Students In Regular Classrooms Research Articles

Exploring the perceived knowledge of teacher educators and pre-service teachers on the differentiated instruction practices of teacher educators

Inclusive education involves creating effective learning environments that welcome and meet the diverse needs of all students. Differentiated instruction (DI) has been identified as a key instructional approach to addressing the diverse needs of all students in regular classrooms. While there is a large body of literature on DI, that relating to the non-Western context is sparse. Using comprehensive model of DI as a conceptual framework, this study examined teacher educators’ perceived usage of DI practices in teacher training institutions in Ghana. It used a questionnaire design based on the tenets of model for data collection. A total of 1,002 participants (199 teacher educators and 883 pre-service teachers) were recruited from four teacher training institutions in Ghana. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis, t-tests, and Hayes’s model for performing moderation analysis. The results show differences between pre-service teachers and teacher educators, with the former rating the latter lower on the perceived usage of DI. The study concludes with a discussion on the training needs of teacher educators in the usage of DI and enabling them to effectively model appropriate differentiated teaching experiences to beginning teachers.

Students with special educational needs in regular classrooms and their peer effects on learning achievement

This study explores the impact of inclusive education on the educational outcomes of students without Special Educational Needs (non-SEN) in Peru, utilizing official Ministry of Education data and implementing cross-sectional regression analyses. Inclusive education is a complex issue that, without appropriate adaptations and comprehensive understanding, can present substantial challenges to the educational community. While prior research from developed nations offers diverse perspectives on the effects of inclusive education on non-SEN students, limited evidence exists regarding its impact in developing countries. Our study addresses this gap by examining inclusive education in Peru and its influence on non-SEN students, thereby contributing to the existing literature. Our findings reveal that, on average, the presence of SEN students in regular classrooms does not significantly affect their non-SEN counterparts. However, we uncover heterogeneous results contingent on the specific type of SEN and students’ academic placement. These results emphasize the importance of targeted resources and parental involvement in facilitating successful inclusive education, particularly for specific SEN types. In summary, this study underscores the need for tailored strategies and additional resources to foster the success of inclusive education and calls for further research in this field to expand our understanding and enhance educational policy.

Policy intents and the enactment of inclusion in prestigious schools in urban China: can equity and excellence coexist?

ABSTRACT This article addresses the policy intents regarding inclusive education in the Chinese basic education sector, prestigious school principals’ and teachers’ understanding of inclusion, and their current enactment of inclusion in delivering education. Through document analysis and semi-structured interviews, we find that inclusion in China can be understood in two broad categories. One concerns even development and equal access to educational opportunities between regions of different economic development, while the other concerns equal rights and educational opportunities between students with special educational needs and students in regular classrooms. In terms of enactment, the teachers and principals at the prestigious schools sampled focus on different issues to those highlighted in policy documents. Inclusion is often discussed in relation to competition, quality, and outcomes in the schools, rather than access to education and the learning process. When it comes to inclusion criteria, prestigious schools substantively exert their influence to exclude certain students, due to their self-image of excellence. However, based on the ideology of human capital theory, excellence and equity are not seen as incompatible goals in the Chinese educational system.

Long-run results of mainstreaming students with special educational needs in lower secondary school

ABSTRACT Policies aiming to promote the mainstreaming of students with special educational needs in regular classrooms have become a focal point of political discussions in many countries. However, there is a scarcity of quantitative evidence with robust empirical designs that can shed light on the long-term educational outcomes associated with mainstream education. This study utilizes extensive longitudinal register data and employs a propensity score matching framework to investigate the disparities in upper secondary education completion between students educated in regular and segregated learning environments. The findings reveal that the likelihood of attaining an upper secondary certificate is significantly higher (by 18 percentage points) among students in regular classrooms. Furthermore, tentative results indicate that higher passing rates at the lower secondary school leaving exam may play a mediating role.

