Ways to Promote Equality

1.b) Ways to promote equality and value diversity

‘Equality is about the rights of students to have access to, attend, and participate in their chosen learning experience’ Ann Gravells (5th edition. pg 53)
It is essential to show equality in the learning environment. A lecturer must always treat all learners equally and try not to show favouritism. All learners should treat each other with professional courtesy and respect due to learners themselves needing to feel safe in the environment and feel like they too are being, treated with respect. ‘Each of your learners is an individual who should be treated as an equal and with respect’ Wilson, L. (2008. pg. 27) Learners from different backgrounds and with different personalities need to be, accepted within the learning environment. It is also important that when displaying any posters or using any learning materials that you do not stereotype people and that it is free from inappropriate use of language that may cause offence . For example, you would avoid using words like ‘manpower’ or ‘blackboard’ as this may offend a learner of certain race or gender in the class.
Diversity, as Ann Gravells (5th edition pg 54)) suggests is ‘...about valuing and respecting the differences in learners, regardless of ability and/or circumstances, or any other individual characteristics the may have.’ Diversity can add substance to a tutors teaching by them incorporating learners diverse experiences into their sessions. Using student’s experiences as a teaching resource can encourage students to overcome their stereotypes and enable them to recognise other diverse backgrounds. This can also help promote a positive environment for all students.