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Botswana teachers: competencies perceived as important for inclusive education
International Journal of Inclusive Education
Abstract
The implementation of inclusive education continues to pose challenges to teachers world-wide and Botswana is no exception. This study aimed to explore the teaching competencies general education teachers in Botswana primary schools perceived as important to their teaching in inclusive classrooms. Using a quantitative research approach, 116 general education primary school teachers completed a 14-Item questionnaire titled Perceived Competencies for Inclusive Teaching Scale, and an open-ended question about the supportive resources they required to be effective in their classrooms. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA and t-tests were used to analyse the data. The results of this study showed that participants identified adaptive instructional competencies (including setting curricula goals, modifying learning content and teaching to the different learning styles of students) as most important. Human resources (teacher aides, specialist teachers,) followed by material resources were seen to be key support resources required for them to be able to implement IE. This study could be used as a baseline for future research on key competencies and resources for primary school teachers for inclusive education.
... Within the context of implementing inclusive education for children with disabilities, trauma management has not been explored much (Schofield et al., 2021). However, some studies have explored teachers' perceived knowledge regarding behavior management (Alesech & Nayar, 2021;Ali et al., 2014;Covey et al., 2021;Hind et al., 2019;Kindzierski et al., 2013;Malak et al., 2018;Paramita et al., 2020;Rose & Monda-Amaya, 2012;Scanlon & Barnes-Holmes, 2013;Smith, 2006;Sokal et al., 2013) or as part of a more extensive study (Finkelstein et al., 2021;Kuyini et al., 2016Kuyini et al., , 2021. Some of the studies have focused on how teachers respond to inappropriate behavior (Malak et al., 2015), the implementation of an intervention to improve knowledge (Covey et al., 2021;Scanlon & Barnes-Holmes, 2013) and response to inappropriate behavior and general measurement of teacher knowledge (Hind et al., 2019;Kindzierski et al., 2013;Kuyini et al., 2016Kuyini et al., , 2021Malak et al., 2018;Paramita et al., 2020). ...
... However, some studies have explored teachers' perceived knowledge regarding behavior management (Alesech & Nayar, 2021;Ali et al., 2014;Covey et al., 2021;Hind et al., 2019;Kindzierski et al., 2013;Malak et al., 2018;Paramita et al., 2020;Rose & Monda-Amaya, 2012;Scanlon & Barnes-Holmes, 2013;Smith, 2006;Sokal et al., 2013) or as part of a more extensive study (Finkelstein et al., 2021;Kuyini et al., 2016Kuyini et al., , 2021. Some of the studies have focused on how teachers respond to inappropriate behavior (Malak et al., 2015), the implementation of an intervention to improve knowledge (Covey et al., 2021;Scanlon & Barnes-Holmes, 2013) and response to inappropriate behavior and general measurement of teacher knowledge (Hind et al., 2019;Kindzierski et al., 2013;Kuyini et al., 2016Kuyini et al., , 2021Malak et al., 2018;Paramita et al., 2020). Some studies have reported the challenges faced by teachers in managing behavior (Gidlund, 2018;Malak et al., 2015); however, the intervention has also been found to enhance teacher competence in managing inappropriate behavior in classrooms (Covey et al., 2021;Scanlon & Barnes-Holmes, 2013). ...
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration trauma model was used as conceptual framework in guiding the development of the Teacher Trauma Identification and Management Scale completed by 284 teachers in inclusive schools in Egypt. In addition, the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Analysis of Moment Structures (SPSS AMOS) and Andrew Haye's moderation model were used to estimate the relationship between perceived knowledge of trauma identification and practices among teachers. The result supported the hypothesized relationship between trauma identification and trauma-informed practice. The study concludes with recommendations for developing a homegrown trauma policy to guide schools and teachers.