Peers with special needs and students’ noncognitive performance: Evidence from China

In the ongoing debate regarding the role of inclusive education, the existing literature has paid insufficient attention to the externalities of students with special needs in general classrooms. This study investigates the impact of special needs peers on the regular student’s noncognitive performance. We use a nationally representative survey of first-grade students in China’s junior high schools and exploit variations in the proportion of special needs students across randomly assigned classrooms. Our results indicate that the presence of special needs students in the general classroom does not influence the regular student’s negative emotion, general satisfaction, and social acclimation. The findings are consistent with various robustness checks for estimation strategies, sample compositions, and heterogeneous analyses. Our study provides important insights into the skill formation of regular students in inclusive settings where general schools have relatively strict admission standards for special needs students in regular classrooms.

Multimedia Teaching for Applied Linguistic Smart Education System

The smart education system has attracted more popularity and explains learning in the modern age. Smart education system uses intelligent devices to access digital services via the wireless network and immerse students in personalized and seamless learning. Challenges related to the transition of separate environments into integration, the needs of both students and impaired students in regular classrooms, equality, technology hurdles, and instruction in classrooms. Hence in this article, Integrated Multimedia Teaching Model (IMTM) for technical support to develop student learning in a smart education system. The proposed IMTM applies linguistic-based teaching for enhancing students’ comprehensive capacity and uses smart educational resources, particularly listening and oral expression ability. Simultaneously, IMTM provides enhanced self-studying abilities and thorough learning skills to address the student’s need for development. The experimental results show that the IMTM based on smart education system fulfils the student needs in learning and applies linguistic-based personalized learning to improve student performance ratio of 92.3%, assumption ratio of 90%, and flexibility ratio of 91.2%, compared to other methods.

An Overview of the Phenomenon of Waiting in the Class from the Perspective of the Classroom Teacher: A Phenomenology Study

The purpose of this study was to reveal the reasons and different factors underlying the phenomenon of waiting in the class based on the opinions and experiences of classroom teachers teaching gifted students in the regular classrooms. The study was conducted as a phenomenology study, which is amongst qualitative research designs. The participants consisted of four classroom teachers teaching in regular classrooms including gifted students at a public elementary school. A series of open-ended questions developed by the researcher focusing on the phenomenon of waiting in the class were asked to the participants and responses received. Interviews with each of the participants were guided by a semi-structured interview protocol. Data were subjected to content analysis using a qualitative analysis program. Analysis of the qualitative data revealed nineteen different codes under four different themes. The themes emerged after the analysis were: state of the classroom, intra-course routines, nature of being gifted and teacher’s competence. In conclusion, gifted students’ waiting in the class also existed in elementary school classrooms and the reasons of the phenomenon differed from the perspective of the classroom teacher. Before the beginning of the process of supporting gifted students in regular classrooms, there is a need to implement a number of specific measures to overcome the issue.

Tales from within: Gifted Students’ Lived Experiences with Teaching Practices in Regular Classrooms

Gifted students in regular classrooms have fewer opportunities to develop activities that are based on their characteristics as learners and address their needs; however, many of them spend most of their school time in these classrooms. The results presented here were part of a 2-year qualitative project that analyzed 12 Chilean gifted students’ lived experiences in regular classrooms by exploring the factors that foster and hinder their learning through the use of photos, focus groups, and interviews. The results showed students’ discontent with the national curriculum and teaching practices related to rigidity, lack of meaning, and unchallenging assessments. Nevertheless, positive experiences were reported related to teaching strategies, especially when they add novelty and move away from traditional approaches. Waiting experiences were common, but were often seen by students as opportunities for creative production. Methods for engaging gifted students in their learning are highlighted.

The Effectiveness of Future Problem-Solving Program (FPSP) in Developing Creative Thinking Skills Among Gifted Students: Experimental Study

The study aimed at developing an enrichment program based on Future Problem Solving Program (FPSP), and revealing its impact on the development of creative thinking skills among 1 st secondary grade gifted students in Al-Baha region. The experimental approach was used and a sample consisted of (24) students was selected. They were divided randomly into two groups: the experimental sample (14 students) and the control sample (10 students). The researchers developed the current study program based on the future problem-solving program (FPSP) and a creative thinking skills scale. The tool validity and reliability were extracted and checked. Results showed significant differences in the performance between the two groups (experimental and control) on the post-test in favor of the experimental group. There were also significant differences between the performance of the experimental group in the pre- posttest, in favor of the post-test on the scale and its different dimensions. This indicates the effectiveness of the enrichment program presented in the current study and its advantage in developing the creative thinking skills for gifted students in regular classroom. In addition, there was a significant difference between the performance of the experimental group in the post- follow-up test, in favor of the follow-up performance on the scale as a whole and its different dimensions. Keywords: effective studies, future Problem-Solving Program (FPSP), special gifted class, creative thinking. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-9-16 Publication date: March 31 st 2020

