Hannu Savolainen

University of Eastern Finland | UEF · School of Educational Sciences and Psychology

Highlights •The study investigated teachers’ beliefs and behaviours. •Teacher behaviour was predicted by self-efficacy and collective efficacy. •The number of behaviourally challenged students influenced teacher behaviour via self-efficacy. Using a sample of 384 Finnish teachers, in this study we explored how teachers' attitudes towards inclusiv...

The effective implementation of positive behaviour intervention and support (PBIS) requires both organisational and professional change. This means that the whole community including all educators and children commit to shared principles, practices, and structures to create a safe and supportive social climate. In this article, we investigate the i...

The outcomes of studies on the effectiveness of special education (SE) remain unclear. There are only a few studies on the effects of SE that have used advanced methodology to minimise the influence of potential selection bias. This study examined the plausible effects of SE on students’ affective and motivational outcomes using a quasi-experimenta...

This longitudinal study examined the cross-lagged relationships of ADHD symptoms, school adjustment and academic performance during the transition from primary to middle school (Grades 6–7) in a Finnish community sample (N = 311). We found that the mechanisms were different for boys and girls: for boys (N = 149) the effect ADHD symptoms had on acad...

This longitudinal study examined how two externalising behaviour problems, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder (CDs), are associated over time with low motivation (MAS), and how these problems effect academic performance. In our cross-lagged analysis, we found reciprocal effects between ADHD symptoms and MAS between...

One objective in Finnish basic education is for pupils with disabilities or behavioral problems to be able to participate in mainstream education and ordinary classrooms. Positive behavior support (PBS) is an approach that offers multi-tiered behavior support for pupils. In addition to providing support at a universal level, educators need to have...

The importance of collective teacher efficacy (CTE) has been increasingly emphasised, but few studies have focused on how it can be enhanced. Since CTE is assumed to be related to factors that differ between schools, the belief-shaping sources of CTE could be related to principals’ beliefs of their efficacy. Moreover, a school climate that centrali...

Most studies, to date, have ignored variance in teachers’ self-efficacy (TSE) in relation to teaching individual students (i.e., student-specific self-efficacy). However, TSE and teacher efficacy differ among students. Thus, this study examines dyadic TSE in four domains and their correlations with students’ perceptions of teacher efficacy and stud...

Starting with the COVID-19 pandemic, research intensively investigated the effects of school lockdowns on involved stakeholders, such as teachers, students and parents. However, as research projects had to be hurriedly conducted, in-depth and longitudinal studies are lacking. Therefore, the current study uses data from a longitudinal study to inves...

h i g h l i g h t s A meta-analysis was used to examine relationship between teachers' attitudes and self-efficacy in inclusion. Effects of 43 unique samples of in-service teachers are aggregated. Meta-analyses reveal a positive sample size weighted correlation between teachers' self-efficacy and attitudes. Findings suggest the relationship might b...

This study aims to explore Finnish pre-service teachers' self-efficacy in implementing inclusive education and their resilience. Survey data were collected from 105 pre-service teachers studying in a teacher education programme in one university in Finland. The relationships between pre-service teachers' self-efficacy in implementing inclusive prac...

Suomessa oppimisen ja koulunkäynnin tukea toteutetaan vuonna 2011 voimaan tulleella kolmiportaisen tuen mallilla yleisessä, tehostetussa ja erityisessä tuessa. Oppimisen tuen käytännöt vaihtelevat eri kuntien ja koulujen välillä paljon, ja tuen toteuttamisen käytäntöihin on kaivattu selkeyttä. ”Opettajien arviointiosaaminen oppimisen, osallisuuden...

Previous studies pointed out that dealing with difficult behaviour is perceived by teachers as a major challenge in inclusive settings. However, research on the students' perception of the classroom behavioural climate (CBC) is rare. Therefore, this study aims to examine students’ perceptions of CBC and to identify predictors of CBC as well as asso...

Check in–check out (CICO) is a widely used and studied behavioural intervention. Although CICO is an effective way to support pupils’ behaviour in a school context, not all pupils benefit from basic CICO. A single-case experimental study was designed to evaluate the effects of CICO Plus support (CICO Plus) for participants whose behaviour was deter...

Over the past decades, an abundance of studies have assessed teacher attitudes and self-efficacy beliefs related to inclusive education. However, empirical evidence on the causal relationship between efficacy and attitudes is still rare and inconclusive. Therefore, the present study focused on identifying the interdependent relationship between tea...

This study aims to explore how teachers define ‘inclusive education’ and what kinds of professional development they seek for implementing inclusive practices. The past thirty years have seen increasingly rapid advances towards inclusive education since the Salamanca Statement was published (UNESCO, 1994). Inclusive education refers to including st...

