Competencies for Teachers of the Severely and Profoundly Handicapped

Abstract

The purpose of this review was to identify competency statements specified in the professional literature for teachers of severely and profoundly handicapped students. Computer searches and hand searches of the literature of the past 10 years were undertaken. As a result, 59 competency statements were found. These competencies fell into nine categories: general knowledge, planning, assessment, curriculum, behavior management, instruction, physical/ medical, other personnel, and parents. An overwhelming majority of the statements were found to be based on opinion or opinion with limited substantiation. Implications for further work in this area are discussed.In the past few years much emphasis has been placed on the development of competencies for those who teach severely and profoundly handicapped (S/PH) students. Sontag, Burke, and York (1973) hypothesized that there is an inverse relationship between the developmental level of the students and the specificity of competence needed by the teacher. Accepting their position would require preservice and inservice training efforts of unusual breadth and depth to prepare teachers for their sundry instructional and related tasks. An initial step in the direction of comprehensive training is to establish an extensive listing of important competencies; such is the purpose of this article. An attempt was made to synthesize and provide a listing of pertinent competencies for teachers of S/PH students based on writings of the past few years.A secondary purpose of the paper is to report the data base or level of empirical validity of the competencies. In searching the literature for reports on competencies of teachers of S/PH students, variation was found in the writers' justification, expressed or implied, for suggesting that a particular competency or competency area was necessary. Four levels of validity were found. These were: o

Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions of Preparedness to Teach Students With Severe Disabilities

“…This suggests that respondents felt least prepared to support the specific needs of students with the most extensive support needs. Supporting medical, physical, and health needs has been identified consistently as an important skill area for students with severe disabilities (Browder & Spooner, 2011; Brown et al, 2016; Ryndak et al, 2001; Westling et al, 2015; Whitten & Westling, 1985). Moreover, assistive technology and communication are critical for ensuring students’ access to school environments and instructional content.…”

“…The authors identified 59 competencies which fell into nine overarching categories: (a) general knowledge, (b) planning, (c) assessment, (d) curriculum, (e) behavior management, (f) instruction, (g) physical/medical, (h) other personnel, and (i) parents. In a survey of 20 master’s degree programs in special education, Ryndak, Clark, Conroy, and Stuart (2001) also identified nine categories of skills for teachers of students with severe disabilities, of which five overlapped with Whitten and Westling’s (1985) findings (i.e., collaboration and technical assistance, assessment and curriculum content, effective instruction [EI], functional assessment and behavior intervention [B], and physical/sensory disabilities). Four new competency areas emerged: (a) inclusion, (b) advocacy and self-advocacy, (c) transitions and transition planning, and (d) research.…”

Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions of Their Preparedness to Teach Students With Severe Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms: A Saudi Arabian Perspective

“…Several research devoted to the issue emphasizes that teachers should be committed to educational innovation. They need flexibility to adapt to diverse requirements and alter existing styles to work individually with students (Smith, 2007;Whitten & Westling, 1985;Zagona et al, 2017). They should collaborate with other professionals in the educational process to align the continuity of teaching, assess all existing needs, and provide the most appropriate help to students (Theeb et al, 2013).…”

A Modular Approach to Training

“…In order to evaluate improvements in teaching which have been brought about by completion of the modular diploma course, a research plan has been devised. The plan uses the technology of competency based training which is a relatively new focus for research and development in the UK but has become well established in special education training in the USA (Burke, 1990;Whitten and Westling, 1985). The importance of employing this approach is reinforced by the shift in emphasis evident in the new guidelines for initial teacher training recently published by the Department of Education and Science (1989).…”