Teacher instructional arrangements for supporting social and academic needs of students with special educational needs in regular classrooms

ABSTRACT

This study investigates how regular teachers support the inclusion of students with special educational needs in heterogeneous classrooms, focusing on instructional arrangements for fostering both social and academic inclusion. Conducted as two descriptive case studies in primary school classrooms, the research involved classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with teachers. Observations focused on instructional arrangements while interviews provided deeper insights into classroom dynamics. Results highlighted the importance of peer interactions in fostering an inclusive learning environment. In Classroom A, teachers paired students with moderate needs with proficient peers, promoting cooperation and support. In Classroom B, weekly reassignment of seating and partners for a student with severe needs emphasised diverse social experiences and reduced isolation. Teachers employed differentiated instruction approaches, such as adapting tasks and using peer support, to address varied needs. The findings underscore the critical role of teachers in creating inclusive classrooms through thoughtful instructional arrangements and peer support strategies, revealing the intertwined nature of academic and social inclusion. Despite the valuable insights, the scope of the study was limited to two classrooms. Future research should address the perspectives of SEN students and their peers and examine how inclusive practices evolve in secondary education and beyond.

KEYWORDS:

• Inclusive education
• differentiated instruction
• case study

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/04853/2020 and https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDP/04853/2020.