... As a result, inclusive education requires of these teachers to possess a special set of competencies that were not previously part of their initial training (Blanton et al., 2011;Kuyini et al., 2021). These key competencies include the essential skills, abilities and knowledge to teach in a way that meets the needs of each learner in a mainstream classroom (Argyriadis et al., 2023a;Florian, 2009;Hornby 2010), making educators able to design the educational process with greater flexibility adapting the learning objectives, the content, the materials and the environment, depending both on the different characteristics of the individual students and the whole classroom dynamics (Ainscow & Goldrick, 2010). ...
... Each value corresponds to an area of inclusive teachers' competence. The findings of the study conducted by Kuyini et al. (2021) show that teachers recognise adaptive instructional approaches and strategies as the most crucial area of inclusive competence followed by human resources (teacher aides, specialist teachers) and material resources. ...
Recent studies highlight the fact that the establishment of an inclusive school is regarded as a requirement for the growth of a pluralistic, democratic society in which each form of diversity is welcomed and valued and the maintenance of social justice is a top priority. The aim of this research was to design and validate the Self-Assessment Inclusion Scale (SAIS) and test it in the population of teachers in Greece and Cyprus. The SAIS scale aims to selfassess the participants’ inclusive competence. Its ultimate goal is to help people to consider their skills, knowledge, and awareness of themselves in their interactions with others. The validation of the SAIS scale took place between October 2022 and February 2023 in 401 teachers in Greece and Cyprus using census sampling. The sample consisted of all school grade school teachers. The results of this study show that SAIS scale is reliable, functional and suitable for use in order to measure the inclusive competence of the participants. Moreover, it emerged that the participants were willing to consider their daily actions and behaviours and had some awareness of their own prejudices and stereotypes. However, there is still a lot to be done in terms of formulating plans to lessen harm and make the environment more inclusive for everyone. The findings imply that the participants were willing to consider their teaching methods and behaviour and that they were aware of some of their own biases and stereotypes. In conclusion, the selfassessment scale used in this study to assess inclusive competence was found to be valid and useful in assessing participants’ cultural awareness, knowledge, behaviours, and attitudes. The research team recommends its use as a tool for maintaining inclusion in community settings, schools and other organisations.
... En este sentido, y García-González et al. (2018) señalan aspectos importantes como base para la educación inclusiva, que toman en cuenta la adaptación de los objetivos curriculares y la modificación de los estilos de aprendizaje de los alumnos (Kuyini et al., 2021). ...
... Otros autores, como Kuyini et al. (2021), coinciden en que es necesario desarrollar la competencia inclusiva, sustentada en las habilidades, actitudes y valores del profesorado en relación con el desempeño de las prácticas educativas inclusivas e interculturales, los estilos de enseñanza y aprendizaje, las experiencias educativas y manejo de conductas (Dios et al., 2018;González-Gil et al., 2017;Román-Meléndez et al., 2021). ...
Inclusive education is an essential component of regular education, which implies that teachers attend to diversity in their classrooms, therefore, it is expected that they are prepared to exercise their profession in an adequate manner. In order to know which competencies are necessary to serve students with Special Educational Needs, the objective of this research is to propose a theoretical categorization of the most relevant competencies through teaching practices by means of a review of tested instruments. To achieve this objective, a review of 24 quantitative studies assessing the competencies, perception and inclusive practices of teachers in various countries was carried out. For the selection of the instruments, certain selection criteria were established, such as keywords, year of publication, reliability index (Cronbach’s Alpha) and studies with factor analysis, to ensure the quality and validity of the construct. From the instruments analyzed, 18 tools with 87 different dimensions were identified, which were classified and conceptually categorized into five main dimensions: Pedagogical process, Inclusive practices, Collaborative work, Attitude and values, and Professional development. These categories contemplate the inclusive competencies that it is considered that teachers should possess in their professional practice.
... As a result, inclusive education requires these teachers to possess a special set of competencies that were not previously part of their initial training (Blanton, Pugach, Florian, 2011;Kuyini et al., 2021). These key competencies include the essential skills, abilities and knowledge to teach in a way that meets the needs of each student in a mainstream classroom (Argyriadis et al., 2023;Florian, 2009; Hornby 2010), making educators able to design the educational process with greater exibility adapting the learning objectives, the content, the materials and the environment depending both on the different characteristics of the individual students and the whole classroom dynamics (Ainscow & Goldrick, 2010). ...