The Effectiveness of Future Problem-Solving Program (FPSP) in Developing Creative Thinking Skills Among Gifted Students: Experimental Study

The study aimed at developing an enrichment program based on Future Problem Solving Program (FPSP), and revealing its impact on the development of creative thinking skills among 1st secondary grade gifted students in Al-Baha region. The experimental approach was used and a sample consisted of (24) students was selected. They were divided randomly into two groups: the experimental sample (14 students) and the control sample (10 students). The researchers developed the current study program based on the future problem-solving program (FPSP) and a creative thinking skills scale. The tool validity and reliability were extracted and checked. Results showed significant differences in the performance between the two groups (experimental and control) on the post-test in favor of the experimental group. There were also significant differences between the performance of the experimental group in the pre- posttest, in favor of the post-test on the scale and its different dimensions. This indicates the effectiveness of the enrichment program presented in the current study and its advantage in developing the creative thinking skills for gifted students in regular classroom. In addition, there was a significant difference between the performance of the experimental group in the post- follow-up test, in favor of the follow-up performance on the scale as a whole and its different dimensions.

Mathematically gifted students’ differentiated needs: what kind of support do they need?

ABSTRACT Mathematically gifted students have skills that may help to improve the country. However, those gifted students attend to regular mathematics classes and undertake the same curriculum at the same pace with other students. Their cognitive or psychosocial needs may go undetected in these classrooms. Thus, the aim of this study is to explore differentiated needs of mathematically gifted students in Turkey by examining how they perceive mathematical tasks given to them in regular mathematics classes and as homework and how they are perceived by their teachers, classmates and family members. Based on these perceptions, the kind of support they anticipate from their teachers, classmates and family members in order to satisfy their mathematics-related needs was also examined within the context of this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven mathematically gifted students enrolled in a gifted centre in Ankara, Turkey. The qualitative analysis of compiled data indicated that based on their perceptions, mathematically gifted students need to be intellectually and emotionally supported by their teachers, classmates and family members. The findings of this study would provide valuable recommendations for compensating the lack of educational opportunities encountered by gifted students in regular classrooms.

Teachers’ perceptions on inclusion in basic school

PurposeDespite dealing with special educational needs (SEN) students, many teachers feel unprepared for this task. This situation reveals the urgent need for studies in different areas, directed toward the inclusion of students in regular classrooms. Therefore, a diagnosis about the situation of inclusive education and the resources available in schools offering regular teaching becomes of paramount importance. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to present the results of an investigation that sought information on pedagogical work in inclusive education and in the use of support materials by teachers of basic education in Brazil and Portugal.Design/methodology/approachIn order to carry out this investigation, a questionnaire was developed by a partnership between researchers from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, Brazil and the University of Minho, Portugal, and applied to mathematics teachers. The study participants consisted of 197 mathematics teachers, working in primary school, secondary school and young people and adult education. Data collection was carried out through a questionnaire, available online and designed in Google Forms, with 48 questions (both open and closed formats).FindingsFrom the results obtained, there is a clear need not only for promoting initial and further teacher training that takes into consideration the profile of this teacher, but also for promoting the development of support materials (games, software, devices and assistive technology) in a collaborative way, involving users, teachers, engineers in a way to ensure a good usability and adequate adaptability. Thus, the inclusion of SEN students in schools must not take place only with their physical integration, but also must consider their integration at social, emotional and educational levels.Originality/valueIt is understood that the teacher should receive a solid training in successful inclusion experiences in terms of technological, educational and didactic experiences. Another problem that seems to be recurrent is that support materials have been developed in a way that is somehow disconnected from the reality of the classroom. The context in which the support material is inserted is fundamental to the success of its utilization. What is more, it cannot be isolated from the individuals who will use it. It thus becomes urgent to prepare the school environment for the reality of inclusion. This involves aspects from changes in infrastructure and development of assistive technology to assist the student with SEN in their learning, to the establishment of public policies that involve teacher initial and further training, specialized support and curricular discussions.

