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Creating Equity for All:
The Importance of Inclusive Practice and Planning in the Mainstream Classroom

Anna M Cullen
School of Education, Thompson Rivers University
Kamloops, BC

Thank you to all the mentors who walked with me along this journey.

A capstone project submitted to Thompson Rivers University in partial fulfilment of the
requirements of the degree of Master of Education.
Presented Date April 3, 2022

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Contents
Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………………..4
Chapter One: Introduction ……………………………………………………………………..5
My Journey as a Teacher and Student……………………………………………….5
Developing My Interest in Inclusion as a Teacher…………………………………..5
Furthering My Interest in Inclusion as a Student…………………………………….7
Significance of This Topic………………………………………………………………9
Presenting My Argument……………………………………………………………...10
Chapter Two: Literature Review………………………………………………………………11
Make Learning Accessible for All……………………………………………………..11
Tiered inclusive strategies…………………………………………………….13
Planning through a UDL lens & considering learning outcomes………….14
Challenging Eurocentric practices……………………………………………15
Creating Powerful Student Understanding for Everyone…………………………..17
Creating a culture of care……………………………………………………...17
Conscious awareness and learning………………………………………….18
Making difficult topics more accessible……………………………………………...19
Inquiry-based curricular planning…………………………………………………….20
Chapter Three: Application to the Teaching Profession……………………………………23
To Kill a Mockingbird……………………………………………………………..……24
Content………………………………………………………………………………….26
Materials………………………………………………………………………..28
Scope & sequence…………………………………………………………………….28

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Intended skill level for unit…………………………………………………….29
Learning outcomes…………………………………………………………….30
Expectations for teachers……………………………………………………..31
Scaffolded teaching & duration of the unit…………………………………..31
Unit introduction (week 1)…………………………………………….32
Unit body (week 2-9)…………………………………………………..33
Unit conclusion (week 10)…………………………………………….39
Assessment…………………………………………………………………………….40
Offering Choice for Learning………………………………………………………….42
Sample Lessoning Planning Utilizing Inclusive Practices…………………………46
Chapter 4: Conclusion………………………………………………………………………...51
Summary………………………………………………………………………………..51
Implications……………………………………………………………………………..52
References……………………………………………………………………………………..54

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Abstract
This paper is set within the context of my growth and development as a teacher and
student in the Masters of Education program. During my teaching career, I have been
fortunate to teach a variety of special education programs, bringing a diverse and
inclusive perspective into my curricular planning in my mainstream classroom teaching.
Throughout my learning journey, I’ve seen the positive impacts of incorporating
inclusion into both practice and planning on the learning experience for every learner. I
have come to realize the importance of bringing inclusive practices beyond specialized
programs and into everyday learning in the mainstream classroom where they benefit
the learning of both neurodiverse and neurotypical students alike. In this paper, I argue
that teachers have a significant responsibility to create a meaningful inclusive
atmosphere that not only makes learning accessible and flexible for all learners, but
also challenges our own comforts found in traditional Eurocentric practices and
encourages a growth mindset. I claim this because (1) every student has the right to
learn and connect with what they are learning, (2) a culture of care is essential for
creating an inclusive atmosphere where students and teachers feel safe to explore
challenging topics like racism and privilege, and (3) making meaningful connections with
difficult topics requires feelings of ownership through student-led intrinsic learning. The
implications are that if we want all students to find success and connection in our
classrooms, we must implement inclusive strategies as a standard practice in every
classroom for any student through inclusive and diverse approaches to curricular
design.
Keywords: inclusion, education, curriculum design, inclusive strategies

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Chapter One: Introduction
I was someone who always found school easy and excelled in the traditional
models of education. For me, public school was generally a pleasant experience, and I
knew that I wanted to give back by one day becoming a teacher myself. To my surprise,
my learning journey has led to a passion for inclusive education and being an advocate
for those who don’t fit in the cookie-cutter mold of traditional, Eurocentric ways of
teaching. Becoming a teacher opened my eyes to the individual realities of each
students’ learning needs and the disservice I was doing my students by teaching the
rigid way my high school teachers taught me.
My Journey as a Teacher and Student
Teaching has always been my calling, though I couldn’t have predicted the road
to where I ended up in education. Originally, wanting to teach elementary, I began my
post-secondary career at Douglas College studying Psychology. When I transferred to
Simon Fraser University for my final two years of my bachelor’s degree (which turned
into three years), I realized my love for English and, in order to teach at the secondary
level, decided to double major in both Psychology and English. I entered SFU’s
teaching program directly after graduation and, like many student teachers, found the
learning curve incredibly steep. There was a lot more to teaching than I expected.
Developing My Interest in Inclusion as a Teacher
I completed my teaching practicum at Guildford Park Secondary in Surrey under
the expertise and guidance of Nicole Calla (school associate) and Jonathan Vervaet
(faculty associate). Jonathan asked if I was interested in special education, and though I
had not given it a second thought prior, I said yes figuring it would look good on my

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teaching resume. Along with teaching English 8, 10, and 12, I also took on some
program planning in the resource room.
I was a Teacher Teaching on Call for most of my first year in both Surrey and
Coquitlam School Districts. One of my most memorable and influential TTOC contracts
was a multi-week contract at Surrey’s FASTrack program for students with Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorder. It was eye-opening to teach eight different modified curriculums,
while also teaching executive functioning skills and socio-emotional learning (while
dodging the occasional flying desk).
In May 2016, I started my first contract teaching Skill Development at Gleneagle
Secondary in Coquitlam. In a sharp and harrowing learning curve, I found myself
responsible for writing IEPs for students with complex needs, organizing a team of ten
Educational Assistants, and becoming a mentor for inclusive practice for my colleagues.
It was here at Gleneagle that I found my true passion for inclusion. One of the most
memorable moments in that program was working with our community policing to create
a meaningful work experience program for one of my students with cerebral palsy.
When the work experience program started and I ask them where they would like to
work, they said they wanted to be a police officer. Though previous teachers said I
could not be done, I reached out to collaborate with our community policing to created
meaningful work that met at his access point for ability. Wearing police-issued gear and
the biggest smile, my student and their EA informed and distributed information about
local crime to businesses around the area.

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When we were relocated to Fort St. John in 2018, I jumped at the opportunity to
stretch my inclusion muscles in the role of English Language Learner teacher. That
same Fall, I began my M.Ed. online courses with TRU.
After I completed my teacher education program, I knew that graduate work was
always in my future. In 2017 I started applications for various master’s programs across
western Canada. I was offered places at UNBC and the University of Saskatchewan,
but shortly afterwards we learned that my partner had been accepted into the RCMP
training program. Because there was no way of knowing where in Canada we would
end up, we decided an online program would be best. I put my application into TRU
shortly afterwards.
Furthering My Interest in Inclusion as a Student
When I first started the M.Ed. program, I was a little wary of the online delivery,
but eager to be back as a student again. When I began the program, I assumed that all
my classmates would be fellow teachers but was surprised and happy to see not only
people from across the country, but also with a wide variety of experience.
I feel that many of the courses on my learning journey developed my interest in
inclusive practice. The first experience that comes to mind is the eye-opening reflective
journaling from the Diversity: Constructing Social Realities course, specifically reading
texts like Brookfield’s (2014) piece of the prevalence of white supremacy in our
everyday lives. I made me really realize how engrained traditional Eurocentric practices
are in the public school system and how exclusive they can feel for neurodiverse
learners and learners whose culture doesn’t align with a European approach. Working
with diverse learners, I was able to take the educational theory and see its application in

