Inclusion stagnates, progress nil

• 
  © www.pixabay.de
  

“That is why the schools are still unable to fulfill their inclusion mandate under the given framework conditions,” commented the Federal Chairman of the Association of Education and Upbringing (VBE), Udo Beckmann, on the results of the representative forsa survey on the topic of “inclusion”. This was the third time that the VBE had commissioned this. It not only provides an insight into current school conditions, but also shows changes over the course of 2015 through 2017 to 2020. The surveyed 2,127 teachers of general education schools also rated the effects of the corona-related restrictions on inclusion.

While 56 percent find joint schooling generally sensible, only 27 percent think that it can currently be implemented in practical terms. State governments and ministries of education receive a grade of 4.5 for their inclusion policy. “So it is not surprising that, against this background, a clear majority of those surveyed (83 percent) are in favor of maintaining the majority of the special needs schools. A fatal testimony after 11 ½ years of practical test, ”comments Beckmann.

If a pupil with special educational needs is added, the study group usually remains the same size. That’s what two out of three respondents say. At elementary school it is even three out of four. The average number of pupils continues to rise: One more child than in 2017 is in an inclusive learning group, and two more at primary schools. Beckmann comments: “As different as the special educational needs are, so different must the support be. But there is hardly any time for that. What is needed is therefore a double occupation of teacher and special education teacher. ”But: Although 97 percent of all respondents say that a double occupation in inclusive learning groups is necessary, only half of the teachers in schools with inclusive learning groups report this. In four out of five schools with inclusive learning groups there are social workers. This is a significant increase since 2015. However: At almost a quarter of the schools, support staff is only available temporarily on selected school days. According to 85 percent of all respondents, multi-professional teams are required for optimal support. However, these are only available in a third of the schools!

One in five of the teachers surveyed stated that the teachers who took on an inclusive study group could only prepare for a maximum of one week. More than half say that the colleagues had no special educational knowledge. Almost half said that there was no accompanying training and that no experience could be gained in joint lessons. Every third teacher interviewed stated that there was no special training. One ray of hope: Inclusion is now becoming more common, at least in training, but still only one in four teachers says this. 44 percent of those surveyed rated the training offer as poor or unsatisfactory! The federal chairman criticizes: “The teachers are brought into the new situation without adequate preparation. This is not only unfair towards the teachers, but also towards the children, especially towards those who are dependent on special support methods. “

• School building: Only 16 percent of schools are still completely barrier-free. Small groups and rooms for differentiation do not even exist in half of the schools.
• Exchange: Over half of the teachers who work in schools with inclusive study groups say that the teachers share the challenges of inclusive teaching at least once a week. This only takes place at one of five schools in institutionalized coordination structures and at 16 percent only at fixed times within working hours.
• Effects of the Corona period: 70 percent of those surveyed state that the pupils could not receive sufficient support during school closings. 63 percent of all teachers, but even 75 percent of teachers in special needs schools agree with the statement that when schools opened, the school ministries almost forgot the pupils with special educational needs. 74 percent of respondents agree with the statement that the corona-related restrictions have led to a regression in inclusion because everyday life was missing.

1. Double occupation of teacher and special education teacher (currently only 46 percent of the respondents in schools with inclusive learning groups say this),
2. Support from multi-professional teams (currently: 36 percent),
3. educational requirements (16 percent of all respondents state that their school is completely barrier-free),
4. smaller classes (only 29 percent of schools reduced class size),
5. better preparation through appropriate basic, advanced and advanced training (the offer is rated 4.3).

–