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The survey was created during the work of the TED 2021 (Transatlantic Educators Dialogue) project, in which 50 teachers participate - from 18 states (the United States of America) and 19 European countries. During the weekly meetings, many issues related to the diversity of education processes and their mutualisation were raised. and one of the discussion panels was also about students with special educational needs. Therefore, I prepared a questionnaire looking for information on the forms of work, the approach of teachers and schools to these students.
93 teachers from different parts of the world participated in this study. Due to the fact that the survey was to be global in nature, it was completely anonymous and did not specify the place of origin of the participants.
For various reasons, some of the respondents did not answer individual questions. Thus, the sum of participants in different questions may be different.
At the same time, I would like to inform you that the data presented below are indicative.
The current version is a draft - we are currently working on a detailed development of the open questions section.
The highest number of participants was secondary school teachers - 60 (64.5%). Then 27 primary schools (29%) and 6 (6.5%) representatives of universities.
40 educators declare work in numerous classes (21-25 students), in the next position - teachers teaching in classes 26-30 students (18) and 16-20 students (11) are almost exemplary. On the other hand, the number of the remaining respondents declaring work in classes with the number of students: 1-5 is evenly distributed; 6-10, 11-15 and over 30.
It seems important that as many as 84 (90%) teachers declare that their schools have students with special educational needs. Likewise, many, as many as 79, work daily with these students in classrooms. Nevertheless, only 56% (52) declare that the school provides these students with additional classes, including therapeutic classes. This number is all the more interesting as 68% (63) of teachers declare that they have completed additional training in working with these students.
Despite the numerous classes, when asked about the possibility of working in fifteen-person classes, 83 respondents declared their willingness to face such a challenge, which constitutes 89%. Among the listed benefits, the most often chosen was the possibility of using other methods of work (83 participants), in the next position there is a suggestion of increasing control during classes, providing more time to complete the material and fewer difficulties in education processes. Interestingly, the vast majority of participants do not consider such a solution as a convenience at work.
The number of people willing to work in such a small team decreased to 58 (62%), when the question still concerned fifteen students in the class, but among them there would be 5 students with special educational needs. Among the reasons for such a decision we can find:
Need to be able to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of those children
The difficulty would be the hands-on and individual needs of each special education student, which requires more time in planning and delivering. Pacing would be difficult as you maneuver between students of different abilities and academic needs. However, the opportunities for students to do peer teaching and experience the value of people with different needs would be a benefit.
If there is no assistant then the subject can be not teached well. And students can have some lacks of knowledge
make sure they all have individual goals for their education
Managing the regular teaching... It would seem a differenciated class
I can get sad if i cannot communicate with them easily.
Lack of proper educational elements
Depends on the needs of the students, but it would be difficult to dedicate necessary attention to all the students, especially the ones with special needs.
I'm not trained enough
Lack of learning and teaching resources
We would need an extracurriculum , and we would spend more time with them.
Team work with colleagues and the board.
depends on the needs, but I could have more time to focus, so I don't see difficulty
Differenciation...
to differenciate the teaching method so everybody feels in a convenient learning environment
To find the most suitable method for SEN students
Lack of information/ trainning on strategies to teach these students
Difficulty communicating and behavioral disorder
I don't know if I would volunteer for it, but I'd do it. The difficulty would be as one person to make sure all students are getting what they need in addition to the extra support a special needs student might require.
Having unique difficulties and needs (every SEN pupil)
Knowing how to meet their needs.
Each student has an IEP at our school so we do our best to accommodate the learning needs of each student.
I DONT HAVE THE SKILLS
Lack of education
Every of this 5 students would need some other approach.
Classes in Ireland are 25+ and includes students with SEN. Special class size is 6.
Different tasks, more time to make materials
The fact that i am not qualified/ trained to do so
to get the support they need to every student
Adapting teaching to every ss and giving appropriate/ adequate feedback
I have neve been trained to deal with special need students
Because the students' needs might be various, so would need to differentiate methods much more
The added challenge of working with a large number of students in one classroom receiving special education services is realizing and honoring the different needs of each students. You may not be able to group them as easily into ability/skill/performance groupings, which means some students may need much more support than what you or your materials are equipped to provide.