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my own school and in my own classroom teaching. I realized that what I thought was
“best” practice and content was so strongly biased by my own white and neurotypical
perspective, and I needed to take this into account when unit planning.
Another learning experience that was important in developing my topic was the
challenges I learned about making larger systemic changes beyond my own classroom
in the Principles and Processes of Educational Leadership course. Reflecting on my
own experience mentoring colleagues about inclusive practice, it can be challenging to
make lasting change for community members who are comfortable in their set ways.
Because I knew very little about inclusion when I first started teaching, I can empathize
with teachers who are also new to the world of inclusive practice. It can feel like you
need to completely start over as a teacher, and when faced with that daunting prospect
it can be easier to deny its importance and stick to what you already do. In this course I
realized the importance of implementing change slowly and purposefully in a space that
makes teachers feel safe to venture out of their comfort zone. In practice, I’ve come to
learn that no one becomes an amazing inclusive educator overnight and a sustainable
approach to changing your practice comes from little changes over time with time to
reflect and adjust.
Another course that was important in my development of this topic was
Philosophy and History of Education. In this course I took my own educational credo
and was able to connect foundational theory to my already established beliefs. I felt
more confident explaining and identifying why I do what I do in my classroom and where
that knowledge rooted from. It also helped me better understand why an inclusive
approach to classroom teaching is important in our current history today. The purpose

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of education and the population we teach is constantly shifting and our practices need
to shift with it.
This M.Ed. program has gifted me the space to think deeply about topics,
specifically how inclusion fits into all aspects of education, and make connections to my
professional life. I have learned that online learning offers a lot of flexibility, but at the
same time requires a lot of discipline. Balancing a busy home and work life over the
past few years I have found creative ways to work through this program one course at a
time. And despite challenges along the way, I feel that I have come out of the program
with a new appreciation for education, a better understanding of my own educational
philosophy, and a stronger skill set in articulating and defending it with relevant
resources. I feel like I am still the same educator but with a clearer vision of where I’ve
been, where I am today, and where I want to be moving forward, particularly in regard to
inclusive practice.
Significance of This Topic
Inclusion is not a tool to be contained to the resource room. Every student comes
into their classroom with a diverse history of background knowledge, skillsets, and
learning styles and inclusion offers a guided lens to shift educators’ perspective on “best
practice” and make learning more engaging and accessible. Each student has the right
to learn and connect with what they are learning and providing differentiated
approaches to teaching and inclusive choices in planning offer a safe space for students
to make those connections. Through my experiences both as a teacher and a learner, I
have seen the positive impacts of incorporating inclusion into both practice and planning
on the learning experience for every learner. It is important that educators begin to see

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inclusive practices as more than tools for specialized programs and rather a lens for
bettering everyday learning in the mainstream classroom where they benefit the
learning of both neurodiverse and neurotypical students alike.
Presenting My Argument
In this paper, I claim that educators have a responsibility to create a meaningful
inclusive atmosphere that makes learning accessible and flexible for all learners by
implementing universal inclusive teaching strategies and intentionally challenging our
comforts found in traditional Eurocentric practices. This is necessary for the following
reasons: every student has the right to learn and connect with what they are learning,
traditional Eurocentric practices only fit with a certain type of learner and risk exclusion
and disconnection for others, and utilizing these more rigid teaching practices makes it
difficult for all students to gain a powerful understanding of challenging topics. This
argument is based on the following evidence: inclusion is essential for making learning
accessible to all (Moore, 2016; Tomlinson, 2014), creating a meaningful inclusive and
safe atmosphere through a culture of care is essential to explore challenging themes
(Smith, 2020; Pransky & Bailey, 2003; Brookfield, 2014), and making meaningful
connections with difficult topics requires feelings of ownership through student-led
intrinsic learning (Therrien et al., 2011; Rizzo & Taylor, 2016).
This paper proceeds as follows: in Chapter Two the current and contemporary
literature is presented, in Chapter Three application of inclusive planning and teaching
is exemplified in sample unit plan of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, and in Chapter
4 provides summary and implications of this topic.

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Chapter Two: Literature Review
This chapter explores educational theorists and contemporary research that
illustrates why inclusive education is beneficial and necessary for all students. This lens
had a significant influence on my own growth, both in the development of the sample
unit in the application chapter of this capstone paper and in my overall development as
an educator and graduate student.
Make Learning Accessible for All
Every student has the right to learn and connect with what they’re learning. It is
rooted in a belief that diversity, whether it stems from ability, cultural, racial, linguistic,
socioeconomic or gender identity, is important and that a quality education for all
students is a human right (UNESCO 2017). UNESCO (2017) reports that it is crucial for
schools work towards educational equity by considering barriers that affect access,
participation, learning styles, and outcomes that results in every learner equally valued
and engaged in the learning.
Ryan et al. (2009) in their study found that despite the exceptional growth in the
number of Canadians citizens of colour in recent years, which in turn has resulted in an
increase in our student body diversity, the number of teachers and school counsellors of
colour is not representative of the changing population. With the increase in racialized
Canadians, the ratio of teachers is falling (Ryan et al., 2009). Because of unconscious
biases every educator holds, it can be easy for white and privileged teachers to default
into traditional Eurocentric practices that align with their own learning styles, but
unknowingly risk excluding others.

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British Columbia public schools teach an extraordinary diverse group of learners.
Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (2017) found that over 20% of the Canadian
population over 15 is living with one or more disabilities, and this is reflective in our
classrooms. There are multicultural classrooms, with Canadians reporting over 250
different origins and immigrants representing nearly 30% of our population (Government
of Canada, 2017). And with rising immigration, there is an increase of English Language
Learners in our classrooms. Tomlinson (2014) argues that teachers are faced with the
challenge of addressing a population of students who vary greatly in not only learning
readiness, but personal interests and cultural perspectives. With this diversity, teachers
cannot assume all students will connect with the same content and engage in the same
learning activities. Engaging in inclusive practice offers a way to engage all learners no
matter their access point in learning.
Hutchinson and Specht (2019) found that in Canada, where the educational
curriculum is managed provincially, most provinces and territories have shown a
commitment to creating an inclusive policy in their schools. Though in previous policies,
inclusive education refers primarily to students with special education needs (Province
of British Columbia, 2020), we have started to see a shift in policy to incorporate the
wide array of differentiated learners. Whitley and Hollweck (2020) argue in their
research that these new policies place a higher importance on valuing diverse students
identities beyond intellectual abilities to include consideration of ancestry, gender
identity, ancestry, and socio-economic status as well as addressing any other potential
systemic barriers.

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Tiered inclusive strategies. Sailor et al. (2018) found that one of the most
efficient ways to engage in inclusive practice to support differentiated learners in the
mainstream classroom is utilizing the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), which
(re)approaches the problem of making learning accessible to all through a different lens
and offers opportunity for social and academic growth. The model also provides
opportunity for growth for students who have extensive needs and may have previously
been not included in mainstream classroom learning (Sailor et al., 2018). Tiered
inclusive strategies is one tool that contributes to a whole-school application of special
education, as opposed to a placement model that excludes students from mainstream
classrooms. As Sailor et al. (2018) state in their article, by embracing a whole-school
application, it not only makes a permanent space for diverse learners in the wider
curriculum but more importantly, it enables the entire student body, including students
deemed neurotypical, to benefit from access to various specialized supports and
services already in place. MMTS refers to a “data-driven, problem-solving framework to
improve outcomes for all students” and relies on a “continuum of evidence-based
practices matched to student needs” (Center on PBIS, 2022). Generally, it falls into
three categories of support: universal interventions that benefit all students, targeted
prevention that benefit some students, and intensive and individualized intervention that
benefit a few students.
MMTS, and other inclusive strategies, makes learning accessible for students in
theory, though the active application in the everyday classroom can be prove more
challenging. In Sailor et al.’s (2021) study that looked at implementation of MMTS in
schools, they found that teachers and administrators need frontloaded preparation and