Four Secondary Teachers’ Perspectives on Enhancing the Inclusion of Exceptional Students

In Canada little research has been conducted on inclusive education practices in secondary schools. The purpose of this study is to report, for a diverse group of four secondary school teachers in a single school board in southeastern Ontario, their descriptions of facilitating the inclusion of exceptional students in general classrooms. The four teachers were recruited using an email referral method. Each of them participated in a semi-structured interview about their educational roles and role expectations, and about their reported instructional methods for inclusion. Seven categories emerged from the analyzed data, and these were clustered to form three themes: Structures and People, Meeting Everyone’s Needs, and Knowing Your Students. The findings suggest that the participants in this study were facilitating inclusion of exceptional students in regular classrooms by considering how the students’ functional needs impact their learning; most considered the functional learning and assessment needs of all students, not just exceptional students.

Educação dos surdos no Brasil: um percurso histórico e novas perspectivas

Este artigo discute algumas questões teóricas de bilinguismo (BAKER, 2004; GROSJEAN, 1982; MYERS-SCOTTON, 2006), tendo como foco a educação de surdos no Brasil (FELIPE, 2006; FERNANDES, 1990; LACERDA; LODI, 2009; QUADROS, 2012) e suas implicações na constituição do sujeito surdo. As reflexões sobre as questões linguísticas dentro do espaço escolar têm mostrado uma tendência bilíngue para a educação de surdos. Esse método pedagógico considera a língua brasileira de sinais (libras) como língua de instrução, e o ensino da língua portuguesa, como segunda língua, na modalidade escrita. Os estudos revisados neste artigo revelam que é necessária uma reflexão sobre o processo de inclusão dos alunos surdos na escola e que esta não pode ser ancorada simplesmente na inserção desses alunos com os alunos ouvintes em salas regulares, conforme presenciamos hoje nas escolas públicas (FELIPE, 2006). São necessárias mudanças na estrutura escolar, no que diz respeito à validação dos direitos linguísticos dos surdos, uma vez que as relações didático-pedagógicas consideram as peculiaridades das diferentes modalidades de ambas as línguas, bem como a relação entre língua, cultura, identidade do surdo e interação, fatores fundamentais em seu desenvolvimento escolar e social.

The Effect of A Training Program in Improving First Classes Teachers Skills in Dealing with Special Needs Students in Regular Classroom in Amman

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a training program in improving first classes female teachers’ skills in dealing with special needs students in regular classroom among a sample of private schools female teachers in Amman. The study adopted the quasi-experimental approach based on two equivalent groups, as the sample consisted of (30) teachers distributed into two groups; an experimental group (n=15), a control group (n=15). To achieve the aim of the study, a scale to measure the level of teachers skills was developed consisting of (23) items administrated on the sample before and after the program which contained of (6) training sessions. The findings showed that the training program was effective in developing teachers’ skills in dealing with special needs students, as the means of the experimental group developed on all sub-domains and the total degree of the scale. The findings showed that the post-performance of the control group was (2.11), meanwhile, it was for the experimental group (3.46), this indicates a difference in the performance of both groups. Moreover, the findings showed that there were no significant statistical differences in the extent of benefiting of the program according to years of experience and scientific qualifications variables. The study recommended the need to re-apply the program on other samples in other schools teaching special needs students.

Pre-service Teacher Education for Mental Health and Inclusion in Schools

Pre-service teacher education in mental health and mental health literacy is essential to creating the conditions necessary to support the mental health and wellness of children and youth in schools. Many teachers report never having received any education about mental health, but recognize the importance of this knowledge in meeting the needs of their students in regular classrooms. This article describes the development of a completely online mental health course organized around five learning objectives and delivered in a large pre-service teacher education program in Canada. Next, this article presents the results of research to evaluate impact on the pre-service teacher education students. Results are organized into expected and unexpected learning outcomes. Implications for further research and practice are shared.

