inclusive practice. Interview and observational data were integrated into a proposed model of an inclusive educator. This model highlighted how support, collaboration, professional development, and teaching experience informed what instructional strategies were employed and why they were adopted.