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guidance when preparing for a state-wide implementation of this technique. The
evidence suggests that teachers need to feel supported and have practical tools when
making the shift to inclusive practice.
Planning through a UDL lens & considering learning outcomes. Universal
Designs for Learning (UDL) is a science-based framework for curriculum development
based on the way humans learn and considers how the brains responds to
engagement, representation, and expression (Rose et al., 2005). It is based on the
purpose of providing clarity and easier comprehension for instruction. A visual metaphor
to illustrate the benefits of UDL provided by Moore (2016) uses the example of a
wheelchair ramp. Designing a building with wheelchair ramps is more cost effective than
adding ramps later, and the addition of ramps can unknowingly benefit more than just
those who use wheelchairs: moms with strollers, kids on skateboards, or even toddlers
who have a hard time with stairs (Moore, 2016). In education, if teachers design their
units backwards with inclusion in mind, not only does it save teachers’ time and energy
trying to adapt later, but it also may aid other students unknowingly (Moore, 2016).
In numerous repeated studies comparing pretest to post test results, educators
increased the number of UDL strategies used in their own lesson planning after just a 1hour training session (Spooner et al., 2007, Courey et al., 2012; Navarro et al., 2016).
Spooner et al. (2007) found that providing a simple introduction to UDL methods in a
brief training session increased the likelihood of teachers creating lesson plans more
accessible for all students. Courey et al. (2012) found that, in their analysis of teacher
candidates, providing professional development training resulted in the inclusion of
various differentiated options in their lesson planning. Evemenova’s (2018) study, which

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explored how educators can learn about UDL from an online course designed using
UDL principles, found that afterwards educators demonstrated a genuine want to
include diverse learners in their classrooms through meaningful learning experiences.
It’s clear that in order to engage more educators to make their lessons more engaging,
practical tools and opportunities for UDL in action need to be made accessible.
Tyler’s (2017) philosophy dictates that “it is very necessary to have some
conception of goals that are being attained” (p. 74). And that mantra has resonated to
impact contemporary educational practices of UDL. In BC, learning outcomes still form
the bedrock of where teachers stand and justify what they teach. Part of the practical
application of inclusive strategies in mainstream classrooms includes the use of UDL
planning. Like Tyler’s (2017) learning outcomes theory, UDL approach begins with the
end goals in mind before building up a scaffolded approach to learning.
Challenging Eurocentric practices. As addressed, our classrooms are more
diverse than ever before, but our teaching staff often doesn’t reflect that diversity. An
important component in inclusive curricula planning is to challenge traditional
Eurocentric practices that limit access and engagement to only certain types of learners
(O’Brian, 2004). As O’Brien (2004) states in her article, “developing an inclusive
learning experience involved not only decentering whiteness…in course material, but
also making space for nondominant modes of interaction” (p. 68). The traditional way of
socialization as educators emphasizes classroom management and that we “maintain
control” over our students (O’Brian, 2004, p. 71). To engage with all learners, O’Brian
(2004) asserts that diversifying the content alone isn’t enough, but rather teachers need
to “confront the biases inherent in the process of teaching” (p.71) Two areas to consider

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when beginning to break down the pillars of Eurocentric modelling are physical
classroom environment, and learning material used.
In their article, Brown and Di Lallo (2020) found that discussions in circles offers
benefits including increasing student voice and decreasing their invisibility. In addition,
this approach also reinforces to the classroom community that one worldview is not
better than another (Brown & Di Lallo, 2020). Seating students in groups or pairs can
also foster a stronger classroom community and provide opportunities for inclusive
learning. Gremmen et al. (2016) found that interpersonal connections in the classroom
because of close seating proximity had a positive effect on their social perceptions of
each other. Another study by van den Berg et al. (2018) looked specifically at how
purposeful seating rearrangement promoted social acceptance and an increase in
prosocial behaviours among students. They found that over time, the students who
demonstrated externalizing behaviour, a trait that often negatively affects their social
standing among peers, were reportedly better liked by their seatmates and displayed
fewer problem behaviours after utilizing this approach (van den Berg et al., 2018).
Considering a more inclusive physical classroom layout can be an impactful step in
creating and inclusive classroom.
As St. Denis and Schick (2003), that looked at collection of predominantly white
teacher candidates from Alberta, found that when faced with professional development
targeting cultural diversity in their classrooms, many hold the mindset that they are
going to learn about “the cultural other” and be given strategies to “deal with” these
others in their classrooms. The task of addressing Eurocentric privilege in inclusive
planning requires more than simply “providing more information, doing multiculturalism

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more effectively, or the simple adjustment of students' attitudes” (St. Denis & Schick,
2003). Much like incorporating UDL or MMTS into curricular planning, breaking down
revaluating dated Eurocentric practices require a deep reflective approach to
perspectives and biases teachers hold. Individual teachers need to “look at the
discursive practices [in their own classrooms] and [their] institutions as well as at the
ideological assumptions that underwrite these practices” (St. Denis & Schick, 2003).
Creating Powerful Student Understanding for Everyone
Two educational theories that lay the foundation in creating inclusive spaces for
learning are Nel Nodding’s culture of care and Maxime Greene’s conscious awareness
of learning. By establishing a learning environment and classroom community where all
students feel safe to feel vulnerable in the learning process, classroom teachers are
able to facilitate the exploration of challenging themes in a deep and meaningful way.
Creating a culture of care. One prominent educational philosopher that seeded
the growth of contemporary inclusion policy is Nel Noddings and her ideas surrounding
care in the classroom. It is important to approach topics “without imposing values on
[the students] …[and] realize that treatment of [them] may deeply affect the way [they]
behave in the world” (Smith, 2020). Because of the trust and vulnerability that is needed
to explore more challenging topics and create powerful understanding for all students, it
is important to incorporate opportunities for developing genuine relationships with
students in the class.
There are various strategies to that help build these relationships. One is
establishing start and end routines, which establish norms and expectations and provide
predictability for students who need it. Research by Farmer et al. (2019) and Garrote et

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al. (2021) both found the positive impact of teacher classroom management and
routines has on student social outcomes. Garrote et al. (2017) found that by
establishing predicable routines, teachers foster opportunities for all students to practice
prosocial behaviours. Bucholz and Scheffler (2009) found that these routines reinforce a
bond students make to their class through positive feelings. Another strategy is to
create opportunities for teachers to demonstrate the realities of learning. Wilhelm’s
(2001) theory on “think alouds,” a process where teachers and students talk their
thoughts aloud as they are making a cold analysis of a text, is an example of modeling
that vulnerability while also contributing to a culture of care. Both Huddy (2015) and
Brown (2012) found that modeling emotional vulnerability is one of the most effective
ways to build trust in the classroom. Monroe-Baillargeon and Shema (2010) found that
establishing learning communities through collaborative activities, like literature circles,
also can establish a trusting classroom community. As Noddings argues, “what is
learned from caring teachers…is often incidental and very powerful precisely because it
is given freely” (Smith, 2020). If the students think that I care, they will care what I think
and share with them.
Conscious awareness and learning. In her writing, Greene (2017) looks at the
role of consciousness as a goal for learning and its possibility for integrating into
curriculum. Greene (2017) uses studying literature as a lens to understand the
importance of engaging student consciousness into learning: “if [a student] could not
suspend [their] ordinary ways of perceiving, if [they] could not allow for the possibility
that the horizons of daily life are not inalterable, [they] would not be able to engage with
literature at all” (p. 149). To create powerful understanding in students, they need

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scaffolding learning that allows for meaningful connection and space for reflective
metacognition. As Greene (2017) states, “there must be…continual reconstructions if a
work of literature is to become meaningful” (p. 148). Studying a prescribed text, just
because it is on the syllabus is not enough and doing so does the learners an injustice.
Rather, educators need to see these texts as an opportunity to find new lenses that
connects these texts to relevant contemporary issues that allow all students and
teachers to make deep connections their existing themes. Creating a conscious
awareness to relevant social or political phenomenon has a much more meaningful
impact and drawing in contemporary issues creates an access point for all students to
make a connection.
One strategy that offers flexibility for ranging ability and space to practice
genuine metacognition is reflective journaling (Ma & Oxford, 2014). This learning activity
not only is easily adaptable to meet students at their ability level for students with
disabilities, but as Ma & Oxford (2014) found in their study, it also has shown to be very
beneficial for English Language Learners. As Greene (2017) suggests, in a radically
changing world where “the contemporary learner is much more likely…to experience
moments of strangeness, moments where the recipes he has inherited for the solution
of typical problems no longer seem to work,” fostering the confidence for every learner
in their own abilities is necessary (p. 153).
Making difficult topics more accessible. As Brookfield (2014) states in their
article, “even the most experienced white anti-racist educators are likely to have
elements of learned ideology of racism living within them” (p. 90). Openly exploring