... Each value corresponds to an area of inclusive teachers' competence. The ndings of the study conducted by Kuyini et al. (2021) showed that teachers recognized adaptive instructional approaches and strategies as the most crucial area of inclusive competence followed by human resources (teacher aides, specialist teachers) and material resources. ...
Recent studies highlight the fact that the establishment of an inclusive school is regarded as a requirement for the growth of a pluralistic, democratic society in which each form of diversity is welcomed and valued and the maintenance of social justice is a top priority. The aim of this research was to design and validate the Self-Assessment Inclusion Scale (SAIS) and test it in the population of teachers in Greece and Cyprus. The SAIS scale aims to self-assess the participants’ inclusive competence. Its ultimate goal is to help people to consider their skills, knowledge, and awareness of themselves in their interactions with others. The validation of the SAIS scale took place between October 2022 and February 2023 in 401 teachers in Greece and Cyprus using convenient sampling. The sample consisted of all school grades teachers. The findings imply that the participants were willing to consider their teaching methods and behavior and that they were aware of some of their own biases and stereotypes. In conclusion, the self-assessment scale used in this study to assess inclusive competence was found to be valid and useful in assessing participants' cultural awareness, knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes.
... Между тем, по материалам поисково-констатирующего эксперимента, осуществленного под руководством А. Б. Куйини, в качестве наиболее значимых для практики инклюзивного образования детей с ОВЗ выступают так называемые адаптивные компетенции учителя, предполагающие соответствующую постановку целей учебной программы, изменение содержания обучения и использование различных стилей обучения [24]. ...
Introduction. The aim of this paper was to look into the status of competence-based support for the inclusive education of children with disabilities from the standpoint of the unity of the competence-based approach to the preparation and professional activity of a teacher at an inclusive educational organization. Its relevance is defined by the need to determine the level of formation of inclusive competence of teachers in its direct correlation with the competence models embedded in the programs of inclusive-oriented university’s training of teachers. Materials and Methods. The study involved 1 340 teachers working in inclusive educational organizations of general and additional education. They do not have university training in the field of defectology. The diagnostic and methodological basis for assessing the level of formation of inclusive professional competencies of a teacher was the authors-developed test that combined test tasks to identify the readiness of teachers to implement the right professional actions and decisions in conditions of inclusion. Results. The results obtained indicate the imbalance in the formation of the key components of the professional competencies of teachers for inclusive education. Teachers have the most pronounced inclusive competencies in the field of individual or joint support with other specialists of a child with disabilities in the educational process and the organization of an individual learning route for him/her. The least pronounced component of inclusive professional competencies is the knowledge about development of children with disabilities. The success of solving situational problems is mediated by the nature of teachersʼ activities and their inclusive practice experience. Discussion and Conclusion. The research materials may be in demand when designing training programs, professional retraining and advanced training of teachers of inclusive educational organizations, as well as in the framework of express diagnostics of the level of formation of inclusive competencies of teachers.
In this article we report on Foundation Phase teachers’ experiences when implementing curriculum adaptation in rural inclusive schools of South Africa. We argue that, in spite of inclusive education policies being in place and several pre- and in-service training have been undertaken, teachers still experience challenges to meet the learning needs of their learners by means of curriculum adaptation. We relied on purposeful sampling to select 6 Foundation Phase teachers from 3 inclusive schools in 2 South African provinces. We followed a qualitative approach and implemented a phenomenology research design. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews and were audio-recorded. Following thematic data analysis, we identified themes that related to the significance of early identification of learning barriers, knowledge of curriculum adaptation, application of curriculum adaptation in practice and barriers preventing the effective implementation of curriculum adaptation by teachers. Based on the findings of the study, we recommend continuous in-service teacher development and support by district-based teams, as such efforts may improve the experiences of teachers when implementing curriculum adaptation in inclusive schools.
