Special Education - Various Learning and Functional Difficulties
The following topics are included in the course:
- Brief introduction about innovation and special educational research methods
- Language and communication difficulties
- Reading and writing difficulties
- Mathematics difficulties
- Social and emotional difficulties
- Cognitive and neurological learning difficulties
- Sensory-related learning difficulties
- Minority-related learning difficulties
- Guidance and advice
- Special educational approaches.
KNOWLEDGE
Students
- have knowledge about the history, place in society, normalisation, equality and inclusion of special needs education
- have knowledge about various functional and learning difficulties in children, young people and adults
- have knowledge about rights and proceedings based on legislation and regulations
- have an overview of the most common mapping methods and mapping tools used in kindergartens and schools
- have knowledge about preventive and remedial measures, early interventions and special educational methods
- have knowledge about special educational development work/innovation and multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration
- have knowledge about professional issues of an ethical nature related to special educational work
SKILLS
Students
- can reflect critically and constructively on their own practice and relate it to special educational theory
- can reflect on and discuss key and current special educational issues and professional issues of an ethical nature that are relevant to training in kindergartens and teaching in schools
- can carry out special educational mapping and assessment using relevant mapping and assessment materials
- can give an account of how schools and kindergartens can adapt the learning environment in order to prevent and remedy difficulties
- can provide relevant special educational guidance and advice to parents/guardians and to employees in schools and kindergartens
- can plan, implement and evaluate special educational development work/innovation
- can conduct multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary work with other professional groups
GENERAL COMPETENCE
Students
- have broad insight into how to facilitate a good learning environment based on special educational approaches
- have insight into academic and professional issues of an ethical nature related to the rights of children, where adapted education and special needs education are also involved
- have expertise in being able to plan, implement and evaluate the adapted education, including special needs education for children, young people and adults with various functional and learning difficulties based on individual, group and system levels
- have expertise in being able to convey and exchange points of view and experiences in professional communities, in order to contribute to the development of good special educational practice
Session-based
This is a programme of professional study. Active participation and collaborative learning are therefore key. The teaching will be carried out in one gathered group. Teaching and learning will take place in the form of lectures, discussion groups, seminar groups and during supervised professional training. In addition, self-study constitutes a substantial part of the learning activity. Supervision is also a key part of the teaching and learning process. This assumes that students are active, are able to problematise and solve problems. Active participation and collaboration between students are prerequisites for achieving the course’s learning outcomes.
10 days of compulsory, supervised special educational training with a supervisor. Concludes with a supervised professional training report and an assessment of training conducted by the supervisor. As far as possible, supervised professional training will be conducted in groups (3 students together).
Comments:
Supervised professional training will be thoroughly discussed at the start of the study period.
A separate supervised professional training plan has been drawn up. This will be revised before study begins and will be posted on the programme of study’s homepage (Canvas).
Guidelines for supervised professional training at the Faculty of Education and Arts, as well as more information about supervised professional training can be found on theSupervised Professional Training in Teacher Education page
- Composite assessment (SV)
All teaching and examination activities must be passed/approved in order to pass the course as a whole
- Compulsory participation (OD): a minimum of 80% participation is required. Grading: Approved/not approved. Represents 0/100 of the grade.
The sessions are mainly based around lectures, development of relationship skills, communication training and guidance practice related to various courses in the programme of study. Therefore, a minimum of 80% attendance is required.
- Coursework 1 (AK1)
Individual and group-based reflection tasks. Grading: Approved/not approved. Represents 0/100 of the grade. The tasks are related to various courses in the programme of study. The tasks will be case-based and contain theory, source referencing, reflections and course literature.
- Supervised professional training (PR)
10 days of compulsory, supervised professional training. Grading: Pass/ Fail. Represents 0/100 of the grade.
Assessment criteria: Preparation and participation in meetings with the supervisor, planning and implementation of special educational measures, collaborative ability and ability to communicate about academic challenges, the student’s perspectives and ability to reflect.
- Coursework 2 (AK2)
Supervised professional training report. This is to be a summary and description of the supervised professional training including personal reflections. Scope: Maximum 5 pages. Grading: Approved/not approved. Represents 0/100 of the grade.
- Assignment (OP)
A case-based, supervised, individual innovation assignment (OP). Grading: A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Represents 50/100 of the grade.
The assessment is related to: The case and issue in question. Theoretical section. Method and results. Section about measures. Relevance. Summary. Context of the content. Course literature. Scope: 10 - 12 pages.
- Home examination (HJ)
8 hour individual home examination (HJ). Grading: A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Represents 50/100 of the grade.
Assessment criteria:
- Ability to reflect on professional challenges
- See connections between the individual and the environment
- Demonstrate good special educational knowledge
- Demonstrate independent ability to solve problems
- Source referencing is required in relation to the text and the course literature
NB: AK1, AK2, PR and OD must be approved/passed in order to submit OP, and in order to take HJ.