General Education Teachers Research Articles

Teamwork of General and Special Education Teachers in Managing the Education of Learners with Autism

Understanding the dynamics of collaboration helps identify best practices, resolve issues, and foster smooth working relationships among general and special education teachers for students with ASD achievement. This study explored the collaboration of general and special education teachers in educating learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at three (3) selected elementary schools in Chicago, Illinois, USA, during the school year 2023-2024. This is a phenomenological inquiry of the ten purposively selected participants who answered the researcher-made semi-structured questionnaire that contained four (4) open-ended questions. Findings showed that in terms of the participants' views about the various collaboration models Implemented in educating learners with autism, the following were the emerging themes: 1) Team Teaching Collaboration, 2) Support Mechanisms on Demand, and 3) Structured Consultation Session. The impact of teacher collaboration on learners with autism academic outcomes were: 1) Enhanced Communication Abilities; 2) Active School Involvement; and 3) Self-sufficiency Development. The barriers encountered to effective collaboration were 1) Challenges in Communication, 2) Support and Policy from the Administration, and 3) Scheduling and Time Limitations. Thus, the general and special education teachers should intensify their collaboration and address the identified challenges. It is further recommended that a quantitative parallel study be conducted to validate and quantify the impacts of teacher collaboration strategies on the academic outcomes of learners with ASD.

ESTABLISHING CAREER COMMITMENT VIA JOB AUTONOMY: EXPLORING GENERAL & SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVE

The job autonomy and career commitment are essential but latent factors of teachers’ personality in education and special education. This study aimed to seek job autonomy for establishing career commitment among general and special education teachers. A correlational design was used for data collection from teachers of special education (N = 60) and general education (N = 60). A convenient sampling technique was used in this study. Two self-developed structured questionnaires were used as instruments of the study. The expert opinion (N=02) validated the instrument validity, and reliability coefficients were .816 and .873. The data analysis was done over SPSS version – 23 with descriptive and inferential statistics. The study's findings depicted that most respondents were having freedom to decide what to do each day. The degree of career commitment and autonomy shared by teachers is not significantly different. Thus, study offered valuable data in reaching desired conclusion. Study recommends that professional development opportunities must be provided by special education and school education departments of Punjab to maintain level of job autonomy to develop career commitment among teachers.

통합교육형 순회교육 담당 교사의 역량 탐색

The purpose of this study was to identify educational competencies (competency group - competency element - competency indicator) that itinerant teachers perceive as necessary and important according to the characteristics of inclusive itinerant education in which special education teachers from the Gyeonggi-do Special Education Support Center visit general schools to support students with special needs placed in general classrooms. This study aims to derive implications for future professional development programs to enhance the expertise of itinerant teachers at the Gyeonggi-do Special Education Support Center. To achieve this aim, a draft of the competencies for itinerant teachers was developed by analyzing papers on the competencies of special education teachers and inclusive itinerant education. The validity of these competencies was then verified through two rounds of Delphi expert surveys. Through this process, the necessary competencies for itinerant teachers at the Special Education Support Center were finalized into three competency groups, nine competency elements, and 20 competency indicators. Based on the research results, the structure and components of the final competencies required for itinerant teachers at the Gyeonggi-do Special Education Support Center were discussed; moreover, the differences from the competencies of general special education teachers and the characteristics of inclusive itinerant education conducted by the Gyeonggi-do Special Education Support Center were also considered.