Introduction. The common educational space of Russia and Belarus is a condition for deepening integration processes underpinned by common historical roots, long experience of common development, goals and principles of cooperation. However, many aspects, including the prerequisites and factors of studentsʼ acceptance of digital technologies in higher education, are not sufficiently studied. The aim of the article is to present the results of research into the psychological factors of digital educational environment acceptance by students of Russian and Belarusian universities. Materials and Methods. The study involved 1 582 students from universities in Russia and Belarus aged 21,3 ± 6,3 years. To identify personality traits, Big Five Inventory-2 was used. The resources of self-regulation were determined using Personal Self-Activation Inventory and Self-Regulation Style Questionnaire. To determine the attitude to learning in the digital educational environment, AUDEE Scale was used, and to determine the attitude to learning activities – Activity-Related Experiences Assessment Technique. Results. The most important factors of digital educational environment acceptance for both samplings (Russia and Belarus) are not personality traits but activity-related experiences: the experience of pleasure in the absence of experiences of effort and void leads to acceptance of the digital educational environment. Modeling of significant conditions for achieving goals, evaluation of results and programming of actions, and insistency for the Belarusian sampling were also noted as important elements of digital educational environment acceptance. Therefore, the main factors are not the personality traits of the student, but the experiences that s/he experiences during the learning activity and some structural components of self-regulation. Similarity in models’ quality and structure for two different countries supports the reliability of the results and serves a basis for practical recommendations for digital educational environment development and preparing students for work in it. Discussion and Conclusions. The conclusions made by the authors contribute to the problem of studentsʼ attitude to the university’s digital educational environment. The materials of the article can be useful for university administration and teaching staff to improve both the university’s digital educational environment and the methods of teaching using digital educational environment.
This study aimed to determine the level of professional competencies for teachers of intellectual disability in early childhood from their point of view in the Riyadh region and to identify the differences at that level according to the variable years of experience, academic qualification, and location of the program. The study sample consisted of (92) teachers of intellectual disability in early childhood in the Riyadh region, who were selected by random sampling method. To achieve the study's objectives, the researcher prepared a scale of competencies for teachers of intellectual disability in early childhood. The scale consisted of (47) items distributed over six sub-dimensions, which were responded to using the five-year Likert scale for the level of proficiency. After their psychometric criteria were verified, they were applied to the sample of the study in order to extract the results that showed that the level of possession of professional competencies by intellectual disability teachers in early childhood was generally at a high level. The arithmetic mean of the scale as a whole was (3.87).
The purpose of this study is to examines specifically on the competencies of mainstream teacher in inclusive program. The three objectives were to identify the competencies in evaluation and monitoring, teaching strategies and classroom management. This case study was conducted at three school involving 15 mainstream teachers. The data collection period was four months. Data collection methods used were observation, interviews and document analysis. The observation was conducted five times in the classroom. Two sets of interview questions were set up and used in four interview sessions. The finding showed that all participant agreed with the 25 characteristic of competencies need to be acquired by mainstream teacher in inclusive education. However, results indicated that participants were not fully competent in teaching inclusive classroom in the context of evaluation and monitoring, teaching strategies and classroom management. For competencies in evaluation and monitoring, only 40% of mainstream teacher had achieved, in teaching strategies 36.77% and in classroom management 23.23%. It is suggested that mainstream teachers should have go for in-service training to ensure they have better competencies in teaching the inclusive education program in the future. Competencies in teaching inclusive education is important in order to achieve successful inclusion for student with learning disabilities in school.
This study examined the teaching competencies perceived by special needs education teachers to be essential for inclusive education. Entrenched in inclusive pedagogy, this descriptive study draws on a sample of 24 special needs education primary school teachers purposively drawn from Midlands educational province of Zimbabwe. Throughout the analysis of data, a constant comparative approach of the organization of data with continual adjustment was used. The study found that participants perceived screening and assessment, differentiation of instruction, classroom and behavior management, and collaboration to be key competencies required of teachers for inclusive education. Pre-service and in-service training of teachers in these key competencies could facilitate successful and effective implementation of inclusive education through equipping them to respond to child diversity. This study could serve as a baseline for future research on key competencies of teachers for inclusive education.
