Managing current developments in SEN and inclusion: developing confidence in new teachers

Abstract

Developments in special and inclusive education have lead to increasing challenges for teachers. Initial Teacher Education has struggled to keep pace with these developments and equip all newly qualified teachers with the skills required to meet the needs of children with SEN. This paper reflects upon recent national initiatives designed to increase student teachers’ skills and confidence through a specialised placement and the Training and Development Agency’s ‘SEN and/or Disabilities Training Toolkit’. It considers the implications for managers of ITE programmes as they deliver these initiatives within a curriculum of competing priorities.

Measuring attitudes towards inclusion among university students pursuing education degrees: descriptive study (Medición de actitudes de estudiantes universitarios de magisterio hacia la inclusión: estudio descriptivo)

“…Dada la necesidad de fomentar la inclusión en el aula, el papel predominante que juegan las actitudes hacia la inclusión de los docentes en activo, o los futuros docentes (estudiantes de magisterio) y a la escasez de estudios que aborden esta problemática en el contexto español, el presente estudio, pese a las limitaciones, supone un primer paso para analizar y cuestionar la importancia que la actitud tiene en los procesos inclusivos que los futuros docentes deberán afrontar. En esta línea, la literatura refleja que la preparación de los futuros docentes requiere el diseño de una formación que les dote de conocimientos, habilidades y experiencias acorde a las retos y desafíos que la diversidad y necesidades presentes en las aulas (Richards, 2010). Aunque los estudiantes universitarios aprenden durante gran parte de sus carreras contenidos teóricos, estos no parecen suficiente una vez se enfrentan a la realidad del aula (Kent & Giles, 2016).…”

“…Given the need to foster inclusion in the classroom, the predominant role played by the attitudes towards inclusion among working teachers or future teachers (education students), coupled with the scarcity of studies examining this problem in Spain, this study, despite its limitations, is a first step towards analysing and questioning the importance of attitude in the inclusive processes with which future teachers will have to grapple. In this vein, the literature shows that future teachers need an education designed to provide them with knowledge, skills and experiences in line with the challenges of diversity and the needs found in the classroom (Richards, 2010). Even though university students learn theoretical content for much of their academic careers, this does not seem to be sufficient once they are dealing with the reality in the classroom (Kent & Giles, 2016).…”

Supporting all children to reach their potential: practitioner perspectives on creating an inclusive school environment

“…Lack of pre-service training relating to SEN is not solely confined to TAs but is also relevant to trainee teachers before they enter the teaching profession (Kendall 2016). Richards (2010) suggests that there is a wide variation in the quality and quantity of training around SEN within Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and concedes that schools were expected to provide most of the training on SEN. This variable experience resulted in many newly qualified teachers feeling unprepared and not confident in teaching children with SEN, an issue also identified by Florian and Black-Hawkins (2011).…”