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teacher biases, vulnerabilities, and learning processes with students in the classroom is
important way to engage in challenging topics in a genuine way.
Freire (2017), another foundational educational theorist of contemporary
inclusion, warns of the ‘banking model of education,’ where teachers simply deposit
knowledge into empty student heads. When exploring challenging topics like racism and
privilege that can feel uncomfortable for educators, it can be easy to fall into that
superficial banking model to avoid the discomfort of exploring their own vulnerabilities.
An inclusive practice recognizes that all students are valuable members of a classroom
community because of the diverse background knowledge they arrive with, and that
classroom learning is enriched for all when that background knowledge is shared.
Making safe spaces for students to contribute their background knowledge on
challenging topics requires a well-established feeling of trust with their teacher and
peers. Freire (2017) states that the “literacy process demands among teachers and
students a relationship of authentic dialogue” (p. 181). Engaging with literature to create
powerful understanding requires fostering authentic relationships in the classroom
(Freire, 2017). Embracing their own vulnerabilities through unscripted activities with
students, like using “think-alouds” (Wilhelm, 2001), teachers demonstrate the genuine
and rough process of analysing a text for the first time and this encourages a more open
and authentic dialogue about what’s happening in the story and what students are
thinking.
Inquiry-based curricular planning. Montessori (2017) argues that “all human
victories, all human progress, stand upon the inner force” and that genuine and
meaningful learning stems from a student’s intrinsic drive to want to learn (p. 29). This

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can be a challenging task when students are nearing the end of their journey through
public education in secondary school. By this time, many students have learned that
“success” in learning come from knowing what their teachers have told them to know,
rather than developing competency in areas of interest. Translated into application,
teachers can use a variety of essential guiding questions where students can choose
which drive their interest, rather than centering the mechanical skill of analytical reading.
Martin-Hansen (2002) identifies four different forms of inquiry-based learning:
open inquiry, guided inquiry, coupled inquiry, and structured inquiry, which fall on a
spectrum from less support to more support in the learning process. Though true open
inquiry can prove challenging for students with disabilities or low executive functioning
skills, Therrien et al. (2011) found that structured inquiry can be an effective teaching
method for students with learning disabilities and Therrien et al. (2014) found it effective
for those with emotional and behavioral disorders. In an analytical review of the
literature looking at science education, Rizzo and Taylor (2016) found that inquiry-based
instruction when teaching students with disabilities required structured supports to see
progress on achievement measures. Incorporating inquiry-based approaches, with
appropriate structure, to curricular planning is one inclusive strategy that helps provide
varying access points for every learner and fosters an intrinsic motivation for learning
lost to those who may be struggling in mainstream classes.
Reviewing the summary of the literature, it is clear that utilizing inclusive
strategies in planning and teaching not only benefits learners with exceptionalities, but
the greater student population who regularly wouldn’t have access to differentiated
approaches to learning. And to create powerful understanding, engaging in strategies

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like creating a culture of care, conscious awareness of thinking, fostering students’
connection to challenging content and inquiry-based planning all contribute to creating
an inclusive learning space where all students can learn and connect to what they are
learning. Chapter Three demonstrates the educational theory in practical application
through the design of a sample unit that uses these inclusive strategies.

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Chapter Three: Application to the Teaching Profession
This chapter takes the culmination of my learning from the introduction and the
literature review and applies it to a practical setting in the mainstream classroom. In this
chapter I present a detailed sample novel study unit plan of Harper Lee’s (1960) To Kill
a Mockingbird through a modern lens. In this practical application, I showcase not only
how inclusive strategies can be utilized in planning and teaching in action, but also how
reassessing how to teach an old novel offers a new lens to explore contemporary issues
like power and privilege through a multicultural lens. It is my hope that this application
chapter not only serves me in offering a new unit plan to use in my own future classes,
but one that other educators may adapt and use for themselves.
One way I want foster meaningful connections is interweaving relevant nonfiction content about worldview connections behind challenging themes present in the
text. The development of this sample unit uses a multicultural and globalization lens
when analyzing To Kill a Mockingbird and utilizes impactful and contemporary examples
of systemic racism alongside the novel study. I was inspired by a resource from one of
my M.Ed. courses: Jane Elliot’s philosophies in the documentary, A Class Divided
(Peters, 1985), and the way she used an exercise in her third-grade class as a steward
for experiential learning, I wanted to have that similar powerful learning moments in this
curricular design. Because this unit challenges students to explore the uncomfortable
topic of privilege, I incorporated Brené Brown’s ideas on vulnerability and shame. Brown
(2012) found that shame is so closely connected to vulnerability - a key element that is
necessary embrace if we want to bridge the topic of racism and create a more culturally
competent classroom community. As she says in her TED talk, "Listening to Shame,"

24

what she learned about vulnerability by "studying shame" was the realization that we
"cannot talk about race without talking about privilege", and when they do, they get
"paralyzed by shame” (Brown, 2012, 10:00). From there, the multicultural lens that
started this unit also influenced the incorporation of additional content and materials, all
consciously selected because of the potential perspective and multiple connections they
could offer students to gain a deeper understanding of themes presented in the novel.
To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee, 1960) is considered one of the “classics” in literature
and, across BC, is often one of the standard texts for English 10 classroom teachers.
Design of this unit began with the consideration of how best to utilize resources that I
already have at my disposal, and developed from theoretical perspectives explored
throughout this M.Ed. program.
Lee’s (1960) novel has been considered dated by some teachers, arguing that it
is not relevant for youth today. I disagree. I believe, that as we are moving towards a
more globalized world, it’s important to teach these texts not as tomes to respect, but as
a possible opportune lens to consider perspectives and biases of both authors, readers,
and society alike. As Greene (2017) states in the review of the literature, continual
reconstructions of works of literature is essential. Discrimination today may not look like
it did in Lee’s Maycomb in the 1930s, but discrimination and social inequity is still very
much an issue today for Canadians and for students in my classroom.
I was also influenced by the cultural context of the specific student body I was
building it for. Teaching in a predominantly White student population in a small town
where education can seem devalued, I thought these themes especially important for

25

my students to explore. Fort St. John is a small city of approximately 20,000 people in
northeastern BC. There are three key cultural factors that impact my learners here.
First, the primary economy for the city stems from the oil and gas industry and for that
reason is sometimes called a ‘transient town’ with people continuously moving in an out
for work. Because of this, many of my students may feel disconnected from the school
community because they did not grow up through the district. Second, this town is the
fifth highest earning city in Canada, with an average income of over $100,000, and yet a
majority of the residents have minimal education compared to larger cities (Statistics
Canada, 2016). As a result, as a teacher, I often see a clash between the value of
education put forth by the school community and the greater community. Many of
students I teach do not have a lot of educational support at home because their parents
do not see value in it. And third, most residents are third-generation or more Englishspeaking Canadians, and do not identify as a member of a minority (Statistics Canada,
2016). Talking with these students, I learned many come from polarized households
and do not come in contact with other cultures or ways of being very often. When they
do, it is often superficial because many have never left northern British Columbia, let
alone left the country. These three factors had a significant influence on my curriculum
design because I needed to consider which cultural and societal components that my
students would benefit from learning about. Lee’s (1960) novel offered a setting similar
to my own town: small and primarily White, and a main character naïve to the cultural
diversity in the world but open minded in learning.
Finally, I was also motivated by personal professional development. I am an
individual who has always valued and enjoyed school and being a life-long learner is a

26

very much engrained part of my own philosophy. That philosophy not only transcribes
into the way I learn, but also the way I teach. I believe that it is important for educators
to continually refine and redefine their practice. And so, I wanted to develop this unit so
that I have another new one in my repertoire to choose and adapt for future classes. I
have found that the key to successful of adaptation of inclusive practices in mainstream
classrooms lies in continuous and gradual reflective changes to my own practice.
Content
Reflecting on educational content and material is also important when breaking
down Eurocentric barriers in inclusive planning. Though the BC curriculum documents
purposely provide vague content guidelines in their learning outcomes, many educators
rely on comfortable content when teaching their courses.
For example, the Social Studies 10 curriculum states that students need to learn
about “international conflicts and cooperation” (Province of British Columbia, 2021) and
yet many teachers will fixate on previous Eurocentric thinking of “important content” and
dedicate weeks of learning to World War II. Teachers need to start questioning why they
believe they have done students a disservice if we taught them about Canada’s
involvement in Syria instead of Germany or out involvement in the Paris Climate
Agreement instead of the League of Nations. All students bring with them their diverse
backgrounds (some with families who were not even in Canada during WWII) and we
need to reflect on how our diverse populations are connecting with the content we
select. In English class, if they only hear the voices of white male authors, what does
that teach students about who the “important” voices are?