예비일반교사의 통합교육 전문성 신장 관련 연구의 동향 분석

Objectives This study aimed to examine the research trends in domestic academic journals that provided activities to enhance professionalism in inclusive education for pre-service general education teachers over the recent 10 years. Methods A total of 51 studies included in the current analysis examined trends in domestic journals in terms of publication year, research types, professionalism of inclusive education, activities for the enhancement of professionalism, and participants. We compared the number of studies conducted for each variable over a 10-year period from 2013 to 2022, analyzing the quantity of research conducted in two 5-year intervals: from 2013 to 2017 and from 2018 to 2022. Results The main findings of the study are as follows. Compared to studies providing curriculum activities, studies providing non-curricular activities were more conducted. In relatively recent years, while the number and the proportion of research in the curriculum activities increased by one study and four percent, the number of research in the non-curricular activities increased by four studies, and proportion increased by 200%. Experimental studies were the most commonly used among research types. In terms of activities to enhance professionalism in inclusive education, perception and attitude were covered in about 90% of all studies, while knowledge and skills were covered in 25% and 17% of all studies, respectively. In terms of activities of professionalism, the curriculum activities were provided at a relatively higher proportion of 84% compared to 16% in the non-curricular activities. Overall, more studies targeting pre-service teachers(37%) and pre-service secondary school teachers(39%) were conducted than studies targeting pre-service elementary school teachers(19%). Conclusions Based on the findings of this study, we provided suggestions for future research, focusing on the areas with relatively less conducted.

Special Education Teacher Preparation in Hungary

This article provides an overview of general and special education in Hungary, including training and teacher preparation. We examine trends towards inclusion and the challenges of training general education teachers to support students with disabilities. We also outline the process of qualifying for special education and explore teacher preparation in Hungary, including the various paths to becoming a certified teacher and the ongoing professional development requirements. This article concludes by addressing the historical importance of public education in Hungary and the laws and policies pertaining to special education. We highlight current issues in special education and teacher preparation, such as the diagnosis process for autism and the need for improved support and pay for teachers. Overall, a comprehensive overview of special education in Hungary is provided, highlighting its challenges, progress, and areas for improvement.

Experiences of Learners with Mathematics Learning Difficulties in Regular Classrooms in Malawian Secondary Schools

The purpose of this study was to establish the experiences of learners with mathematics learning difficulties in regular classrooms in Malawian secondary schools. The study embraced the qualitative approach and it was conducted in the Central West Educational Division in Lilongwe, at one secondary school with the learners’ population of 1,100. Forty learners were sampled at the school to be involved in the study. Data was analyzed using the thematic method. Out of the results of the study, it was concluded that students experienced lack of support from their teachers as most teachers had negative attitude towards them. Teachers’ use of poor Mathematics Instruction techniques caused the learners to have difficulties in the subject. Furthermore, lack of teaching and learning materials made the teaching and learning of Mathematics more theoretical than practical, which made the subject even more difficult for learners with Mathematics Learning Difficulties. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education needs to orient the general education teachers in mainstream schools on the effective teaching of learners with learning challenges such as those with Mathematics Learning Difficulties. Furthermore, there should be school based Continuous Professional Development programs for teachers of Mathematics to improve their classroom delivery of Mathematics lessons. The Ministry of Education should provide required teaching and learning materials in order to facilitate the teaching and learning of Mathematics.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTELLECTUAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL INTELLIGENCE WITH PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER PERFORMANCE

The performance of a teacher, including physical education teachers, can be related to the intellectual, emotional and spiritual intelligence of the teacher concerned. This study aims to determine the relationship between intellectual, emotional and spiritual intelligence with the performance of physical education teachers. The population and research sample of physical education teachers of public high schools in Pidie Regency amounted to 22 people. Data collection techniques using the instrument intellectual, emotional, spritiual and teacher performance.Data analyzed by product moment correlation test. The results showed that in general physical education teachers in Pidie Regency have high intellectual intelligence. emotional intelligence and spiritual intelligence are high and also high emotional intelligence and have good performance. Intellectual intelligence with performance correlation coefficient value (r) 0.640, emotional intelligence with performance correlation coefficient value (r) 0.574, spiritual intelligence with performance correlation coefficient value (r) 0.682. Simultaneously emotional intelligence, intellectual and spiritual intelligence have a significant relationship with the performance of physical education teachers in Pidie Regency. This is indicated by the correlation coefficient value (r) 0.760. Keywords: Teacher Performance, Intellectual, Emotional, Spiritual Intelligence

