Students with special educational needs and cooperative learning in the ordinary classroom: some learnings from teaching practice

Abstract

This article presents the results of a study to determine the strategies used by teachers to include students with special educational needs in regular classrooms, primarily using Cooperative Learning strategies. It aims to identify the factors of inclusive learning in order to enhance the participation and learning of all students in the classroom and in their cooperative teams. A qualitative case study was carried out in the context of the teachers participating in a postgraduate course expert in cooperative learning' offered by the University of Alcal a (Spain), over a period of six years (2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015)(2016)(2017), involving the participation of 176 professional teachers. All the participants attended an annual university continuous training course on cooperative learning. Document analysis, in-depth interviews and a questionnaire designed ad hoc were used. The conclusions include the importance of cooperative work in facilitating inclusive education, with a variety of different strategies used to respond to all students' needs, and those with special educational needs in particular, and the coordination required between teachers and special educational needs specialists to implement those strategies.

Rethinking teacher training from an inclusive and community dialogical perspective

“…Vilela-Ribeiro, Benite, and Vilela (2013) affirm that the ideal of an alleged inclusive society "goes beyond the limits of the ideals of a democratic society and fundamentally consists of a society striving to accommodate the differences of all subjects". The provision of sufficient and genuinely inclusive programmes (2020) is advantageous for everyone involved as it facilitates "the cultivation of constructive attitudes, advancements in academic and social competencies, readiness for community life, compulsion for social engagement and enhancement of the teacher's technical abilities" (Ainscow & Sandill, 2010;Correia, 2013;De Silva & Wijesekara, 2021;Dingle, Faver, Givner, & Haager, 2004;Downing & Peckham-Harding, 2007;Florian, 2014;Furlan et al, 2020;Haug, 2017;Medina, López, & De Britto, 2022;Perlado Lamo de Espinosa, Muñoz Martínez, & Torrego Seijo, 2021 ;Sarraj & Alshehri, 2021;Stainback & Stainback, 1999;Völlinger & Supanc, 2020, Vilela-Ribeiro et al, 2013. This global perspective depending on "respect and protection for these individuals still requires considerable room for improvement where these issues are simply forgotten or hidden by communities, families and political power" (Morgado, 2015).…”

Diversified Practical Teaching Models for Decorative Materials and Craftsmanship Courses under the School Enterprise Cooperation Model

“…It can provide students with a better practical environment, improve their learning efficiency, and also improve the teaching level of teachers. On campus practical training courses generally focus on theoretical courses, and some schools also arrange practical training courses related to interior design [11].…”

El aprendizaje cooperativo: Reflexiones para su implementación en aulas inclusivas

“…Los proyectos cooperativos han permitido establecer que el contacto entre pares no solo reduce considerablemente comportamientos de exclusión social, sino que promueve la cohesión social; por tanto, se hace necesario que la formación docente incluya estas metodologías para generar climas de aula que favorezcan la inclusión, fomentando equidad, justicia e igualdad de oportunidades (Muñoz Martínez et al, 2020). Ciertamente, uno de los retos más importantes que tienen los programas de formación del profesorado tienen que ver con la efectividad de la metodología del AC en estudiantes con necesidades educativas especiales (Perlado Lamo de Espinosa et al, 2021). Aun cuando el AC es considerado por futuros maestros como un elemento que favorece la promoción social y académica del alumnado, el desafío imperante es generar herramientas específicas para que esta metodología de cooperación pueda atender a niñas, niños y jóvenes con estas necesidades (Völlinger y Supanc., 2020).…”