TEACHERS’ TRAINING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT IN THE CLASSROOM

Abstract

Early school leaving (ESL) is a negative social phenomenon with a significant degree of relevance for all European countries. It is no surprise then that the topic is covered in all national and European policies and strategies for the development of education till 2020 and beyond. This is one of the reasons why we focused our research on the current situation in Bulgaria and tried to provide meaningful ways to improve it.
The main sources of the research are data from EUROSTAT, inquiries of teachers for the reasons/issues of ESL and the difficulties it leads to when it comes to the personal and professional development of young people. The lack of education and complete socialization puts them at direct risks of social isolation, marginalization and leaves them out of opportunities, leads to a never-ending identity search, place in society and means of survival. Last but definitely not least important is the relation of such unfavorable sociological phenomenon such as ESL with the likelihood of getting involved in criminal activities.
Using the analysis of the collected data from inquiry conducted as a part of an ERASMUS+ KA3 project – EMPAQT /EMPAQT - 564547-EPP-1-2015-1-BG-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD/ the main factors contributing to the decrease of ESL were outlined. The data in the recent years even shows a slow increase in ESL, which means that the current methods and strategies are no longer useful. Reducing the ESL with another two percentages to the targeted level and stable retention at this level will require new measures in addition to those, which already have become part of the routine at schools. This is why we look at prevention of ESL by changing the organization of the educational process and the development of an inclusive environment in the classroom through teachers’ training.
The current publication also introduces the work of the Department for Information and In-Service Teachers’ Training (DIITT) (at Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria) in the area of teachers’ training. DIITT has organized and conducted training for the development of an inclusive environment in the classroom. The modules were prepared on the basis of an inquiry amongst teachers and students in Bulgaria, providing information on their views of the current problems and the status of Bulgarian education. The trainings are included in the National program for Teachers’ Training for 2016. Some of the modules are currently approbated in modules of a training program in EMPAQT project – with participants from Malta, Italy, Romania, Turkey and Bulgaria. As the project continues its work through 2017-2018 the results of the piloted classrooms where trained teachers will practice will be shared in an academic conference in 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. The EMPAQT project is selected to contribute to the development of a common policy in education in all European countries.