It has been indicated that teachers’ perceptions of the most suitable educational environment for students with different disabilities depends on the type and severity of students’ disability. Although the perceptions are found to be different by country, research comparing Japanese teachers’ perceptions and perceptions of teachers from other count...

https://eera-ecer.de/ecer-programmes/conference/24/contribution/48006/

The aim of this study was to analyse and compare teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education in two culturally different countries: Finland and Japan. A sample of 362 Finnish and 1518 Japanese teachers participated in this survey. The teachers’ attitudes varied and were rather critical. The Finnish teachers were more worried about teachers’ eff...

A brief Blog on developing inclusive education and the essential role teachers play in it. See: http://blogs.worldbank.org/education/learning-all-essential-role-teachers-inclusive-education

This study aims to examine the extent and sources of Teachers’ Self-Efficacy (TSE) for inclusive practices and to explore whether there are similarities or differences in how the sources of efficacy affect TSE in Japan and Finland. Inclusive education, that means students with diverse educational needs are included in mainstream schools, has become...

h i g h l i g h t s Teachers' self-efficacy (TSE) and its sources were examined in Japan and Finland. Measurement invariance testing confirmed the scales' construct validity. Mastery experience made the strongest unique contribution to TSE in both countries. The influence of verbal persuasion on TSE differed between Japan and Finland. Sources other...

Many behavioural and emotional characteristics are associated with children’s peer relationships. The purpose of this study is to examine behavioural and emotional strengths of sociometrically popular, rejected, controversial, neglected, and average children. 773 third-grade children (51% girls) are assessed with a sociometric questionnaire and sel...

Käyttäytymisen ongelmat ovat koulussa yleisiä. Erityisen tavallisia ne ovat oppilailla, joilla on aktiivisuuden ja tarkkaavuuden häiriö (ADHD). Koulussa esiintyvän ongelmakäyttäytymisen lieventämiseen ja ennaltaehkäisyyn tarvitaan moniammatillista yhteistyötä ja tutkittuja toimintamalleja. Aikaisemman tutkimuksen valossa vaikuttaa aiheelliselta jär...

Inclusive education has become the mainstream in global education policies since the Salamanca Statement was published (UNESCO, 1994). In order for teachers to implement inclusive education effectively, previous studies suggested that it is essential to have not only knowledge and skills but also positive attitudes and higher self-efficacy regardin...

The academic self-concept changes from childhood to early adulthood in relation to experiences of capability in different school tasks and comparison with peers. Students in special education have a lower academic self-concept than their peers do, but it is unclear how part-time special education affects self-concept development. In Finnish schools...

h i g h l i g h t s Teacher self-efficacy and attitudes on inclusion in Japan and Finland are examined. Testing measurement invariance showed cross-cultural validity of the used scales. The strongest predictor was experience in teaching students with disabilities. A longer teaching career had a positive impact on teachers' self-efficacy in Japan. T...

https://eera-ecer.de/ecer-programmes/conference/23/contribution/43661/

The idea and concept of inclusive education have been debated, and different interpretations of what inclusion means and to whom it concerns have been presented. In this paper, we bring together notions of inclusive quality education, pedagogy, learning and teachers, and illustrate how the principle(s) of inclusion(s) has been enacted and translate...

Artikkelissa kuvataan alakouluikäisille oppilaille tarkoitetun kasvatuksellisen pienluokan toimintamallia. Oppilaat ovat erityisessä tuessa käyttäytymisen ongelmiensa vuoksi, ja tutkimme luokkamuotoisen erityisopetuksen toimintamallin tuloksellisuutta oppilaan yleisopetukseen palaamisen näkökulmasta. Intervention tavoitteena on kehittää oppilaan ry...

Check In–Check Out (CICO) is a support programme for students with externalising problem behaviours. This study implemented in Finland is one of the first reports on the application of CICO in the European context. An experimental, multiple-baseline, single-case design is used to examine the effects of the CICO intervention on the problem behaviour...

This study was done to examine the transition of deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) and hearing students from the first cycle (Grade 4) to the second cycle (Grade 5) of primary education in Ethiopia. Academic achievement and self-concept were measured longitudinally with 103 DHH and hearing students. Participants were selected from three different sett...

This research sought to develop an understanding of teachers’ attitudes, sense of self-efficacy and approach to enacting inclusive education in their classrooms in two diverse countries. A mixed-methods research design guided the data collection and analysis. This article focuses on how quantitative and qualitative research approaches were used seq...

