The visit to the Special School Metin Sabanci on the first day of the
Turkish mobility was for the Italian team a strong experience from a
psychological point of view, since Special schools and separate classes were
abolished in Italy in 1977 through Law 517, which prescribed to attivate
“procedure to integrate handicapped pupils by providing special teachers”. Italian pupils with disabilities generally attend mainstream schools, in
the ordinary sections and classes at all educational levels.
However, after the fist impression, the attention of the Italian
teachers focused on impeccable aspects that characterize the partner school and
its curriculum. The Italian teachers were impressed by the small number of
pupils and high number of teachers in each class, not only in Metin Sabanci
School, but also in other Turkish Special schools. This means closeness, care,
attention to the needs of each student. Onother relevant aspect in the
curriculum of Metin Sabanci School was the stress on all the senses, while
occidental schools tend to give importance to listening and speaking.
Turkish Special schools try to develop
basic life skills in their students with medium and severe disabilities. Goals
and targets of Metin Sabanci School is in fact to enable its students to be
self-sufficient, to make them independent as possible as they can be, to make
them be aware of themselves and what
they can do, to ensure integration with society. For this purpose the school
consists of a kitchen workshop, a technology-supported training room, guidance
rooms, a sensory integration room and a library. There are application houses (kitchen and bedroom) in many special
schools. Each special school has got a gym and a relax room. Moreover some of
them have got rooms for leisure activities such as cinema, music... The
curriculum of special schools is centred on practical activities. One of the
activity planned by the Turkish Erasmus team was the visit to vocational
schools, whose goal is to train students to practice crafts. Students have the
opportunity to attend art (pottery), kitchen, sewing and carpentry
(woodworking) laboratories. In this case schools represent a spingboard for their entry into
the world of work.
On the one hand the learning-teaching process is focused on senses and
pratical activities, on the other hand technology plays a crucial role in
removing all barriers and offering all facilities. These two opposite poles
represent the perfect combination to fight early school leaving, to guarantee
school success and a specific training for a specific future job.
Differently from the Turkish school system, the Italian one
shifted the focus from a clinic to a
pedagogical view. SEN students, depending on the severity of their disability,
are followed by support teachers, who are fully part of the teachers’ team of
the classes and participate in all the activities concerning planning and
assessment. Schools constantly
collaborate with families and the relevant offices of the National health
system. The medical team that takes care for the SEN student doesn't work at
school except for educators and, in some cases,
school psychologists. On the contrary, Metin Sabancy School is a
foundation which provides diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation for children
and adults with Cerebral Palsy in addition to education services. There are
teachers for mental disabled, master instructors, intern and caregivers outside
the classroom at Metin Sabanci School.
This means a closer, punctual and
accurate relationship between teachers and specialists.
The European partners had the opportunity to observe and use traditional and innovative tools at
Metin Sabanci School. The took part in
IPad training sessions and knew specific apps.
They had the opportunuty to
observe innovative methodologies and strategies used by Turkish teachers and
specialists that can be replicated in
their classes and that can contribute to foster psychological, didactic and
pedagogical practices.
Senses, practice, ICT and fun
are the keys for inclusion for everyone!
Martina De Mico, Italian
coordinator
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