How To Teach Children To Be Inclusive?
In today’s society, the social inclusion of all people is sought. But, to achieve this in the long term, you have to start with the education of the little ones. Thus, it is important to teach children to be inclusive.
With this, it is intended to minimize or eliminate those barriers that limit certain people who may suffer exclusionary pressures, understanding diversity as an opportunity for cultural enrichment.
What does inclusion mean?
The European Union defines social inclusion as:
In short, it could be said that inclusion means the search for equity. Thus, the three basic aspects for the construction and proper functioning of an inclusive society are:
- The colaboration.
- The participation.
- The cooperation.
Likewise, we must focus on bringing inclusion to two dimensions:
- Cultural: building community and establishing inclusive values.
- Politics: developing inclusive practices and organizing support for diversity.
How to teach children to be inclusive?
Children must learn to be inclusive from the first years of life, so that they grow up assimilating correct ethical values and without discriminating against anyone. For this, it is necessary to teach this through practice, that is, carrying out games and activities for the development of personality, social skills, inclusion and positive coexistence among children.
In addition, parents should act as good role models. Therefore, they have to show their children how to:
- Act socially without discrimination.
- Tolerate frustration.
- Accept diversity.
- Manage anger and stress.
Likewise, the family is in charge of taking care of the language used at home, trying to make it as inclusive as possible. And, also, they have the function of monitoring the messages that their children receive through television, toys, video games, stories, etc., so that they are not in contact with harmful behaviors and inappropriate values.
Activities to teach children to be inclusive
Sport activities
One of the measures that can be taken to teach children to be inclusive is to make sure that the little ones carry out some type of sports activity in a group, since through sports they can learn to:
- Socialize.
- Respect the rules.
- Know how to win and lose.
- Acquire values of coexistence.
However, sports activities require the supervision of an adult, since, otherwise, violent behaviors may occur as a result of competition among children. Therefore, teachers, coaches or parents should act as a guide to team sports.
Group dynamics
On the other hand, group dynamics can be used to teach children to be inclusive. This consists of proposing games as an educational resource and as a method of socialization, generating fun and promoting the active development of the participants.
In addition, it must be ensured that these activities can be carried out by all types of children, regardless of intellectual or economic level. Likewise, the dynamics have to be designed so that children with a disability, disorder, illness, etc. can participate.
In this way, it is intended to avoid the isolation or rejection suffered by certain children, and to promote diversity among the social interactions of the youngest, which is beneficial to achieve an inclusive society.
