Checklist for inclusive teaching

This tool allows you to check that your lessons are inclusive and accessible to all students in terms of planning, learning environment, methods, resources as well as assessment and feedback.

Planning

  • Does the content of each class meet the set objectives and assessment of the course?
  • Are the learning objectives of each class, tutorial, workshop or other means of learning explained to the students?
  • Are the learning objectives given priority over minor topics covered in the course?
  • Does the course progress in terms of tasks so that it starts off with easier tasks and the tasks get more complex over time?

The learning environment (physical accessibility)

  • Is the physical learning environment suited (lights, wheelchair access, distance between lecturer and students, flexible seating arrangements, scent-reduced)?
  • Are the acoustics suitable and does the learning environment take students with impaired hearing into account (induction loop)?
  • Can your students see you at all times you are speaking to them (allowing reading from lips)?

Teaching methods

  • Do you vary the lesson type (lecture, pair discussion, small group discussion, individual work)?
  • Do you give an overview of each class or summarize it in the end?
  • Are your presentation techniques varied (charts, diagrams, pictures, online games (e.g. Kahoot, Padlet, Miro) to see to the needs of all learners?
  • Do you structure your class or tutorial so that it allows students to process information in suitable chunks?
  • Do you provide a glossary of new terms or concepts?
  • Do you speak clearly and avoid jokes that may be insulting to some students?
  • Do you build bridges between each part of your lesson by using signposting (first, this proves the point I explained earlier)?
  • Do you explain difficult concepts in other words?
  • Do your questions elicit what students have learnt?
  • Is your feedback explicit and constructive?

Teaching resources

  • Do you have the teaching materials available to students online and before each class (some students may wish to review the resources in advance due to difficulties with concentrating)?
  • Are your resources accessible in terms of the amount of pictures and text used?
  • Have you consulted the accessibility of your resources?
  • Is the font used accessible (one from the sans family) and large enough to be seen from everywhere in the classroom?
  • Is the line spacing adequate enough?
  • Do you include key words and phrases only on the slides and not lengthy sentences?
  • Are your presentation visuals (such as PowerPoint or Prezi) easy enough to scan through while listening to you (not fully packed with text)?
  • Do you use occurring, key terminology in your presentation visuals?
  • Do you support your teaching with illustrations (charts, diagrams, tables)?
  • Do you use suitable colours when writing on the board?

Assessment and feedback

  • Are the assessment items clear to your students?
  • Do you use a range of assessment methods?
  • Do your assessment items measure student learning?
  • Do you provide your students different options for completing assignments (e.g. a reflection essay can be written as an essay, recorded as a video or as an audio recording)?
  • Do you give students enough time for completing assignments? Are your deadlines realistic? Could your students write a contract with their own deadlines?
  • Are the assignments you offer weighed differently? (One single assignment should not be worth more than 30%.)
  • Do you give your students multiple ways and times to give feedback?
  • Do you make adjustments to your classes or course content based on the feedback received from students?

Social accessibility

  • Do you make sure you know what to call your students (trans or gender non-conforming people, preferred English name, safety concern)?
  • Do you make assumptions about students’ gender (use of personal pronouns he/she/they)?
  • Do you incorporate course materials and engage in teaching practices that cite, center, and support diverse authors and perspectives (race, gender, class, sexuality, culture, and ability)?

Source: Adapted from Plymouth University’s checklist and Simon Frasier University’s checklist