27

Finding lens to explore challenging topics in novel ways in traditional literature is
one way to break Eurocentric habits of teaching and engage with the diversity of a
classroom. In this unit, I use Freire’s (2017) ideas around awareness of the power
inequity in education in a critical lens of To Kill a Mockingbird. As opposed to teaching
the novel in a traditional sense and inadvertently continuing the unconscious bias of the
‘white saviour’ character in western literature, this unit harnesses this novel as an
opportunity for students to closely examine selected additional content, consciously
consider what implicit biases they may carry, and ultimately how it reflects privilege and
power in our Canadian society.
The content, as examined through Tyler’s (2017) lens regarding curricular
design, considered the four influential factors in curricular development: the essentialist
perspective, the educational philosopher perspective, the progressive perspective, and
the sociologist perspective. I felt the novel satisfied the essentialist motivation in
curriculum development, as it is often dubbed the grade 10 text of choice within my
school’s English Department. The educational philosopher motivation was satisfied in
my essential guiding questions, which were selected to view the text through a lens that
challenged a variety of values. The progressive motivation in design stemmed from the
student involvement in the learning process, as well as the incorporation of more
relevant and engaging paired texts like CBC’s The Book of Negros (Virgo, 2015) and
CBC’ 8th Fire series (Walker, 2012). And finally, I joined the sociologist perspective in
the incorporation of relevant, recent, and local non-fiction media that connects to the
themes and topics as we progress through the novel. By considering all four influential

28

factors in curricular development, Tyler’s approach offers a similar lens to UDL’s
backwards design and takes a holistic and inclusive approach to unit design.
Materials. I choose to use a variety of materials throughout the unit. I was
conscious to incorporate materials that would engage a variety of types of learners:
novel, audiobook, non-fiction media, images, film, and documentary. To aid in access, I
also considered what educational technology to include. For this unit, I will have regular
access to a teacher computer, projector, audio speakers, class set of student
Chromebooks, and internet access.
Scope & Sequence
Even in the earliest educational texts, scope and sequence in educational
planning is the bedrock in which all curriculum builds on. Reflecting Plato’s Republic,
where Socrates explores the “education of our heroes” and what elements are essential
to creating the ideal citizen, many of our own educational roots on why and how we
educate stem from similar areas of thought (Plato, 2000). The purpose an intention of
scope, referring to learning goals, and sequence, the succession of steps to reach those
goals, is to create an environment where human development can flourish. Like Egan’s
(2003) comparison to “a race-course” with obstacles, the curriculum provides a
roadmap for educators to navigate through the scaffolded steps to reach intentional
learning goals. Though, as I have come to realize in my learning journey, the path to
meeting these goals is rarely as simple as intended, so being able to predict, plan, and
adjust scope and sequence can be equally as important.
Though novel study typically centers around students being able to read and
understand the story presented, which, as Freire (2017) warns about, inherently

29

reinforces the underlying message of “intrinsic inferiority of a certain class of [students],”
incorporating accessible learning opportunities and flexibility in ways to demonstrate
learning remedies that injustice (p. 179). Considering the broader definition of literacy
and incorporating as many points of access as possible into unit planning is key. In this
sample unit, as opposed to assigning reading homework or requiring students read on
their own, which excludes a proportion of students who may not have the skillset to
successfully do this on their own, I make reading and thinking a collective group
experience. Remembering the end learning outcomes, I established though backwards
design, I know that success in unit doesn’t rely on being able to read well already, but
rather being able practice effective reading skills regardless of where a student’s access
point is.
Intended skill level for unit. This unit is a literature circle novel study unit
intended for Composition 10 (also referenced as English 10). This unit is built for junior
English classes in a secondary school setting, though can be adjusted for higher or
lower levels depending on the text the teacher selects. The summative learning goal of
the unit is for students to develop skill in all four areas of language arts: reading, writing,
speaking, and listening. By scaffolding skill development throughout the unit, students
will have multiple opportunities to practice and improve upon these skills before
demonstrating them for summative assessment at the end of the unit. Because this unit
explores sensitive topics, it is important to utilize a carefully scaffolded and structured
learning environment to creates a safe space for students to embrace vulnerability while
develop their oral language skills, build confidence in sharing their own analysis of the

30

texts, and feel comfortable divulging respectfully and thoughtfully into difficult topics
without judgement or consequence.
While planning, I needed to consider that many students in my English 10
classroom arrive from middle school without successfully completing the English 9
requirements or are English Language Learners with underdeveloped English skills.
Though summative assessments will still need to align with standards associated with
grade 10 ability level (unless otherwise modified in consultation with an individual
student’s case manager), I need to consider that they typical access point for learning
may need to be adjusted depending on what skillset each student has arrived with in my
classroom.
Learning outcomes. Goals and objectives of this unit stem from BC’s Curricular
Documents for Composition 10 (Province of British Columbia, 2021) and are examined
through the exploration of unconscious bias, as well as the limitations of the Lee’s novel
and other texts through multi-cultural and social justice lens on discrimination and social
inequity then and now. Competencies from the curricular documents include:
•

“Students can apply appropriate strategies to comprehend written, oral, visual,
and multimodal texts” (Province of British Columbia, 2021)

•

“Students can think critically, creatively, and reflectively to explore ideas within,
between, and beyond texts” (Province of British Columbia, 2021)

•

“Students can construct meaningful personal connections between self, text, and
world” (Province of British Columbia, 2021)

•

“Students can identify bias, contradictions, and distortions” (Province of British
Columbia, 2021)

31

•

“Students can respectfully exchange ideas and viewpoints from diverse perspectives
to build shared understanding and extend thinking” (Province of British Columbia,
2021)

•

“Students can express and support an opinion with evidence” (Province of British
Columbia, 2021)
Expectations for teachers. I would suggest that this unit be incorporated into the

latter half of a semester course after students had already laid foundation for course
routines and students have established an initial understanding of components to a
story and rudimentary reading skills. In my classroom, this unit follows a previous unit
that examines reading and writing of short stories. To provide enough scaffolded
practice, it is essential that teachers dedicated a significant amount of time to this unit,
provide multiple opportunities to formal and informal feedback, and frequently reference
clear expectations for the summative goals of the unit. I have selected Harper Lee’s To
Kill a Mocking Bird (1960) and CBC’s The Book of Negros mini-series (Virgo, 2015) as
foundational texts that students will use to build their skills, but teachers have
educational autonomy to choose from numerous texts that best fit the cultural and social
contexts, as well as the academic skill level of their learners.
Scaffolding and duration of the unit. The unit is approximately 11 weeks long and
will have a curricular focus on the concepts of prejudice and privilege through the
literary lenses in the foundational texts. The unit will also integrate relevant and
contemporary non-fiction supplements that underline racism and discrimination in
Canada and in Fort St. John. This unit uses a repeated construction of pre-reading,
during reading, and post-reading activities to scaffold understanding and build student

