| Abstract [eng] |
Theoretical analysis of the ecological systemic model conception and it‘s expression in the official documents, as well as the changes in the process of identification and assessment of children special needs/special educational needs have been analyzed and presented in the master thesis. In the empirical part of the paper the professional priorities in childs‘ assessment and education, parents preparedness to share information with professionals about their child, priorities of ecological approach used, as well as attitudes towards the child in a practice have been analyzed and described. Hypothesis has been formulated that theoretically the professionals‘ attitudes towards a child, towards the recognition of his/her developmental peculiarities as well as towards the training are based on the elements of ecological systems approach. However in the educational practice the elements of ecological model can be combined with the elements of traditional child‘s estimation model. Discussions in a focus groups, reflections and relevant theoretical and practical preparedeness enable professionals to know the child in the context of his/her family. The research has been based on the methods of questioning in written as well as on focus group method. The main purpose of the inquiry was to evaluate professionals’ attitudes towards the assessment and the education of the child as well as the expression of these attitudes in the practice and their links with ecological systemic approach. Statistical analysis of the data collected has been made (descriptive rates, averages, Kruskal-Wallis nonparametrical test). 112 professionals from kindergarten and 39 professionals from early intervention services as well as 106 parents who have children with special educational needs took part in the research (257 respondents in all). The most significant empirical conclusions have been drawn: 1. Professionals in the process of assessment and education of the child with special needs/special educational needs in early and preschool age, usually use the traditional way of estimation focused on the child and his/ her problems and difficulties. 2. The most important criteria in evalution and assessment of the child’s situation is the relation between weaknesses and advantages of the child. Opinion that in the process of the evaluation of the child preference should be taken to child in his/her family context is stronger accepted by professionals of early rehabilitation services rather then professionals of pre-school institutions. 3. Parents understanding the importance of child’s assessment in a family context are partly ready to share the information regarding the child in a family. 4. Hypothesis has been proved: working with the early and preschool age children with special needs specialists assess child and his/her development using traditional models, but theoretical attitudes towards the child are based on the elements of systemic ecological approach and discussions in the focus group of professionals, reflections and relevant theoretical and practical preparedeness create the appropriate base and stimulate to know the child in his family context. |
