Pathways to Inclusive Pedagogy Erasmus Project

Project Title

Pathways to Inclusive Pedagogy

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Research and innovation; Inclusion – equity; Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

Pathways to Inclusive Pedagogy was a project for developing the most effective ways to enable trainee and early career teachers to work in diverse twenty-first century classrooms. It brought together professionals involved in initial teacher education and early career teacher support, from a total of 7 European countries (later reducing to 6 due to a withdrawal), to prepare resources and recommendations for building practitioner capacity to meet complex pupil needs.

The ‘Pathways to Inclusive Pedagogy’ project was a response to suggestions for more specialist training pathways for special education teachers, in order to address a perceived lack of expertise in this area across Europe. It considered the reality that all teachers need to work with learning differences in the classroom, and that all teachers need to take responsibility for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities within their setting.

Through a range of study visits, participants captured and identified excellent practice in the area of inclusion and the effective teaching of pupils with special education needs and disabilities. This information provided the foundation for the creation of a range of advice, tools and recommendations for teachers, mentors and their training institutions in order to support the development of skilled, adaptable and inclusive practitioners; capable of meeting the educational needs of every individual in a diverse, modern classroom.

The project has also served to raise the profile of the teaching profession, by emphasising the importance of the development of craft knowledge. The impact of the project is a greater awareness of how inclusive pedagogy can support all learners and address challenges to the recruitment and retention of excellent teachers in various parts of Europe.

‘Pathways to Inclusive Pedagogy’ has been based on the notion that it is not possible to merely train teachers in a set of methodologies associated with particular diagnoses. Instead, training programmes must recognise the inevitability of encounters with pupils with unique learning programmes and the need for teachers to be reflective and resourceful practitioners, able to respond appropriately. The project therefore has advanced thinking around personalised learning and “quality first teaching” as a vehicle to ensuring purposeful ‘Education for All’.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 127563 Eur

Project Coordinator

Swiss Cottage School, Development and Research Centre & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Junedalsskolan
• WYZSZA SZKOLA EKONOMII I INNOWACJI W LUBLINIE
• UNIVERSITE DE LIMOGES
• UNIVERSITA TA MALTA
• ARTEVELDEHOGESCHOOL
• Centrul Judetean de Resurse si Asistenta Educationala Sibiu
• Shaw Education Trust