I-VETTarto workshop February 3-4

Finnish perspective on inclusive education in VET

INCLUSIONSEGREGATION INTEGRATION

Vocational Special Colleges

Profession of Special Needs Teacher

Internal and external networking

Challenges:- Change of institutions- Attitudes- Development of Learning Environments- Change of Teaching Staffs Roles- What Happens to Small Groups?

Structure of Special Needs Education in VET Colleges

TOWARDS INCLUSION

Administrative level Responsibility issue

National level The Strategy for Inclusive Education in VET- Definition of policy

Regional /local planning - Co-ordination of SEN – Plans, regional strategies (case Pirkanmaa)

College level planning SEN – Action Plan of the VET College- Co-ordination - Budget frame

Implementation Identification of special needs, individualized planning, support and teaching

Institutional Strenghts: Systematic planning

Institutional Strengths: Transition phase

Basic Education

Further Education

(VET & Upper

Secondary)

Preparatory Training and Guidance for Vocational Education

Other options

Pre-Vocational Education

Working Life

Workshops

Voluntary Additional Basic Education

General Objectives of Vocational Education and Training

knowledge and skills necessary for vocational competence and employment

support for personal growth and citizenship

knowledge and skills needed in further studies and in life-long learning

Vocational special needs education and training is designed for studentswho require special support with their studies due to disability,illness, delayed development or for some other reason. Students with special needs are supported with various pedagogical means and with student welfare services during their studies. The objective is to support their studies and help them qualify for an occupation.

Instruction is planned and provided for both young people andadults, respecting each student’s individual needs as much as possible.

An individual educational plan is always drawn up for eachStudent with special needs. The objectives of qualification-oriented uppersecondary VET programmes may also be adjusted as required.

SNE in Vocational Colleges

Definition of SEN

Students have a learning difficulties if they:

a) have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority

of students of the same age; or

b) have a disability/special need which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for students of the same age in colleges

Additional support is provided for students who need support temporarily or who require special-needs education for other reasons

Focus on the early recognition of learning difficulties and early intervention

The primary goal is to support the students in their studies so that they can achieve the goals of the general curriculum

Identification of special needs

-Interviews -Observations

Identification of special needs- tests

- assessmant methods - learning styles

Other information-e.g. compulsory education

Vocational skills

Strenghts of the student

IEP

Multiprofessional Co-Operation in VETINTERNAL NETWORK EXTERNAL NETWORK

Student’s guidance• curator• councelor• special education

teacher• health-nurse• psychology• dormitory

attendant• director• vice director

Social workers

Health care

Employment services

Vocational colleges

Working places

Others

A teacher

A student

Family

Terms of Inclusiveness Ideological change in school-climate

Competences of teachers

Competences of leaders

New way of organizing work

New way of leading◦ Multiprofessionalism◦ Teamwork, co-operation in different levels◦ Working in networks

Vocational teachers Pedagogical skills- can recognise the need for support

- can evaluate the tasks of their own field from the viewpoint of special support

- can individualise their skills and guidance

- can diversify labour intensive learning environments

Collaboration and network skills- can work in groups, teams and networks which promote the learning process of a student

who requires special support

- can collaborate with the other experts and teachers in the educational institute for the benefit of a student requiring special support

- can collaborate with the representatives of the working life to promote the learning and employment of a student requiring special support

 

Special education teachers Pedagogical skills - can analyse various aspects which hinder learning

- can organise and develop special support in various learning environments

Collaboration and network skills - can organise and promote useful networking for both the educational institution and a

student requiring special support

- can develop the collaborative actions of the educational institution

- can support teachers in organising special support

Management skills- can develop the guidance and support services together with the other actors

- can develop the administrational processes regarding organising special support

 

Other guidance staff(guidance counsellors, instructors, professionals) Pedagogical skills - can recognise the need for support

- can invidualise their guidance

Collaboration and network skills - can carry out guidance in pairs and as a member of a group

- can work in groups and networks which promote the learning process of a student requiring special support

 

Management Management skills- can develop strategic guidelines from the viewpoint of organising special support

- can develop and promote accessible and inclusive educational institution culture

- can create and resource multi-professional collaboration models for the educational institution

 

Skill

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Competences of Vocational SNE Teachers

- competence of vocational special needs pedagogy - competence of ethics - competence of interaction - competence of developing and influencing - competence of co-operation in working communities and working life

Some examples:

-Same challenges as in vocational education in general, (internationalisation, ‘on-the-job-learning’, skills demonstrations, web-based learning… etc.)

-Prevention of drop outs and education of whole age cohorts including students with severe and complex learning difficulties

-Transition phases of students (school to school/working life)

-Development of more inclusive vocational education in structures, pedagogy and practices and changing roles of staff within inclusive settings

- Individual approaches, networking, cooperation, consulting

- ‘Diversity of diversity’, multiculturalism

-Special needs education in adult education

Challenges for inclusive education in VET