Warm-up Activity
Self-efficacy is one’s confidence in their own capacity to do something. Research shows that early childhood educators and classroom teachers vary in their self-efficacy. Many educators feel that they do not have the skills or knowledge to support all children/students. This activity provides the opportunity to talk about the areas where educators do not feel confident. Identifying where confidence is low, allows us to seek more information in that area. It is also important to recognize that good teachers have the skills to be good inclusive educators.
Discussion Questions
In the literature, generally educators feel less confident about their knowledge of specific disability categories, for example how to support children/students with autism, and about social policy and legislation. Many of the strategies that are described in the literature as being disability-specific, are in fact good teaching for all children/students. For example, chunking information into smaller sections, working with students in quiet spaces with fewer distractions, developing an individual relationship with children/students, delivering information in multiple formats, and having opportunities for physical activity.
Depending on the efficacy beliefs of the respondents to the questionnaire, you can have a discussion about where they can get more information. Some example questions are:
- Why do you think that as a group you are less confident in your understanding of the ethical responsibilities?
- What would help make educators feel more confident in their understanding of their ethical responsibilities?
Self-Efficacy Questionnaire
| No Confidence | Little Confidence | Moderate Confidence | Confident | Very Confident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
I am confident that I...
- understand theories of disability.
- could get the information I need about particular categories of disability.
- understand the role of a resource consultant.
- understand the difference between accessibility and inclusion.
- am able to implement universal design for learning.
- am able to implement accommodations for individual children/students.
- can implement inclusive practices in my classroom.
- am able to find and access services available to children/students with disabilities and their families.
- understand the processes to access services for children/students with disabilities within my workplace.
- understand how to collaborate with colleagues and other service agencies to ensure access to entitlements.
- know the legislative rights of children/students with disabilities.
- understand disability as an identity and how to support positive discussions about disability.
- understand my ethical responsibilities as an educator.