Syllabus Information

1.1. Introduction

The Evolutionary and Diversity Processes subject forms part of basic teacher training. Provide student teachers with a reflection on the development and learning process when such processes do not follow normal evolution patterns and difficulties are noted in them.

Understand the study of the diversity of educational characteristics and needs that may appear during the development of Primary Education pupils with specific educational support needs by focusing on comprehending environmental and biological factors, and the basic principles of detection, evaluation and psychopedagogical intervention.

1.2. Recommendations to take this course

It is recommended that the student, before starting the subject , know the contents of the subjects studied in 1st degree course in Teaching in Elementary Education. The student must maintain a regular activity in his or her performance in the subject and update the study together with scheduled activities. The class attendance should be useful as well as being in contact with their peers, to facilitate group and individual learning.

1.4. Activities and key dates

The subject is presented in a mixed development system, with assessable activities throughout the course and a final test on the official dates provided by the centre. Key activities and dates will be announced through the Digital Teaching Ring (ADD) at the beginning of the course or communicated through written document delivered by the teacher. Dates of final exams can be found on the website of the different faculties which provide the degree.

2.1. Learning goals

Understand the evolutionary and diversity concept process in the classroom. Establish some of the elements that define it. Know how to apply the special education needs concept.

2

Know how the different biological, psychological and social disabilities affect boys and girls’ development, and their influence on the school atmosphere, especially by bearing in mind evolutionary aspects.

3

Be capable of identifying pupils with specific educational support needs and analyse their evolution according to the personal, family and educational conditions that appear in each case.

4

Develop skills, attitudes and capacities that allow an active and positive interaction with all students. Be a mediator in their social and educational integration.

5

Promote and develop teamwork skills that centre on the school atmosphere so that work among the various professionals who intervene in attending children with specific educational support needs is favoured by promoting a real interaction with these pupils in the classroom and at school. 

3.1. Aims of the course

Meaning , context , relevance and aims of the subject.

The subject and its expected results meet the following approaches and objectives:

The course was designed to enable the teacher to recognise the student diversity to be found at the stage of 6 to 12 years. Diversity in terms of personal characteristics and development: sensory, motor , behavioural , cognitive ; school learning, sociocultural and contextual also taking into account the consequences of this various development in school learning.

The teacher must be able to assess how to work with this different students , offsetting for their particular difficulties , by enabling and promoting optimal development and autonomy . Another important objective is to understand the strategies and techniques that allow working in the classroom, so that the role of the school and education professionals, as well as family and peers in the educational attention to diversity is integrated.

3.2. Competences

The ultimate goal of training a teacher is enabling him or her to design the processes of teaching and learning given in schools, taking them to practice in a multicultural context , considering the diversity present in the classroom, the different paces of learning and relationship with families to jointly contribute to the development of the pupil .

To accomplish this task , the teacher undergo basic training which includes , on the one hand , knowledge of educational and family context and, secondly , the psychological foundation of development and learning processes.

Using this knowledge the course provides an integrative and inclusive perspective that enables an appropriate response to the needs of each student, respecting their personality , fostering the development of their and individual, social, intellectual, cultural and emotional skills . Considering this optimal development from a holistic perspective in which attention to diversity is assumed as a common working tool.

The student, in order to pass the course, should gain…

1: Specific skills

( SS 4): Be able to identify learning difficulties, report them and assist in their treatment.

( SS 5 ): To know the current proposals and developments based on learning skills.

(SS 6 ): To identify and to plan the resolution of educational situations that affect students with different abilities and different learning paces .

( SS to 12 ) To address and solve problems of discipline.

2: General skills

 (GS 4). To design and to control learning spaces in a context of diversity and which attend to gender equality , equity and respect for human rights, which constitute the values ​​of citizenship education .

( CG 6 ). To be able to identify and support students who do not reach their learning potential, or those with behavioural, emotional or social problems, knowing the resources of the educational system and of the community.

( CG 13). To commit to motivate and enhance the academic progress of students in the framework of a comprehensive education, and to promote independent learning based on the goals and the contents typical for each education level, with positive expectations of student progress, eliminating stereotypes and developing strategies that avoid exclusion and discrimination.

3: Transversal skills

(TS 2). To understand learning as a global , complex and substantive fact, designing , planning , organizing and encouraging learning situations.

(TS 3). To manage and to self-regulate the progression of learning and adapting to new situations interrelating knowledge to develop new ones .

(TS 5). To involve students in their learning and their work.

 (TS 6). To work in team being able to exercise different roles within the group. 

