Special Educative Needs

Scholar Year: 2023/2024 - 1S

Courses

Head Teacher Responsability Luísa Manuela da Costa Ramos de Carvalho Head

Weekly workload Hours/week T TP P PL L TC E OT OT/PL TPL O S Type of classes Lectures Type Teacher Classes Hours Contact hours Totals 1 2,40 Gina Lemos   2,40

Teaching language

Portuguese

Intended learning outcomes (Knowledges, skills and competencies to be developed by the students)

At the end of this course unit, the student will be able to:
(1) Define and defend inclusive education, in its key principles and effects on the school and social dimension;
(2) Recognise the beliefs and attitudes associated with stereotyped discourse;
(3) Explain the multilevel approach and Universal Learning Design (ULD);
(4) In the context of specific topics (i.e. giftedness and high abilities, autistic spectrum disorder, hyperactivity and attention deficit, specific difficulties in reading, writing and maths), identify the characteristics, list the identification/assessment methods and instruments, as well as the educational responses (models, strategies and intervention programmes);
(5) To develop a set of attitudes, knowledge and skills that enable intentional, reasoned, judicious and detailed pedagogical practice.

Syllabus

1 Inclusive education
1.1 Concept, evolution of the concept, key principles
1.2 Beliefs, attitudes and stereotypes
1.3 Effects of inclusive education: on learning and school performance, and on social inclusion (i.e. post-school life, qualifications, employment, financial independence and community life)
1.4 Family and community involvement in inclusive educational responses
2. Commitment to inclusion and methodological options
2.1 Multilevel approach
2.2 Universal Learning Design (ULD)
3. Characterisation, identification/evaluation (methods and instruments) and educational responses (models, strategies and intervention programmes) in specific subjects
3.1 Giftedness and high abilities
3.2 Autistic spectrum disorder
3.3 Hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder
3.4 Reading and writing: the five pillars of effective reading (phonemic awareness, the alphabetic principle, reading fluency, vocabulary and reading comprehension) and specific learning difficulties (in reading, writing and maths).

Demonstration of the syllabus coherence with the UC intended learning outcomes

The syllabus for this course is centred on three main topics, aligned with the learning objectives defined as essential for the future nursery school teacher and primary school teacher. The first and second objectives - to define and defend inclusive education in terms of its key principles, effects on the school and social dimension and family and community participation and involvement; and to recognise the beliefs and attitudes associated with stereotypical discourse - will be worked on mainly in the first topic, dedicated to the concept, key principles, effects of inclusive education, and family and community participation and involvement. The third objective - to explain the multilevel approach and Universal Learning Design (ULD) - will be worked on in the second topic, focussing on the commitment to inclusion and methodological options. The fourth objective - to identify the characteristics, list the identification/assessment methods and instruments, as well as the educational responses in the context of specific topics (i.e. giftedness and high abilities, autistic spectrum disorder, hyperactivity and attention deficit, specific difficulties in reading, writing and maths) - will be worked on in the third topic, characterisation, identification/assessment (methods and instruments) and educational responses (models, strategies and intervention programmes) in those specific topics. Finally, the fifth objective - to develop a set of attitudes, knowledge and skills that enable intentional, reasoned, judicious and detailed pedagogical practice - although it may be more explicitly associated with the third topic, is worked on throughout the three structuring topics of the course.

Teaching methodologies

The classes in this curricular unit are organised around four types: theoretical-practical teaching, tutorials and seminars.
Theoretical-practical teaching favours the use of active methodologies and pedagogical techniques such as simulation, role-playing, case studies, brainstorming, group dynamics and discussion groups between students and lecturers. Content is presented in close conjunction with these methodologies and techniques in order to systematise the knowledge explored.
In tutorial guidance, the teacher accompanies students, individually and/or in groups, in a classroom context (face-to-face) and at a distance (by prior appointment), with the aim of supporting and guiding students, clarifying questions and doubts, providing advice and information, monitoring the course and proposing improvements to the learning process.
In the seminars, students' active participation is focused on productive discussion on a specific topic, where each one is encouraged to express their point of view, articulate ideas clearly and coherently, listen to and analyse different perspectives, raise questions, and develop a holistic and integrated understanding of the specific topic. This teaching methodology requires prior reading/viewing of publications/resources related to the specific topic to be discussed and collaborative work in small groups.

