Focus on Families: Current education methodologies often lack a focus on families themselves. While it’s important not to treat families as patients, there’s a need for an approach that allows educators to empathize and understand the perspectives of family members. This shift in focus can significantly enhance the effectiveness of the educational process.
Comprehensiveness of Methodologies: Many countries utilize individual education programs like Portage, Small Steps, and Responsive Teaching. However, these methods have their strengths and weaknesses, and there’s a lack of integration and familiarity with these approaches, particularly in European countries. By combining these methodologies to amplify strengths and mitigate weaknesses, a more efficient and widely applicable methodology can be developed.
Accessibility of Education: Adult educators often lack formal training programs or curricula for specializing in special education. This results in a reliance on self-learning or private firm programs, which may not provide comprehensive or standardized education. Establishing a universally accepted curriculum would enable educators to access structured training programs, ensuring they have the necessary knowledge and skills to guide families effectively.
Neglect of Specific Age Groups and Disorders: There’s a notable gap in training programs for families with children aged 0-36 months, and educators’ knowledge is often limited to more common disorders like autism and Down syndrome. Less known disorders and younger age groups are often neglected. Developing innovative learning materials and curricula will address these gaps, ensuring that families and educators receive comprehensive support regardless of the age or specific disorder of the child.
Target Groups: The primary beneficiaries of this initiative are adult trainers, but families and policymakers are also important stakeholders. By empowering adult trainers with better education and resources, the overall quality of support provided to families with children in need of special education will improve.
Learning Materials and Curricula: The project aims to develop a pool of learning materials and standardized curricula that are comprehensive, flexible, and up-to-date. These materials will include printed materials, audiovisual resources, and online content, providing a diverse range of resources to support adult trainers’ education.
Assessment and Improvement: The impact of the developed materials and curricula will be assessed throughout the project, with results shared through reports. This iterative process ensures that the educational resources remain effective and responsive to the needs of families and educators.
