Modernization of training pedagogical specialists to work in an inclusive education environment

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Modernization of training pedagogical specialists to work in an inclusive education environment

Iryna Malyshevska

Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor,

Professor of Special Education Department,

Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University, Uman, Ukraine

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of modernization of training pedagogical specialists to work under the conditions of inclusive education. It is emphasized that inclusive education is phenomenologically connected with the development of an inclusive society, which indicates the stages of its development: exclusivity, segregation, integration, inclusion. The humanistic foundations of inclusive education are defined. It is noted that its values and principles are based on the recognition of the significance of each subject of the educational process.

The main factors influencing the preparation of pedagogical specialists to work under the conditions of inclusive education are highlighted. The main reasons for the lack of readiness of teachers to provide children with special educational needs with high-quality inclusive education are outlined.

It was found out that the training of pedagogical specialists to work in an inclusive education environment should be carried out at all levels: from the training system for higher education applicants to the system of advanced training for experienced practitioners.

It is noted that in Ukraine, the search for strategic directions for professional training of pedagogical specialists to work with children with special educational needs in the context of inclusive education has intensified. Attention is focused on promising tasks of training teachers for educational inclusion, the solution of which should be assigned to higher education institutions. It is proved that an urgent need should be to improve the content of training pedagogical specialists in the field of inclusive education.

Promising ways of preparing future pedagogical specialists in higher education institutions to work under the conditions of educational inclusion are outlined. These include the introduction of new specializations, filling curricula with inclusive disciplines, including inclusive-oriented content modules in general training courses and methods of professional disciplines of pedagogical specialties.

Keywords: inclusive education, inclusive training, children with special educational needs, ways of training, pedagogical specialists.

Problem statement

Education is one of the priority areas of the state policy of Ukraine. As a result of the influence of the world processes of democratization and humanization, foreign educational space in the modern Ukrainian educational system, a new model of education without barriers is being formed - inclusive. It is based on a humanistic philosophy that is open to the characteristics, problems, needs, abilities of the individual, on the recognition of equality and taking into account children's diversity.

The present day defines inclusive education as an educational system that ensures that all children receive high-quality education at all educational levels without restrictions by introducing inclusive education. Inclusive education is defined by the ideology of child-centrism. Its values and principles are based on the recognition of the importance of each subject of the educational process.

Socio-economic development of Ukraine determines the improvement of the theoretical and methodological basis of inclusive education. The main goal of inclusive education is not only awareness of current world trends, the latest scientific and methodological developments and achievements, but also the need to form a new mindset aimed at synthesizing scientific knowledge and tolerant attitude towards people with special educational needs. This approach updates the training of teachers who are able to work in accordance with the new methodological guidelines outlined by inclusive education.

The development of an inclusive educational system requires defining the methodological foundations for training pedagogical specialists to work in an inclusive learning environment, forming the professional ability to perform the functions of a moderator and determine the individual educational trajectory of a child with special educational needs.

Analysis of Relevant Research

Theoretical and practical aspects of training pedagogical specialists to work under the conditions of inclusive education are considered in the scientific works of domestic researchers: T. Degtiarenko, A. Kolupaieva, H. Kosareva, Z. Leniv, O. Martynchuk, O. Tranchenko, V. Zasenko and others. Scientists unanimously claim for the need for systematic training of teachers to work with children with special educational needs in an inclusive education environment. The analysis of scientific and pedagogical literature certifies various approaches to solving the problem of training and retraining of pedagogical specialists to work under the conditions of educational inclusion, based on the recognition and consideration of children's diversity in the educational process and the satisfaction of their educational needs. An analysis of their scientific research shows that teachers need to change in order to implement inclusive education. This means that they must adopt and realize a new educational paradigm, updated forms of organizing the educational process, develop a curriculum of educational, educational, correctional and developmental processes, and master pedagogical technologies for inclusive education.

The purpose of the article. The purpose of the article is to study ways to train teachers to work in an inclusive education environment.