32

confidence in skills, as well as integrate opportunities for gradual release of
responsibility (Pearson & Gallagher, 1983).
Unit introduction (Week 1). Before reading, students will first explore their initial
opinions to unit themes and essential questions, learn what it means to have
unconscious bias, and explore historical context relevant to the novel. Students will also
understand the scope and sequence of the unit, how they will be assessed, and give a
brief introduction to reading strategies we’ll be practicing.
Table 1
Unit Plan for Week 1
Week

Summary of Learning Goals & Activities

Week 1

In introduction to the unit, teacher will
explain the purpose and value of reading a
novel with a literature circle, introduce scope
and sequence to the novel, and the
essential questions present through the
story.
Students will reflect on their own opinions
through opinion lineup activities & written
reflections.
Focus Day: Historical Context (have
students examine secondary and primary
resources relating to topics present in the
1930s & document their learning in a
graphic organizer)
Focus Day: Unconscious Bias (reflection
activity on identity and explore topics of
unconscious bias with students, end with a
circle discussion and students’ reflection)
Focus Day: Shame and Vulnerability (watch
Brown (2012) “Listening to Shame” and
talking circle about thoughts and reflections)

Formative & Summative
Assessments:
Formative Assessments:
Assess student
understanding with
start/end routine activities
like question of the day
and exit slips
Summative Assessments:
N/A

33

Unit body (week 2-9). As a class, teachers and students will read through the
novel together. I recommend that the teacher use an audiobook so that they can model
effective reading strategies through “think-alouds” (Wilhelm, 2001) to model a gradual
release of responsibility of close reading skills, as well as provide a visual access point
for students whose analysis skills are lower than their peers. Using tools like, ESLbits.net, give options for reading speed, which I’ve found is a helpful tool for English
Language Learners or students with learning disabilities. When modeling novel
analysis, is important that teacher does not have a pre-written “think-aloud” planned but
creates it organically as they listen to the novel with students to mimic the same thinking
process students are practicing. As mentioned in the review of the literature, using this
process which models emotional vulnerability an effective way to build trust your
classroom community (Huddy, 2015); Brown, 2012). Through this process, teacher can
integrate teachable moments on how to use various reading strategies. I find Hadden
and Gear’s (2016) book, Powerful Readers, a helpful tool in introducing connecting,
visualizing, questioning, and inferring.
As small scaffolding assessments, students will reflect on their learning through
weekly dialectical journaling using strategies highlighted in reading and critical thinking
strategies (questioning, visualizing, connecting, and inferring) as highlighted in Hadden
and Gear’s (2016) book. These journals will contain two parts: (1) a rough part
completed initially where students can summarize what they read and highlight specific
passages that they would like to explore deeper, and (2) a more polished analytical
paragraph where they focused on one of the reading skills to write a thoughtful and

34

reflective response to what was read that week. Note the following figure exemplifying
the formal of dialectical journaling.
Figure 1
Sample Dialectical Journal I Give to Students

35

36

Students practice their oral language skills by meeting in small groups at the
beginning of every week to discuss their thinking before moving onto the next section of
the novel. These meetings usually last 15 minutes, and teacher can set a timer on the

37

board to encourage students to provide a visual for those who benefit from it. Take time
in your planning to pre-teach effective group discussion skills and I recommend
assigning students into unfamiliar groups of four or five. That way, as Have students
meet with their same group every week, so they can develop more confidence as they
progress through the unit and build miniature communities within the classroom.
Establishing predicable routines, especially with a skill I have found many students
struggle with like oral language, teachers reinforce a bond students make to their class
and their literature circles (Bucholz & Schffler (2009). Provide opportunity for students to
reflect on their oral language skills after meetings, set personal goals for the next one,
as well as provide teacher with anonymous feedback on how their group worked
together.
Intermingled with in-class reading, students will watch the CBC mini-series and
have focus days where they examine non-fiction articles pertaining to themes in the
text. Suggestions for texts on these focus days are listed in the table below. These
supplemental materials are meant to deepen reflective thinking while journaling, as well
as provide students more opportunity for making connections while they read the novel.
Keeping a start and end of class routine can help students reflect and focus on
their learning in the classroom. Teacher could open class with a “Bell Work” question
written on the board for students to consider while they are settling into class that either
reflects a topic from the chapter finished the previous day or one that will be relevant in
the day’s reading. For collecting formative data, teachers should also close each class
with an “Exit Slip” activity where, on a stick note or slip of paper, students respond to a
question written on the board reflective of what was read that day. Students had their

38

answers to teacher as they leave the room. As an alternative tech-friendly option,
students could also respond to an exit slip on their devices using platforms like Kahoot!
or Google Forms. In the following table is a more specific sequence for this part of the
unit.
Table 2
Unit Plan for Week 2-10
Week
Week 2

Summary of Learning Goals & Activities
•
•

Week 3

•
•
•

Week 4

•
•
•

Week 5

•
•
•

Week 6

•

Formative & Summative
Assessments:
Students and teacher read Chapters 1-4 Informal & Formal Checks
together. Teacher will “think-aloud” on the for Understanding:
Students complete a
board with an audiobook playing.
dialectical journal on
Focus Day: None.
Chapters 1-3 of To Kill a
Mockingbird. Teacher
collects this first journal for
formal feedback.
Informal & Formal Checks
Students meet in their literature circle
for Understanding;
groups to discuss Chapters 1-3.
Students and teacher read Chapters 4-7 Students complete a
dialectical journal on
together.
Chapters 4-7.
Focus Day: Non-Fiction Media Selection
(have students examine relevant and
recent news articles that showcase
discrimination in Canada and record
learning in a graphic organizer)
Informal & Formal Checks
Students meet in their literature circle
for Understanding;
groups to discuss Chapters 4-7.
Students complete a
Students and teacher read Chapters 8dialectical journal on
11. together.
Chapters 8-11. Teacher
Focus Day: Watch CBC’s The Book of
collects this third journal
Negros Episode 1.
for formal feedback.
Informal & Formal Checks
Students meet in their literature circle
for Understanding;
groups to discuss Chapters 8-11.
Students and teacher read Chapters 12- Students complete a
dialectical journal on
15 together.
Chapters 12-15.
Focus Day: Watch CBC’s The Book of
Negros Episode 2.
Informal & Formal Checks
Students meet in their literature circle
for Understanding;
groups to discuss Chapters 12-15.

39

•
•
Week 7

•
•
•

Week 8

•
•
•

Week 9

•
•
•

Week 10

•
•
•

Students and teacher read Chapters 1619 together.
Focus Day: Indigenous Inequality in
Canada (Watch CBC’s 8th Fire Episode 1
with questions, discuss as a class)
Students meet in their literature circle
groups to discuss Chapters 16-19.
Students and teacher read Chapters 2023 together.
Focus Day: Watch CBC’s The Book of
Negros Episode 3.
Students meet in their literature circle
groups to discuss Chapters 20-23.
Students and teacher read Chapters 2426 together.
Focus Day: Watch CBC’s The Book of
Negros Episode 4.
Students meet in their literature circle
groups to discuss Chapters 24-26.
Students and teacher read Chapters 2729 together.
Focus Day: Satire Day (watch “No
Reservations” (Crazy8sFilm, 2021) short
film & “Give Nothing to Racism (NZ
Human Rights Commission, 2017);” have
students explore other satirical clips that
pertain to social inequality and record
learning on graphic organizer, discuss as
a class)
Students meet in their literature circle
groups to discuss Chapters 27-29.
Students and teacher read Chapters 3031 together.
Focus Day: Watch CBC’s The Book of
Negros Episode 5.

Students complete a
dialectical journal on
Chapters 16-19.

Informal & Formal Checks
for Understanding;
Students complete a
dialectical journal on
Chapters 20-23.
Informal & Formal Checks
for Understanding;
Students complete a
dialectical journal on
Chapters 24-26.
Informal & Formal Checks
for Understanding;
Students complete a
dialectical journal on
Chapters 27-29.

