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Enabling educators with tools to make classrooms more inclusive

Learning Experience Design
PROJECT:
LEND Toolkit for 
Saamarthya Foundation
MY ROLE:
Research & Content
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About Saamarthya

Saamarthya Foundation is an NGO that provides professional development and advocacy resources to persons with disabilities, their families and professionals who work with them. It was founded with the vision to create an equitable world for people of all abilities.

The LEND (Learning Empathy, Nurturing Diversity) Toolkit is a collection of activities, strategies, and resources to help educators foster a classroom environment where students with different personalities, backgrounds, and abilities can freely participate in learning and social activities while feeling safe from unfair judgement and bullying.

What is LEND?

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“The most effective way to make societies inclusive is to focus on its youngest citizens because if children are taught the value of embracing individuals with diverse abilities, only then will they grow up to be truly inclusive-minded adults.” 

—  Dr. Shivani Pandit, Founder

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Identifying Themes

While our goal was to make ‘empathy’ and ‘inclusion’ the central focus of the toolkit, we wanted to ensure that themes, stories and activities we chose were appropriate for students of this age group.

To learn more about the students lives and experiences, we spoke with students and teachers from Grades 1-5 of Army Public School.

Developing the Activities

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Click through to see more activities
Along with curating the right content, an essential design consideration was to make the toolkit as quick and accesible to use in the classroom as possible. 
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Designing the Experience

FOR STUDENTS, A RESOURCE THAT...

  • Uses storytelling, play and reflection to introduce them to complex concepts

  • Offers opportunities for various forms of expression: written, verbal or creative

  • Gives them tools to cope with tough situations

FOR EDUCATORS, A TOOL THAT..

  • Is user-friendly

  • Uses a blended-learning approach and combines both online and physical modes of interaction

  • Suggests activities and strategies that lend themselves to the regular classroom routine

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The toolkit is offered as a part of a training program conducted by Saamarthya. The program is based on the belief that equipping teachers with relevant skills and resources is necessary to foster positive and inclusive environments in which children of all backgrounds and abilities can thrive. Visit saamarthya.org to know more.
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