The results and discussion

training pedagogical specialists inclusive education

The analysis of foreign and domestic experience, modern educational trends allows us to identify the main factors influencing the training of pedagogical specialists to work in the context of inclusive education, in particular:

- accelerated introduction of inclusive education for children with special educational needs in pre-school and general secondary educational institutions;

- insufficient awareness of pedagogical specialists of pre-school and general secondary educational institutions with methodological foundations of inclusive education, technological and methodological means of implementing inclusive education;

- increasing the academic component in the formation of practical professional competencies of higher education applicants necessary for working with children with special educational needs in an inclusive education environment;

- insufficient awareness of the teaching staff of higher educational institutions of the significance, features and content of professional activities of pedagogical specialists in the context of inclusive education.

The current stage of development of inclusive education in Ukraine is full of contradictions and problems. The greatest of them is not the willingness of teachers to provide children with special educational needs with high-quality inclusive education. The main reasons include:

- lack of awareness about the essence of inclusive education and ways to introduce inclusive education in pre-school and general secondary education institutions;

- open lack of understanding of the professional responsibilities of pedagogical specialists in the context of inclusive education;

- inability to teach simultaneously children with normotypic development and special educational needs in an inclusive class/group;

- teachers' fears that incompetence in inclusive education issues will become obvious to colleagues and the administration of the educational institution;

- lack of understanding of professional cooperation with various specialists (for example, an assistant teacher of an inclusive class, an assistant teacher of an inclusive group, a psychologist, a speech pathologist, a speech therapist teacher, a social teacher, a rehabilitation specialist, and others);

- support for inclusion on the part of heads of preschool and general secondary education institutions is rather weak;

- imperfect material and technical base of preschool and general secondary education institutions and its barrier-free nature, etc.

The analysis of the state of training of future specialists of the pedagogical profile indicates the unwillingness of graduates of higher pedagogical education institutions to engage in professional activities in the context of inclusive education. Studies have shown insufficient awareness of the problems of inclusive education and lack of a long-term vision of the practical implementation of team interaction in the context of inclusive education of children with special educational needs. The lack of a systematic approach to the problem of training teachers to work in educational institutions with an inclusive form of education under the conditions of pedagogical universities leads to a shortage of necessary professional competencies - future specialists have not formed a holistic view of the content of inclusive education for children with special educational needs. Under such conditions, the search and scientific justification of effective technologies for training teachers to work in an inclusive education environment becomes relevant.

Training of teachers to work with children with special educational needs in the context of inclusive education is a component of general higher teacher education. Domestic and foreign teachers agree that higher education should become a process of transforming the universal and personal experience learned in teaching (knowledge, values, skills, competence, abilities). Modern university education is focused on the formation of a new generation of specialists who are able to possess deep fundamental and specialized knowledge and collaborate creatively in an inclusive environment.

The practical implementation of the inclusive education model indirectly affects personnel policy, in particular, the formation of professional potential of pedagogical specialists who are directly involved in organizing and ensuring effective inclusive education for children with special educational needs. The lack of conceptual and theoretically based training of these specialists hinders the development of inclusive education in Ukraine.

Overcoming the above-mentioned problems requires improving the professional training of teachers in the field of inclusive education.

The system of training teachers to work with children with special educational needs in the context of inclusive education at the current stage is being reformed taking into account progressive global trends and is characterized by an innovative strategy: from institutionalization to inclusion. The innovative methodological paradigm of such reform is based on the principles of child-centrism, which involves identifying the natural inclinations of each child, creating conditions for their successful development, and promoting self-realization first in school, and then in life. The principles of child-centrism determine the strategy of providing educational services to children with special educational needs in educational institutions chosen by their parents, taking into account the specifics of organizational and pedagogical, educational and methodological and correctional and developmental support [8].

An important condition for the effectiveness of an inclusive form of education is the training of pedagogical specialists of preschool and general secondary education institutions to solve general and special tasks: defining professional functions and professional cooperation in organizing and ensuring the effective functioning of an inclusive educational environment.

According to A. Kolupaieva [2], the introduction of inclusive education should take place gradually, as qualified diverse personnel are trained and society's attitude towards children with special educational needs changes.

