The main purpose of this study was to provide some practical guidelines in training those who will teach children who are physically disabled and organizing the curricula of theacher training courses.
This could be accomplished by identifying compete...
The main purpose of this study was to provide some practical guidelines in training those who will teach children who are physically disabled and organizing the curricula of theacher training courses.
This could be accomplished by identifying competencies needed by the teachers of physically disabled children and examining the differences of opinion of the teachers on the competencies. The teachers who answered the survey vary in sex, level of education (elementary or secondary levels) and duration of teaching experiences (under 5 years, from 5 to 10 years, over 10 years).
The competencies suggested by Mackie and other were used and adjusted to suit the Korean circumstances and culture in this study. Eighty competencies were identified and then classified into seven categories:
1) Principles of Education 2) Methods of Education 3) Evaluation of Education 4) School Management 5) Cooperative Relations 6) Partial Disability and Multiple Disability
7) Character of the Teachers
The field testing was conducted on 141 Korean teachers from 8 special schools for physically disabled children in Kwangju, Taegu, Pusan, Seoul and Kyunggi-do to verify the necessity of the competencies and to survey self proficiency (or self achievement) of the teachers.
The outcome of the survey were as follows:
First, the teachers agreed that the those competencies were all important. But they had different opinions on the individual 80 competencies.
Male teachers placed more emphasis on one item in School Management. Secondary school teachers, rather than elementary school teachers, put more emphasis on School Management. In the individual items, secondary school teachers put more emphasis on two items in Methods of Education and three items in Cooperative Relation.
Teachers who have taught 10 years or more, put more emphasis on two items in Principles of Education ad one item in Methods of Education and three items in Cooperative Relation.
Teachers who have taught 10 years or more, put more emphasis on two items in Principles of Education and one item in Methods of Education.
All teachers thought the seven main categories are important but the secondary school teachers perceived the following areas to be most important, they are: Methods of Education (basic living skills, parent involvement) and the need for professional teams. The teachers who have the most teaching experience thought the Methods of Education and School Management are vital.
Second, the Teachers did not show significant differences in the degree of self achievment in the competencies, but they showed a slight difference in the individual 80 competencies.
In one item in School Management, the survey revealed that self achivement of the male teachers was higher than that of the female teachers. Also in one item under Principles of Education and in two items in Cooperative Relations, the survey showed that self achievement of secondary school teachers was higher than that of elementary school teachers. The survey revealed that the teachers who have much experience in Partial Disability and Multiple Disability evaluated their self achievement very high
Finally, the coefficient of correlation between the necessity of the competencies in the field, and the degree of self achievement, was 0.92. Generally, the teachers considered the competencies in which they accomplished self achievement to be very important, and vice versa.
I would suggest that the competencies underlined in this study are very useful in training the teachers of physically disabled children and organizing the curricula of teacher training courses. In the event we organize the programs with the competencies listed in this study, we will need to study the method to relating simple knowledge with practical skills and to enforce the competencies that are related to responsibilities.
Also, a study of further competencies regarding whether or not the teacher majored in special education, the number of students in a classroom and the degree of disability displayed by the students is needed.
Finally, a policy of education should be developed which would enable the teacher to come to an awareness of the importance of the competencies needed in the classroom.