Assessment methodologies and evidences

In order to pass this course, each student can choose between continuous assessment or a final exam. In the first fortnight of classes, each student is responsible for informing the teacher which assessment method they choose. If they choose the final exam, they can, like the rest of the students, follow the activities carried out on the course's page on the Moodle platform.
Continuous assessment involves: (1) a roleplay, developed in groups (5/6 people per group), focusing on Themes 1 and 2 of the syllabus; and (2) an analysis and discussion of a case, developed in pairs, focusing on Theme 3 of the syllabus. The final grade is awarded with a weighting of 40 and 60 per cent respectively.

Attendance system

The minimum attendance threshold for continuous assessment is 75 per cent.

Bibliography

Note: The teacher makes the resources used to support the lessons available on the moodle platform, as well as the fundamental and complementary bibliography. Below are the references considered fundamental.

Agência Europeia para as Necessidades Especiais e a Educação Inclusiva (2017). Instrumento de autoreflexão para um ambiente de educação pré-escolar inclusiva. AENEEI.

Ainscow, M. (2020). Promoting inclusion and equity in education: Lessons from international experiences. Nordic Journal of Studies in Educational Policy, 6(1), 7-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/20020317.2020.1729587

Alves, I., & Fernandes, D. (2022). Public policies in Portuguese education: The path to inclusion for all. In R. Tierney, F. Rizvi, F., & K. Ercikan (Eds.). International Encyclopedia of Education (pp. 397-403). Elsevier.

American Psychiatric Association (2014). Manual diagnóstico e estatístico de transtornos mentais (5ª ed.). ArtMed.

Antunes, N. L. (2018). Sentidos: O grande livro das perturbações do desenvolvimento e comportamento. Lua de Papel.

Antunes, R. (2021). Hiperatividade e défice de atenção: Da teoria à prática. Livros Horizonte.

Decreto-Lei n.º 54/2018 do Ministério de Educação (2018). Diário da República: Série I, n.º 129. https://files.diariodarepublica.pt/1s/2018/07/12900/0291802928.pdf

Direção-Geral de Estatísticas da Educação e Ciência (2022). Síntese dos resultados do relatório educação inclusiva 2020/2021: Apoio à aprendizagem e à inclusão, escolas da rede pública do Ministério da Educação. Ministério da Educação/DGEEC.

Gibson, J. L., et al. (2021). Play-based interventions to support social and communication development in autistic children aged 2–8 years: A scoping review. Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, 6, 1-30. https://doi.org/10.1177/23969415211015840

Kefallinou, A., Symeonidou, S., & Meijer, C. J. W. (2020). Understanding the value of inclusive education and its implementation: A review of the literature. Prospects, 49, 135–152. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-020-09500-2

Pereira, F. (Coord.) (2018). Para uma educação inclusiva: Manual de apoio à prática. Ministério da Educação/Direção-Geral da Educação.

PNL 2027. (2023). L. E. R. Leitura Escrita Recursos. https://ler.pnl2027.gov.pt/

Nadalim, C. F. P. (Coord.) (2022). Ensino da leitura e da escrita baseado em evidências. Fundação Belmiro de Azevedo.

Rocha, A. (Coord.) (2017). Altas capacidades e sobredotação: Compreender, identificar, atuar. Associação Nacional para o Estudo e Intervenção na Sobredotação (ANEIS).

UNESCO (2019). Manual para garantir inclusão e equidade em educação. UNESCO.