We agree with the opinion of O. Tranchenko who says that the priority task in the field of inclusive education is high-quality training of personnel and specialized specialists to ensure effective psychological and pedagogical support for persons with special educational needs in institutions of general secondary education [7, С. 391]. The researcher sees the modernization of the national education system in the direction of inclusive trends in the need to improve the higher pedagogical system and the system of advanced training of teachers, which involves:

- “providing special training and retraining of teachers for the implementation of inclusive practices;

- introduction of systematic organizational and methodological, advisory, educational work among teachers, parents, and the public regarding the possibilities of ensuring the variability of educational routes for children with special educational needs, provided that a certain range of accompanying services is provided” [7, С. 420-421].

Scientific researches by H. Kosareva [3], O. Martynchuk [5] prove that it is particularly important to prepare teachers of preschool and primary education to work in the context of educational inclusion. Today, primary school teachers and teachers of pre-school and general secondary educational institutions do not fully understand the essence of inclusive education, and they do not have enough relevant knowledge and skills regarding inclusive education of children's diversity. This conclusion is made based on the results of an analysis of curricula and training programs for the above-mentioned specialists, who are supposed to study only the discipline “Fundamentals of Inclusive Education”. We agree with the opinion of O. Martynchuk who mentions that “the higher educational system remains inert in terms of using existing opportunities to develop the professional competence of future teachers in the field of providing an inclusive form of education for children with special educational needs” [3].

To solve personnel problems in inclusive education T. Degtiarenko offers the introduction of new combined specialties that will provide universal knowledge to future teaching specialists at the Bachelor's level, which involves a modification of the higher educational system and provides an opportunity to ensure its succession and continuity [7, С. 332].

To provide pre-school and general secondary education institutions with pedagogical specialists competent in the field of inclusive education, Z. Leniv offers: to establish a system of international internships at leading universities in Europe and North America for young scientists studying the problems of inclusive education [4].

So, scientists note that the training of pedagogical specialists for inclusive education should be carried out at all levels: from the system of training applicants for higher education to the system of advanced training of experienced educators, teachers-practitioners, heads of educational institutions and teaching staff of higher education institutions.

Modern legislative and regulatory provisions (Laws of Ukraine “On Education”, “On General Secondary Education”, “On Preschool Education”, the concept of the New Ukrainian School, “Regulations on the Inclusive Resource Centre”, “Approximate regulations on the team of psychological and pedagogical support of a child with special educational needs in an institution of general secondary and preschool education” and others) actualize the need to train pedagogical specialists to work under the conditions of inclusive education. These documents outline progressive ideas for the introduction of inclusive innovations, define the composition, functions and role of a team of psychological and pedagogical specialists, taking into account the educational needs of children with special educational needs.

Thus, the concept of the New Ukrainian School notes that inclusive education will be encouraged in the new school, and conditions will be created for students with special educational needs to study together with their peers [6, С. 29]. The concept justifies the organization of a new educational environment focused on project, team, group activities, which will provide for the use of new options for organizing educational space (mobile workplaces, separate rooms with an open educational space) and the use of new IT technologies, new multimedia learning tools, etc. [6, С. 28].

The new school reform provides for training pedagogical specialists who are able to learn throughout life, think critically, set goals and achieve them, work in a team, communicate in a multicultural environment, perform a new role (coach, facilitator, tutor, moderator) in the individual educational trajectory of the child. Significant changes are planned in the process and content of teacher training, which consists in studying personality-oriented and competence-based approaches to managing the educational process. The concept provides for an increase in the number of teacher training models, diversification of the form of professional development (courses, seminars, webinars, online courses, conferences, selfeducation (recognition of certificates)).

The analysis of the national legislative framework shows the general trend of state policy towards the effective implementation of inclusion at all levels of education and improving the system of training teachers to work in an inclusive education environment.