Disruptive behaviour in classrooms is a significant challenge for learning in schools and a risk factor for students’ academic achievement and a significant source of teachers’ work-related stress. Earlier research shows that clear behavioural expectations, monitoring students’ adherence to them and behaviour-specific praise are effective practices...

The current study examined the over-time association between externalizing behaviour problems and academic performance during school transition in a cross-lagged design. The main focus was to reveal whether the externalizing behaviour composite and its components separately, including symptoms of CD and ADHD, differ in their relationship with acade...

Inclusion is never only a practical issue of placement. School-wide systemic change, together with well-functioning, multi-tiered support, can promote the inclusion of all pupils. This paper draws on research conducted in two mainstream primary schools in Finland. The primary focus was to gain insight into practical solutions to facilitate the incl...

http://www.eera-ecer.de/ecer-programmes/conference/22/contribution/40632/

Using a sample of 359 in-service teachers, this study examines Japanese teachers' attitudes toward inclusive education and their self-efficacy for inclusive practices. The results indicate that although teachers’ sentiments toward disabilities were generally positive, the teachers had some concerns about implementing inclusive education in their cl...

This paper reports on the findings of an international comparative research project where the roles of teachers in the implementation of inclusive education in mainstream-classroom settings in South Africa and Finland were investigated. Inclusive education within this project is broadly defined as welcoming all students to general-education schools...

The present study investigated the self-concept of deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students in different educational settings compared with those of hearing students in Ethiopia. The research involved a sample of 103 Grade 4 students selected from 7 towns in Ethiopia. They were selected from a special school for the deaf, a special class for the dea...

In this study, the relationship between adolescents’ difficulty in mathematics and reading and the influence on academic self-concept and school grades was examined. The participants (N = 585; 299 girls, 286 boys) were one age group of ninth-graders whose mathematics and reading skills were assessed at the end of comprehensive school at age 16 year...

Positive student–teacher relationships are related to students’ academic achievement and behavioural and emotional adjustment. How a student’s behavioural and emotional strengths are associated with these relationships and how the relationships influence students’ academic performance remains unknown. We examined this framework using a cross-lagged...

Policy and practice in relation to meeting the diverse needs of all children, including those with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities, is in a state of change in the UK. As a result, there is growing interest in and understanding of the need to focus on factors which impact on teachers’ levels of self-efficacy in meeting the needs of...

Learning difficulties have been found to dilute the possibilities that young adults have in their educational careers. However, during the last few decades, education has become increasingly important for employment and overall life satisfaction. In the present study, we were interested in the effects of mathematical and reading difficulties and so...

In previous research, the Finnish version of the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale-2 has demonstrated adequate internal consistency, factor structure and convergent validity. The purpose of the present study was to examine the long-term test-retest reliability of the Finnish BERS-2. Youth, parent and teacher BERS-2 ratings were collected once a...

Disruptive behaviours in classrooms pose a significant challenge for learning in schools and are, at the same time, a risk factor for students’ academic achievement and a major source for work-related stress among teachers. Earlier research suggests that clarifying the classroom rules and behavioural expectations, monitoring students’ adherence to...

This study compares the socio-emotional problems experienced by deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students with those of hearing students in Ethiopia. The research involved a sample of 103 grade 4 students attending a special school for the deaf, a special class for the deaf and a regular school. Socio-emotional problems were measured using Goodman's...

The present study examined how depressive symptoms change in late adolescence and whether reading disabilities (RD) affect the level or change of the symptoms. The sample consisted of 293 Finnish adolescents (150 girls, 143 boys; 58 with RD). Participants completed a screening test for reading and spelling skills in ninth grade (age 15), and a depr...

This study investigated the cross-informant agreement among student self-report, teacher report, and parent report on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire translated into Finnish (SDQ-Fin) and estimated mean convergent and divergent correlations with a sample of fifth-grade Finnish students (N = 588) and the cross-informant agreement among...

When rating scales are used in different countries, thorough investigation of the psychometric properties is needed. We examined the internal structure of the Finnish translated Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale-2 (BERS-2) using Rasch and confirmatory factor analysis approaches with a sample of youth, parents, and teachers. The results suggeste...

This paper reports on the first phase of an international comparative mixed methods research project that is based within a cultural historical framework in order to pay stronger attention to the implications of differences and similarities within the unique and complex educational contexts in China, South Africa and Finland. Data collection method...

In this longitudinal study, we investigated the role of word reading and mathematical difficulties measured in 9th grade as factors for receiving educational support for learning in upper secondary education in Grades 10 to 12 (from ages 16 to 19) and furthermore as predictors of dropout from upper secondary education within 5 years after compulsor...

