Empowering future teachers - Downs Syndrome Association

Empowering future inclusive teachers

Inclusive education, which is the practice of welcoming, valuing and supporting the learning of all learners in classroom together, requires teachers who can successfully manage the learning in these settings.

Initial teacher education must therefore prepare teachers for inclusive practice.

Newly qualified teachers must enter the profession with the knowledge, skills and approaches that will enable them to feel confident to teach all their students not just some.

Effective teachers will also engage in career-long professional learning. In the event of being asked to teach a class that includes a learner who has Down syndrome, targeted professional development may be required, depending on previous experience and skills. We know that effective inclusive education is skilled work for teachers and requires a reflective attitude to professional practice, based on a research orientation. It is also important to seek opportunities to gain experience and to experience success working in inclusive classrooms with a diverse student population.

Learners who have Down’s syndrome will each have their individual unique learning requirements and their own interests and abilities. We know that with the right support and opportunities, learners who have Down’s syndrome can thrive in mainstream education settings. However, welcoming a learner within your classroom who has Down’s syndrome can appear to be a daunting uncharted terrain. It is important that educators are trained and supported to become inclusive practitioners with a range of strategies that can be deployed, whilst understanding what it means to be a teacher of a learner who has Down’s syndrome.

We have produced a range of resources in this campaign (scroll further up this page) that will be of use to newly qualified and experienced teachers alike.

We also share some resources for new teachers and those seeking to develop their inclusive practice below: