Includ-ed, red europea de educación inclusiva

Summary

The good practice “Teacher Education for Inclusion” is about a research project done at the Faculty of Teacher Education at the University College Sint-Lieven on important competences (future) teachers need to develop in order to be able to teach children with special needs in regular classrooms. The five core competences identified through qualitative and quantitative research were included in the curricula of teacher education at the University College Sint-Lieven at Sint-Niklaas/Gent. Furthermore, in 10 surrounding Primary schools in Flanders, action was taken by students in the most diverse classes where children with disabilities were present.

Project object:

The main research objective was to answer the question if it is possible for primary and secondary teachers who come to the end of their initial training (3 years after secondary school) to function in an inclusive setting?

One of the key problems in primary and secondary education in Flanders is the relatively large percentage of pupils who attend special education. Because of the presence of a well-built special education network in Flanders, it is relatively easy to send pupils to this type of education and the perception of teachers in regular primary and secondary education is that the diversity in class groups over whelms their capacities to function well.

The goal of the whole research project was to prepare students to cope with inclusive education and by doing so change their attitude of reluctance into an open and flexible attitude.

Methodology

In the past, neither regular teachers nor students were prepared to teach children with special needs in the regular classroom. This led to a situation where students lacked competence and felt unable to take action.

From this conclusion, a research project started. In the first phase, research was done on which competences a teacher needs to teach in an inclusive classroom. This research included international literature as well as an enquiry and focused interviews with competent teachers in inclusive settings. The outcome of the research was that teachers don’t need too many different or extra competences.

We can organise the important competences for inclusion into five groups:

• - Supporting the well being of all children.
• - Differentiating aims, curricula, evaluation and support as far as possible within the classroom
• - Co-operating with parents.
• - Co-operating with colleagues and supporters in the classroom under the co-ordination of the teacher responsible for SNE/pastoral care.
• - Developing flexibility, inquisitiveness, a critical attitude and responsibility.
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In a second phase, the 5 competences of inclusion were included in the curricula of teacher education. Special practice opportunities were built into the second and third year to enable students to experience work in classes with children with high support needs and to allow them to work on the accomplishment of these competences

Target

Teacher trainers and their institutions

Future secondary and primary education teachers

Good practice innovations

During the 3 years of initial training we prepare students to function in an inclusive setting. By feeling self sufficient, they develop a more open attitude towards inclusive education overall.

Students have to believe that through their development of the ‘five competences of inclusion’ they will be able to cope with the diversity in their classes. They don’t have to be experts on different disabilities.

It was surprising to see how easily students worked and developed the necessary competences to work in an inclusive setting. They worked together with good teachers who were willing to learn by doing. This attitude of willingness to 'learn by doing and reflecting' is perhaps the key outcome of this research. Students as well as regular teachers need a little bit support and a listening ear to be able to reflect on their practice.

Good practice achievements

The results of the research were included in the curricula of teacher education at the University College Sint-Lieven at Sint-Niklaas/Gent who collaborated on this initiative with the University of Gent at the Faculty of Orthopedagogy (Professor Van Hove Geert). The project ran from February 2005 till October 2007. Afterwards the new curricula were definitely implemented.

Future developments

In Flanders there is a government initiative to change the structure of support for pupils with disabilities. In support of this initiative, changes are planned for teacher education in the initial and the subsequent training phases.

Still at this moment, students in the third year of the professional bachelor in education do a part of their practice in an inclusive setting (cooperating in a class with extra support). There they work towards the 5 competence of inclusion during action research.

Project partners and other stakeholders

University of Gent at the Faculty of Orthopedagogy

Teachers in inclusive settings in Belgium (Flemish speaking community)

Institutes for teacher training in Belgium (Flemish speaking community)

Evaluation

There has been a follow up of this research to look for the essential competences of the role of the teacher responsible for SNE/pastoral care.

In cooperation with other institutes for teacher training the development of the curricula has been discussed.