Piantina several learning paths
Teaching methods and understanding
Even with few pupils, I would need help to teach with pupils with educational needs.
5 + 10 is to much
Time management
find the right time to dedicate to each
Differentiation and need to explain one-on-one, which takes time.
lack of facilities
Classroom management because of that students
coordinate with special needs teachers
Find the correct methods to integrate everyone
The lack of adequate training
Being able to support all of my students.
Meeting everyone’s different needs.
Students with special educational needs should definitely get the help they need and have someone devoted to them one on one. A classroom with 15 such students wouldn't work properly and this would be bad for the students, who-being taught the way that suits them-could unleash their talents.
The challenge is always the degree of differentiation that is required and being able to best address all the accommodations that are required. My classes that are heavily populated by students with learning differences while co-taught also have 32 and 34 students in them.
It depends a lot in the other students behaviour, peer to peer learning could be fine in those cases.
The amount of focus that the SPED students requires can be enormous, if you're going to do a good job caring for them. Having five students, all with possibly unique needs, would make dealing with the other ten, regular education students, would be made even more difficult than normal because you couldn't give them the attention they also need and would end up short changing them, as well.
Time for special kid
To adapt the educational material to all student levels
Teacher's patience and without necessary education this job can't be done.
They dont listen me
When asked about teachers' knowledge about their students, the vast majority declare that they do not have exact knowledge about their pupils. The 32 teachers asked declared that they knew almost everything about their students. What influenced such results? Well:
Lack of time
Time
We are on remote instruction so time and contact. They don't come on to talk privately
Time constraints. Only seeing them twice a week for 42 minutes.
Too many students
Their families and lack of time
Social circumstances
Number of students in the classes and number of lessons a week
I'm a teacher, not a psychologist
Their personal walls and issues
We have a lot of thing to do, and also I’m new at my school. I couldnt recognize them due to Covid-19 outbreak. I have begun to work in my new school during Covid-19 Pandemic.
some of my pupils are having diagnoses which prevents me from a so called normal teacher-pupil relationsship
Takes time
I know what is relevant for taking them into account, not more... It wouldn' t be possible to know around 200 students this way...
In fact I am one of the more open teachers in my school, but I am not only a teacher , my students always also see me as their evaluator. I would prefer to do kind of a formative evaluation, students rating to be made by an independent authority and be based on differenciated inclusive pedagogy. I could suggest the level of each student and create their porfolio.
Remote teaching
To understand their wiev of life
the line of teacher/student relationships
Time and pressure to teach standards.
N/A. Art our school we work on a relational approach to education.
THEY ARE TOO MANY
Lack of updating from the school
This year we have less time in classes, and consequese is a less time for talks about nonschool stuff.
Too much information in the curricula, time...
Sometimes their closed/ reserved character
some of them don't speak a lot about his/ her feelings, problems.....
I teach 170 students
lack of time and formal reltionship
There are so many of them! Between seated classes and my online class, I have approximately 150 students I teach in a day. That, coupled with our curriculum pacing, makes it more challenging to really get to know my students.
Family fears...they don't trust you everytime
The relationships pupil/teacher. Some confide in me, but some think it is not my role.
the organisation of the system; the size of the sclass; thetime-table; the number of classes I teach (11)
it's not really my job, there is a nurse and a social worker
Zoom and time.
the necessary training in this vast field
Their parents dont tell the truth about their children family life
number of students per class
They are too many!
Linguistic issues
The number of students in the class. I teach about 200 students in total.
Time & amount of students in my classroom.
I have 9 special Ed students in my class with severe disabilities. I know them very well.
It's hard to get close to 25 students, even if I tell them that I am willing to help them in every way, it's difficult especially for more introvert students to get closer.