4.1. Assessment tasks (description of tasks, marking system and assessment criteria)

Assessment activities. The student must demonstrate the achievement of learning outcomes provided by the following evaluation activities.

1: Student assessment is mixed with evaluative activities during the academic session and a final test.

1. Evaluative activities during the classes: Students will do throughout the semester:

1.1 Group Reports resolution of cases and other materials on various types of medium (cases , videos or records). They will be conducted two to five case reports of pupils with special educational needs, which in turn may be supplemented by parallel tasks of peer correction and / or group exhibition.

1.2 Individual and group self-assessments on the operation and organization of group work and learning achieved. In addition, a final self-assessment of the subject that can include the application of it together with the analysis of case studies prepared by students is incorporated.

2. Final exam: final individual written record based on a theoretical part with multiple-choice questions or essay questions and a practical part with brief cases. The exam takes place on the official date that each centre has been established for final exams.

Evaluation criteria related to reports of  case resolution ( Activity 1.1 ) Upon written report :

• The students have identified the main subject of the case.
• The students have used the theoretical knowledge presented by the teacher or included in the basic readings in order to respond to the specific questions.
• The students have identified the need for further information on the subject autonomously looking for and selecting the one that may be relevant and quoting it.
• The students have shown at least a level of functional understanding (Biggs´ taxonomy) of content, which should allow the identification of the type of educational need which occurs on the case, factors that have influenced the evolution of the case and establish justifiably some intervention actions.

• The students have prepared a written report on the basis of  minimum quality standards, establishing proper sequencing of ideas, presenting them in a clear and orderly manner , differentiating the data, the theoretical contributions and personal assessments. The language used should be clear and comprehensible.

On the tasks of establishment of common perspective and discussion:

• The performance of these tasks involves public presentation and discussion with peers by a group spokesperson (all students have to do at least one intervention throughout the course) of the most relevant aspects of cases and relevant observations. Issues assessed:
• The quality of the exhibition: clarity, relevance , consistency, analysis carried out.
•  Participation , dialogue established, responses to the ideas expressed by peers, especially  by extending their contributions , exemplifying or relativizing them.

On individual and group self-assessments ( Activity 1.2 )

• Analysis of the performance and organization of group work and learning achieved throughout and at the end of the semester.
• Self-assessment of learning carried out at different times including an analysis of the achievements, especially focusing on the student's ability to relate theory and practice.
• A proper resolution of this type of task requires students to reflect and assess the knowledge acquired and doubts that have arisen from the task and the process of individual and group learning.

On the final exam (Activity 2). A proper resolution of this type of task requires:

● The students should know at least one functional level ( Biggs )of the types of conditions that can arise in educational needs , their characteristics depending on the age of the child and his or her level of development  which constitute factors that contribute to the evolution of the case and raise some interventions consistent with previous assumptions.

 Should be able to describe and make comparisons between different cases of children with educational needs , identifying behaviours and their characteristics.

● The students are able to analyse specific cases identifying specific behaviours, areas of development affected depending on the age, adaptive impact , the factors accounting for the situation and some proposals for intervention.

● All of it should be done by students in an organised and orderly manner, creating a clear and comprehensible text.

Qualifying criteria and requirements to pass the course

 As for the final grade, it is determined by sum of scores obtained according to the following table

Activity %

Measurable activities during the course 35 %

Personal work and self-assessments to 5%

Final exam 60 %

Total 100%

5.1. Methodological overview

Importance of learning outcomes obtained in the subject:

Nowadays the activity of the teacher in the classroom is developed in a context marked by diversity, and will be specified in regular classrooms with students with different learning paces and classrooms prepared to work with pupils with special educational needs.

Teacher training requires knowing the conditions that will produce different paces of learning and development, sometimes with important differences in relation to other students and to the typical patterns of development. Which makes these children recipients of additional support from the education system. An effective teacher performance requires maintaining a positive attitude towards the development of all pupils, regardless of the conditions that have generated such diversity. Equally important, teachers must be able to identify properly these conditions of diversity and should have sufficient knowledge about the factors that explain their emergence and evolution, so that they can know what interventions can encourage the development of these children as well as under what conditions of the educational system can be implemented.

5.3. Syllabus

Contents:

• Specific learning difficulties: reading, writing and calculations
• Attention deficit disorder with and without hyperactivity
• Language and communication disorders
• Difficulties caused by personal conditions (emotional, motivational, cognitive) or by their school history (academic failure, bullying and life events).
• Entering the education system late.
• High capacities.
• Special education needs associated with sensorial disability, motor disability, intellectual disability, serious conduct disorders, autism spectrum disorders and specific language disorders. Other mental or development disorders.