Session Information
04 SES 08A, Curriculum and the Curriculum amd development of classroom skills
Paper Session
Time:
2008-09-12
08:30-10:00
Room:
AK2 134
Chair:
Ingela Andreasson
Contribution
There is a growing tendency to integrate children with special needs into mainstream education in the Netherlands and in other countries. The integration of pupils with special needs in mainstream education is a difficult process, especially where it concerns children with behavioural problems and learning problems (Derriks, 2007; Van Leeuwen, 2007). The integration of pupils leads to new curriculum challenges for schools and teachers. It is up to the teacher to create a balanced curriculum that is in line with the specific capacities and interests of the learner with special needs.
Research question
This research focuses on the integration of pupils with mental disabilities in mainstream education. The central question is: How do teachers design and implement the curriculum for pupils with mental disabilities and what challenges do they meet in this process? This question is further specified into in three subquestions:
1. How do teacher design and implement the curriculum for pupils with mental disabilities in practice?
2. Which challenges do teachers meet in this process?
3. What knowledge and competencies are needed in this process?
In this research, the definition of curriculum refers to the content as well as the organisation of learning.
Method
A multiple case study with qualitative research methods is used to explore the first and second question. The research sample consisted of eight mainstream primary schools. Data is collected through semi-structured interviews with teachers, specialised teachers and parents; observations from lessons; analysis of school documents; analysis of sociogramms; and analysis of individual learning plans. Literature research and interviews with experts are used to answer the third question.
Expected Outcomes
Results
First outcomes of the study show that schools differ greatly in the way in which they develop and implement the curriculum, the people who are involved and their tasks and responsibilities. The surplus value of the individual learning plans for concrete actions in practice is limited: they do not give concrete guidance for practice and the quality of the content is debatable. Teachers consider their expertise in developing and implementing a tailor-made curriculum to be insufficient. There is a lack of a framework to choose learning goals; the development of the child(ren) was not followed in a systematic way; and there is a lack of learning materials. The implementation of the curriculum requires good class management; pedagogical knowledge, knowledge of the learner(s); flexibility; and the ability to improvise.
In all the cases, physical integration was realised. The pupils have a (part-time) place in a mainstream group. Functional integration differs between the several subjects and the quality of the participation was often debatable. None of the children was socially integrated.
Discussion
The role of the teacher as a developer and implementer of the curriculum requires a broad repertoire, including thorough knowledge of the learner, knowledge and skills to arrange a balanced curriculum, knowledge of the subjects, knowledge about effective strategies to enhance curricular and social integration, organisational competences, pedagogical competences, communicative competences, and reflective competences. Many of these competences also ask for a change in attitudes en beliefs.
References
Derriks, M. (2007). Paper ORD 2007. De zorgcapaciteit van leerkrachten. Amsterdam: Universiteit van Amsterdam. Leeuwen, A.B. van (2007) Tussen apart en samen. Integratie van kinderen met speciale onderwijsbehoeftes in het reguliere basisonderwijs, een exploratief onderzoek vanuit een leerplankundig perspectief. Enschede: SLO.
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