Teacher efficacy refers to a teacher's belief in their competence in a given situation. Teacher efficacy has been extensively researched including in the context of inclusive education for students with special needs. This study aims to conduct a literature review on the predictors and consequences of teacher efficacy in the setting of inclusive education. Online literature search was conducted across three databases, namely ERIC, ProQuest, and ScienceDirect. The keywords used in the search was ("Special Educational Needs (SEN)" OR "inclusion) AND (" antecedent "OR" consequence ") AND" teacher self-efficacy. A total of 33 articles (N = 3472) were reviewed through a series of screening steps based on established inclusion and exclusion criteria. The findings show that teacher efficacy predictors come from internal (e.g. knowledge, personality profiles, experience interacting with disabled people, teaching experience, an experience of training) or external (e.g. school climate). Teacher efficacy can have an impact on attitudes and behaviors towards inclusion, work attitude (e.g. burnout, job satisfaction), collective self-efficacy, and student-related decision making (referral bias). There are contradictory research findings and limited research on the impact of teacher self-efficacy on the development of students with special needs. Suggestions for further research in Indonesia will be discussed.
This paper explores the need for innovative leadership in teacher education in the Canadian context, with a particular call for renewed professional development of current teachers. Within a country defined as multicultural, recent demographic shifts, interregional migration, growing ethnic diversity, and the emergence of a paradigm of inclusion, contemporary classrooms are evolving at a pace faster than projected. While inclusive education emerged from the growth of services for children with disabilities, it is now a concept much broader than initially con-ceived. Expanded concepts of learner differences are necessitating an urgent need for leadership in redeveloping effective training for current teachers. This paper argues that ongoing professional development must be characterized by six focus areas in order to empower teachers with pragmatic skills to balance the needs of their diverse classes. The authors conclude that a first step in this process is training for administrators who lead professional development in schools.
The aim of this article is to discuss and clarify the general framework of teachers' competencies. The general framework regarding teacher competencies were explained in nine different dimensions as field competencies, research competencies, curriculum competencies, lifelong learning competencies, social-cultural competen cies, emotional competencies, communication competencies, information and communication technologies competencies (ICT) and environmental competencies. Teachers' competencies affect their values, behaviors, communication, aims and practices in school and also they support professional development and curricular studies. Thus, the discussion on teachers' competencies to improve the teaching-learning process in school is of great importance.
This study investigates teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge, professional beliefs, work-related motivation, and self-regulation as aspects of their professional competence. Specifically, it examines how these aspects impact instruction and, in turn, student outcomes. In a nationally representative sample of 194 German secondary school mathematics classes, multiple measures were used to assess teacher competence, instructional quality, and students’ achievement and motivation. The effect of teachers’ professional competence on student outcomes was estimated in a 1-year repeated-measures design. Two-level structural equation models revealed positive effects of teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge, enthusiasm for teaching, and self-regulatory skills on instructional quality, which in turn affected student outcomes. In contrast, teachers’ general academic ability did not affect their instruction. The multidimensional model of teachers’ professional competence introduced in this article seems suited to stimulate further research on the personal indicators of teacher quality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved)
This article reports on a study that investigated the extent to which central ministry policy initiatives result in large‐scale educational change in developing countries. Specifically, Lesotho's policy of inclusive special education was examined as a case study. The study employed a multi‐method approach to yield a large data‐set. Results indicate that policy implementation was limited in both depth (the approaches to inclusive education in some schools) and breadth (the number of schools that have received training in inclusive education). Where implementation was present, perceived teacher knowledge and skill was a strong predictor of success and teachers had positive attitudes toward children with disabilities.
This study examined concerns of 603 pre-service teachers regarding the inclusion of students with disabilities into regular schools prior to teachers obtaining training in special education. The sample of the study was selected from tertiary institutions located in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, and Singapore. It was found that participants from Hong Kong and Singapore were significantly more concerned than participants from Australia and Canada. Three variables: confidence in teaching students with disabilities, knowledge of local disability policies or acts, and contact with persons with disabilities were found to be related significantly to their overall concern levels. The results of the study are discussed with possible implications for teacher educators.
