Continuity as a Prerequisite for Achieving High-Quality Transitions for Children With Special Educational Needs

• In Event: Truths and Traditions: Five Research Studies About How High-Quality Early Childhood Education and Care Is Supported in the Nordic Countries

Abstract

Children begin their lifelong learning path in early childhood education and care (ECEC). During their learning path, children will naturally make transitions between educational levels. For children with special educational needs (SEN) these transitions can be more demanding and therefore they require more support from teachers. The purpose of this study is to investigate how teachers in early childhood education and care ensure pedagogical continuity to support children in need of special support during transitions between early childhood education and pre-primary education. One fundamental pillar in the Finnish educational system is to provide equal education, with equivalent premises, for all children, irrespective of age, level of knowledge or background (Finnish National Agency for Education, 2022). This has led to the development of a new core curriculum for children participating in early childhood education (ECE), with a specific addition concerning the three-tiered support system for children with SEN (Finnish National Agency for Education, 2022). Earlier the three-tiered support system has been obligatory only in pre-primary and primary schools.

The theoretical framework for present study draws upon the importance of continuity during transitions. Pedagogical continuity can be applied to transitions when teachers look at transitions through a child perspective (Broström, 2002). Alatalo et al. (2015), Dockett and Perry (2017) and Hogsnes and Moser (2014) argue that the way information is provided and shared between teachers affects children’s possibilities to a continuous learning path during transitions. A continuity between different educational levels can also be affected if the teachers have inadequate knowledge about each other’s specific contexts (Hogsnes & Moser,2014).

The present study will be conducted within a qualitative interpretive research paradigm. Questionnaires with open-ended questions are filled out by participants during an in-service training “Stronger together” in autumn 2022. Participants that take part in the mentioned in-service training are teachers that work within ECE, pre-primary education and special education. The analysis will be conducted through a thematic analysis. In each part of this research, research ethics principles in Finland will be followed. Informants’ receive information about the study’s aim and how the results are to be processed, analysed and presented in the present study. Furthermore, respondents are informed about their rights, regarding participation and their possibility to withdraw from the study at any time.

Possible findings: To date there is no unified model for supporting transitions for children. The new core curriculum expectations are that transitions will be more equal for children irrespective of where they participate in ECEC. Even though there are guidelines, we expect to find differences due to working conditions, contextual conditions and work culture.

The present study supports the implementation of the new core curriculum and the three-tiered support system within ECE and pre-primary education. Furthermore, the study might indicate if there still re inequalities in how different transitions processes are conducted for children with SEN.

Authors

• Eva Staffans, Åbo Academy
  Presenting Author

• Johanna Hirvi, Åbo Academy
  Non-Presenting Author

• Christel Sundqvist, Åbo Academy
  Non-Presenting Author