Characteristics of primary teacher training programmes on inclusion: a literature focus

Background: The implementation of inclusive education creates challenges for classroom teachers who have to meet the learning needs of students with and without special educational needs (SEN). Research has revealed that teachers’ readiness and willingness to accommodate the learning needs of students with SEN was determined by their training. Though much research on teacher training and inclusive education has been conducted over two decades, less is known about the adequacy of such training in terms of components and effectiveness.

Purpose: The purpose of this review is to present a focused analysis of: (1) studies that examined, in detail, the components of teacher training programmes for pre-service or in-service teachers in regular primary schools in terms of content, length, etc., and (2) consideration of the effectiveness of these training programmes.

Design and methods: The literature review was restricted to empirical studies published in international peer-reviewed journals after 1994 (i.e. since the Salamanca statement was signed) by using the electronic browser ‘EBSCO host Complete’. After applying the keywords ‘teacher’ and ‘educator’, they were combined with the following terms: training, disabilities, inclusion, inclusive education, impairment, special educational needs, children with special needs and disorder. The search was deliberately restricted to papers where study participants were pre-service or in-service teachers in regular primary schools, and ultimately yielded a small core of 13 studies for detailed review. The first research question was analysed in terms of the training programme’s structure and content, covering aspects such as type of disability, topic, length, medium of course delivery and learning activities. For the second research question, the effectiveness of the quantitative studies was evaluated based on the Cohen’s d effect size, whereas the qualitative studies were considered as effective based on the calculation of percentage of non-overlapping data (PND).

Conclusions: Analysis indicated that the majority of training programmes focused on attitude, knowledge and skills. The training programmes were also centred on what might be considered short-term practice and supplemented with field experiences. Although the training programmes appeared to have positive effects on teachers’ attitudes, knowledge and skills, follow-up sessions and students’ outcomes measures may increase training effectiveness.     

What makes special-education teachers special? Teacher training and achievement of students with disabilities

Using statewide data from Florida, we analyze the impact of both pre-service and in-service training on the ability of teachers to promote academic achievement among students with disabilities. We find students with disabilities whose teacher is certified in special education have greater achievement in both math and reading than similar students whose teacher is not special-education certified. However, students without disabilities experience slightly lower achievement when taught by a special-education certified teacher. In-service professional development has no effect on the value-added of teachers in special education courses, but non-disabled students whose regular education teachers received special education training exhibit modestly higher achievement. Similarly, the gain in effectiveness associated with teacher experience is greater for teachers of regular education courses than for teachers of special education courses. Teachers with advanced degrees are more effective in boosting the math achievement of students with disabilities than are those with only a baccalaureate degree.     

高师院校英语教师职前与职后教育衔接策略

高师院校作为一个承上启下的教师教育基地,在英语教师的职前教育与职后培养中起着至关重要的作用。从我国当前教师职前教育与职后培养的实际出发,立足教师的专业化发展,构建一个机构合理、体系完整、内容科学的教师教育一体化运行模式,是高校教师教育改革的必经之路。针对高师院校对英语专业师范生的职前教育与教师职后培养衔接中的现存问题,以教师发展终身化为标准,依据资源配置原则,从培养目标、课程设置、师资队伍建设、师德教育程度四大方面,提出促进高师院校英语教师职前与职后教育衔接的策略和可行性建议。     

高校特教专业学生教育实习现状的调查与思考

高校特教师范生在教育实习工作中态度积极、专业准备较为理想,环境适应能力强、实习内容多样,善于总结与反思、实习效果较佳。但在实习过程中也存在实习时间安排不甚合理、实习生综合素质有待提高、指导教师指导效果不良、考核评价体系不完善等诸多问题。因此,教育实习改进不仅需要师范生不断增强专业知识和能力、提升专业素养,也需要高校改革传统实习模式、加强实习管理。     

Necessity for Use of a Non-Language Mental Test in Group Intelligence Testing

ABSTRACT. Understanding how labels and prior training affect teachers of students with a disability is a step toward creating effective educational environments. Two goals of the present study were to examine how teacher training (special education vs. general education training) and labeling of students (either as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or not) affected teachers’ memory attributes of a hypothetical student, and to identify whether teacher training and label type influenced how they would respond in a student-initiated conflict. The results suggest that the presence or absence of a label affected general education teachers, with these teachers recalling a greater proportion of hindering behaviors when no label was provided. However, independent of labeling condition, general education teachers tended to endorse a mediation approach when compared to special education teachers. Findings of this study inform educators’ present knowledge about disability training in regard to certification training type and the use of labels.     