This paper reports the results of an international study examining pre-service teacher reports of teaching self-efficacy for inclusive education; principally focusing on the explanatory relationship between a scale designed to measure teaching self-efficacy in this area and key demographic variables within Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. The study builds on earlier work by this research team on attitudes towards inclusion and offers a more comprehensive picture of pre-service teachers' preparedness to teach in inclusive classrooms. Data were collected from 380 pre-service teachers in four countries. Results indicated that strong international differences existed. Other factors impacting responses regarding teaching self-efficacy for inclusion include the type of teacher preparation program offered by the institution; variations in the level of knowledge about inclusion law and policy; previous interactions with people with disabilities; confidence levels in teaching people with disabilities; and, prior teaching experience and training in working with students with disabilities. Implications for ongoing development of international teacher preparation programs are discussed within the context of improving self-efficacy.
This study examined the current skill levels of regular primary and secondary school teachers in Delhi, India in order to teach students with disabilities in inclusive education settings. A total of 223 primary school teachers and 130 secondary school teachers were surveyed using a two-part questionnaire. Part-one of the questionnaire collected background information of the respondents. Part-two was a Likert scale which required the teachers to indicate their perceived current skill levels on a list of competencies needed to implement inclusion. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-tests. The major findings were that nearly 70% of the regular school teachers had neither received training in special education nor had any experience teaching students with disabilities. Further, 87% of the teachers did not have access to support services in their classrooms. Finally, although both primary and secondary school teachers rated themselves as having limited or low competence for working with students with disabilities, there was no statistically significant difference between their perceived skill levels. The implications for teacher training in India are discussed in terms of the different models that can improve teacher quality for inclusive education.
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview and research summary of peer-delivered Corrective Reading instruction. Emphasis is placed on a program entitled Project PALS (Peer-Assisted Learning System) conducted in Washington State. It has been shown that Project PALS can improve the reading performance of high school students who have difficulty reading, including students at risk for school failure and those identified to receive special education services. Finally, areas of future research are discussed.
Teachers are expected to accommodate an increasingly heterogeneous student population. However, teachers often feel ill prepared and, hence, may be apprehensive toward the inclusion of students with special education needs (SEN) in regular classrooms. This paper concerns factors associated with the successful implementation of inclusive education. More specifically , it considers teacher characteristics that may facilitate-or hinder-the inclusion of students with SEN. The paper first discusses teacher compe-tencies concerning the accommodation of students with SEN in regular classrooms, not only as a determinant of effective inclusive practice, but also in relation to teacher attitudes toward inclusive education. Second, we investigate to what extent teacher' attitudes, both toward students with SEN and inclusive education, may affect teaching behaviors and (positive) action toward students with SEN. The paper further discusses (training) methods that could be applied to increase teacher competence and foster positive attitudes in an attempt to strive to a more equitable educational system.
The study aimed to explore the teaching competencies teachers in Ghana perceived as important to their teaching in inclusive classrooms. Using a quantitative research approach, 163 regular school teachers from two geographic regions of Ghana completed a 14-item questionnaire titled Perceived Competencies for Inclusive Teaching Scale and an open-ended question about the supportive resources they require to be effective in their classrooms. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA and t-tests were used to analyse the data and the results showed that Adapting Instructional Materials, Behaviour Management, among others were important competencies. Teachers in multigrade classrooms considered particular skills are important, reflecting their challenging roles. The respondents also identified the availability of teaching materials, support teachers, more training as key support resources, which will enhance their effectiveness in the classroom. We discuss the implications for future teacher training.