Time, size of class
Nothing prevents me, in many cases is a question of time or sharing time out of classes
I know them about as well as I want to. I don't see my job as becoming my students' best friend. A few students will seek out closeness and I'm always game for that, though.
lack of time during recess
Time constraints and some regulations
The teachers also mentioned the difficulties they encounter when working with students with special educational needs. These are mainly:
Not enough support or help to understand their needs and assist them in their learning style. Rigid curriculum guides/pacing to rush through the content
Students answering affirmatively that they understand and can do the work independently because that's what they think I want to hear OR because they think they actually can on a surface-level, but then they don't do it, probably because they actually did not have the ability to work independently at home without the teacher.
Hard to get attention for more than 5 10 min for some of them.
how to interact with them
Training
Depends on the needs of the students, but it is difficult to dedicate attention to all the students. Definitely an assistant is of great help.
Lack of training and resources
My patience. But, I am more than willing to improve myself. It is just that I think that this will be new to me. However, I love teaching and there is nothing I can't do for the love of teaching!
empathy , motivation to learn is missing
less materials, you feel lost
Differenciation
They are often frustrated because of unfair and offensive previous teaching and evaluation so they arrive at high school indifferent or aggressive.
Lack of time and education
Lack of any knowledge or trainning on the strategies/approaches/methodology on teaching SEN students
The presence of students who have difficulty working with students with special educational needs for a variety of reasons.
Especially communicating disorder
Discovering how to really assist them to understand the material
How to respond.
No specific curriculum
Too many in one room
as an administrator I do not like to label kids. I want my teachers to build relationships and get to know what the kids is and what are challenges for the child and work with them to overcome the challenges.
EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS
There are no difficulties
Every student have another problem and another aproach. Teachers after few years working with this kind of studens are mostly tired. We are educated to work with ''normal'' students, and we mostly work realy hard to contributed the student with special educational needs.
Resources
every student is different
I did some PD about dyslexia. All other special needs I follow from reading about them. Sometimes I think every student has his/ her own special need and teachers need more help from specilists.
any type of problems: time. class management, working more for the preparation of suitable activities etc....
Time to prepare different materials
The biggest difficulty I've run into is reconciling the pace at which I am expected to demonstrate my students have mastered a concept versus the time it may actually take many students, special education needs or not, to actually master the concept.
Schooltime isn't enough.
Speed
I have other pupils to take care of who don't have these needs.
lack of educational material, lack of time
none when it comes to them - they are open to everything and eager to collaborate/all mentioned above when it comes to (a) class(es)
not enough time to help them
Some struggles to read and procrastinate and it is hard to get them started on projects.
adapted program
Im afraid not to control their behavior in classroom if they lose their control
special needs teachers
Undersanding whether I'm asking too little or too much from them
Linguistics barriers
time
Making sure that I meet everyone’s needs with every lesson. Also working with unqualified aides.
I believe that those students need more time and devotion. So maybe the rest of the classroom would slow down on the pace of learning.
I have a range of issues that need to be addressed- reading assignments out loud, published notes in addition to handouts, presentation materials, special seating, additional time variances, individual testing locations, among others
It depends on their needs, not just an answer, but from the teacher point of view, stressful.
The main difficulty is the amount of behind the scenes paperwork that each SPED student brings with them. Multiple meetings per year, each one about an hour long, usually during class hours, first. Next, pages of requirements for unique treatment they receive in terms of grades, time for assignments, etc. Because I teach classes with both regular education and SPED students, I have extreme time challenges caused by dealing with the bureaucratic work related to SPED students. And very little of it actually helps them achieve their true potential in the classroom, sadly. The students themselves present challenges, as well, of course, but that's the case for any student with any ability level.
A dont know
I have worked in the past. The difficulty was that the student needed more time and this would make the whole teaching process slower.
understanding each other, being patient and compassionate,
They learn slowly
80% of teachers declare that their students with special educational needs feel comfortable at school, but only 65% say that their schools provide these students with adequate support. So what actions were taken to make these students feel comfortable? Here are some examples:
Cooperative work programs, where the students are taught/supervised/given time to do relevant work within the school (mail, recycling, cafe, etc) OR outside of the school - bakery/grocery store bagging, warehouse, or meal prep, dishwasher, custodial.
