Carers as mentors in inclusion: The case of Cyprus

Charalampous, Constantia Adamos

doi:10.2478/jped-2023-0010

Abstract

Despite the progress in education in recent years, the marginalization of students identified as having special educational needs (SEN) persists. Students characterized as having SEN is one of the factors that could change the status quo and lead to greater inclusion. The current research project adopted a mixed methodology to investigate this possibility. The research was conducted in five secondary schools in Cyprus, and 138 people participated. As the research is now complete, we can conclude that carers of students characterized as having SEN can act as mentors of both SEN children and non-SEN childrens

References

Bakker, H. (2012). Developmental education schools as learning organisations. In van Oers, B. (Ed.). Developmental Education for Young Children. International perspectives on early childhood education and development, Springer, Dordrecht, 7, 271-287.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Barton, L. (2003). Inclusive education and teacher education: A basis of hope or a discourse of delusion. Inaugural Professional Lecture. London: Institute of Education, University of London.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bezzina, C. (2006) Views from the trenches: Beginning teachers’ perceptions about their professional development. Journal of In-service Education, 32 (4), 411-430.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bugaj, Τ., Blohm, Μ., Schmid, C., Koehl, N., Huhn, J., Herzog, D., Krautter, M., & Nikendei, C. (2019). Peer-assisted learning (PAL): Skills lab tutors’ experiences and motivation. BMC Med Educ 19, 353.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Burgstahler, S., & Crawford, L. (2007). Managing an e-mentoring community to support students with disabilities: A case study. Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education Journal, 15(2), 97-114.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Charalampous, C., & Papademetriou, C. (2018). Inclusion or exclusion? The role of special tutoring and education district committees in special secondary education units in Cyprus. International Journal of Education and Applied Research, 8(1), 30-36.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Charalampous, C., & Papademetriou, C. (2019). Intermediate inverted leadership: The inclusive leader’s model. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 24(3), 349-370.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Charalampous, C., & Papademetriou, C. (2021). Examining the institutional framework for special units in Cyprus, Journal of Pedagogy, 12(2), 5-29.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Cook, J. (2011). Examining the mentoring experience of teachers. International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation. 7(1), 1-10.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research sesign: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.), London: Sage Publications Ltd.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Curtin, N., Malley J., & Stewart, A. J. (2016). Mentoring the next generation of faculty: Supporting academic career aspirations among doctoral students. Research in Higher Education, 57(6), 714–38.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Day, C. (2019). An empirical case study of young adult carers’ engagement and success in higher education. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 25 (14), 1597-1615.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Dixon, N. (1994). The organisational learning cycle. How we can learn collectively. McGraw-Hill, Maidenhead.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Felekidou, K., & Lenakakis, A. (2018). Play and inclusive education: Greek teacher’s attitudes. European Journal of Special Education Research, 3(3), 149-159.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Garringer, M., & MacRae, P. (2008). Foundations of successful. A guidebook for program development. Hamilton Fish Institute on School and Community Violence.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Geleta, A., & Tafesse, M. (2017). Schools as learning organisations: Assessing the organisational learning practices in West Oromia Secondary Schools of Ethiopia. Ethiopian Journal of Education and Sciences, 12(2), 15-38.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Giangreco M.F., & Doyle, M.B. (2002). Students with disabilities and paraprofessional supports: Benefits, balance, and band-aids, Exceptional Children, 34 (7), 1-12.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Giangreco, M. F., Halvorsen, A., Doyle, M. B., & Broer, S. M. (2004). Alternatives to overreliance on paraprofessionals in inclusive schools. Journal of Special Education Leadership, 17, 82-90.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hajisoteriou, C., & Angelides, P. (2016). The globalisation of intercultural education: The politics of macro-micro integration. Palgrave-Macmillan.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Haug, P. (2014). The practices of dealing with children with special needs in school: A norwegian perspective, Emotional & Behavioral Difficulties, 19(3), 296-310.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hochstatter, R. W. (2012). Peer Mentoring And Empathy. Theses and Dissertations. 1292. https://commons.und.edu/theses/1292
