Creating an Inclusive and Multicultural Classroom by Differentiated Instruction
Suleyman CELIK, PhD

Abstract
There is no doubt that today’s learners vary in many ways such as in their experience, socio-economic status, culture, ethnicity, learning styles, as well as in cognitive areas. These diverse learners bring their own learning and personal character to the classroom, which in turn influence factors including classroom atmosphere and time management, content to be taught, and teaching methods. In order to meet learners’ needs and in order to improve their strengths, different types of instructional methods ought to be applied such that the natural diversity prevailing in the classroom does not prevent any learner from achieving the instructional goals, in other words to engage all the learners to the learning environment. Adapting different instructional methods to different learners allows the teacher to build an inclusive classroom environment. One approach to building an inclusive classroom is differentiated instruction. Within this perspective, action research was conducted with fifth grade learners in a private primary school, Erbil, Iraq, in order to determine how differentiated instruction built an inclusive environment in the classroom.The results of the research were significant and showed that when students are provided differentiated instruction that meets their needs, a tipping point can be reached. Moreover, inclusive education always helps the teacher to establish a positive learning environment.

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