<b>Pedagogia surda e bilinguismo: pontos e contrapontos na perspectiva de uma educação inclusiva

O objetivo deste ensaio é discutir a inclusão de surdos em salas de aula de escolas comuns, à luz do ordenamento legal em vigor, que se encontra assentado em uma perspectiva educacional inclusiva. O estudo possui uma abordagem qualitativa com levantamento bibliográfico pertinente ao tema, com respaldo nos principais documentos da área da surdez a partir de 2002, percorrendo a oficialização da Língua Brasileira de Sinais (Libras) por meio da Lei 10.436 até 2014, por ocasião do ‘Relatório sobre a Política Linguística de Educação Bilíngue – Língua Brasileira de Sinais e Língua Portuguesa’. Dessa forma, propõe-se a apresentar a perspectiva de inclusão do Ministério da Educação (MEC) e da comunidade surda, as quais são opostas. As metodologias do bilinguismo e da pedagogia surda são apresentadas como propostas que respeitam a diferença linguística e cultural dos surdos e, consequentemente, proporcionam-lhes um efetivo processo de educação escolarizada,ao passo que a inclusão desses educandos nas mesmas salas de aula de ouvintes, com as mesmas estratégias metodológicas, tem ocasionado um número crescente de surdos analfabetos sem condições de evoluírem em seus estudos e em outros aspectos da vida. .

Challenging problems in a regular classroom setting and in a special foster programme

Problems for students with a high mathematical potential can be far more complex and challenging than problems normally used in regular classrooms. The problems we developed for mathematically gifted students offer the possibility of acquiring and using heuristics (so called patterns of actions) which are useful in problem solving processes. Because these kinds of capablities are valuable for all students, we ask whether it is possible to work on the problems in regular classrooms. In this paper two studies are presented, which examine to what extent students in regular classrooms are capable of working on problems designed for mathematically gifted students. The results show that the problems used in the support programme can also be successfully applied in regular classroom teaching and that students working on them experience high motivation. However, students of our support programme achieved better results regarding generalization and proving. In addition, they needed less time to solve the problems.

Deaf and hard of Hearing Students’ Opportunities for Learning in a Regular Secondary School in Chile: Teacher Practices and Beliefs

This study aimed to analyze the learning context of deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) students in a Chilean high school, in which 50 D/HH students (7th to 12th grade) attend classes together with hearing classmates. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven high school teachers and five deaf education teachers, to explore their practices and beliefs regarding teaching D/HH students in regular classrooms. Ten classroom observations were also carried out in classes with and without the presence of a deaf education teacher. Interview data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Class observations enabled a better understanding of the context in which D/HH students and their teachers interact daily. Results from interview analysis provided information of teachers’ beliefs about D/HH students; regular teachers and deaf education teachers’ perceptions of the roles they play in students’ learning; accommodations made for D/HH students; and facilitators and barriers for teaching in classes with D/HH students. High school teachers’ report of their difficulties to teach D/HH students and their need to rely on deaf education teachers in the classroom was corroborated by classroom observations, which showed that most D/HH students were unable to follow the class in absence of special teacher’s support, and regular teachers had problems communicating with them. D/HH students’ opportunities for learning are highly restricted in such environment. Implications for educational inclusion policies and teacher preparation programs are discussed.

An Investigation of Mathematically Promising Students’ Cognitive Abilities and Their Contributions to Learning Environment

In this study, through the observation of mathematically promising students in regular classrooms, relevant learning environments and the learning needs of promising students, teacher approaches and teaching methods, and the differences between the promising students and their normal ability peers in the same classroom were investigated. Correlational survey research was conducted. The sample of this research was composed of selected and non-selected students. The selected students were 21 students who were attending the Science and Art Center in Erzincan. The non-selected students were peers of the selected students in the same classroom at their schools. The differentiated classroom observation form, which was adapted into Turkish, and written interview questions for teachers were the data collection instruments used in this study. Structured non participant observation was conducted in regular classrooms in which selected mathematically promising and their non-selected peers attended. The data collected through observation form were analyzed quantitatively through Mann Whitney U test and the data collected through teacher interviews were analyzed qualitatively through direct quoting. The findings of *the study suggest that the mathematically promising students were more active in classroom activities and communicated more frequently with their teacher compared to their normal ability peers. In contrast, their classroom respect levels were lower. The repetition of some topics and concepts, and not being praised enough may be counted as the reasons behind these disrespected behaviors.