Situating "children-supporting-children" Platform in the Context of the Inclusive Agenda: A Phenomenological Exploration

Princess Zarla J. Raguindin, Li Yan Ping

Abstract


The increasing plurality of the school population today calls for a mandate to promote inclusion in the educational systems by removing grounds that excludes and discriminates.  One powerful means of promoting inclusion is through the "children-supporting-children" platform. As such, learners should be guided in the development and enhancement of social skills as a pre-requisite to a society that bars exclusion; however, less is known about it.  This paper bridges this research gap by contributing to the intensive understanding and important realization on how children can become co-implementers of the inclusive agenda.  A transcendental phenomenological approach was used to analyze how the teacher-participants experience and understand the context of "children-supporting-children" in the inclusive agenda as transpired in their early-grade classrooms.   A semi-structured interview, focus group discussion, and class observation was conducted to gather data to (1) identify and establish their meanings and understanding of the emerging inclusive expressions and concepts exhibited by their pupils and  (2) classroom strategies they employ to reinforce the constructs.  A structured and inductive analysis was performed to refine the data and identify emerging codes and themes.  The findings of this paper suggest that pre-schoolers are co-constructors of inclusive culture through emerging expressions and that schools are an avenue to enhance such expressions.  There is limited research on specific strategies and interventions in an early childhood setting to promote inclusion; therefore, insights in this paper are relevant in implementing pro-active inclusive pedagogies as they are accounts of those who are in the field.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.6.18


Keywords


inclusive education; social-emotional learning; early childhood and inclusion; teaching strategies

Full Text:

PDF

References


Ahmmed, M., Sharma, U., & Deppeler, J. (2012). Variables affecting teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education in Bangladesh. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 12(3), 132–140. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-3802.2011.01226.x

Ahmmed, M., Sharma, U., & Deppeler, J. (2014). Variables affecting teachers' intentions to include students with disabilities in regular primary schools in Bangladesh. Disability & Society, 29(2), 317–331. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2013.796878

Artiles, A., Kozleski, E., Dorn, S., & Christensen, C. (2006). Chapter 3: Learning in Inclusive Education Research: Re-mediating Theory and Methods With a Transformative Agenda. Review of Research in Education - REV RES EDUC, 30, 65–108. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X030001065

Baglieri, S., & Shapiro, A. (2017). Disability studies and the inclusive classroom. Critical practices for embracing diversity in education (2nd Ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Booth, T., Ainscow, M., & Vaughan, M. (2011). Index for Inclusion. Developing Learning and Participation in Schools. Retrieved from http://www.csie.org.uk/resources/inclusion-index-explained.shtml

Brown, Z., & Palaiologou, I. (2016). Inclusive practice in early childhood education. In Z. Brown (Ed.), Inclusive education. Perspectives on pedagogy, policy, and practice. New York, NY.

Brownell, C. A., Iesue, S. S., Nichols, S., & Svetlova, M. (2013). Mine or yours? Development of sharing in toddlers in relationship to ownership understanding. Child Development, 84(3), 906–920.

Brownell, M. T., & Pajares, F. (1999). Teacher Efficacy And Perceived Success In Mainstreaming Students With Learning And Behavior Problems. Teacher Education and Special Education, 22(3), 154–164. https://doi.org/10.1177/088840649902200303

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2002). Research methods in education. Routledge.

Conroy, M. A., & Brown, W. H. (2002). Preschool children: Putting research into practice. Promoting Social Communication: Children with Developmental Disabilities from Birth to Adolescence, 211–238.

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. (2017). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th Ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage publications.

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publication.

Darling-Churchill, K. E., & Lippman, L. (2016). Early childhood social and emotional development: Advancing the field of measurement. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 45, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2016.02.002

Denham, S., Bassett, H., & Zinsser, K. (2012). Early childhood teachers as socializers of young children's emotional competence. Early Childhood Education Journal, 40(3), 137–143.

Fabes, R. A., Hanish, L. D., & Martin, C. L. (2003). Children at Play: The Role of Peers in Understanding the Effects of Child Care. Child Development, 74(4), 1039–1043. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3696202

Farrell, P. (2002). Making special education inclusive: from research to practice (M. Ainscow & P. Farrell, eds.). London, UK: David Fulton.

Feeny, S., Moravcik, E., & Nolte, S. (2018). Who am I in the lives of Children? An introduction to early childhood education (11th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education Limited.

Florian, L. (2012). Preparing Teachers to Work in Inclusive Classrooms: Key Lessons for the Professional Development of Teacher Educators from Scotland's Inclusive Practice Project. Journal of Teacher Education, 63(4), 275–285. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487112447112

Florian, L., & Spratt, J. (2013). Enacting inclusion: A framework for interrogating inclusive practice. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 28. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2013.778111

Forlin, C. (2010). Teacher Education for inclusion. Changing paradigms and innovative approaches (Chris Forlin, ed.). London, England: Routledge.

Forlin, C. (2012). Future directions: What is needed now for effective inclusive teacher education? In C. Forlin (Ed.), Future Directions for Inclusive Teacher Education. An international perspective (pp. 173–183). New York, NY: Routledge.

Forlin, C., Loreman, T., & Sharma, U. (2014). A system-wide professional learning approach about inclusion for teachers in Hong Kong. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 42(3), 247–260. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359866X.2014.906564

Fox, L., Dunlap, G., Hemmeter, M. L., Joseph, G. E., & Strain, P. S. (2003). The Teaching Pyramid: A Model for Supporting Social Competence and Preventing Challenging Behavior in Young Children. Young Children, 58(4), 48–52.

