3.4 The CIRCLE Inclusive Classroom Scale

Activity 8 Using the CIRCLE Inclusive Classroom Scale

An inclusive classroom is dependent on the physical environment (objects and spaces), the social environment (people and how they interact) including structures and routines. All of these impact on the motivation, organisation and participation of learners, either positively supporting learners or acting as a barrier to their participation.

Watch this film ‘The CIRCLE Inclusive Classroom Scale (Secondary)’ [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] in which a lecturer from Queen Margaret University, describes the CIRCLE inclusive classroom scale (CICS) and how to use it (film duration 2.42 minutes) A transcript of this film is available.

The CIRCLE Inclusive Classroom Scale (CICS) provides a rating of how different aspects of the environment impact on learners in the following areas:

  • The physical environment.

  • The social environment.

  • Structures and routines.

Activity 9 Using the CIRCLE Inclusive Classroom Scale

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The icon which represents a file which must be downloaded is Teal square with a lime outline and has a white arrow in the middle pointing downwards toward to two lime coloured lines

  1. Download the CIRCLE Inclusive Classroom Scale and instructions.

  2. Complete a CIRCLE Inclusive Classroom Scale for your classroom including the final summary page. It might be helpful to confer with any other adults who work regularly in your classroom.

  3. Now, focusing on an area that requires improvement, complete the CIRCLE Inclusive Classroom Scale planning page.

Reflective Task: Using the CIRCLE Inclusive Classroom Scale

In your Reflective Log make notes in answer to three of the following reflective questions:

  • Following your use of the CIRCLE Inclusive Classroom Scale, how inclusive is your practice?

  • What steps do you take during the preparation and planning process to ensure that you understand the needs of individual learners in your classes?

  • Where do you evidence your planning for individual learners?

  • Which supports and strategies do you currently use to ensure your practice is learner-centred?

  • Which strategies could you add to support learners to engage more effectively?

  • Considering learners who already have individual supports or strategies in place, how could you adapt these to make them suitable for the whole class?

  • Who do you (could you) use as a critical friend/peer support to reflect on your practice?

Optional Reflective Task

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The icon represents pair or group work and is an image of two stylised forms overlapping which represent two people. One is in a deep teal colour and the other is lime.

The following questions can be used when engaging in professional dialogue during professional learning opportunities and discussions with colleagues.

Consider observing a colleague working with a learner or group of learners whose needs you find challenging:

  • Does your colleague and learner have a similar experience?

  • Are there any strategies your colleague uses effectively that you may not have considered before?

Now go to section 4 Supporting learners

3.3 Developing an inclusive classroom