European Trade Union Committee for Education

Europe’s learners and education personnel are becoming more diverse. The project “Education Trade Unions and Inclusive Schools: Embracing Diversity in Education” is building capacity so that education trade unions can prepare their members to address the many forms of diversity they encounter in the classroom and in society: socioeconomic, cultural, linguistic and more. ETUCE and member organisations aim to support education personnel in creating inclusive learning environments where every student and teacher can achieve their full potential.

• Project Introduction
• Research
• Trade union actions
• Testimonies from teachers
• Catalogue of Good Practices on Inclusive Schools
• Webinars
• Training Seminar
• Closing Conference

Building on the results of the ETUCE online survey on inclusive education and the findings of the ETUCE research report ‘Embracing Diversity in Education’, the series of online webinars “Education Trade Unions and Inclusive Schools: Addressing training needs of education personnel for inclusive education”aims to equip education trade union affiliates and education personnel in general with updated knowledge and competences on the effective development of inclusive learning environments. During the webinars, participants have an opportunity to acquire a more in-depth knowledge on inclusive teaching methods and support needed by teachers, academics and other education personnel in addressing and embracing diversity in education, as well as share practical and transferable good practices from different national contexts.

The webinars can all be watched in English, French or Russian here.

Webinar 1 “A whole-school approach for inclusive education” (19 March 2021)

The whole-school approach is profoundly interrelated to inclusive education. This approach is meant to provide learning opportunities for all students in every aspect of their school life. It recognises that teaching, learning and wellbeing are intimately linked and that all aspects of the school community (school policy, partnerships with the community, curriculum, learning and teaching, facilities and infrastructure) can impact the wellbeing of students and teachers. However, 1 out of 3 ETUCE member union believes that there is a lack of strategies and policies for school infrastructure and environment that include the different aspects of diversity within the school community. The webinar addresses such components of the whole-school approach as cooperation within the educational institution; visibility of diversity in educational institution (eg. infrastructure, what’s on walls, language etc.); cooperation with other stakeholders; participatory approaches, and other.

Webinar 2 “Safe and healthy learning and working environment” (12 April 2021)

Guaranteeing safe and healthy learning and working environment free from harassment and bullying is a necessary condition to ensure inclusion and equity in education and wellbeing of teachers and students. 93% of education trade unions participating in the ETUCE survey on inclusive education believe that urgent training is needed in this area for teachers, academics and other education personnel. The webinar will focus in particular on such issues as handling difficult situations in the classroom; harassment, bullying and cyber-bullying; stress and teachers’ mental health, as well the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on safe and healthy learning and working environments in education.

Webinar 3 “Using digital technologies and media to foster the inclusion” (29 April 2021)

The rapid digital transition of the last decades had a revolutionary impact on education. According to 91% of ETUCE member unions, education staff urge training on digital skills, digital pedagogy and IT tools to foster inclusion. Even if, on the one hand, new technologies can be of great help in implementing inclusive education, on the other hand, the digital gap and the lack of access to technologies can worsen exclusion and inequalities. This has become more evident than ever during the emergency distant teaching and learning due to the COVID-19 crisis that unveiled many systemic deficiencies and left the most disadvantaged groups out of education. Therefore, the webinar provides knowledge and practical tools on discussing media with learners and using social media for inclusion, countering the ‘exclusion’ danger of social media, as well as using technologies as support to students with other mother languages and students with special needs.