Special Education Personnel Preparation in Singapore

Special education in Singapore has evolved considerably during the past two decades with greater enrollments of students with special educational needs in regular mainstream schools. This progressive transformation in Singapore’s education towards the inclusion of students with special needs in mainstream classes has been accompanied by concomitant changes in teacher preparation programs for both general and special education teachers and professionals. This article situates and describes special education in Singapore and its increasing role in partnering with mainstream education within Singapore’s socio-historical context and evolvement as a nation since independence. Current issues related to special education and its expanding role in preparing teachers and related professionals for working with students with special educational needs in both mainstream and special schools are discussed with implications raised for future directions.

Using AI to Support Special Education Teacher Workload

There is a nationwide shortage of special education teachers (SETs) due, in part, to unmanageable workload expectations, which has reached crisis level. SETs are expected to modify, adapt, and accommodate general education curriculum to meet the needs of their students, communicate and collaborate with parents and general education teachers, and progress monitor on IEP goals, to name a few. SETs, especially those in more restrictive self-contained settings, report spending almost half of their time completing non-teaching tasks. One emerging and innovative solution to help SETs accomplish these tasks is using Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI powers many popular educational tools, such as predictive text, adaptive learning platforms, and digital assistants. The launch of ChatGPT, Bard, and other generative pre-trained transformers (GPTs), provides an opportunity to support SETs with some of the paperwork requirements. This is due to the GPTs ability to craft human-like responses via drafting essays, emails, lists, and the like. In this article, we provide step-by-step directions to use ChatGPT. Additionally, we illustrate how GPTs can be used to operationalize, automate, and streamline many of the SET’s non-teaching tasks through specific examples of its use in (1) collaboration, (2) adapting readings, and (3) developing progress monitoring assessments.

Occupational Stress on Special Education Teachers at Inclusive School X, South Tangerang

Occupational stress on teachers is an unpleasant experience that causes disturbances encountered by someone who has a role as a teacher (general teacher or special education teacher). This study aimed to see the level of occupational stress experienced by special education teachers at Inclusive School X. This research focused on ten special education teachers who teach at Inclusive School X. The research used a mixed method with a qualitative (descriptive) and a quantitative (questionnaire) approach. The results showed that the special education teachers at Inclusive School X experienced a moderate stress level. This can be seen from the symptoms suffered by the special education teachers at the school. Some teachers decided to join in a counseling session with a psychologist because they felt symptoms of stress affecting their psychology. At the same time, some other teachers experienced physical health problems. This study strongly suggests the school stakeholders’ take steps to overcome teacher occupational stress levels as this will affect the teachers’ performance at the school. The steps may include program conduction to deal with the stress at work for the teachers.

MATHEXpress: A Product Development Study of Addition Game Board for Kinder to Grade 1 Learners

This study examines the perspective of experts on the newly developed product addition game board, this study aims to improve the addition skills of learners in kindergarten to grade one in mathematics. It seeks to identify possible improvements in the product. This study utilized a descriptive-qualitative design to gather relevant information from the experts using semi-structured interviews. The respondents of this study are fifteen purposely selected Engineers, Special Education, and General Education Teachers in Cebu. The researchers employed purposive sampling in selecting the respondents. Thematic analysis was used in analyzing the data gathered that resulted in five themes. The result shows that the product can potentially stimulate engagement in teaching number recognition and basic addition skills to kindergarten to grade 1 learners, including those with special needs. However, it may not be suitable for lower-level learners with intellectual disability. Experts' recommendations of this study include: enhancing safety measures, prioritizing cost-effectiveness in material selection, and improving the product's appeal and effectiveness in educational settings through various enhancements like incorporating basic subtraction, adding interactive elements, considering ergonomic design features, correct use of colors and sounds to prevent sensorial discomfort. To expand the product's educational value, the researchers suggest to conduct an in-depth evaluation on its feasibility and effectiveness in actual classroom settings.

