The two main topics I found the most information on are inclusion in early childhood education and research around the birth to three age group. Both of these topics are of interest to me and are ones that I am involved with daily. In my work in inclusion, I have learned that it is a growing trend and becoming more widely practiced in early learning environments. We are seeing the value in creating opportunities for children to learn alongside peers that have varying abilities. I have always been passionate about the youngest age group in our care. My "career" started in an infant room when I was 16! It is fascinating to me to see the research and development of theory and programs on an international level.
The EECERA website has journal articles that share the knowledge on each topic. One such article describes the shift in thinking around the education and care of babies in settings outside the home resulting from the increase in women returning to the workplace (Rayna, S. & Laevers, F., 2011). The authors seeks to explain the various factors that influence the approach to caring for young children including research on attachment and social and emotional development. Another article reflects on the idea of embedded instruction for children with special needs in inclusive environments. The authors found that the use of embedded instruction was beneficial for children with special needs to gain new skills and also generalise them across other areas of development (Rakap, S. & Parlak-Rakap, A., 2011). Embedded instruction is the practice of identifying natural times and activiites to engage a learner in the instruction of a particular skill or concepts.
While exploring the EECERA website, I found that they accept submissions for journal entries. This is something that I have considered throughout this master's degree experience. I am interested in sharing some of the knowledge and research I have gathered with others and I never knew how to go about doing that. With more experience in writing on a graduate level, I hope to gain the confidence to submit some of my work to a professional organization similar to EECERA.
References:
Rakap, S., & Parlak‐Rakap, A., (2011): Effectiveness of embedded
instruction in early childhood special education: a literature review, European Early Childhood
Education Research Journal, 19:1, 79-96Rayna, S. & Laevers, F. (2011): Understanding children from 0 to 3 years
of age and its implications for education. What's new on the babies' side? Origins and evolutions,
European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 19:2, 161-172www.eecera.org
I think that it is great that you were able to find research that supports inclusion in the classroom, with being a kindergarten teacher myself and a previous preschool teacher for seven years I think inclusion is important for all children. Children are all unique and different in their own ways and I think they can all learn from each and they present different learning opportunities for each other and the teacher. I think inclusion is a great way to incorporate a community feeling within the classroom.
ReplyDeleteKatherine,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the information you gained from EECERA. This is my second year teaching in an inclusion classroom and it is so rewarding to see just how much children with special needs gain different skills and adjust to an regular ed. classroom.