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- Title
Are We Ready? Early Childhood Educator Students and Perceived Preparedness for School-Based Special Education.
- Authors
Maich, Kimberly; Hall, Carmen
- Abstract
This paper describes a small-scale, single-region research project to investigate early childhood educator (ECE) students' understanding of special education in the kindergarten context that has been in place in Ontario schools since 2010. The perceived preparedness of five ECE students on placement in kindergarten classrooms was evaluated through pre- and poststudy questionnaires and through interviews with five Ontario-certified teachers teaching early learners and experienced with mentoring ECE students. Results demonstrated that ECE students' selfratings of combined knowledge, exposure, and experience with school-based special education did not significantly change, and these student rankings fell in the very low to moderate ratings overall (i.e., scores of 1 to 2 on a 5-point scale). Comments from the Ontario-certified teachers emerged in three main themes, including (1) strong foundations (i.e., skills and knowledge); (2) education for all (e.g., students who may not yet be formally identified); and, (3) universal frameworks (i.e., for all students with diverse needs). Suggestions for ECE preparedness and ECE curriculum changes are included.
- Subjects
ONTARIO; SPECIAL education; STUDENT teacher evaluation; EARLY childhood educators; EARLY childhood education; CURRICULUM change; TEACHING methods; STUDENT teaching
- Publication
Canadian Children, 2014, Vol 39, Issue 3, p42
- ISSN
0833-7519
- Publication type
Article