Key Factors Influencing Inclusive Placement Decisions of Students With Extensive Support Needs

This qualitative study examined educational professionals’ experiences including students with extensive support needs (ESN) in general education settings. Data were collected from 18 education professionals, including 5 special education teachers, 5 paraeducators, 4 administrators, and 4 general education teachers. The researcher used semi-structured interviews and analyzed them using thematic coding. The findings showed that the significant factors influencing successful inclusion were the belief systems of educational professionals, the number of general education classes available for inclusion, selective data collection by educators, superficial inclusion of students, the critical role of paraeducators, and interpersonal relationships among parents and educators. Recommendations included using multiple data collection methods, documenting student work in inclusive settings, revamping the paraeducator hiring and training process, increasing collaboration between general and special education teachers, expanding the number of classrooms available for ESN students, training general education teachers to teach all students, and challenging deficit thinking in teacher education programs.

Integrating disability into equity-focused general education teacher preparation

Most students with disabilities spend the majority of their school day in general education classrooms, yet most general education teachers do not feel prepared to meet the diverse learning and social and emotional needs of these students. A key to the enactment of evidence-informed practice for creating and supporting meaningful learning experiences for students with disabilities is the preparation of general education teachers. In this article, we conceptualize the key features of high-quality teacher preparation that support general education teachers to teach students with disabilities. We illustrate how these features have been addressed in one equity-focused elementary teacher education program and provide recommendations and questions to consider for teacher preparation programs and future research. Recommendations for teacher preparation include (1) naming disability in guiding principles and program documents, (2) examining ableism, (3) integrating universal design for learning, and (4) navigating policies and practices together within higher education.

Comparative Analysis of Job Satisfaction Among General and Special Education Teachers

Comparative Analysis of Job Satisfaction Among General and Special Education Teachers

Results of a Competency-Based Approach to Prepare General Educators to Effectively Include Students with Disabilities

Research has shown that general educators may lack the competencies to effectively include students with disabilities, thus widening the gaps in outcomes between students with disabilities and their peers. In this study, we outline the development and implementation of a competency-based continuing education program, designed to equip general educators to effectively include students with disabilities (SWDs) and earn special education certification. This paper presents the results of a program evaluation conducted using both validated measures and author-developed instruments. Participants included general education teachers, instructional coaches, and those in similar roles. Results indicated that participants significantly increased their knowledge of professional standards, demonstrated knowledge in high-leverage practices, and showed high levels of self-efficacy to implement inclusive practices. We discuss these results, emphasizing the timeliness of this nontraditional approach and its implications for teacher preparation, research, and policy amid the troubling national special education teacher shortage. Namely, this approach epitomizes a model that allows leaders to strategically utilize their existing workforce to address vacancies in special education and emphasizes that the responsibility to support SWDs rests squarely upon all educators.

Preparing General Education Teachers for Inclusive Settings: Integrating High-Leverage Practices and Mixed-Reality Simulation in Pre-Service Coursework

Preparing General Education Teachers for Inclusive Settings: Integrating High-Leverage Practices and Mixed-Reality Simulation in Pre-Service Coursework

LEARNING STRATEGIES USED BY GRADE ONE ELEMENTARY TEACHERS IN TEACHING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS: REFLECTIONS AND DISPOSITIONS IN FOCUS