Conclusions

The analysis of scientific, methodological and regulatory literature allowed us to determine ways to modernize the training of pedagogical specialists to work in an inclusive education environment:

- introduction of new specializations that will provide universal knowledge to future specialists of the pedagogical profile and their obtaining appropriate qualifications;

- including inclusive content modules in general training courses and methods of professional disciplines of pedagogical specialties;

- introduction to the curricula of pedagogical specialties of new educational courses of an inclusive direction, in particular: “Professional cooperation in an inclusive educational institution”, “Differentiated teaching in an inclusive class”, “Individual assessment of academic achievements of students with special educational needs in an inclusive class”, “Professional activity of an assistant teacher of an inclusive class”;

- conducting advanced training courses for teachers in inclusive education on the basis of higher educational institutions.

The above mentioned encourages the search for methodological aspects of preparing teachers to work in an inclusive education environment. Under such conditions, the scientific justification of effective technologies for training pedagogical specialists to work in an inclusive education environment is relevant.

Referenses:

1. Degtiarenko, T. M. (2011). Korektsiino-reabilitatsiina diialnist: stratehiia upravlinnia [Correctional and rehabilitation activities: management strategy]. Sumy: Universytetska knyha [in Ukrainian].

2. Kolupaieva, A. (2011). Stratehichni napriamy suchasnoi osvitnioi polityky Ukrainy [Strategic directions of modern educational policy of Ukraine]. In S. V. Lytovchenko, I. M. Hudym (Eds.), Dytyna iz sensornymy porushennimy: rozvytok, navchannia, vykhovannia, issue 2 (s. 5-12). Kyiv: O. T. Rostunov [in Ukrainian].

3. Kosareva, H. (2014). Pidhotovka maibutnikh vykhovateliv do vprovadzhennia inkliuzyvnykh form navchannia v osvitniu praktyku [Preparation of future educators for the introduction of inclusive forms of education in educational practice] Onovlennia zmistu, form ta metodiv navchannia i vykhovannia vzakladakh osvity, issue. 9(52) (s. 87-90). Rivne: Vyd-vo RDHU [in Ukrainian].

4. Leniv, Z. (2014). Pidhotovka kadriv dlia stvorennia optymalnykh umov ditiam z porushenniamy psykhofizychnoho rozvytku v inkliuzyvnomu seredovyshchi [Training of the staff to create optimal conditions for children with psychophysical development disorders in an inclusive environment]. Osoblyva dytyna: navchannia i vykhovannia, 3, 13-19 [in Ukrainian].

5. Martynchuk, O. V. (2014). Suchasni vymohy do profesiinoi diialnosti vchytelia pochatkovoi shkoly v umovakh inkliuzyvnoho navchannia [Modern requirements for the professional activity of primary school teachers in the context of inclusive education]. Visnyk psykholohii i pedahohiky, 16. Retrieved from http://www.psyh.kiev.ua/ Мартинчук_О.В._ Сучасні_вимоги_до_професійної_діяльності_вчителя_початкової_школи_в_умовах_інклю зивного_навчання [in Ukrainian] (access date: 05.05.2023).

6. Nova ukrainska shkola. Kontseptualni zasady reformuvannia serednoi shkoly [New Ukrainian school. Conceptual foundations of secondary school reform]. (2016). Retrieved from https://mon.gov.ua/storage/app/media/zagalna%20serednya/nova-ukrainska-shkola- compressed.pdf [in Ukrainian].

7. Tranchenko, O. M. (2013). Henezys natsionalnoi sysnemy osvity osib z porushenniam slukhu [Genesis of the national system of education for people with hearing impairments]. (Doctor's thesis). Instytut spetsialnoi pedahohiky Natsionalnoi akademii pedahohichnykh nauk Ukrainy, Kyiv [in Ukrainian].

8. Zasenko, V. V., & Kolupaieva, A. A. (2014). Dity z osoblyvymy potrebamy: priorytetni napriamy lerzhavnoi polityky Ukrainy v haluzi osvity, sotsialnoho zakhystu y ohkorony zdorovia [Children with special needs: priority directions of the state policy of Ukraine in the field of education, social protection and healthcare]. Defektolohiia. Osoblyva dytyna: navchannia i vykhovannia, 3, 20-29 [in Ukrainian].

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