Informal & Formal Checks
for Understanding;
Students complete a
dialectical journal on
Chapters 30-31.

Unit conclusion (week 10). The summative assessments for this unit will be
divided between formal assessment of oral language skills and written reading analysis
skills. To assess student ability of reading analysis, students will proofread, edit, and
submit their preferred two dialectical journal entries and will be graded using a criterionbased rubric utilizing the Learning Map template from Shelley Moore’s resource

40

website, BlogsSomeMoore (Sherri et. al., 2019). Students will have the opportunity to
self-assess their work prior to submission. To assess student oral language skills,
grading will be a combination of teacher assessment and student self-assessment using
a criterion-based rubric as well. Students will be familiar with both rubrics and will have
practiced reflective self-assessment during the progression of the unit.
Table 3
Unit Plan for Week 11
Week
Week 11

Summary of Learning Goals & Activities
•
•
•

Students meet in their literature circle
groups to discuss Chapters 30-31.
Focus Day: Watch CBC’s The Book of
Negros Episode 6.
Student given time in class to choose
their top two journal entries to polish and
resubmit as their written summative
assessment for the unit

Formative & Summative
Assessments:
Informal & Formal Checks
for Understanding;
Students self-assess their
discussion skills on the
rubric as their oral
language summative
assessment for the unit;
Submission of top two
dialectical journals with
self-assessment using a
rubric.

Assessment
As part of my UDL design of this unit, students are taught the difference between
formative and summative assessment, are told what summative assessments to expect
in this unit from the beginning, as well as have access to a clear marking rubric written
in student-friendly language. I also diversify my assessment by focusing on different
skills (writing, reading, and oral language) and used student-friendly language
transcribed from the BC Curricular documents, whose roots in learning outcomes
philosophy stem from Tyler’s (2017) ideologies. For summative assessment, I illustrate
how assessment goals are broken down into tiered levels to meet individual students at
their access point, as referenced in the review of the literature (Sailor et al., 2018). The

41

following figure illustrates the marking rubric for the reading and writing skills
demonstrate in their dialectical journals.
Figure 2
Dialectical Journal Marking Rubric Using Learning Maps Template with Access Point

42

One area on inclusive assessment practice I emphasize both in this unit and in
my discussions with colleagues is providing opportunities for students to practice their
learning without feeling penalized when they get it wrong. In building a trusting
classroom community, especially one where I plan on students exploring sensitive
topics like power and privilege, students need to feel safe to make mistakes.
Incorporating assignments for “practice” or formative assessments, allows students to
practice the skill without worry about how it will affect their grade. For this unit, students
are practicing without penalty in every dialectical journal that they write because they
know that the ones that count towards their grade (summative) they will have
opportunity to choose, use feedback, and revise their response.
Offering Choice for Learning
I have learned to offer choice whenever possible for learning. When students
have choice, they are more likely to engage with what is in front of them. When I’ve
worked with other colleagues about incorporating inclusive practice into their classroom,
one of the biggest concerns they bring up is the extra time and effort that they cannot
spare. This a completely reasonable point, making inclusion work in the classroom

43

requires teachers to work smarter, not harder. When I create choice, I do the same.
Some standard opportunities for choice that I incorporate into my routines include
choice in note taking, choice in demonstrating learning with technology, and choice in
essential questions.
I found that giving students opportunities to choose how they took notes did
wonders for engagement. Prior to my switch, I would have my master copy and fill-inthe-blank copies for students to follow along. Now, I have students give me information
about their learning preferences at the beginning of each unit and one question I ask is,
“How do you prefer your notes” with three choices being: write them myself, fill-in-theblank, and filled-in for me to follow along. Initially, I predicted a wave of students asking
for completed notes. After all, what student wouldn’t want the “easiest” option? I was
pleasantly surprised to find the class was divided almost equally into thirds. A few of my
high achieving students wanted the creativity to organize their own notes, a few of my
students with learning disabilities found it helpful to stay engaged with fill-in-the-blanks,
and some of my English Language Learners liked the filled-in notes because it gave
them peace of mind about not missing anything and space to write translations in the
margins. The best part? It required almost no additional prep on my part. I already had a
filled-in master copy for me and all I had to do was run a few more copies through the
copier.
With the increasing opportunities for using educational technology in the
classroom, it has offered more choice on how students can show their learning. Prior to
the pandemic, I used a printed booklet for my literature circle units that students worked
though as we progressed through the novel. Some students liked the format because it

44

made the unit progression predicable having the whole unit in one place. Though I
found it limiting, especially for students with disabilities or students who were English
Language Learners. When we switched to online learning, my literature circle units
moved online too. Through my own exploration and learning in two elective EDDL
courses in this M.Ed. program, I found a wide array of online resources to offer more
choice in how students show their learning. Now, I have an easily adaptable template
for dialectal journaling on Google Docs for those students who would benefit from it.
Using tools like Google Read and Write, where students can have online text read aloud
to them and scribe their words, or Google Translate feature in Docs, where students
can write in their first language and translate it into English, I can offer my students
different options to show me what they are learning. My students can work smarter and
not harder too. The following figures show how creating an easily adaptable online
template can offer choices for how students can show their learning, creating a more
inclusive approach to teaching.
Figure 3
Template for Dialectical Journaling on Google Docs used for Remote Learning

45

Lastly, a standard choice I provide in my classes is having multiple guiding
essential questions at the beginning of units. That way, students can choose one that
piques their interest and use it as a lens as they progress through the unit. Like Therrien
et al. (2011) found in their research about the benefits of structured inquiry, providing
overarching questions acts like a tether to help students exploring themes in a story.
The following figure shows the guiding questions that I would use in this sample unit.
Figure 4
Essential Guiding Questions for Power and Privilege: To Kill a Mockingbird Novel Study

46

Sample Lesson Plan Using Inclusive Practice
Below is an example lesson plan for one class in our unit. Its format is influenced
by Understanding by Design with Universal Designs for Learning, and Shelly Moore’s
Learning Maps Assessment.
Table 4
Sample Lesson Plan
Lesson Title: To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter 8 Reading Day
Unit: Power & Privilege: A Novel Study of Subject & Grade: English 10
To Kill a Mockingbird.
Length of Lesson (Timing): 75 minutes
Developed by: Anna Cullen
Date: April 2022
Stage 1 – Desired Results
BC Curriculum Learning Standard to Focus on:
o Students can apply appropriate strategies to comprehend written, oral, visual,
and multimodal texts.
Activation of Background Knowledge (Access Point):
o Students need to know what it means to connect, visualize, question, and
make inferences in a text.
Established Student Learning Goals for the Lesson:
(Adapted from Learning Maps template on BlogSomeMoore.com)

47

Curricular Competency Goals:
o I can identify important plot events in Chapter 8
o (All) Students must identify 2 important events in this chapter.
o (Most) Students can identify and record a variety of important events in
this chapter and make connections to events in previous chapters.
o (Few) Students could make connections to The Book of Negros Episode
1 to events in the novel.
o (Extension) Students can try making connections from external sources
they’ve read or world events they know about.
Core Competency Goals:
o I can communicate my ideas to others.
o (All) Students must communicate with familiar peers.
o (Most) Students can communicate purposefully using practiced
strategies.
o (Few) Students could communicate confidently using tools to connect
with the intended audience.
o (Extension) Students can try communicating with intentional impact in a
well-constructed format that matches the audience
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Informal Checks for
Formal Checks for
Summative Assessment
Understanding
Understanding
o Working towards:
o Thumbs up, thumbs
o Answering openDialectical Journal
down, thumbs
ended questions at
for Chapters 8-11 of
sideways check in
the beginning and
To Kill a
o Contribution to
during class
Mockingbird
classroom
o Contribution to class
discussion
discussion
o 1:1 conversation
o Small group sharing
with students
o Ticket Out the
o Looking at faces
Door/Exit Slip
o Noticing behaviour
Activity
that is indicative of
kids who are bored
or not getting it
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Processing / Learning Activities to Consider that are Designed to Ensure
Understanding and Promote Critical Thinking:
A/B partner share, think-pair-share, opinion line-ups, class discussion, graphic
organizers
Description of the Learners:
o Class of 26 diverse learners; five students with Individualized Education Plans
(IEP), one with a Learning Support Plan (LSP), five with Behavior Intervention
Plans (BIP), one English Language Learner student (ELL), and two other
students pending official support through assessment.
o Reading skill set is below expectation for English 10. 70% of these students did
not meet the learning outcomes for English 9.

