Using Explorify for Inclusion

We know that science should build on children’s natural curiosity to explore and understand the world around them. However, classrooms are diverse places and children come to school with varied experiences and interests, as well as differing social, emotional and developmental needs. Inclusive classrooms are those that make sure that each child has a sense of belonging and can actively engage in the learning. This can be achieved when teachers value diversity and are able to identify the individual needs of their pupils and respond to them appropriately.

How was Explorify for Inclusion developed?

Discussions prompted by Explorify activities focus on valuing children’s ideas rather than looking for just one correct answer. This helps to create a safe, fun space for science where children’s confidence to contribute can grow. One teacher working in a provision base in a primary school said, “Explorify resources are high quality, interesting and hook the children. They help me establish positive relationships with all the children I work with and really get them thinking and talking. When the children are motivated, they can make better progress academically.” 

To support teachers interested in adaptive teaching for inclusion, we decided that rather than create new activity types, it would be more beneficial to provide teacher-tested strategies to use with our existing Explorify activities. Working alongside Joelle Halliday (Sheffield Hallam University) we established a professional learning community including teacher-researchers from a range of settings. Our teacher-researchers identified a need within their school and over a period of six months were supported to explore and adapt the ways that they used Explorify to help address this need.

Strategies to promote Inclusion

The teacher-researchers used a range of strategies to promote inclusion, such as, tweaking an approach, providing additional support or time and adapting learning resources. Although every child, class and school are different, these ‘snapshots’ of what works for other teachers can be adapted to suit individual contexts.

Tweaking an approach

It is important for teachers to have a range of teaching and learning approaches and be able to adapt their provision so that every child can succeed and be inspired by science. This is exemplified by teacher-researcher Jane’s use of Zoom In, Zoom Out activities with Early Years children and Caroline’s use of a combination of techniques to lower anxiety and promote calm confidence.

Teacher-researcher Jenni, wanted to remove writing as barrier and increase children’s confidence and independence. She explored ways that all her children could develop their thinking skills and share their ideas in their preferred way. Strategies she developed for her class included learning stem sentences, using an Explorify big book, active learning, drawing and scribing.

Meanwhile, Wendy knew that some of the Year 1 children within her provision base were cognitively ready to tackle Odd One Out activities but needed support with building their language and confidence. She developed a scaffolded approach, beginning with three very simple concrete objects which could be sorted in different ways. The children now enthusiastically take part in Odd One Outs following the age-appropriate science curriculum. Wendy’s reflections on the impact for her pupils are inspiring:

Providing additional support or time

Greg recognised that some of the children he taught lacked confidence when working in a group. He developed an intervention where ‘discussion groups’ of four children were given specific roles when they were thinking and talking about an Odd One Out activity. This allowed them to practice one discussion skill at a time as they took turns in being the describer, the thinker, the listener and the recorder. Greg identified that the key outcomes for children were increased independence and greater flexibility in less familiar situations.

Adapting learning resources

Several of the teacher-researchers created additional resources to complement Explorify activities which are now free for teachers to download.

Following Ryan’s success in capturing the interest of children when he localised Have You Ever? activities, there is a template to allow you to add your own local photographs to an Explorify ‘screen’.

There is also a blank frame which can be used to support children focus when looking at Odd One Outs, or you can use one of the examples created by Greg.

Carla’s same/ different cards provide a simple way to help children develop the important skill of listening to each other. She also identified that some of her children needed support to say their idea as a sentence. Carla reflects that using the thinking sheets which she developed: “…means that every child can give an answer with a reason… children who previously gave me one-word responses are formulating much better-quality answers and sharing their opinions… this is something that helps them in other subjects too.”

Navigating the Explorify for Inclusion resources

The Inclusion hub has all the links to the materials, including:

• Ten 2-minute videos where the teacher-researchers summarise their projects.

• Detailed case studies which explain the teachers’ setting, their identified need, their approach, the key outcomes for children, followed by the teacher’s reflections.

• Top tips organised into four areas:

Choosing which Explorify Activity to use;

Establishing calm and focusing attention;

Improving the quality of thinking and talking and

Recording children’s responses.

There is a wealth of evidence on the long-term benefits of children being able to communicate effectively. The Explorify for Inclusion resources are made by teachers for teachers, to help them support every child find their voice in science.