Improving teaching self-efficacy for teachers in inclusive classrooms in Hong Kong

This study investigated changes in teacher self-efficacy for inclusive practice using a mixed method research design. Participants were 417 in-service teachers in Hong Kong taking a 1-week basic teacher-training course about inclusive education. Data were collected pre and post participation in the course using the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices Scale (TEIP). A series of five in-depth focus-group interviews provided greater clarification of the perceptions and efficacy issues of teachers. The best predictors to participants’ teaching self-efficacy were confidence in teaching students with special education needs (SEN) and knowledge of legislation and policies for inclusive practice. From the focus-groups, results demonstrated a more positive attitude change towards students with SEN with a number of essential factors emerging as highly beneficial for inclusive teaching in Hong Kong (i.e. caring and love, school environment and curriculum adaption). The discussion considers the role of short training programmes as an appropriate means to improving self-efficacy for teaching within inclusive classrooms in Hong Kong.     

Using technology to educate deaf and hard of hearing children in rural Alaskan general education settings

Teachers in Alaskan rural schools were surveyed on their use of instructional technology. The surveyed teachers included the entire population of certified elementary and secondary school classroom teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students in these schools. Respondents generally were older, more experienced, elementary level female teachers who were relatively well educated. Almost half of the respondents held special education certification; about 25% had an endorsement in deaf education. Data analysis indicates that educators who use instructional technology, either in curriculum or broad agenda formats, may be older, hold an advanced degree and secondary education certification, benefit from in-service training on site, are connected to the Internet, and actively use the technology available at their schools. Most of the surveyed educators identified lack of training in the use and integration of software as a barrier to increased classroom use of technology. Based on the study findings, recommendations are made concerning the training needs of teachers in rural Alaska.     

湖北省特校教师在职培训模式研究

在职培训模式研究是当前特教教师专业化成长领域中研究的热点。本研究通过问卷调查及教师访谈,对湖北省70所特校教师培训现状、问题与策略进行了研究,结果表明,特教教师在职培可供选择有6种模式,即＂以学校为中心＂反思式校本培训、＂以龙头校引领片区校＂合作研究、特教专家巡回指导、特教高校集中培训、远程培训、职前培养与在职教育一体化。加大每一种模式的应用实践效果的研究是下一步研究工作的方向。     

Effects of biology teachers’ professional knowledge and cognitive activation on students’ achievement

This study examined the effects of teachers’ biology-specific dimensions of professional knowledge – pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and content knowledge (CK) – and cognitively activating biology instruction, as a feature of instructional quality, on students’ learning. The sample comprised 39 German secondary school teachers whose lessons on the topic neurobiology were videotaped twice. Teachers’ instruction was coded with regard to cognitive activation using a rating manual. Multilevel path analysis results showed a positive significant effect of cognitive activation on students’ learning and an indirect effect of teachers’ PCK on students’ learning mediated through cognitive activation. These findings highlight the importance of PCK in preservice biology teachers’ education. Items of the rating manual may be used to provide exemplars of concrete teaching situations during university seminars for preservice teacher education or professional development initiatives for in-service teachers.     

Modelling inclusive special needs education: insights from Dutch secondary schools

Inclusive special needs education is prominent on the international education agenda. Research on the characteristics of inclusive education for students with special needs and schools providing this is scarce, however. Our aim in the present study was therefore to further theory-building with regard to inclusive special needs education. On the basis of the relevant literature, we identified three core aspects of inclusivity: the learning environment, the guidance provided by teachers and the general care structure. With the help of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses conducted on data obtained from school professionals in 79 secondary schools in the Netherlands, we were able to identify 12 underlying characteristics for a conceptual framework to further research on the inclusive nature of schools and education. Multilevel structural equation modelling of the judgments of school professionals at the level of the school also showed that the inclusive special needs education in at least secondary schools can be characterised by two main factors: (1) learning environment and (2) guidance and care. The analyses showed considerable agreement on the important aspects of inclusivity for schools and thus how differences between schools can be explained. The results further showed the work of the care coordinator – which includes cooperation with external partners and teachers with mentoring roles – to be the clearest indicator of the extent of the inclusive special needs education within schools. This finding is interpreted as suggesting that the recommended teaching practices and student care for adequate included special needs education have not yet been integrated into teachers’ thinking and acting. Follow-up research drawing upon the developed framework is therefore called for to not only more generally validate the framework but also determine if the situation in school has changed, now that the policy and practices for inclusive education have become more familiar.     

