Becoming an Inclusive Practitioner

Abstract

The first part of this paper provides a brief, selective literature and policy review examining the concepts of inclusion and social justice within the context of Scottish civic discourse and Scottish schools in particular. I then focus on four key areas of policy and standards, that contribute to the creation of the framework Scottish teachers work within, drawing attention to discrepancies in emphasis on matters of social justice and inclusion that exist between them. In part two, I outline my active engagement with Vygotsky’s concept of The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), in an effort to create an inclusive classroom learning environment. I explore the tensions I encountered between theory and practice and how, through a process of critical reflection, I came to a deeper understanding of the possibilities of combining aspects of formative assessment with sociocultural theory, to form a basis for continued professional development as an inclusive practitioner.