Experts Call For Early Childhood Classrooms to Be Inclusive | KiddyNews

Early childhood educators and inclusion experts are calling for classrooms and childcare settings to become more responsive to children’s different learning and developmental needs, rather than expecting children to adapt to rigid environments.

The issue was highlighted during discussions hosted by Sunway University’s School of Education, where experts stressed that inclusion should extend beyond simply placing children with different abilities in the same classroom.

Sunway University PhD candidate and discussion moderator Desiree Kaur said the focus should be on adapting the environment to children, rather than expecting children to conform to it.

Moving Beyond Gatekeeping

South-East Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Special Educational Needs (SEAMEO SEN) director and Sunway University Adjunct Prof Jamilah Kadir described an inclusive classroom as one built around intentional diversity, where children of different abilities can learn and play together.

She warned that requirements such as being toilet-trained or able to sit still could create barriers for some neurodivergent children entering early childhood centres.

“If we give parents a set of checklists that the child must pass before they can enter a classroom, then that is not education – it is gatekeeping,” she said.

Jamilah said classrooms should be prepared to accommodate children rather than requiring children to first meet a fixed set of expectations.

Sunway University Assoc Prof Dr Amanallah Soltani similarly said inclusion requires educators to reconsider approaches that focus primarily on changing the child.

He said educators should instead consider how classroom environments and teaching strategies can be adapted to meet individual needs, including different ways of communicating, playing, learning and expressing themselves.

Inclusion Extends Beyond the Classroom

Experts also stressed that children’s ability to learn and participate is influenced by the wider environments around them.

We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym founder Nori Abdullah said supportive environments involving families and parents are important in helping children learn.

She also called for society to move beyond simply tolerating differences towards accepting and valuing people for who they are.

From a childcare regulatory perspective, Social Welfare Department (JKM) childcare centre regulatory division chief assistant director Norhida Abdul Aziz said inclusion must also be balanced with safety.

She said children with and without special needs should be safe and feel that they belong in their childcare environment.

Norfida added that her division had introduced targeted modules covering Autism, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy for early childhood carers to help strengthen standards across the sector.

Calls For Stronger Support Systems

Jamilah proposed structural changes to Malaysia’s early education system, including a mandated co-teaching model supported by allied health professionals in inclusive classrooms.

She said having therapists within school settings could also reduce the financial burden on lower-income families while allowing children to receive support when needed.

At the regional level, SEAMEO SEN is advancing the ASEAN-SEAMEO Joint Roadmap on Early Childhood Care and Education for 2026–2030 to guide early childhood care and education standards across Southeast Asia.

Jamilah said Malaysia already has many of the necessary policies, but greater attention is needed to ensure they are implemented effectively at ground level.

Strengthening Educator Preparation

The discussions coincided with Sunway University’s introduction of three new early childhood education programmes: the Bachelor in Early Childhood Education with Special Needs (Honours), Diploma in Early Childhood Education (Conventional), and Diploma in Early Childhood Education (Open and Distance Learning).

The programmes were launched by Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek alongside Sunway Education Group chief executive officer Prof Datuk Elizabeth Lee.

Fadhlina highlighted the importance of early learning and said the Government was working towards making preschool education compulsory under the 13th Malaysia Plan.

“The best start for children begins with the best preparation for those who educate them,” she said, describing early childhood education as a crucial stage in children’s growth and exploration.

Prof Lee said quality early childhood education helps establish children’s cognitive, emotional and social foundations, while strengthening curiosity, creativity, communication and a lifelong love of learning.

She added that advancing inclusive teaching practices can help ensure children, particularly those who need additional support, are not left behind.

Source:

The Star – “Making every classroom inclusive”

Thoughtfully adapted by KiddyNews. Keeping parents and educators informed with the latest ECCE developments from Malaysia and beyond.