INITIAL TRAINING OF TEACHERS FOR THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS FROM SOCIAL WELFARE INSTITUTIONS IN AN INCLUSIVE SCHOOL

Authors: Vesnica Mlinarević, Krunoslava Duka

Paper categorization: Original scientific paper

DOI: https://doi.org/10.38003/sv.72.2.2 

Paper: 2023. Vol. 72, Br. 2. – V.- Mlinarevic, K.- Duka

Abstract:

Students from social care institutions are a sensitive subgroup whose inclusive needs often
diverse the average student’s needs and for which specific teachers’ competencies are expected. The paper
presents the special educational needs of this heterogeneous group of school children explaining the
frequent occurrence of learning difficulties, behavioral, emotional, and other developmental problems
conditioned by unfavorable educational, social, economic, and cultural factors.
The valid available online study programs of faculties for future teachers for mandatory elementary school
subjects and classroom teachers at the faculties of two universities in the Republic of Croatia were
analyzed. The goal of the research was to determine the number of subjects aimed at teaching students with
disabilities during the initial future teachers’ education and the occurrence of topics of students with
disabilities education in the subjects that form the basis of future teacher practice, subjects for the
acquisition of didactic-methodical, psychological, pedagogical, social, and practical teaching
competencies. The obtained results can serve as a predictor for future research and the basis for creating
programs for professional development in inclusive teaching based on the objective needs of individual
teaching professions.

Key words:

inclusion, initial training, students without adequate parental care, teacher competencies.