The specialised support teacher: tradition, new perspectives and training needs4
Marisa Pavone, Antonello Mura
The article, balancing impulses toward specialization and pushes integration, investigates the strategic and central role of the specialized teacher in providing educational assistance for students with disabilities in the Italian school system, in the light of new and innovative legislative proposals that step in to defining their identity profile and overall school structure. Within this framework, the «inclusive chair» and «support chair» proposals are set out, weighting up their strengths and shortcomings in accordance with today’s debate and raising concerns surrounding the necessity of the adjustments. The ensuing reflection enables to clearly point out that any shift supposed to achieve effective and universal forms of inclusion, honoring the diversity and needs of all students, must necessary be grounded on the systemic approach and on the widespread implementation of basic and continuous training methods for all teachers.
Keywords
Specialised teacher, Inclusive policies, Initial and ongoing training.
