Which of the following does not exemplify an inclusive classroom?

Concept: An inclusive classroom is built on equity and belonging -- it welcomes every learner's background and needs through practices such as valuing diverse perspectives, providing reasonable accommodations, and adapting instruction (differentiation). Its culture is collaborative and supportive rather than comparative, because ranking learners against one another tends to disadvantage those who need more support.

Application: Checking each listed practice against this principle shows which ones build an inclusive culture and which one works against it.

• Incorporating diverse perspectives affirms varied backgrounds and experiences, so it builds inclusion.

• Following reasonable accommodations gives learners with different needs equitable access, so it builds inclusion.

• Offering differentiated instruction adapts teaching to varied learner needs, so it builds inclusion.

• Encouraging a competitive ethos ranks learners against one another and can marginalize those who fall behind, which works against the supportive, equity-focused culture inclusion depends on.

Because fostering competition sorts learners by performance instead of supporting all of them together, that is the practice that does not exemplify an inclusive classroom.