Inclusion and Diversity in Teaching

Making music teaching practice accessible and inclusive

This simple checklist can be something that can help you achieve making your teaching practice more accessible and inclusive:

• Are you using a variety of teaching methods and different learning styles to meet everyone’s needs?
• Are your teaching resources accessible for all learners?
• Is the language that you use non-discriminatory and appropriate?
• Is diversity included within teaching – making reference and using examples from a variety of cultures, religions, traditions?
• How would you tackle prejudice and stereotyping in your lesson?
• Avoid stereotypes in examples and resources
• Use resources with multicultural themes
• Actively promote multiculturalism in lessons.

Diversifying music lessons

To achieve the points in the checklist here are some examples of activities that you can use in addition to your music making:

• Explore different musical styles
• Explore music by musicians from different backgrounds and traditions
• Use music to explore aspects of personal identity, social problems and issues
• Learn about the history of genres (such as reggae, blues and calypso).

Forming an Equality and Diversity policy

In addition, you may want to form your own Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy to help you in your work and practice. This will also be helpful for you to present when applying for jobs, pitching for a project and/or applying for funding. These are the main things to include:

• Mission statement – an explanation of why such a policy is important
• Aims and values – linking with legislation
• Your method – how you will you go about achieving your aims.