Goncu, A. (1993). Development of intersubjectivity in social pretend play. Human Development, Vol. 36, pp. 185–198. https://doi.org/10.1159/000278206

Hall, E., Chai, W., & Albrecht, J. A. (2016). A Qualitative Phenomenological Exploration of Teachers' Experience With Nutrition Education. American Journal of Health Education, 47(3), 136–148. https://doi.org/10.1080/19325037.2016.1157532

Halle, T. G., & Darling-Churchill, K. E. (2016). Review of measures of social and emotional development. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 45, 8–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2016.02.003

Han, S. (2014). Supporting Early Childhood Teachers to Promote Children's Social Competence: Components for Best Professional Development Practices. Early Childhood Education Journal, 42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-013-0584-7

Han, S., & Kemple, K. (2006). Components of Social Competence and Strategies of Support: Considering What to Teach and How. Early Childhood Education Journal, 34, 241–246. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-006-0139-2

Haslip, M., Allen-Handy, A., & Donaldson, L. (2019). How do Children and Teachers Demonstrate Love, Kindness and Forgiveness? Findings from an Early Childhood Strength-Spotting Intervention. Early Childhood Education Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-019-00951-7

Jones, D., Greenberg, M., & Crowley, D. (2015). Early Social-Emotional Functioning and Public Health: The Relationship Between Kindergarten Social Competence and Future Wellness. American Journal of Public Health, 105, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302630

Jones, S. M., Zaslow, M., Darling-Churchill, K. E., & Halle, T. G. (2016). Assessing early childhood social and emotional development: Key conceptual and measurement issues. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 45, 42–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2016.02.008

Katz, L. G., & McClellan, D. E. (1997). Fostering children's social competence: The teacher's role. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Kemple, K. M. (2004). Let's be friends: Peer competence and social inclusion in early childhood programs. Teachers College Press.

Kennedy, A. (2018). Promoting the Social Competence of Each and Every Child in Inclusive Early Childhood Classrooms. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.80858

Kienbaum, J. (2014). The development of sympathy from 5 to 7 years: Increase, decline, or stability? A longitudinal study. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 468. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00468

Loden, M. (1996). Implementing diversity: Best practices for making diversity work in your organization (J. Krames, Ed.). Toeledo, OH: McGraw-Hill, Education.

Loreman, T., & Deppeler, J. (2002). Working towards full inclusion in education. Access: The National Issues Journal for People with a Disability, 3(6), 5–8.

Lynch, S., & Simpson, C. (2010). Social Skills: Laying the foundation for success. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 38(2), 3–12.

Malti, T., Gummerum, M., Keller, M., Chaparro, M. P., & Buchmann, M. (2012). Early sympathy and social acceptance predict the development of sharing in children. PloS One, 7(12), e52017–e52017. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0052017

Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. (2016). Designing qualitative research (6th Ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Maxwell, J. (1996). Qualitative research design. An interactive approach. Thousand Oaks,CA: SAGE.

McCartney, K., & Phillips, D. (2006). Blackwell handbook of early childhood education. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing.

Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412995658

National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. (2004). Young children develop in an enviroment of relationships: Working paper No.1 (No. Working Paper No.1).

Odom, S., Buysse, V., & Soukakou, E. (2011). Inclusion for Young Children With Disabilities: A Quarter Century of Research Perspectives. Journal of Early Intervention - J EARLY INTERVENTION, 33, 344–356. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053815111430094

Odom, S., McConnell, S., & Brown, W. (2019). Social competence of young children: Conceptualization, assessment, and influences. In W. Brown, S. Odom, & S. McConell (Eds.), Social competence of young children: Risk, disability, and intervention (pp. 3–29). Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

Pearson, S. (2016). Rethinking children and inclusive education. Opportunities and complexities. London, UK: Bloomsbury Academic.

Raguindin, P. Z. J. (2020). Integrating Concepts and Expressions of Inclusion in the K – Curriculum: The Case of the Philippines. European Journal of Educational Research, 9(1), 305–317.

Ramsey, P. (1991). Making friends in school: Promoting peer relationships in early childhood. New York: Teachers College Press.

Ramsey, P. (2008). Children's responses to differences. NHSA Dialog, 11(4), 225–237.

Rose-Krasnor, L., & Denham, S. (2009). Social-emotional competence in early childhood. Handbook of Peer Interactions, Relationships, and Groups, 162–179.

Sendil, C. O., & Erden, F. T. (2012). Preschool Teachers' Strategies to Enhance Social Interaction Skills of Children during Playtime. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 47, 918–923. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.06.757

Sharma, U., & Sokal, L. (2015). The impact of a teacher education course on pre-service teachers' beliefs about inclusion: An international comparison. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 15(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-3802.12043

Steedly, K., Scwartz, A., Levin, M., & Luke, S. (2008). Social skills and academic achievement. Evidences for education. National Center for Children with Disabilities, 3(11), 1–7.

Thomas, G., & Loxley, A. (2007). Deconstructing Special Education Reconstructing Inclusion.

UNESCO. (1994). The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action. Policy, (June), 7–10. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org

UNESCO. (2009a). Guidelines for inclusion: ensuring access to education for all. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org

UNESCO. (2009b). Policy guidelines on inclusion in education. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org

UNESCO. (2016). Training tools for curriculum development. Reaching out to all learners: A resource pack for supporting inclusive education. Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/education/pdf/15_62.pdf

Visnjic, J. A., Lapat, G., & Galinec, M. (2019). The Role of Early Childhood Education in Developing Social Competence of Roma Children. 20, 77–91. https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v20i0.3323

Yoder, N. (2014). Teaching the whole child: Instructional practices that support social-emotional learning in three teacher evaluation framework. Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research Center on Great Teachers and Leaders.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


e-ISSN: 1694-2116

p-ISSN: 1694-2493