Special Olympics events.
Mock interviews, job exploration.
Incorporate meal planning/prep.
Some financial practice.
I introduce them to other Boys and Girls to improve their selam confidance and had follewed their frienship
Including students in all school activities, school trips, performances, etc.
We have career guidance that is being conducted in school. Hence, our school is also open for applicant with special needs for employment. This alone promotes inclusivity where students can directly observe.
Trough SoMe and physical attending
In Portugal, all schools are inclusive. We work with therapists as well and when students with severe learning disabilities turn 15 years old, they spend a day a week, at a shop or other service, learning and practicing real life skills.
By accompanying them throughout their curriculum.
With differenciated learning and evaluation, communication, inclusion in project to boost their self-confidence, inclusion in the wider group and highlight their special talents and virtues as individuals. In difficult cases we work with the help of specialists.
With activities and special days for special needs and children ((April 23,down sendrom days(march) , special needs days(may) exct.))
I don't, but there are job coaching services for students
Our school allows a non diploma track for these students and trains them to hold a job and contribute to society.
work program
we try to prepare students for the world beyond high school.
BY SPECIAL SCHOOLS
Showing respect
I find every free class and afterclass time to work with student extra for a long period of time, I find whats he understand and like. In the class he has a time to answer some easier questions and to feal proud of himself. On the break he is a part of class team. He has friends who like him.
Career Guidance teacher - liase with outside supports
By improving their learning skills and selfconfidence
By law, qualifying students have to be given services in accordance with their 504 plan or, in more severe cases, IEP (Individualized Education Plan). General education teachers such as myself are included in the meetings that create and review these documents. For students with IEPs, that includes a transition plan for helping them and their families prepare for life after they leave school, including guardianship issues, work, and school opportunities. Within my building and district, students also get speech therapy services and physical therapy services if needed, and they have opportunities to engage in real-life skills practice by helping run the concession stand at school sport events (when not in a COVID year!).
we allow them to socialize with each other, participating together in various actions
the pedagogy department works closely both with all students in a particular class and all teachers teaching in that class to ve more sensible to SN students, to adapt methods of teaching, activities, approaches, etc.
We offer College/Career support and have Transition Specialist who does presentations and surveys on the topics. If they need community living then we offer support with this also. Depending on the level of need we have support.
Counselour take care of them
According to their capabilities, we find them internships
The teachers at my school provide a lot of real life experiences.
My students participate in activities every day with their non handicapped peers.
By talking to them and giving advice in a friendly manner.
My school offers "life skills" courses, has a post-grad center for all students, and the district has a transitional program as well for recent graduates
Class and subject adaptations, specific peronnal that take care of them, pshyco and pedagogist professionals, but it seems always not enough.
We have counselors who make "Transition Plans" to help these students transition into work.
We encourage them to be himself
All teachers are friendly with a student with autism during recess, letting him express points of view and we all support him. We also encourage the students to befriend the student.
I personally helped students, but the school doesn't offer any support
It is surprising that only 77.5% (72) of teachers are ready to talk about their work experiences in the forum, but 80% (75) are interested in attending a meeting, a conference devoted to this topic.
Working in classes with students with special educational needs, 57 teachers declare that they work in a normal mode, analyzing the needs of these students on an ongoing basis. 24 works by joining the above-mentioned students to selected groups, providing them with greater comfort of work. Only 9 work individually with the student.
In most schools, regardless of the continent or country, we have students with special educational needs in our schools. Unfortunately, for various reasons (political, financial, personal) we are unable to work with them. We are often afraid to take on the difficult challenge of introducing such a student to the local society. Sometimes it is because of our personal experiences or views. In other cases, it is due to social pressure. Will we find the strength and willingness to change then?
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