MODULE 5: Creating an inclusive learning space
Have a look at è Factsheet 5.2. : A list of com- munication aids that work in most cases. If you don’t have much time or if the setting doesn’t require special attention, take this list and you’re good to go. However, remember that the list is just a tool. Changing cultures and attitudes needs time, and the experience may involve a struggle.
How do you increase your sense of curi- osity and find common ground? When do you start asking people about their ex- perience or knowledge and when do you hesitate? Have you ever judged some- body without asking their opinion? Who is already around to support or inspire you? Do you know colleagues or other professionals who are good at facilitating difficult discussions? Have you witnessed any good practices? Who are the people you can address the issue with? Reach out to them!
Have a look at Lana’s Introduction video: https://t1p.de/intro5 (YouTube) The script can be found here: è Script 5.0.
1. Dialogic spaces - Create an atmosphere of trust and understanding Input:
confidentiality vulnerability dealing with fear.
It is essential to have workspaces in which everybody can be fully included as the person they are. Therefore, everybody needs to be recognised with all their different dispositions and be allowed to contribute their unique po- tential. This is a major responsibility for practi- tioners – but it can be embraced one step at a time! So how can you help to create and maintain spaces where people can say to themselves, “This is a safe space for me to try something new, where I will be supported with everything I need to live and learn together with everyone else”? How can you rise to the challenge of not knowing what a certain individual needs but still responding to their concerns and meeting their needs? It is surprisingly simple. By creating an atmos- phere of trust and respect, you encourage people to voice their needs without having to engage in guesswork or walk in their shoes. The effect is a rise in equality, respect and mu- tual comprehension across the entire group. Six pillars of active and protective dialogue ( è Factsheet 5.1. ) : taking responsibility
2. Reverse engineering - Adapt your beloved methods Input:
achieve your intended impact AND involve everyone in your favourite method. Remem- ber this does not have to be for the benefit of absolutely everyone - just for those in the room. At the end of this module, you will be in a position to do so, especially now you have discovered how to get feedback on the needs and abilities of your participants as experts in their own lives. Reverse engineering is a way to examine existing approaches for their strengths, lim- itations and complexities. You will be guided through a process that allows you to check your methods for any challenges, identify the individual components of your favourite meth- ods and develop variations that respond to the different needs and abilities of your target group – variations you can later apply quickly on the spot once you have tested them. Test- ing is vital because not all variations are com- patible or help reach your desired aim – and because it is a lot of fun to do unusual things in usual situations.
These pillars function as stepping stones that can help you strengthen or weaken the co- hesion of your group. If you provide effective support, the atmosphere will automatically become more relaxed. Reflection: Reflect on your current capacities by yourself or together with your peers. Note down any answers you find. This is a valuable exercise ahead of deciding which next steps are the easiest and most efficient for you. What techniques and strategies do you already use to resolve difficult situations? How do you reconcile differing opinions, needs and conflicts? What are your per- sonal strengths? Which useful rules do you already apply and how do they work? Have you ever made a contract with a group on discus- sion style? Where did you get those rules from? Did you have to impose them, or was the group able find a way to discuss their needs and adopt their own rules? What works well for you and what would you like to improve?
It can be awkward to realise that your favour- ite method does not respond to the needs of even a single group member. Most likely, that person will be accustomed to avoid exposure and will offer to just observe your exercise so you can run it the “standard” way. But even without bringing the issue out into the open, the elephant is still in the room, with too many group leaders opting to maintain the status quo by flying under the radar. But what if you had a way to expand your ca- pacities easily so that you can react with confi- dence if certain needs emerge? In this chapter you will discover how to prepare for variations in settings and get the best of both worlds:
listening, respecting, responding fault tolerance and desire to learn
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