Focus Group San Viator

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Working program:

1. Welcome and presentation of the participants (Ainhoa de la Cruz)

2. Presentation of All in School Project (rationale, aims, duration, outputs)

3. Presentation of Syllabus and Inventory (PPT)

3. Debate among participants in small groups

4. Conclusions

TOTAL DURACION: 2 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES

Supporting material used:

Computer and projector

Papers, cardboard, post-it and colour pens

Feedback received from participants:

• How useful do you think a tool is for self-assessment of inclusive competences?

In general, teachers state that it is a useful tool, especially for teachers who have less experience working with people with special educational needs. For those who have had students with special educational needs, the teachers agree that this tool offers suggestions but not specific tools that can be used with students.

• Do you think that all the inclusive competences are represented in the Inventory?

After presenting the document to the teachers where all the elements related to inclusion included in the inventory are collected, we analyse them following the two main classifications into which they are divided: Cultivating inclusive values ​​and Fostering inclusive values.

In these two areas, teachers generally agree that a large number of elements are collected that reflect most of the aspects related to inclusion in schools. However, some teachers missed an additional section with suggestions for specific activities that can help teachers become aware of those times when they are not engaging in inclusive behaviour with students or their families.

Identifying these moments could generate a self-knowledge that modifies behaviours. Teachers point out that many times on a day-to-day basis we do not pay attention to how we address our students or their families and that perhaps we are not being sufficiently inclusive in the education we offer them.

• What are the strengths of Inventory?

The greatest strengths of the Inventory in the opinion of our teachers are:

1. The items are very well classified by areas;
2. Each item is related to a competence described so that it can be quickly identified by the teacher;
3. Items have a quick response so it is easy to complete the inventory;
4. A large number of different aspects related to inclusion in schools are collected;
5. Not only teachers and students have been taken into account, but also families and the entire educational community in general;
6. Behaviours contrary to inclusion are very well identified, such as discrimination based on race, sex or origin, and there are even items that refer to bullying;
7. Some items include aspects related to the individual attitudes and values ​​of each teacher that can condition our conduct, making it more or less inclusive.

• What are the weaknesses?

One of the weaknesses that almost all the groups have agreed on is that it would be good to incorporate concrete examples of the items. Adding a glossary of terms would also help unify criteria and define concepts more precisely. In one group, the debate arose as to whether the concept of inclusion was understood equally in all countries or, depending on the country and its social and cultural characteristics, it could be understood differently. Regarding the levels, maybe they are not clear, especially the proficient level. The lower levels have detailed competencies to be acquired, while the higher level is not as clear for the teaching staff.

• How would you use the Inventory and how would you value it?

It could be used in the faculty at the beginning and end of the course as a tool to evaluate the progress of the faculty in terms of inclusion. It can be passed at the beginning of the course to all the teaching staff and do it again in the final faculty. This would allow us to be able to evaluate the progress made and the areas in which the most has been improved. The inventory could be used to draw general conclusions about the state of the school in terms of inclusion. Being able to include the inventory in the school’s annual Quality plans as another indicator of quality. Share the inventory with the families so that they could complete it from the perspective of the families. Share the inventory with other external agents that collaborate with the school so that they can give us their feedback.

• What would you change or improve?

Explain in more detail what are the skills that can be acquired at the higher level; attach a glossary of terms to unify the meaning of some of them as inclusion; add examples to clarify some specific items.