Determining the Difficulties Children with Special Needs Experience during the Transition to Primary School

Abstract

This study purposes to define the difficulties children with special needs experience during the transition from preschool education to primary school education based on teacher opinion using the mixed-methods design. The population for the quantitative data collection method in the study includes classroom teachers from public primary schools in Ankara. The research group consists of 209 classroom teachers from various primary schools for the quantitative stage. The participants in the qualitative research are 43 first-grade classroom teachers who work in public schools with inclusion practices. In order to collect data for the study, the Determining Difficulties in the Transition to Primary School (DDTPS) measurement tool and focus-group interview methods were used. The measurement tool was developed by the researcher. Results show that in teachers' opinions, no significant difference is determined according to the variables of teachers' gender, education level, or special education training. According to the qualitative research findings, six main categories have been prepared: supportive infrastructure, continuity and system, communication and relationships, transition preparedness, the child' s preparedness, and the family' s preparedness.

Transition to school process of children with disadvantages: A literature review

“…However, collaboration support level could perceive differently among the stakeholders. In the interviews with teachers, it is often mentioned that the cooperation of the families is quite limited (Bell-Booth et al, 2014;Yıldırım-Hacıibrahimoğlu & Kargın, 2017). In accordance with this finding, a mother stated in an interview with Rogers (2018) that "school work was carried out only at the school".…”

“…For this reason, the process of transition to school cannot always be interpreted clearly in the studies examined. Looking at how to transition to school is defined in the studies, and it was explained as (a) a long-term process covering the previous and subsequent years in the institution (Bell-Booth et al, 2014;Petriwskyj, 2013;Sanagavarapu, 2010;Sanagavarapu et al, 2016;Schischka et al, 2012;Walker et al, 2012), (b) a shorter-term process that requires a number of preparations (Carmody et al, 2015;Chang et al, 2012;Fontil & Petrakos, 2015;Rogers, 2018;Yıldırım-Hacıibrahimoğlu & Kargın, 2017), and (c) critical moments (Ames, 2012). In the other review study (Petriwskyj et al, 2005), it is seen that there are different definitions such as a school starting process reduced to teacher practice, ensuring continuity from home to school and a multi-layered process.…”

“…Considering the problems related to teachers, it is seen that teachers have limited knowledge of the individual educational needs of the child before and during the transition, limited time, insufficient teacher training programs in terms of special education, limited in-service training and inadequate support (Yıldırım- Hacıibrahimoğlu & Kargın, 2017). Also, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD] (2002) has expressed the association between the educational systems and consistency of teacher training.…”

“…In accordance with this view, Sanagavarapu et al (2016) states that even if teachers receive training, they need additional support in understanding and supporting the psychosocial process experienced by the family. Another important finding is that teachers do not always know in advance that there will be a child who needs additional support in their classrooms (Yıldırım- Hacıibrahimoğlu & Kargın, 2017). Considering the importance of cooperation between stakeholders and institutions in the transition, this lack of knowledge is considered to be a factor that disrupts the entire period and reveals the need for transition staff.…”

An Intervention Programme to Facilitate the Preschool Transition in Mexico

“…Research on the preschool transition to first grade has received a great deal of attention in the last two decades which has prompted international researchers to explore a number of variables involved in this challenging change in children starting primary school (Kagan and Tarrant, 2010;Haciibrahimoglu and Kargin, 2017). Going from preschool to first grade poses new challenges to children, which they have to face, including a new environment, relationships, teachers, and new rules-all of which have been found to have an important impact on their attitudes and roles (Fabian and Dunlop, 2005;Perry et al, 2014;Salmi and Kumpulainen, 2019;Urbina-Garcia, 2019).…”