
As educators, we teach our students about the importance of having a growth mindset—the belief that abilities and intelligence develop through effort and persistence. Carol Dweck’s research on growth and fixed mindsets has long been something that as teachers, we lean on when helping our students to build resilience and embrace challenges, but it’s just as vital for teachers to adopt this mindset, especially when working with diverse, multilingual classes. But how well do we practice what we preach and embody our growth mindsets when teaching, and when the expectations and demands of the vocation are challenging and even, overwhelming?
Building on the whole-school approach to inclusion and multilingualism discussed in my previous blog, nurturing a growth mindset among teachers is key to providing an impactful, inclusive provision in which every learner is supported to achieve their potential. As educators, we instinctively want to provide this type of support for our learners and we often already have many of the tools we need to create inclusive classrooms and lesson sequences - our mindset is what makes the difference in how effectively we use them.
Growth Mindset: The Key to Inclusive Teaching
When we're in the "teaching moment", with students in front of us and a never-ending list of "to-dos", changing how we currently do things, or reviewing and adjusting our scheme of work for a more diverse cohort can feel like a something extra to do. However, a growth mindset helps us see these challenges as opportunities for growth—both for our students and ourselves. With the right mindset, we can embed strategies that support all learners while recognising that these methods are essential for EAL students.
Many of the inclusive strategies we already use—like scaffolding, chunking tasks, or providing visuals—are not just helpful for EAL learners; they benefit every student. By embracing a growth mindset, teachers can approach these techniques with greater confidence, knowing they are key to creating an inclusive learning environment where all students thrive.
Tips for Embedding a Growth Mindset in Schools
1. Tap into Your Existing Strengths
Teachers already possess many inclusive strategies that support a wide range of students. With a growth mindset, the focus shifts from seeing inclusive lesson and resource adaptations as an additional task, to viewing it as an extension of what we already do well. We can adapt, refine, and grow our existing practices to better meet the needs of multilingual learners.
2. Embrace Collaboration and Peer Support
Collaboration amplifies our ability to be inclusive. Encourage regular sharing of strategies, tools, and resources among teachers. A growth mindset thrives in environments where learning is collective—where we celebrate each other’s successes and tackle challenges together. Peer observations and feedback can help us to gain new perspectives, making inclusive teaching feel less daunting and more achievable.
3. Normalise Experimentation and Reflection
A growth mindset is about viewing teaching as a continuous learning process. Encourage teachers to experiment with new inclusive strategies, reflect on what works, and tweak their approaches. Recognise that making adjustments is part of being a good teacher, not a sign of weakness. As we experiment, we improve not only our strategies but also our understanding of our students' needs.
4. Set Small, Attainable Goals
Just like in the classroom, and for our students, setting small, attainable goals for inclusive teaching helps build confidence. Teachers don’t need to implement every strategy at once. Starting with simple actions—like using more visuals or simplifying language—can have a big impact. These incremental steps lay the foundation for larger, sustainable changes, linking back into that whole-school approach.
5. Use Inclusive Strategies that Help All Learners
Many inclusive strategies, like simplifying instructions or chunking information, are helpful for all students but crucial for EAL learners. Emphasise that these techniques aren’t “extra”—they're foundational to good teaching. By recognising their value of these strategies for all students, teachers will feel more confident in using them regularly and effectively.
6. Leadership Must Model the Growth Mindset
As with the whole-school approach, leadership plays a crucial role in modelling a growth mindset. When school leaders demonstrate openness to learning, adapting, and supporting inclusion efforts, it sets the tone for the entire staff. Leaders who emphasise collective responsibility, where everyone plays a role in supporting EAL learners, help to embed a school-wide culture of continuous growth and improvement.
The Role of Mindset in a Whole-School Approach
A growth mindset is integral to a whole-school approach to multilingualism and inclusion. Just as we focus on watering the seeds of resilience and adaptability in our students, teachers must adopt a similar mindset. This is essential for navigating the complexities of teaching changing cohorts of linguistically diverse students - something that we are all experiencing, and will continue to experience, in the globalised world we live in.
It’s important to remember that we, as teachers, already have most of the tools we need in our teaching toolboxes. What makes the difference is our willingness to adapt, evolve, and embrace the challenges that come with diversity (and also, often: uncertainty) in the classroom. By cultivating a growth mindset, we can better serve our multilingual learners and make inclusive teaching practices the norm, not the exception.
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