4. During the semester

Topics: Organising sessions, consultation hours, points of contact.

Structure of sessions

Even during the semester, as a lecturer, you can consistently make a significant contribution to an accessible and inclusive learning and teaching environment through a few simple but effective measures. Transparency is also a key factor here. You should therefore outline the structure of the session right at the start of each session. This ensures that all students know what to expect and can manage their attention and energy effectively. Offer individual work as an alternative to group work and, where possible, let groups break out into separate rooms to work on their assignments. Make sure to schedule short breaks to allow students time to rest.

Allowing students to use fidget toys can help them with their concentration, attention and self-regulation.

You should also provide all written materials, such as summaries, presentation slides or assignment briefs. These help students to follow the content, encourage revision and provide an important foundation for all students. Throughout the session, you should also ensure a fundamental level of transparency. This includes, for example, formulating tasks clearly, specifying responsibilities unambiguously and, where possible, determining the next steps together with the students. This helps to avoid misunderstandings and encourages the active participation of all students.

Consultation hours and points of contact

Furthermore, it is advisable to offer regular or individual consultation hours or one-to-one counselling sessions with students during the semester. These enable students to raise personal concerns or requests for support in confidence. It is important that various communication channels are available for these counselling sessions – such as the telephone, email or face-to-face meetings. As a lecturer, you can also draw attention to existing support structures in this context. For example, Bielefeld University’s accessibility services (ZAB) act as a point of contact providing advice on issues relating to studying and disabilities, chronic or mental health conditions. This serves not only as a competent point of contact for students, but can also be utilised by you as a member of staff.

To ensure you receive the best possible support in implementing accessibility measures during the semester, the ‘Digital Teaching – Planning in the Context of a Session’ checklist serves as a useful tool. In addition, the ‘Inclusive Classroom checklist', which sets out measures and precautions to foster an inclusive learning and teaching environment, provides valuable additional design tips.