Competencies Of Pre-School Teachers Working With Children With Special Needs

Stav prema osobama s invaliditetom i posebnim potrebama oduvijek je bio praćen negativnim konotacijama, a učestala i prihvatljiva društvena praksa bila je osuđivanje i napuštanje djece s teškoćama, invalida, bolesnih i neprihvatljivih. Društvo je takve smatralo teretom. Iako se takav stav i odnos društva s vremenom mijenjao i poboljšavao, danas još uvijek postoje primjeri nepovoljnog odnosa zajednice prema djeci s teškoćama i osobama s invaliditetom te općenito niska tolerancija na različitosti. Ovaj završni rad nam prikazuje kako se taj odnos mijenjao od potpune isključenosti iz društvene zajednice do aktualnog socijalnog i modela prava koji zagovaraju odgojno-obrazovnu i socijalnu inkluziju kao najhumanijeg oblika potpore i podrške djeci s posebnim odgojnim i obrazovnim potrebama, ali i odraslim osobama s invaliditetom. Za primjerenu podršku djeci s raznovrsnim različitostima u razvoju i socijalnom okruženju, od odgojno-obrazovnog sustava se očekuje da bude najspremniji za promicanje promjena i jednakosti. Stoga se i od odgojitelja kao prvih profesionalnih odgojnih i obrazovnih stručnjaka u procesu odgojno-obrazovne inkluzije očekuju kompetencije za kreiranje poticajnog i inkluzivnog okruženja. Posebnosti odgojno-obrazovnih potreba djece predškolske dobi često su povezane s fenomenologijom razvojnih teškoća i uvjetovane dostupnom ili nedostupnom podrškom. Iako se djeca s teškoćama kao jedna od skupina djece s posebnim potrebama, međusobno razlikuju i bivaju slična, svima je potreban osjećaj sigurnosti, pripadnosti, dostupna podrška tokom rasta i razvoja. O tim osobitostima razvoja i individualiziranom podrškom odgojitelji saznaju kroz formalno obrazovanje, ali i više kroz programe cjeloživotnog učenja i kontinuiranog profesionalnog razvoja.The attitude towards disabled children and children with special needs has always been reason for causing negative connotations. Namely, it has been a frequent and accepted social practice to condemn and abandon children affected by birth defects, developmental disabilities and diseases. They were perceived as a burden to society. Although, over the course of time a gradual change of attitudes and social perception for the better has occurred, even today there are still cases of negative attitude and social perception towards children and persons with special needs and a general intolerance to those who are different. This paper is intended to show the gradual change of attitudes from complete social exclusion to the current social and legislative model which promotes the policy of inclusive education and social inclusion as the most human form of help and support for children with special educational needs but also for disabled adults. In order to ensure an adequate support for children affected by different types of development disabilities and growing up in different social surroundings, the education system is expected to be the best place to promote change and equality. Therefore, pre-school teachers, as the early childhood professionals in the process of educational inclusion, are expected to have competencies for creating a stimulating, creative and inclusive environment. The special educational needs of pre-school children can often be associated with the phenomenology of development difficulties and are conditioned by the availability of support. Although, children with disabilities are just one type of special needs children, they all share their similarities and differences, namely they all need a sense of security, belonging as well as available support during their growth and development. Pre-school teachers learn about these various stages of development and individualised support during their formal education, but also through lifelong learning and continuing professional development plans