Embracing Diversity: Toolkit for Creating Inclusive, Learning-Friendly Environments

This toolkit contains six booklets, each of which offers tools and activities for self-study that aim to help readers start to learn about creating inclusive, learning-friendly environments (ILFE). Some of these activities ask readers to reflect on what his/her school are doing in terms of creating on ILFE, while others guide the reader in improving his/her skills as a teacher in a diverse classroom. An inclusive, learning-friendly environment (ILFE) "welcomes, nurtures, and educates all children regardless of their gender, physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic, or other characteristics. They may be disabled or gifted children, street or working children, children of remote or nomadic peoples, children from linguistic, ethnic or cultural minorities, children affected by HIV/AIDS, or children from other disadvantaged or marginalized areas or groups."

This Toolkit was designed for teachers in a pre-primary, primary, or secondary level classroom; school administrators; students enrolled in a teacher-training institution or one of its instructors; or any individual wanting to improve access to schools and learning for children who usually do not go to school, such as those with diverse backgrounds and abilities. It provides tools that aim to help make schools and classrooms more welcoming and lively places of learning for ALL children and teachers alike; places that are not only child-friendly but also teacher-friendly, parent-friendly, and community-friendly. It contains a set of resource materials that can be used to think about individual situations and begin to start taking action using some tools. All of the booklets in this Toolkit present ideas individuals can try. There also are tools and activities that can be done together with colleagues and supervisors, students, families and communities. The booklets may be used sequentially, or individually as needed.

• Booklet 1: Becoming an Inclusive, Learning-Friendly Environment (ILFE)
• Booklet 2: Working with Families and Communities to Create an ILFE
• Booklet 3: Getting All Children in School and Learning
• Booklet 4: Creating Inclusive, Learning-Friendly Classrooms
• Booklet 5: Managing Inclusive, Learning-Friendly Classrooms
• Booklet 6: Creating a Healthy and Protective ILFE

Click here to download each of the booklets in PDF format.