SEN student have right for appropriate education, based on their interests, needs and abilities together with their peers. Does teacher in regular school possesses required general and specific competency and knowledge for SEN student teaching is the main question in the field of compulsory education. To work in inclusive classroom, teacher has to know specific characteristics about disabilities, strategy of teaching and develop personal competencies to create stimulating environment for learning. This study want to discuss teacher personal perception of their own competency for teaching SEN student in early and compulsory regular education. Sample is conducted from 100 early and compulsory teachers, employed in regular schools. For this study questionnaire was created. In first part there are general questions about age, level of education, experience working in school. Second part includes 47 items divided in 7 areas, experience with SEN students, attitudes about disabilities, knowledge, acceptance, professional support in school. Results shows that about 70% of examined teacher have none or very little knowledge about teaching SEN students, and their attitudes are mostly negative but younger teachers experience higher competencies. Further, some teachers that have positive attitudes about inclusive education would not accept SEN student if could make choice. Competencies of examined teacher in regular school are not equally developed. Reason for those findings, in some aspect, could be found in teacher training college program which has been changed in last decades. According to results, and teachers personal perception of their own competency, conclusion that teachers do not have necessary skills and competency can be made.
This study reports new analyses from an earlier study by Antil, Jenkins, Wayne, & Vadasy (1998) in which 21 general education classroom teachers were interviewed about their use of cooperative learning. We report teachers' perceptions of how cooperative learning benefits special education and remedial students, the percentage of these students who consistently participated in classroom cooperative learning activities, its efficacy for these students, and the kind of modifications teachers made for students with special needs. Teachers were generally positive about cooperative learning's efficacy for students with learning problems, while acknowledging that it worked better for some students than others. Major benefits were improved self-esteem, a safe learning environment, and better classroom success rates and products. The primary modification for special and remedial education students was selecting suitable partners for them.
The sixth edition of Creating Inclusive Classrooms: Effective and Reflective Practices for All Students goes beyond the typical inclusion text in its reflective discussions on how to teach students with varying learning abilities. The text contains all of the core information that an inclusion text requires and then takes the reader to a higher level by including issues of gender, race, ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status, and family structures.
This study responds to a call for research into existing teacher-education programmes and their impact on teacher candidates' attitudes. An inclusive education course that examined the difference between ‘soft inclusion’ (inclusion which addresses the issue of place rather than substance of learning) and genuine inclusion was used to explore pre-existing teacher candidate beliefs and assumptions. Using the Opinions Relative to Mainstreaming-Adapted, four classes of students from two different teacher-preparation programmes within the Faculty of Education at York University in Toronto, Canada, were surveyed pre- and post-course. A statistically significant change in the scores was found for all of the classes. A significant difference was also found between the changes in scores of the two programme groups. Results indicate that the course was successful at shifting preservice students towards inclusion and gave the students a foundation that will hopefully translate into practice.
This paper derives from research carried out in a number of Botswana primary schools on teachers' understanding of curriculum adaptations for learners who experience learning difficulties (LD) as part of implementing inclusive education. Teachers' understanding play a crucial role in how they make curriculum accessible for learners with LD during the teaching and learning processes. Interviews with 12 teachers and classroom observations were conducted in six primary schools in urban, semi-urban and rural areas. The data was analysed using qualitative procedures, and results of the study revealed that teachers' understanding of curriculum adaptations seemed embedded within the concept of remedial education where learners with LD are assisted outside the scheduled time of the lesson. The results also showed that teachers' main focus on completing the set curriculum in preparation for examinations compromised curriculum access of learners with LD in general education classrooms.
Developing more equitable education systems, in which the link between disadvantage, education and life chances can be effectively
challenged, is central to establishing a more just society. This presents policymakers, educators and researchers with a moral
imperative to act to move education systems in more equitable directions. However, there has been relatively little explicit
discussion about what a more equitable education system would actually look like, nor of how the values of equity can be made
integral to research, policy, and practice, and used to drive reform.
The purpose of this study was to identify the attitudes and concerns of teachers toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in the general classroom. The findings indicate that teachers in Botswana have somewhat negative attitudes with some concern about inclusive education. Significant correlation was observed between attitudes and concerns (r = .323). The results also reveal that many regular teachers feel unprepared and fearful to work with learners with disabilities in regular classes and so display frustration, anger, and negative attitudes toward inclusive education because they believe that it could lead to lower academic standards.
