1. General Education Teachers’ Perceptions of Autism, Inclusive Practices, and Relationship Building Strategies
- Author
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Bolourian, Yasamin, Losh, Ainsley, Hamsho, Narmene, Eisenhower, Abbey, and Blacher, Jan
- Subjects
Curriculum and Pedagogy ,Education ,Specialist Studies In Education ,Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) ,Brain Disorders ,Clinical Research ,Behavioral and Social Science ,Autism ,Mental Health ,Quality Education ,Autism Spectrum Disorder ,Autistic Disorder ,Humans ,School Teachers ,Students ,Teacher Training ,General education ,Inclusion ,Autism spectrum disorder ,Teacher perceptions ,Pedagogical practices ,Student-teacher relationships ,Student–teacher relationships ,Psychology and Cognitive Sciences ,Developmental & Child Psychology ,Health sciences ,Psychology - Abstract
To identify target areas for professional development, this mixed-methods study examined general education teachers' perceptions of autism and pedagogical practices in early elementary classrooms in the United States. In focus groups, teachers (N = 18) identified terms they associated with autism and strategies they used for inclusion and relationship building. Participants systematically free-listed and ranked their responses to three prompts. Using ranked responses, saliency scores were calculated to assess the perceived importance and frequency of responses. Teachers' most salient perceptions of autism (e.g., social difficulties, focused/fixed interests) revealed an awareness of core symptoms. Salient inclusion practices included assigning special classroom responsibilities and showcasing student talents; salient relationship-building strategies included embracing students' special interests and engaging in one-on-one time. Implications for teacher trainings are discussed.
- Published
- 2022