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Teachers' skills in the inclusive school system - ABSTRACT

Abstract

In specialization courses for teachers that relate to special educational needs (SEN), for an authentic inclusive school system students must be the principal point. In fact, in order to achieve real inclusion for children with disabilities, it is fundamental for support teachers to be prepared so that they can respond to students' needs.
Moreover, regular teachers must also have a good knowledge about special education, to support the inclusion of SEN students, as far as possible. They should not only bet a first point of contact, but they should have a significant role in any specialized intervention planned with support teachers.
This study focused on what needs to be included in a new scholastic system, that supports the development of an education aimed at responding to children's needs.
The example of the school system in England is enlightening: in a 2004 document, published by the Department for Education and Skill, entitled "Removing barriers to achievement. The Government strategy for SEN", the need for training in special educational at ITT (Initial Teachers Training) level has been made compulsory for every candidate teacher.
This requirement has an innovative characteristic, because it removes the absolute separation, still present today in many countries, between ordinary and support teachers.
It would be a great innovation if every country could proceed in this way, which is the only possibility to create a new scholastic system, adopting inclusive education.
In relation to this what kind of specific skills should the support teachers have in a real inclusive school system?

Keywords: Inclusive education; Special educational needs; mainstream teacher; Support teacher; An inclusive system; Support teachers' specific skills


Notes

[i] It's fundamental now cites the famous Don Milani’s sentence: “It's not possible to do the same parts between unequal persons”. For him the right school would not be for equal predisposition, but for a fair predisposition.

[ii] This definition is near at the point of view of S.I.Pe.S (Italian Society of Special Pedagogy).

[iii] On the 16th and 17th October, 2009 a Meeting was held with Auditorium Santa Margherita in Venice, the theme of which was “The support teacher in a European prospect” organized by The CIRDFA (Interfaculty Centre for the Teaching Research and the Further Training) of Marghera-Venice.

[iv] The European Curriculum for Teachers in Special Needs and Inclusive Education document was presented by Angelo Lascioli during the Meeting in Venice on the 16th and 17th October 2009.

[v] In August 2009 The Education, University and Research Italian Ministry published “The Guidelines for the school integration for disabled students” that in the third part outlines the choice of the Italian Government for the realization of an inclusive Italian school system. Such an instruction finds the approval of The Permanent Conference of the European Education Ministries, “L’apprentisage tout au long de la vie pour l’inclusion sociale”, 22nd session, Istambul 4th, 5th May 2007.


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Author: Angelo Lascioli is a Researcher in Special Education at the University of Verona, Italy.


copyright © Educare.it - Anno XIII, N. 12, dicembre 2013

DOI: 10.4440/201312/LASCIOLI