Supervisors info:
Ευδοξία Ντεροπούλου- Ντέρου, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια, Τμήμα ΤΕΑΠΗ, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Summary:
Abstract
The twenty-first century marks the urgent need for an educational policy and a school system, which must be inspired by the principle of inclusive Education. However, in order to apply the Education of Inclusion, it is necessary to redefine the educational objectives and to seek new methodologies, to diversify the curricula, to involve teachers, pupils and parents more actively in educational activities, in the context of a more general social transformation.
In such a context, there is a need to explore alternative social processes through which learning is acquired, new teaching methods, which will be able to encourage inclusive educational practices and to turn into practice what the Education of Inclusion advocates. In the light of this necessity, this research highlights theatrical games, a new pedagogical practice and teaching method, which is based on the experiential approach of learning and group-centered teaching.
This research paper is a qualitative research that explores the views and experiences of ten (10) animators on the inclusive dimension of theatrical games in groups of pre-school and elementary school children. The ultimate aim of the research is to define the relation of theatrical games with the principles and purposes of inclusion, to investigate whether theatrical games can be a tool for the inclusive teacher, contributing to the formation of an inclusive Education as well as that of a wider reality.
The methodological tool of the present research is the semi-structured interview and the analysis of the data is based on thematic content analysis.
The findings of this research give the animator the characteristics of an inclusive teacher and define theatrical games as a process of inclusion. It is a teaching methodology that is in full compliance with the preconditions, principles and purposes of Inclusion, taking into account the needs and diversity of all, facilitating access to knowledge, removing prejudices and fears about anything different, allowing for the co-creation of a common culture and laying the foundations for building a society of solidarity and cooperation. Theatrical games can therefore be a key tool of inclusion and emerge as a response to the many questions concerning the way in which inclusive education could be transformed from theory into practice in contemporary education but also in wider reality. Finally, the findings of this research point out that theatrical games, as well as any fragmentary implementation and reform, cannot be a vehicle of inclusive Education. Legislative and administrative arrangements are required to bring about radical educational and social changes therefore wider social measures are needed by the state.
Keywords:
Inclusive Education, inclusive educational practices, inclusive teacher, theatrical games, animator