ACQUISITION OF SKILLS WITHIN CLASSES OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION PRIOR TO ENTERING THE ELEMENTARY GREEK SCHOOL

Authors

  • Maria Sakellariou Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Ioannina, Greece
  • Panagiota Strati Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Ioannina, Greece
  • Rodokleia Anagnostopoulou Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Ioannina, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejse.v0i0.2469

Keywords:

co-education, intervention curricula, development disorders, educational quality

Abstract

The current study investigates the co-education of typically and non-typically developed children within the Greek schools, while it presents the conclusions concerning our research which has been conducted with the implementation of an annual intervention educational curriculum about the co-inclusion of disordered children within the autism spectrum into the general class in two kindergartens and one preschool centre. It investigates effective ways of supporting the growth and learning of children with non-typical development through interventions, study courses, educational practices and multi-leveled support systems. Our specimen consisted oftwelve (12) pupils falling underthe autism spectrum who had been attending general classes, from whom seven (7) were the actual participants whereas five (5) pupils worked as the control group. The toddlers were 5 to 6 years of age and they were to be enrolled in the Elementary School the following year. The research showed that the interventions ameliorate the quality along with the quantity of basic skills and that all children can, in fact, participate on equal terms in the School Curriculum, however the readiness of the school units to accept them in an equal rank, providing them with suitable curricula, is essential.

 

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Author Biographies

  • Maria Sakellariou, Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Ioannina, Greece

    Maria Sakellariou is a Professor, President of The Department of Early Childhood Education (T.P.N.) of the University of Ioannina and Managing Director of the Post- graduate Studies Programme. She studied at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) where she completed her Post- Graduate studies as well as her Doctoral Thesis, with particular emphasis on Pedagogy and Preschool Pedagogy. Her studies also include international seminaries in Pedagogy and Preschool Pedagogy at Zurich University, Switzerland. She has taught as a visiting professor on the Educational Sciences Department at the University of Cyprus and on the post- graduate course under the title “Gender and New technologies within Education” which is being implemented by the Department of Pre-school Education and Educational Design (ΤΕΠΑΕΣ- DPEED) of the University of the Aegean. Her research interests and her bibliography focus mainly on Pedagogy and Preschool/ Primary School Education, in particular on the cognitive domains of Teaching Methodology and Curricula Design, Socio- Ethical Cognition as well as School- Family- Community Collaboration. She is the author, co- publisher and editor of 13 books- scientific manuals some of which are: Cooperation between Family and the Kindergarten: Theory- Research- Teaching Proposals (2008), Teaching Methods Enhancement of Cognition for Children from Kindergarten to High School (2009), Ethics and Education: Dilemmas and Perspectives (2011), Introduction to the Didactics of Pedagogical Labor in the Kindergarten: Theoretical Approaches and Teaching Implementations (2012), Space, seen as a Pedagogical Domain within Preschool Cognitive Environments: Planning and Organizing (2014), Playing Pedagogy within Preschool and School Education. Learning for Life (2015), A Gentle Transition towards the Preschool Age. Politics and Global Strategies to a gentle transition in life (2015) and Educationalists’ Conferencing: A Methodological Proposal (2015). Professor Sakellariou, has also composed numerous essays and articles for international double blind- peer reviewed journals, as well as for collective works (http://earlychildhoodpedagogy.gr & http://ecedu.uoi.gr). During the last years, she has been successfully organizing The Annual International (Early)Childhood Pedagogy Symposium (http://earlychildhoodpedagogy.gr/symposia) in which Greek and foreign Universities participate, and is attended by renowned foreign scientists, and within its context, the current research trends concerning transformational education, the effective teaching and curricula designing, are reviewed. Lastly, Professor Sakellariou is the Managing Director of the Pedagogy and Didactics’ Methodology Laboratory of the Department of Early Childhood Education (T.P.N.) of the University of Ioannina and supervisor on the students’ graduate training, where, among others, she implements entrepreneurial educational acts, such as the Woodland Kindergarten and the Learning through Planning Curriculum, in collaboration with research networks and community organs.

  • Panagiota Strati, Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Ioannina, Greece

    Panagiota Strati is a Primary Education Kindergarten Teacher and has serviced both general and special education, on Integration Classes, Special Schools and on the Parallel Support Sector. She has graduated the Archaeology and History Department of The School of Philosophy of the University of Ioannina and advanced on studying at the Department of Early Childhood Education (T.P.N.) of the University of Ioannina, which graduated with a first-class honour (excellent). She acquired a post- graduate degree on School Psychology and Cognitive Difficulties on the Department of Psychology of the University of Florence under the title: “La tranzitione dei bambini con bisogni speciali dalla Scuola Maternale alla scuola elementare. Il ruolo del sostegno nel loro inserimento” (The transition of children with special needs from Kindergarten to Elementary School. The role of supportive education towards their integration). She was reeducated on Co-inclusive Education at the University of Western Macedonia and undertook a Doctoral Thesis entitled “Co-inclusion of children with typical and non- typical development into the general class and their transition from Kindergarten to Elementary School”. Panayiota Strati, also attends to Early Intervention subjects, Curricula, Evaluation of the Educational Process, Class Management Strategies, Co- inclusive Education, Coeducation and Transition of children with typical and non- typical development.

  • Rodokleia Anagnostopoulou, Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Ioannina, Greece

    Rodokleia Anagnostopoulou works at the Hellenic Manpower Employment Organization (HMEO- OAED) Childcare facilities, as a Kindergarten Teacher under the job title “Deputy in charge”. She received a scholarship by the State Scholarships Foundation (SSF- IKY) to attend the Department of Early Childhood Care and Education of the Faculty of Health and Welfare Professions of the Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Epirus and advanced on studying at the Department of Early Childhood Education (T.P.N.) of the University of Ioannina, which graduated with a first-class honour (excellent). She was also reeducated under the auspices of the Education and Lifelong Learning- University (AEI) Graduates Knowledge Updating, Operational Programme at the Department of Early Childhood Education (T.P.N.) of the University of Ioannina. Parallel to this, Rodokleia Anagnostopoulou has been reeducated from the Institute of Training (INEP) on matters of Public Administration and Administrative Reform and has undertaken a Doctoral Thesis entitled “Child's Transition from Family to Preschool and Kindergarten: The role of Preschool Teacher in the Transition Process”. Her exploratory interests focus on children’s with typical and non- typical development transitional matters, co- inclusion and coeducation of children who exhibit special educational needs and impairment, as well as on contemporary early school education subjects.

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Published

2019-06-09

Issue

Vol 4, No 3 (2019)

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