Inclusive Education in Portugal: Teachers’ Professional Development, Working Conditions, and Instructional Efficacy

Abstract

Inclusive education policies thin the boundaries of special and regular education as well as teachers’ roles and competencies. The present study, using data from TALIS 2018, aims to find out whether Portuguese teachers working in classes directed entirely or mainly to special education needs students (SENS) differ from teachers working in classes with few or no SENS in the following areas: (a) professional development needs in special education; (b) perceived barriers to professional development; and (c) teaching and work features related to SENS. The results show small but significant differences between teachers working and teachers not working entirely or mainly with SENS in professional development needs, perceived opportunities for professional development, and stress involved in modifying SENS lessons. No other significant differences were found. Still, the results show that both groups of teachers perceive significant professional development needs and barriers to professional development but are optimistic about the quality of professional development, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy in instruction. However, teachers of both groups are pessimistic about professional collaboration, a key element of inclusive education. Overall, it seems that some critical elements of inclusive education are still to be implemented in Portuguese schools.

Faktor berpengaruh, tantangan, dan kebutuhan guru di sekolah inklusi di Kota Semarang

“…Pengertian inklusi adalah inklusi semua tanpa memandang ras, etnis, kecacatan, jenis kelamin, orientasi seksual, bahasa, sosial ekonomi dan aspek lain dari apa yang membentuk identitas seseorang yang mungkin dianggap beragam (Bemiller, 2019). Perkembangan tipologi cara berpikir tentang inklusi menurut beberapa ahli (Bemiller, 2019;Lopes & Oliveira, 2021) yaitu: "inklusi sebagai kepedulian terhadap siswa penyandang cacat dan lainnya yang dikategorikan sebagai memiliki kebutuhan pendidikan khusus; inklusi kaitannya dengan semua kelompok yang dianggap rentan terhadap eksklusi; inklusi sebagai "pendidikan untuk semua' dan inklusi sebagai pendekatan berprinsip untuk pendidikan dan masyarakat" (Ainscow, 2020). Pendidikan inklusi bertujuan untuk membangun masyarakat yang mempromosikan kesempatan yang sama bagi semua warga negara untuk berpartisipasi dan berkontribusi pada (pendidikan) pembangunan bangsa.…”

“…Dalam lingkungan ini, siswa akan memperoleh materi yang ada di level mereka dan terkait dengan minat mereka. Inklusi penuh adalah anak berkebutuhan khusus ditempatkan dalam kelas pendidikan umum secara penuh (Lopes & Oliveira, 2021).…”

The development of fear of missing out scale for early childhood teachers’ work information and the influencing factors of fear of missing out

“…In general, academia considered that it was a subtype of the anxiety generated with the rise of social media. At present, there is little studies on the subtype of anxiety in academia, and the main research on anxiety focuses on the impact of anxiety on various diseases and occupational stability of various specific groups [10,11] .…”

Povezanost obrazovnih kvalifikacija i samopercipirane samoefikasnosti učitelja u radu s učenicima s teškoćama

“…Sudjelovanje u stručnom usavršavanju koje obrađuje teme poput osobitosti učenika s teškoćama, inkluziju, prilagodbe kurikuluma, upravljanje ponašanjem i asistivne tehnologije, pokazalo se, povezano je s višim rezultatima samoefikasnosti za percipiranu sposobnost učitelja za rad s učenicima s teškoćama (Brownell i Pajares, 1999;Buell i sur., 1999;prema Leyser, Zeiger i Romi, 2011). Što se tiče studenata učiteljskih fakulteta, često je njihov jedini doticaj s inkluzivnim obrazovanjem pohađanje obveznih Formally acquired knowledge and in-service training on how to teach in an inclusive classroom is considered to be a significant factor that positively affects the self-efficacy of teachers working with students with special educational needs (Sharma, Shaukat and Furlonger, 2014;Song, 2016;Fazlagić and Kolić, 2018;Kuyini, Desai and Sharma, 2018;Lopes and Oliveira, 2021). Teachers who have the competency to use effective teaching strategies, collaborate with others, and manage disruptive behaviour will be more effective in teaching in an inclusive classroom (Sharma et al, 2012).…”