ROLE OF TEACHER IN INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM

Chandan Verma

Abstract

In an inclusive education classroom normal school teacher has to teach differently. In contrast to traditional and customary, teacher centered teaching methods where the teacher has to deliver lectures to the entire class; in an inclusive classroom the focus shifts from teacher to learner i.e. here everything revolves around the student and its needs. Teachers now use such methods in which students use maximum of their powers and learn according to their own pace. The role of a normal class teacher now has changed a lot from a teacher he/she is now a diagnostician, a decision maker and an instructional manager so that he/she can deal effectively and efficiently with the challenges and tasks set and posed by students with special needs. This paper is about the changing role of a normal classroom teacher from when he /she is serving in a normal classroom with normal school children to a situation when he/she is serving in an inclusive classroom setting where there are students with and without special needs. The roles and accountabilities of normal school teachers have now been comprehensive, wide-ranging and all-embracing after the introduction of inclusive education programs. Now they have to cater the needs of special students and normal students at the same time. To perform this duty efficiently it is vital that normal school teachers must have appropriate awareness, techniques, positive attitude.