Del estudio del caso al análisis de la situación: evolución histórica del diagnóstico psicoeducativo

Resumen

Se analizan diversos factores socioeducativos y, especialmente, teórico-profesionales, que han moldeado la función evaluativa del psicólogo escolar, determinando sus características actuales y anticipando su futuro inmediato. Este desarrollo se interpreta como un progresivo desplazamiento desde los resultados del alumno hacia el conjunto del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje, posibilitado por los avances conceptuales de la psicología instructional, la psicología social de la educatión, los modelos ecológicos del comportamiento y el movimiento de escuelas eficaces. Esta evolución implica: a) recuperar la noción de diagnóstico multifacético; b) evaluar ambientes de aprendizaje, programas y organizaciones escolares; y c) complementar, cuando no sustituir, las labores clasificatorias con las funciones intervencionistas.     

COLLABORATION BY DESIGN: INTEGRATING CORE PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT AND SPECIAL EDUCATION METHODS COURSES IN A PRESERVICE SECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAM

In this article the authors describe a collaboratively designed secondary teacher education program focused on the preparation of preservice general education teachers to work effectively with children who have diverse learning needs in inclusive classrooms. The focus of the article is on the collaborative development and initial evaluation of the program by secondary teacher education faculty and special education faculty. The instructional design emphasized a co-teaching model where principles of Universal Design for Learning and instructional adaptation were integrated and assessed in multiple courses by collaborating university faculty. Data from the initial evaluation included student teaching portfolios, formal teacher observations, and 6th- through 12th-grade student assessments. The data suggest that preservice teachers appropriately used strategies for adapting their instruction to meet the needs of students with exceptionalities.     

Motivational strategies to enhance effective learning in teaching struggling students

The challenges presented by students who struggle to connect with curriculum learning in school constitute an issue that confronts education systems worldwide. This article reviews ways in which such students can be encouraged to engage more positively in their own learning, a process that benefits both the child and the whole school community. In this article a range of strategies to do this is proposed, based on a set of theoretical considerations.