Secondary teachers’ experiences with students with disabilities: examining the global landscape

This study contributes to the international conversation about the education for students with disabilities at the secondary level by providing some international data about secondary teachers’ training and experiences with inclusive practices. Teacher leaders from 20 different countries participated in this exploratory survey research about the context in which they work, their experiences and their training as related to their efficacy to educate individuals with disabilities. We acknowledge that efficacy and teacher training for inclusion are predominated by a discourse defined through Western best practice. We learned that despite variations in the countries’ concept of disability and their implementation of inclusive educational systems, the teachers had moderately high self-efficacy for inclusive practices yet had limited training and experience with students with special needs. Results are discussed in relation to the preparation of secondary teachers for educating students with special needs.     

Promotion of experimental learning through peer group seminars

Peer group tutoring is defined and described as a method of organising education courses whereby pre- and in-service students and teachers learn new knowledge and skills. Its use as a means of promoting personal development, particularly with respect to communication skills, is also considered. Courses in which this mode has been used are described and evaluated and the methodology explained. The advantages and disadvantages of peer group tutoring are considered in a wider context but with special reference to the education and training of teachers. The broad conclusion is that such a methodology is very appropriate if incorporated as part of the education and training of teachers where the subject matter lends itself to it.     

Special education and subject teachers’ self‐perceived readiness to teach mathematics to low‐performing middle school students

Educational reforms during the last decade have led to a more inclusive environment for students with different needs and have placed demands on teachers’ readiness to instruct diverse students in the general classroom. Previous research has ascertained that student achievement is correlated with teacher quality and teachers’ efficacy beliefs. Today, basic competence in mathematics is more important than ever for managing routine day‐to‐day activities and therefore, identifying and educationally supporting students with low performance in mathematics is necessary. The aim of the study was to investigate the perceived teacher efficacy beliefs of special education and mathematics teachers when teaching mathematics to low‐performing middle school students. Results indicated that special education teachers had higher teacher efficacy beliefs than mathematics teachers. Teacher experience, certification or gender had no effect on teachers’ efficacy beliefs. Furthermore, subject teachers reported high pedagogical knowledge for teaching low‐performing students, and special education teachers reported having moderate mathematical subject knowledge.     

In-service training for teachers involved in link schemes: a consultative process

This article reviews the background to the current development of link schemes offering students (pupils) in mainstream and special settings an experience of functional integration. It documents the design and evaluation of in-service training for Irish teachers involved in developing link programmes. The content of two training workshops and the teachers' evaluation of their impact are presented, and recommendations for further development and evaluation of an in-service training process are suggested.     

教师教育技术能力培训的三要素模式

教师的在职教育被认为是促进教师提高自身素养、提高教学质量的重要举措。对教师在职教育的重要性和意义的认识已经成为基本共识,但是如何提高教师在职教育的成效仍然是人们关注并进行研究的重要问题。在对需求导向的陕西农村中小学教师教育技术能力培训项目所设计、实施的培训进行总结的基础上,参考四要素教学设计模型,文章提出针对教师教育技术能力培训的三要素模式,即学习任务、条件性知识和后续支持。     

Do different routes to becoming a special educator produce different understandings of the profession and its core concepts?

There are multiple routes to becoming a special educator in Norway. In recent years, bachelor's degree programmes have offered an alternative to the traditional path in which special education coursework is taken as a part of teacher education. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether these different programmes produce different understandings of the special education profession and its core concepts. We surveyed 27 bachelor students and 36 teacher education students using open-ended questions concerning their future goals and expectations and the concepts of ‘inclusion,’ ‘learning disability,’ and ‘special educator’. Teacher education students were more likely to: (a) view inclusion from a broad perspective, emphasizing a sense of belonging and community, (b) define the concept of learning disability from a categorical perspective, and (c) perceive special educators as essentially ‘expert’ teachers for children with special needs. Bachelor’s degree students also emphasized special educators’ role in supporting individuals with special needs, yet were more likely to apply a relational perspective when describing the concept of learning disability.