The inclusion of students with special educational needs in vocational education and training: a comparative study of the changing role of SEN teachers in the European context (Finland, England, The Czech Republic and Estonia)
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2014 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Socialiniai Tyrimai/Social Research |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Pedagogy and education |
| Keywords | Inclusion; Vocational Education; Special Education Needs |
| Description | Vocational education and training (VET) is responding to the demands of employers competing in a rapidly changing socio-economic climate. Educators, including those who are particularly concerned with students with SEN (special educational needs), are required to understand the implications of these changes in order to take an active role in directing change at a national and institutional level. This article examines the changing role of the SEN teacher in VET, placing this in the context of the recent national histories of the development of SEN education in the context of VET from Finland, England, The Czech Republic and Estonia. Current VET and SEN educational structures and practices in the four countries are described in relation to national and international policies and documents to draw conclusions on how each country has reacted to new demands. Issues around the training of SEN teachers in each country are compared. Innovative educational methodologies are introduced into VET, and case examples are given from each country. In vocational education, teaching is gradually moving towards the workplace, on-the-job learning and assessment, where the SEN teacher’s role is largely tutorial and increasingly includes counselling. |
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