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hogan R. (1969). Development of an empathy scale. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 33(3), 307-316.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hutchinson, S. A. (1998). Grounded theory. In: R. R. Sherman, & R. B. Webb (Eds.), Qualitative research in education: Focus and methods, (p.123–140). London, UK: Falmer.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Johnson, T. (2008). Doing quantitative grounded theory: A review. Grounded Theory Review: An International Journal, 3(7), 1-13.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Klette, K. (2012). Mixed method research in education: Some challenges and possibilities. Norwegian Educational Research towards 2020-UTDANNING 2020 (Eds). Mixed Methods in Educational Research Report from the March Seminar 2012. The research Council of Norway.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Kools, M., & L. Stoll. (2016). What Makes a School a Learning Organisation?, OECD Education Working Papers, No. 137, OECD Publishing, Paris.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Kyriazopoulou, M., & Weber, H. (2009). Developing a set of indicators for inclusive education in Europe. Odense, Denmark: European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Lauchlan F., & Greig, S. (2015). Educational inclusion in England: Origins, perspectives and current directions, Support for Learning, 30(1), 69-82.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Linde, R., Lemonik, A. & Mikaila, M. (2015). Teaching progress: A critique of the grand narrative of human rights as pedagogy for marginalized students, Radical Teacher, 103, 26-36.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Lindsay, S. (2018). Mentoring for youth with disabilities. National Mentoring Resource Center.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Lichte, A., & Scheef, A. (2022). Exploration of training needs of paraprofessionals to support students with disabilities, The Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship, 11(1), 1-17.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Makovec, D. (2018). The teacher’s role and professional development. International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science Engineering and Education, 6(2), 33-45.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Mason, M. (2008). Complexity theory and the philosophy of education. Educational philosophy and theory, 40(1), 4-18.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
McCarty, Κ. (2006). Full inclusion: The benefits and disadvantages of inclusive schooling: An Overview Azusa Pacific University.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Messiou, K. (2017). Understanding marginalisation through dialogue: A strategy for promoting the inclusion of all students in schools. Educational Review, 71(3), 306-317.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Messiou, K. (2019). The missing voices: Students as a catalyst for promoting inclusive education. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 23(7-8), 1311-1322.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ministry of Education and Culture (2009). Guidelines for special education programs circular 7.1.10.2/3. 28.08.09, Nicosia.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Mukhopadhyay, S. Mangope B., & Moorad F. (2019). Voices of the voiceless: Inclusion of learners with special education needs in Botswana primary schools. Exceptionality, 27(3), 232-246.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
O’Hara, D. (2011). The impact of peer mentoring on pupils’ emotional literacy competencies. Educational psychology in practice: Theory, research and practice in educational psychology, 27 (3), 271-291.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Papademetriou, C., & Charalampous, C. (2019). Differentiated teaching: A possible answer to the unsolved puzzle of inclusive education provision, 3rd International Conference on Quantitative, Social, Economic and Biomedical Issues (ICQSEBI 2019), 24-26 May 2019, Athens: Crystal City Hotel.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Paris, L., Nonis, K., & Bailey, J. (2018). Pre-service arts teachers’ perceptions of inclusive education practice in Western Australia, International Journal of Special Education, 33(1), 3-20.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ponce, Ο., & Pagán-Maldonado, Ν. (2014). Mixed methods research in education: Capturing the complexity of the profession. International Journal of Educational Excellence 1(1), 111-135.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Rendani Sipho, Ν. (2012). Mixed methods-triangulation war: Hodden challenges to their conceptual survival. Journal of Applied Global Research, 5(14), 45-55.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Rodriguez, C., & Garro-Gil, N. (2015). Inclusion and integration on Special Education. Science Direct Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, (p.1323-1327).
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded Theory-Procedures and techniques. London, UK: Sage.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Symeonidou S. (2017). Initial teacher education for inclusion: A review of the literature. Disability & Society, 32(3), 401-422.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Symeonidou, S., & Phtiaka, H. (2009). Using teachers’ prior knowledge, attitudes and beliefs to develop in-service teacher education courses for inclusion. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(4), 543–550.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Vanhoof, J., & Petegem, P. (2009). Designing and evaluating the process of school. Improving Schools, 14(2), 200-212.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Whelley, T., Radtke, R., Burgstahler, S., & Christ, T. (2003). Mentors, advisers, role models, peer supporters: Career development relationships and individuals with disabilities. American Rehabilitation, 27(1), 42-49.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Williams, A. (2016). Becoming a positive and effective special educator. Journal of Thought. Spring-Summer 2016, 49-62.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Wise, L., & Glass, C. (2000). Working with Hannan, a special girl in a mainstream school. London: Routledge/Falmer.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article

Carers as mentors in inclusion: The case of Cyprus

Abstract

Paradigm

My account