48

o 10 students are also frequent non-attenders.
Step by Step Through the Lesson (Directions):
On the board: Write the “Plan of the Day” in a location where all students can see it all
of class. Write the scaffolded curricular competency on the board.
5 min: Bell Work Question: “What’s your go-to activity when there is a snow day?”
o While students are settling into their seats, encourage them to consider and
reflect on the question. Students may write down their thoughts if they wish.
Students know they will be expected to share.
5 min: Welcome & Attendance
o Review the plan of the day and take attendance.
o Think, Pair, Share Activity for the “Bell Work” Question. (Think) Have students
think for 1 minute to themselves (access point for those who came in late),
(Pair) students talk with the person next to them about their thoughts for 2
minutes, and (Share) have volunteers share what their pairs talked about.
Teacher chooses students if no one volunteers.
40 min:
o Listen to Chapter 8 of To Kill a Mockingbird using the audiobook (28 minutes)
o As students listen, keep sticky notes and their Vocabulary Journal on their
desk. As students find new words, jot them down in their Vocabulary Journal.
Students practice annotating with sticky notes using the 4 reading strategies as
they listen.
o Teacher models effective annotating on the white board as the class listens to
the story. Examples of annotation include:
- Important plot events I see
- Questions I have
- Predictions I have
- Connections I’ve made to myself and other texts
- New character information I found
- Connections to essential questions and themes
- Literary devices I noticed
- New words I’m hearing
o Pause at the halfway point for teachers to do “Think-aloud” about what they
wrote on the board. Explain what your thought process looked like as you were
listening.
o Continue reading the chapter and teacher continues modeling on the board.
10 min:
o At the end of the chapter, give students 10 minutes to complete their
annotation notes and fill in their Vocabulary Journal.
15 min:
o Have students pair up with a partner or group of three. Give students 10
minutes to “think-aloud” their annotations to a partner. Encourage students to
“steal” good ideas from their peers. Gather any additional ideas to add to the
white board in a class discussion afterwards.

49

Exit Slip: “How has your understanding of Boo Radley’s character changed in this
chapter?”
Materials Needed:
• To Kill a Mockingbird novels (one per student)
• To Kill a Mockingbird audiobook (free access on ESL-bits.com or available for
purchase on Audible)
• Vocabulary Journal (students will have this already)
• Whiteboard & markers
• Sticky notes
Potential Barriers to Success (Anticipated Challenges):
Maintaining student engagement with the topic, motivation to contribute to classroom
discussion and group work, organization of small groups, keeping students on task,
student exceptionalities, varying reading level ability of students, & catching up
students who frequently miss class.
Even though this unit was built with a specific English 10 class in mind, I like to
think that the core curricular values and philosophies encapsulated in its development
are transferable and valuable to other classes, grade levels, and school communities.
I’ve always believed that resource sharing and teacher collaboration is a critical
component in meaningful professional development. When I first started as a teacher, I
was fortunate to have other teaching mentors share their work and resources and have
always strived to return the favor by been very open to sharing what I create for my
classrooms with any teachers interested. I hope that with the creation and potential
sharing of this curricular project, it will open more dialogue, particularly in English
departments, about the potential ways to explore old texts in new and contemporary
ways and incorporate more inclusive practices into everyday classes. I believe the
flexibility of this inclusive curricular design makes it easily adaptable for all types of
novels and themes depending on the class it is intended for.
Creating an inclusive space in the mainstream classroom does not have to be
overwhelming; small and steady changes to practice and planning make opportunities

50

for educational equity for every student. Being the English Language Learner teacher at
my most recent school, and a special education teacher in previous ones, helping
teachers embrace inclusive practice in the mainstream secondary classroom has
become a passion of mine. One of the obstacles I often face in discussion inclusion with
educators is the belief that adapting inclusive practice will take a lot of work. So, in
addition to enlightening other teachers about alternate ways to teaching content, I hope
that this curricular design offers teachers insight about how easy it can be to incorporate
small and different practices to make learning more accessible and engaging for all
types of learners. The final chapter will summarize my findings in this paper and discuss
the implications of incorporating inclusive practices and planning into every mainstream
classroom.

51

Chapter Four: Conclusion
In this paper I argue that creating a meaningful inclusive atmosphere in
mainstream classrooms is a crucial responsibility for teachers as it is necessary in
making learning accessible and flexible for every learning. As displayed in the
development of this paper, two important ways to accomplish this are implementing
universal inclusive teaching strategies in everyday learning and intentionally challenging
Eurocentric teaching habits. Every student has the right to learn, but previous rigid and
Eurocentrically-influenced practices impede many students’ ability to deeply engage
with learning. Throughout this paper, I have provided a multitude of evidence that
showcases how inclusion is essential for making learning accessible for all, a safe and
inclusive classroom community is an essential first step and engaging every student in
challenging topics is amplified by fostering feelings of student ownership in their
learning.
Summary
In Chapter One of this paper, I discussed my learning journey as a students and
educator, both in my practical experience in the classroom and coursework through the
M.Ed. program. I spoke about how my passion for inclusion sparked in my initial
teaching practicum, flourished in my various roles over my teaching career, and
developed into a greater understanding in my graduate studies. In Chapter Two, I
reviewed the relevant and contemporary literature supporting the benefits for every
student by adopting inclusive practice in mainstream classrooms, specifically looking at
tiered inclusive strategies, UDL planning, challenging present Eurocentric practices,
culture of care, conscious awareness in learning, and inquiry-based approaches to

52

planning. Finally, in Chapter Three, the application of my argument was presented in
the form of a sample unit utilizing these inclusive strategies in action that looked at To
Kill a Mockingbird through the modern multicultural lens of power and privilege.
This paper has clearly shown the not only why implementing inclusive practice
makes learning accessible to all learnings, but also how accessible implementing them
can be for educators nervous about making changes to their practice. Research shows
that making small positive changes to planning and teaching, whether it is adopting
more community-building activities to create a culture of care or planning your next unit
through a UDL lens, creating the habit of inclusive practice in mainstream classrooms
make it easier for every student to engage in learning. In my application of this learning,
I’ve demonstrated one way to utilize some of these inclusive strategies in action.
Implications
As educators in a quickly globalizing world, we recognize that our learners are
more diverse than ever before. And yet, many still rely on teaching practices that are
built to serve only one type of learner. Teachers need to question whether the practices
they are implementing in their classrooms are benefiting and engaging all students.
Educators are back to teaching in a one room schoolhouse, but instead of
accommodating multiple grades, they now cater to a wide range of ability levels,
background knowledge, cultural and societal influences, and learning styles. And
because teachers do not teach cookie-cutter students, so they cannot rely on cookiecutter methods. Instead, educators need to embrace the diversity of their students with
more flexible and inclusive approaches to planning and teaching.

53

This paper contributes to the larger conversation about the importance of a wider
educational shift towards inclusion. Inclusion is not only just tool for resource rooms and
case managers, but also a necessary shift in perspective for all mainstream classroom
teachers to make learning accessible and engaging for every student they teach. By
embracing inclusive practice, this paper gives educators research about the success of
utilizing inclusion in their classrooms and a practical application of these strategies
exemplified in a sample unit plan. I would like to see the immersion of inclusive
practices actively adopted by all educators, hope that the importance of making this
perspective shift in education will make it so every student has to opportunity to
succeed and feel like a valued member in their classroom community from K-12.

54

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