Revolutionizing Large Classes and Helping the Silently Excluded Learners through Language Inclusive Practices

Abstract

One of the challenges facing the actualization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in many African countries and especially Nigeria is the daunting influence of lack of quality education which is occasioned by the problems of large classes and silently excluded learners in schools. The effects of these maladies had always been foregrounded in the poor academic performance of students, especially in the English language writing task of secondary school students in both internal and external examinations. The rippling effects are not easily erased from most undergraduate and postgraduate students’ writing abilities. Therefore, there is a great need to revolutionize the language classrooms to accommodate the silently excluded or struggling learners in our large language classes. In this paper, the inclusive-pluralistic strategies of effective language teaching for educators were examined. Some of these strategies highlighted are class collaborations, grand/instructional conversations, quick-writes and quick-draws. The literature review was done and the gaps found gave room for the justification of this study. The applicability, examples and step-by-step procedures of these strategies for inclusive teaching and learning of the literacy skills of reading and writing resonated. The paper concluded with a call on teachers in secondary schools to use these strategies to eliminate the challenges of the silently excluded/struggling learners as well as assist them to teach writing effectively. It also suggested that teacher training institutions could introduce these strategies so that pre-service teachers can imbibe and utilize them when they eventually become practising teachers. Lastly, it recommended the strategies to textbook writers and curriculum planners.