Promoting inclusion in the primary classroom

The primary school years are a critical and formative time for all learners. It is during this period that children are introduced to the culture of schooling, and for many it is their first opportunity to engage in those social processes that help to shape attitudes and beliefs about the societies in which we live. During this period of schooling most children develop the foundations upon which all later learning is built. This is also a time during which children begin to identify their own learning strengths and weaknesses, which are likely to influence their attitudes, choices and behaviors throughout their school years and beyond. The relationship between any teacher and student is critical and at the heart of effective learning, and it is often in the primary classroom that a child first encounters an adult outside of their immediate family who takes responsibility and makes demands of them. Most children manage the transition into school without too much trauma. For some, however, this formative period may be one of distress and challenge, which, if inappropriately managed, can have a lasting damaging effect upon the child’s future education.