General Education teachers dont have exceedingly specialized capabilities in special education. We dont have much encounters in an inclusive classroom. Not continuously, but regularly, it appears that teachers feel unequal to the errand of educating students with special needs. It may be a characteristic of the calling that General Education teachers need certainty with such understudies, and feel incapable since we think we lack the skills. This can be something of a myth to be refuted. But teachers know more than they think they know. The challenge is getting these students to appreciate, engage, and keep them on task as much as possible without ruining the usual flow of the classes. Ten participants who are all Elementary teachers in selected public schools in Davao City are the focused in this study. The said participants are chosen through random sampling. All of them are licensed teachers and has experience teaching for almost two years to learners in grade one with disabilities. Many professionals in the literature express concerns about whether full inclusion is appropriate for all students with disabilities and emphasize the importance of maintaining a continuum of services. Supporters for a continuum of services for students with disabilities cite two main reasons. First, they believe there is an inadequate research base to advocate such a drastic change to the current educational system believes, the research evidence on the relative efficacy of one special education service delivery model over another is scarce, methodologically flawed, and inconclusive. Some studies support positive trends with inclusion programs; however, others have reported disappointing or unsatisfactory academic and social achievement through inclusion models.Learning in a remote setting may differ from mainstream, classroom-based environments. This includes expectations for students and course methodology. Curricula must often be adjusted. For example, homework can be simplified, allowing students to dictate rather than type, and audio materials can be provided for reading assignments during online class. KEY WORDS: learning strategies, grade one elementary teacher, teaching students with special needs, reflections

Promoting social and emotional learning in pupils with disability. Special teachers’ perceptions and practices

Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are at risk for emotional, behavioural and social difficulties. Social and emotional learning (SEL) may be particularly beneficial to fostering these children’s resilience. Given the importance of teacher’s role in promoting SEL, the present study aimed to explore special teachers’ perceptions of SEL and the practices they use to enhance their pupils’ social and emotional skills. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews with 15 Greek primary and secondary education special teachers and were analysed with the use of reflexive thematic analysis. The findings of the study revealed that the special teachers considered the creation of a supportive school environment a key prerequisite to addressing the pupils’ with SEND needs. They perceived SEL as a process aiming to the development of social and emotional skills which contributes to pupils’ emotional development and social inclusion. Although they used a number of practices for this purpose, their efforts were often hindered by the lack of collaboration with general education teachers and their limited knowledge on SEL. The findings are discussed with respect to the need to enhance cooperation between the members of the school community and teachers’ training on SEL.

Implementation of Rtl as a Part of Multi-tiered Systems of Support: What Teachers, Administrators,Teacher Educators Need to Know

Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is an outgrowth of Response to Intervention (RtI). The various systems of support for students and school communities provided through these programs are integral to modern education and embedded in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004. While there are many benefits to the implementation of MTSS and RtI, there are various obstacles that can hinder successful intervention programs. The absence of consensus across districts and states with respect to program development and implementation creates confusion. This article addresses considerations and concerns related to MTSS and RtI. Discussed are underlying principles, challenges to effective implementation, expertise and training of teachers, and usage for classification for special education services. The roles of general and special education teachers, administrators, and university preparation programs are examined, and recommendation providec

한 중등교사의 IB MYP 교사로서 삶에 대한 내러티브

This study seeks to understand what life a secondary school teacher experiences as a teacher in an IB school introduced to public education. Since Daegu City and Jeju Island introduced IB education into public education in 2019, IB education has been spreading nationwide. In this situation, it is of great significance to understand what experiences general public education teachers who teach based on the national curriculum have while operating the IB MYP curriculum and what kind of life they create as teachers. To achieve this research objective, a middle school teacher who had worked at an IB school in Daegu City for 5 years was selected as a research participant and an in-depth interview method was used. As a result of the study, first, the research participants experienced conflict between grade-based education and inquiry-based education at IB schools. Second, research participants experienced that the IB unitplan was a powerful tool that improved teacher expertise and led to inquiry-oriented classes. Third, the research participant came to recognize the possibility that she could maintain her life as a subject expert even as she grew older. Based on the above, it was discussed that a unitplan that supports the application of the national curriculum to school sites must be developed, that support for IB unit design for teachers is necessary, and that an appropriate response to the entrance exam culture is necessary to enhance IB education.