This article begins with a description of Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) for Grades 2-6. We then offer the perspective of a teacher who has used PALS with her 3rd-grade classes. We next describe a decade of research and development that supports use of PALS reading with students with learning disabilities. We briefly mention more recent work that extends PALS reading downward to kindergarten and 1st grade and upward into high school. And we conclude by describing 2 important limitations in our research and identifying areas for future investigation.
This article describes one school's year-long effort to provide equitable access to the core curriculum to a very culturally, linguistically, and academically diverse student body while increasing teachers' needs for responsive professional development by piloting a dramatic change in the special education service delivery system with the support of professors from a local university. First, the authors briefly examine the literature on collaboration, co-teaching, and differentiated instruction. Next, they describe what happened at Bienvenidos Elementary School with regard to collaboration, co-teaching, and differentiated instruction. The authors do this by organizing the outcomes according to the Six Principles of Whole Schooling that are the philosophical underpinnings of this journal; namely: (1) empowering citizens for democracy; (2) including all; (3) providing authentic, multi-level instruction; (4) building community; (5) supporting learning; and (6) partnering with parents and community. The authors close with a preview of the school team's goals and vision for the second year of its journey toward whole schooling. (Contains 1 figure.)
This study examines how teachers actually cope with behavioural problems of included students. In order to understand the impact of individual differences on teachers' coping strategies, the authors looked at the relationship between these strategies and teachers' democratic beliefs and self‐efficacy. Participants were 33 teachers in Israel, who teach inclusive classes (1st–3rd grade). Data were collected through classroom observations, teacher interviews and questionnaires. In the interviews, teachers reported that they preferred helpful strategies as a solution to behavioural problems; however, classroom observation revealed that teachers actually used more restrictive responses. These results indicated that there is a gap between teachers' hypothetical knowledge and their applications of this knowledge in authentic classroom situations. In addition, positive correlations were found between teachers' democratic beliefs, teacher efficacy and the use of helpful strategies in regard to different behavioural problems. Practical implications for teacher education are discussed.
John Holland, of the Humberside Special Needs Support Service, and Corinne Ludford, who teaches at the Bridlington School, North Humberside, cosider the effects of bereavement on children in schools and suggest ways of helping them. Evidence indicates that bereavement can impact heavily on the child resulting in vulnerability. The consequent problems were recognied in the recent Code of Practice on the Identification & Assessment of Special Educational Needs (1994) as potentially affecting the progress of children. Bereavement and associated problems are discussed in the context of the authors' small scale research in secondary schools in Humberside, and ways of helping the bereaved child in order to reduce special educational needs are suggested.
The major purpose of the study was to examine what constitutes effective teaching as defined by measured increases in student
learning with a focus on the instructional behaviors and practices. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analyses and hierarchical
linear modeling (HLM) were used to identify teacher effectiveness levels while controlling for student-level and class/school-level
variables. Actual achievement of 1936 third grade students in 85 classrooms on the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) Assessment
results in English, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science were compared to expected achievement resulting in an indicator
of teacher effectiveness. Based on student learning gains, teachers were divided into quartiles. The statistical modeling
approach facilitated comparisons of outcomes that were free of influences of identified extraneous variables. A double blind
design was selected for in-depth cross-case studies with teachers from the highest quartile representing highly effective
teachers (N = 5) and the lowest quartile the less effective teachers (N = 6). The observation team assessed the third grade teachers (N = 11) based 20 categories within four domains: instruction, student assessment, classroom management, and personal qualities.
Key findings indicate that effective teachers scored higher across the four domains. Additionally, effective teachers tended
to ask a greater number of higher level (e.g., analysis) questions and had fewer incidences of off-task behavior than ineffective
teachers. The exploratory study identified instructional behaviors and practices of teachers that result in higher student
learning gains.
Teacher Efficacy and Classroom Management Among Botswana Junior Secondary School Teachers.” PhD diss
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