When teachers undertake a risk assessment for students undertaking science practical lessons they will occasionally need to make adjustments to ensure the lesson is inclusive to all students.
They will no doubt ask for your help when it comes to making sure equipment is suitable for a specific student, and there may be a student with a particular requirement that you are unsure how to help. We can assist you with this, and can often source specialist equipment and advise you on modifications and ideas to enable inclusivity for all students.
A general rule, with most students, is to err on the side of caution and provide the safest equipment and lowest concentration of chemicals, with the highest level of PPE (goggles rather than safety specs). The whole class can also work at the same level of safety so as not to single out a particular student, or the student can have specialist equipment just for them – maybe in a separate tray with their name on.
Below are a few ideas that could benefit any students needing easier to use equipment, visually impaired students, and SEN students:
- Clearly label equipment – use sticky labels or diagrams
- Provide diagrams of steps in a practical instead of written instructions
- Bright paint around the top of beakers etc, to make the edges clear
- Large easily readable scales on beakers and measuring cylinders
- Long spills to aid Bunsen lighting
- Face shield instead of goggles/safety specs so as not to interfere with any glasses or sensory differences
- Food colouring in water to make it easier to see
- Bioviewers instead of microscopes
- Lockable power supplies to stop tamperingMicroscope cameras to show images on classrOom whiteboard
- Prepared slides, e.g. cheek cells
- Models of cells and body parts
It is important to ensure that all students understand what each piece of equipment or chemical is called, so be consistent with identifying equipment, for example forceps/tweezers, spills/splints, stoppers/bungs. They also need to know how to use the equipment and any hazards associated with it. This could be detailed on a sheet and placed with the equipment, according to the students needs, and/or on a Powerpoint in the classroom.
Also ensure that all students have room to undertake their practical work safely. Someone in a wheelchair will need to be able to move out of the way in case of a chemical spill, and a student with a broken arm may need and extra helping hand.
Hopefully this has given you some ideas and thoughts to ensure science lessons can be inclusive. If you would like anymore information on any products that would support inclusivity in science practicals, please reach out to your Territory Sales Manager for more help at anytime, we are here to help you.
“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.” - Mother Teresa