Teachers from Liceu Amílcar Cabral, in Santa Catarina de Santiago, today requested greater access to training and guidance to serve students with Special Educational Needs (SEN), aiming for a more inclusive and effective education.
The request was made in statements to Inforpress, at the end of a meeting of the Multidisciplinary Inclusive Education Support Team (EMAEI) with teachers and guardians to review the educational plans of six students with SEN at this school.
Cláudia Semedo, class director of a visually impaired student, emphasized the importance of working together to overcome the acceptance barrier, both among students and guardians.
“Often, the resistance of the students themselves makes the teaching-learning process difficult”, he pointed out, explaining that in his class, the biggest difficulty has been acceptance on the part of the student herself.
However, she highlighted inclusion as a positive point in her classroom, justifying that her colleagues help the student, especially with oral activities.
Even with this integration, Semedo argues that, to meet specific demands, it is crucial that teachers receive ongoing training, especially in techniques for working with students with different SEN.
Likewise, Paulo Cabral, a sign language teacher who works with a class of deaf students, shared the communication difficulties he faces, especially due to the variation in the students’ learning pace.
In this sense, Cabral suggested that additional training in sign language and teaching strategies would be beneficial for all teachers who eventually need to deal with students with SEN, without ruling out other training to deal with other educational needs.
Riza Veiga, mother of a student with visual impairment, reported her personal experience and explained that her daughter, now in 7th grade, initially had difficulties adapting, facing discrimination from her classmates.
Over time, he highlighted that the child began to integrate better and be better accepted, but that he still struggles to accept his own disability, which has been a constant struggle at home, but also together with EMAEI.
Regarding the teaching-learning process, she says she is aware that this denial is affecting her daughter, not in the assimilation of the contents, because, she stated that she has not had any difficulties in this part and the proof of this is that she is 11 years old and is already studying 7th grade. year, but she has put a lot of effort into her vision, as she doesn’t even use glasses, let alone a magnifying glass or other equipment.
Furthermore, in the school environment, this mother calls for the intensification of awareness-raising actions, and asked parents of children with special needs not to let themselves be discouraged and not to hide their children.
Regarding these issues, to Inforpress, the director of Liceu Amílcar Cabral, António Rafael de Pina, stated that the school is committed to inclusive education, and explained that to guarantee inclusive and adapted education for students with SEN, the school initiated a process collaborative identification of students who need support, working together with families.
Regarding the need for more training for the teaching class, he said he agreed that training and training are always welcome and highlighted as essential to serve students with SEN.
“At the beginning of the academic year, it is common for teachers to face difficulties in dealing with students with SEN, especially in cases of deafness or other specific conditions,” he said, highlighting the importance of regular training.
However, he explained that this training needs to be balanced with the other obligations of teachers, who already deal with a high workload, even on Saturdays they have coordination and these trainings have to be found as an alternative, often at times that are contrary to class times.
Finally, the director appealed to the entire educational community, including parents, students, staff and the Ministry of Education, to work together to guarantee the well-being of students with SEN.
Resilience, he highlights, is “fundamental to facing the challenges of inclusive education, and collective support can transform the school environment into a welcoming and respectful space for everyone”.
Amílcar Cabral Secondary School belongs to group nº1, which is the largest group in the municipality and, according to information from the director, is made up of 11 schools.
In this group, according to information from the EMAEI coordinator, there are more than 30 students identified.
