Using therapies in edukation of pupils with disabilities Erasmus Project

Project Title

Using therapies in edukation of pupils with disabilities

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 Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Pedagogy and didactics; Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

Základní škola a Praktická škola, Opava, Slezského odboje 5, příspěvková oganizace is an institution that educates pupils with special educational needs. Currently, there is widely accepted and promoted trend of „joint education“ in the Czech Republic. Pupils in our school gain their education outside the mainstream education, therefore we strive to make the conditions for their education as much comparable with the conditions for intact population. Common standards in mainstream school include the involvement in various projects and programs (such as former Comenius, current ERASMUS+, e-Twinning etc). That was the main reason for our application for a grant within the Erasmus+ program. At the same time, we wanted to build on the previously realised Partnerství Comenius regio program.
The coordinator of this project was Základní škola a Praktická škola, Opava, slezského odboje 5, příspěvková oganizace (Czech Republic), the partner in this program was Zespol szkol specjalnych Pyskowice (Poland). Both schools educate pupils with special educational needs.
The aim of this project was to improve competence of the educators involved (introduction to the use of therapies, new methods and forms of work and their improvement), so they could educate the pupils with special educational needs better, more effectively and more interestingly. The pedagogical staff gained new knowledge, experience and skills from participating in various therapies (aquatherapy, hippotherapy, canistherapy, art therapy) and activities with pupils. The educators observed the way their colleagues at the partner schools worked (methods and forms of work), get acquainted with therapies, improved their own skills and participated in educational process (for instance tandem form of teaching). Pupils were directly involved in project‘s acitivties. In its course they improved their polytechnic skills and self-care. The aim was to ease the transition to higher education and subsequently to independent life. Social inclusion was a significant element of the project, pupils got to know the culture, lifestyle, habits and traditions of foreign citizens and improved their skills in communicating with unfamiliar people. In the course of exchange visits the school excutives got to know the forms and methods used in managing the partner school and they participated in demonstrations of teaching and therapies. During their stay they also had the chance to visit high schools which specialise on educating children with special educational needs in Gliwice region. The executives presented their own school‘s acitivities to founders of partner school in the course of common meetings.
The implementation of the project had profoundly positive impact on atmosphere of the school. Educators often debated, shared experience gained from the exchange and consulted preparations of the activities for pupils. Teaching staff more actively sought for and used new methods of work with pupils requiring special pedagogical care.
As for therapies used for educating children with special needs, both schools involved in the project broadened their scope and adopted some methods from each other. For example – our Polish partners encountered the puppet therapy for the first time, likewise Chzech teachers took keen interest in horticultural therapy or nordic walking as a part of the physical acitivities. The project contributed significantly to improvement of communication and cooperation skills necessary for preparation of lessons, as well as to execution of tandem teaching in common lessons, exchanges of experience or nonofficial meetings with partner colleagues. The project also has positive impact on the Czech and Polish pupils themselves. They improved their ability to communicate with unfamiliar people and orient themselves in an unfamiliar environment. Thanks to their trips abroad (for many children it was first such trip) the pupils gained self-confidence. Their families found out about life in the partner country and about the way of care for children with handicap in Poland. In the course of presentations of progress and results of the project (e.g. the Down Syndrome Day, the Erasmus+ Day) the representatives of mainstream schools, community leaders from both states and representatives of founding bodies of both schools gained the information about educating children with special educational needs as well.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 45820 Eur

Project Coordinator

Zakladni skola a Prakticka skola Opava, Slezskeho odboje 5, prispevkova organizace & Country: CZ

Project Partners

• Zespol Szkol Specjalnych