In previous research the Finnish version of the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale-2 (Epstein, 2004) has demonstrated adequate internal consistency and reliability. The purpose of the present study was to examine the convergent validity of the Finnish BERS-2 by comparing it with the Finnish version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire...

Five hundred fifty mainland Chinese university students were given a questionnaire that contained a Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices (TEIP) scale. The purpose of the study was a) to test the factor structure of teacher self-efficacy for inclusive practices, b) to investigate the relationship between teacher self-efficacy for inclusive pract...

Complex cultural and historical forces are often neglected when the development of inclusive education in international comparative research projects are discussed. The purpose of this study was to analyse teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education by examining the ways in which culturalhistorical factors in South Africa and Finland may impact...

The quality of teachers is one of the most frequently cited factors explaining the quality of an education system. This article discusses the nature and role teacher education plays as a part of the Finnish education system. Teacher education in Finland is a highly competitive field of masters' degree university studies and is provided in universit...

Multiple informants such as teachers, students, and parents are commonly used as sources of information when assessing students' behaviors and emotions. However, there are few studies about cross informant agreement of strength-based assessment. The purpose of this study was to extend the international research on the Behavioral and Emotional Ratin...

Information from multiple sources is recommended when assessing students’ emotions and behaviors. Relatively few studies about cross informant agreement of behavioral and emotional strengths exist, especially for students with special education needs. The purpose of this study was to extend the cross informant agreement research of the Behavioral a...

Although there are clear differences in national policies regarding inclusive education, the international debate has not fully considered their impact on implementation within different countries, for example on teacher education. This paper reports on results from a comparative study of in-service teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy in implemen...

This study investigated whether mathematical and reading difficulties and self-reported learning problems predicted school achievement in the ninth grade, at the age of 16, and how these difficulties further explained the transition either to upper secondary academic education or to vocational education. The sample of the present study comprised on...

Since 1990’s, special education has continued its expansion in Finland and it is evident that it has been used as a tool to respond to the increased diversity of learning needs in compulsory education classrooms. During the last few years, however, there has been a systematic attempt to change both the rhetoric and services of additional learning s...

The present study investigated whether the members of adolescents' peer groups are similar in reading and spelling disabilities and whether this similarity contributes to subsequent school achievement and educational attainment. The sample consisted of 375 Finnish adolescents whose reading and spelling disabilities were assessed at age 16 with the...

This study examines the relationship between social competence and psychological well-being of adolescents. The role of academic learning disabilities with social competence and psychological well-being was also studied. The sample (n = 412; 207 girls and 205 boys), one complete age group (mean age 15.5 years), was followed from last year of compre...

During a 15‐year longitudinal study, 31 Finnish students (risk group) who had been identified as having deficiencies in reading and writing readiness at pre‐school through the German Breuer–Weuffen Differentiation Test were compared with their peers (n = 62) in order to study long‐term differences that emerged at the starting point of the study. In...

International and comparative study of inclusive education.

The assessment of emotional and behavioral strengths has been identified as an important part of the assessment process for children referred for specialized services. The Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale-2 (BERS-2; Epstein, Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale: a strength-based approach to assessment. PRO-Ed, Austin, TX, 2004) was developed...

The main purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which middle and late adolescents' depressive symptoms predict their later school burnout and, in turn, the extent to which school burnout predicts depressive symptoms. Drawing on data gathered at ages 15-19 in two-three-wave longitudinal studies, we investigated cross-lagged paths between...

The implementation of inclusive education has become an internationally accepted goal. In this process a substantial challenge is to simultaneously increase both equality and quality in inclusive education. This article discusses ways of achieving this goal in light of recent research findings which indicate that it is possible to meet both goals a...

The main aim of this study was to find out what kind of factor model of written language skills could be created on the basis of tests of reading accuracy and fluency, spelling and reading comprehension, and how the written language skills factor and school achievement predict choice of secondary education and what effects gender, special education...

A sample of 523 Chinese university students was given a questionnaire on their attitudes towards the inclusion of children with disabilities into regular classrooms. Factor analysis, analysis of variance, t-test and correlations were used to assess the respondents' general attitude towards inclusion, the factor structure of the attitudes, the relat...

A survey assessed the perceptions of 1350 Zambian teachers and parents and 512 Finnish teachers regarding inclusive education and consequently the best placement for children with different disabilities. On the whole, perceptions varied but were quite critical. On inclusion in general, the regular (also termed "ordinary") Finnish teachers were the...

Apart from Iceland, Finland is the northernmost country in the world. Geographically it is one of the largest countries in Europe, but with only five million people it is one of the most sparsely populated. Like most other western countries, Finland has undergone a rapid process of urbanisation and change in occupational structure, although this di...