Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Educational and Organizational Aspects of Special Needs Education

Educational and Organizational Aspects of Special Needs Education
6
10107
4
First semester
op
Main language of instruction: Catalan

Other languages of instruction: Spanish,

Teaching staff


Professor: Cristina Pons Mudarra

Via email: cpons@uic.es

Introduction

In the event that the health authorities announce a new period of confinement due to the evolution of the health crisis caused by COVID-19, the teaching staff will promptly communicate how this may effect the teaching methodologies and activities as well as the assessment.


The subject aims to contribute to teacher training, by knowledge of a series of proposals of reflection and guidelines to the enhancement of education of pupils with SEN and to the enhancement of education of every pupil, two aspects that cannot be understood one without the other.

Pre-course requirements

  • To understand the educational and learning processes of children in their family, social and school contexts.
  • To know the developments in the evolutionary psychology of childhood.
  • To be familiar with the basics of early care.

Objectives

  • To know the vocabulary of Special Education. Basic concepts.
  • To analyse the legal frame of educational politics for people with disabilities in Catalonia.
  • To identify the historic evolution of special education, doing a comparative based in the authors that studied it.
  • To discover different models of educational response to diversity in the class-room.
  • To be able to design class-room organizational proposals, employing different strategies to offer an adjusted educational response to the class’ needs and each pupil’s needs (class management, resources...).

Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • CET-1 - Interpersonal responsibility: to be aware of professional performance and influence on students. To have the skills and knowledge to manage group processes and communication for good collaboration with and between students.
  • CET-2 - Pedagogical responsibility: to have the knowledge and teaching skills required to create a safe learning environment for both classes and groups, but also for individual students, in order that children can become responsible, independent adults.
  • CET-4 - Expertise in the subject taught and teaching methodologies: to have the required knowledge in the subject taught and to know which teaching methods should be applied to create a good learning environment where students can acquire the cultural baggage they need to live in society. and to do so in an up-to-date, professional and systematic manner.
  • CET-5 - Collaboration with colleagues in the profession: to have the knowledge and skills required to make a professional contribution to the teaching environment in the school, in professional relationships, and to achieve a good school organization.
  • CET-6 - Collaboration with the professional environment at the school: to have the knowledge and skills required to establish good relations with the people and institutions dedicated to child welfare or belonging to the school's professional environment.
  • CG-01 - To integrate information and communication technologies in teaching and learning activities, teaching management and professional development.
  • CG-02 - To communicate clearly and correctly in the language of instruction (Catalan and Spanish), orally and in writing, in accordance with level C1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR).
  • CG-04 - To promote and facilitate attention to the unique educational needs of students, gender equality, fairness and respect for human rights, in the contexts of learning and social harmony, both in the school and in relation to the surroundings.
  • CG-05 - To be familiar with the elements that make up analytical thinking, the different levels of proficiency and how to develop this skill as much as possible.
  • CG-06 - To be familiar with the elements that make up systemic thinking, the different levels of proficiency and how to develop this skill as much as possible.
  • CG-07 - To be familiar with the elements that make up critical thinking, the different levels of proficiency and how to develop this skill as much as possible.
  • CG-08 - To be familiar with the elements that make up reflective thinking, the different levels of proficiency and how to develop this skill as much as possible.
  • CG-09 - To be familiar with the elements that make up creativity, the different levels of proficiency and how to develop this skill as much as possible.
  • CG-10 - To be familiar with the elements that make up entrepreneurial spirit, the different levels of proficiency and how to develop this skill as much as possible.
  • CG-11 - To be familiar with the elements that make up the quality-based approach, the different levels of proficiency and how to develop this skill as much as possible.

Learning outcomes of the subject

  • Knows the vocabulary of Special Education. Basic concepts.
  • Analyses the evolution of special education from an historical point of view.
  • Identifyes the historic evolution of special education, doing a comparative based in the authors that studied it.
  • Knows different educational responses to diversity in the class-room.                     
  • Is able to design class-room organization proposals, employing different strategies to offer an adjusted educational response to the class’ needs and each pupil’s needs (class management, resources...).

 

Syllabus

PART 1  Psychopedagogical bases of special education: Historical perspective. Legal and conceptual frame of Special Education.

Subject 1.-  Historical evolution of special education

    • From segregation to mainstream education

    • Explanatory models

    • Legal frame

       

Subject 2.- Conceptualization and current educational trends

  • Basic concepts

  • SEN concept. Warnock Inform,  LEC and LOE (LOMCE)

 

PART 2 Current school reality: Educational models

Subject 1.- Educational models or current lines in special education

  • Three educational models: Special education, mainstream and  inclusion

    Beyond mainstream: Concept and levels. Attention to diversity.  

Subject 2.- Organizational and didactic aspects

      • Curricular dessign and planning

      • Centre organization

      • Curricular measures: Units, support,  Multilevel teaching and Universal Design for learning

        • Individual plan

        • Active methodologies: Strategies to work toghether different pupils

 

 

Teaching and learning activities

In blended



The organizational approach of the subject seeks to foster complementarity from classroom lectures led by teachers with classroom work sessions, promoting the use of different active methodologies, spaces for reflection and participation in the classroom.

For this reason, there are proposals aimed to encourage the study and individual work of the student, taking into account the development of the general competences of critical and reflective thinking, creativity and the orientation to quality.  Based on this premise, we try to encourage self-regulation of students in relation to their own learning process, transferring the responsibility to the student of his formative process.

And, on the other hand, group work is also promoted as a source of personal and professional enrichment, relating it to the specific competences of the teacher in relation to interpersonal, organizational and collaborative responsibility with the professional environment.

 

ETG (group work)

Case study > An investigation about the evolution of educational models between generations.

Objectives:

1. Reflection on the evolution of the educational model (Special (segregated), integrating or inclusive) in the last years between generations, from in-depth interviews (semi-open).

2. Analyze, from interviews with 4 people from different generations, the following areas in relation to schooling: Resources and spaces, teachers, colleagues, family-school relation, ...

 

•  4-member working groups

 • Delivery of work in paper format on: date will be informed

 • Presentation: Classroom oral presentation: dates will be informed

 • The teacher will have work tracking tutorials for groups that consider it appropriate.

COMPETENCESMETHODOLOGYTRAINING ACTIVITY
CEM-09 CEM-13 CEM-14 CEM-17 CEM-22 CEM-31 CET-1 CET-2 CET-4 CET-5 CET-6 CG-01 CG-02 CG-03 CG-04 CG-05 CG-06 CG-07 CG-08 CG-09 CG-10 CG-11 Cooperative learning
Presenting method / lecture
Problem and exercise solving
Practical classes
Theory classes
Individual / independent study and work
Group study and work
Tutorials

Evaluation systems and criteria

In blended



Assessment:

  • 50% Written evaluation (average grade of 2 tests, 25%+25%)
  • 40% Works (average of two works, 20%+205)
  • 10% Participation in class

A minimum grade of 5 is necessary in all assessments. If a student fails any part, the must resit the assessment, except group work and participation in class.

Retake:

  • 50% Oral test (all contents, no parcial marks will be considered)
  • 40% Works (same grade than 1st call)
  • 10% Participation in class (same grade than 1st call)

The subject will be passed with an average grade of 5 (minimum), taking into account all the assessed parts.