Teaching and supporting students with special educational needs at a distance during the COVID-19 school closures in Finland : special needs teachers’ experiences

publishedVersio

Special teachers and the use of co-teaching in Swedish-speaking schools in Finland

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A study of Finnish primary school teachers’ experiences of their role and competences by implementing the three-tiered support

This study aimed to investigate Finnish primary school teachers’ experiences of the three-tiered support system, which was launched in 2010–2011 with the goal of promoting the inclusive approach in Finnish compulsory school. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight teachers in Finland, and the analysis was based on a thematic analytical approach. Results show that the teachers experienced having a central role in providing continuous support to pupils with different learning disabilities within the support system. Generally, they had a positive assessment of the system, which they saw as a natural part of their regular job. Nevertheless, they expressed facing challenges, such as the extended documentation and too little time for supporting all pupils in the class. The support from colleagues (i.e. special education teachers) was seen as very important, although their experience of consultation time was limited. Regarding the teachers’ competences in handling the system, it was evident they had developed relevant skills by collaborating with the special education teacher and by being active themselves. Despite the challenges, the results show that Finnish primary teachers experienced the support system as a possible and practicable way of supporting pupils with learning disabilities.publishedVersionPaid Open Acces

Co-Teaching During Teacher Training Periods : Experiences of Finnish Special Education and General Education Teacher Candidates

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Speciallärares organisering av stöd för elever med inlärningssvårigheter i Svenskfinland

Forskning och finländska styrdokument beskriver olika sätt att organisera stöd för elever med inlärningssvårigheter så som olika typer av smågruppsundervisning, individuell undervisning och samundervisning (kompanjonundervisning). Syftet med studien är att beskriva hur finlandssvenska speciallärare organiserar specialundervisningen med avseende på val av undervisningsarrangemang för elever med inlärningssvårigheter. Elever med inlärningssvårigheter jämställs i studien med elever som får intensifierat eller särskilt stöd. Data har samlats in med hjälp av en enkät som speciallärare och specialklasslärare (N = 158) har svarat på. Resultaten visar att finlandssvenska speciallärare använder den största procentuella andelen av sin arbetstid för att undervisa elever inom intensifierat stöd. På alla stödnivåer är smågruppsundervisning det vanligaste undervisningsarrangemanget. Samundervisning används inte lika regelbundet som de andra undervisningsarrangemangen. Det är vanligast att speciallärare använder flexibel gruppering och samundervisning regelbundet för elever som har intensifierat stöd, medan individuell undervisning är vanligare för elever som får särskilt stöd. Vidare indikerar resultaten vissa skillnader mellan speciallärare i årskurs F–6 och årskurs 7–9. Till exempel är det fler speciallärare i årskus F–6 än i årskurs 7–9 som använder individuell undervisning regelbundet för elever på allmänt och intensifierat stöd. Resultaten diskuteras i relation till forskning om olika specialpedagogiska undervisningsarrangemang och i ljuset av inkluderande undervisning.publishedVersio

Teaching and supporting students with special educational needs at a distance during the COVID-19 school closures in Finland : special needs teachers’ experiences

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Facilitators and Pitfalls in the Use of Consultation Strategies : Prospective Special Educators’ Self-Reflections on Audio-recorded Consultation Sessions

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Perspektivmöten i skola och handledning : lärares tankar om specialpedagogisk handledning

To create a more inclusive school, an increase in multidisciplinary cooperation is needed. One possible form of collaboration could encompass the special education teacher taking on the role of a consultant for other teachers in need of support in working with heterogeneous groups of pupils. Previous research shows that special education teachers see the role as consultant as diffuse and complex. The overarching aim of the present study involves deepening the knowledge on how consultation in a special educational context can be understood and developed based on teachers’ descriptions on this particular form of activity interpreted against various perspectives on consultation. The study is qualitative in nature and rests on a hermeneutic interpretive research tradition in combination with an abductive approach. The theoretical framework consists of two different approaches to consultation: the directive and the non-directive approach. The approaches differ regarding particular emphasis on advice and reflection during the consultation and with respect to who or what should be the focus of the consultation. The two approaches are here studied through various theories such as social learning theory, Bruner's theory of scaffolding, Roger’s humanist psychology, and constructivism. Semi-structured interviews were held with eighteen special education teachers (n=9) and class teachers (n=9) working in the compulsory school. The overall interpretation of the results shows that special education consultation can be understood as three different types of consultation. Consultation as counseling which harmonizes with the directive perspective on consultation is the most prominent type. In the consultation as counseling conversation, the special educational knowledge transfer is central and the focus is placed on the pupil. Although special education knowledge transfer emerges as a unique aspect of special education consultation, there are several inherent challenges in this type of consultation that can be addressed in that teachers also describe two other types of consultation. In the reflective consultation, there is a move away from the pupil focus and toward a focus on the class teacher and the use of reflection. The reflective consultation harmonizes with the non-directive approach to consultation. This type of consultation does not as of yet have a prominent place in the Finland-Swedish school context and at this stage it is not seen as a legitimate type of consultation according to the teachers’ descriptions. Despite this, certain aspects of the reflective conversation could be given more space in the development of consultation within special educational contexts. The co-operative consultation is characterized by the teachers acting as teammates and using professional exchange as a strategy for consultation. Both teachers' knowledge is seen as central, and rather than the special education teacher acting as the expert and moderator, the teachers control the consultation together and jointly move the work along. The co-operative consultation enables the focus to move from the pupil toward the context, which can lead to the development of inclusive practices. The results indicate that this type of consultation holds potential in the development of special educational consultation that takes place between equal colleagues. The co-operative consultation opens up for a third collaborative approach to consultation, where aspects of the directive and non-directive perspective can merge and develop. The thesis concludes with the proposal that special pedagogical consultation can be understood from an integrated perspective. The characteristics of the consultation can vary depending on the type of problem or situation, while co-operative consultation can be seen as the ideal as equal colleagues meet in consultation conversations. In order to develop the co-operative consultation, both teachers are required to have knowledge of consultation as a practice, to be part of a collaborative school climate, and that teachers are provided with enough time to take part in consultations

Teaching and supporting students with special educational needs at a distance during the COVID-19 school closures in Finland : special needs teachers’ experiences

publishedVersio

The three-tiered support system and the special education teachers role in Swedish-speaking schools in Finland

Author's accepted version (post-print).This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in European Journal of Special Needs Education on 04/02/2019, and will be available from 05/08/2020.Available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08856257.2019.1572094In 2010, new amendments regarding special education were made to the Finnish Basic Education Act (642/2010), and they were officially adopted in 2011. The three-tiered support systemthat was introduced can be considered the Finnish approach to moving education toward a more inclusive system since it emphasises all teachers’ responsibility to deliver support within the regular educational setting, representing a new feature in the policy documents. This has brought about new expectations for special education teachers’ (SETs’) roles. Our research aims to contribute to knowledge about the implementation of the three-tiered support system and SETs’ roles in Swedish-speaking schools in Finland. The data were collected using a questionnaire (N = 158). The results indicate that the SETs have an important role in the three-tiered support system, both as those with the knowledge and thosewho share this knowledge. The SETs’ role is more evidentwhen it comes to pupils receiving support on the second and third tiers. Although inclusive values are emphasised in the policy documents, the SETs still use most of their time teaching pupils in educational settings that are often relatively segregated (individual or small-group teaching), and for example, co-teaching seems to be a less frequent approach to collaboration.acceptedVersio