Understanding the signs of development and learning possibilities in children with mental deficiency at the regular school

• Grant number: 09/06802-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2009
• End date: July 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Education - Specific topics in Education
• Principal Investigator: Ana Paula de Freitas
• Grantee: Ana Paula de Freitas
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde. Universidade Metodista de Piracicaba (UNIMEP). Instituto Educacional Piracicabano. Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The study aims at analyzing the signs of development and learning possibilities in a child with mental deficiency who is attending a regular school. It is theoretically and methodologically based on the historic-cultural theoretical approach in human development. Data collection will take place at a regular secondary school in a countryside town of the state of São Paulo, having as its focus a child with mental deficiency, enrolled at this school. The teacher's role is crucial and therefore she is also part of the study. Classroom situations involving the child, his/her classmates and the teacher will be filmed. After the filming, the teacher and researcher are going to watch the recordings as this consists in a way for them to develop their awareness in relation to something that was not perceived earlier and also to build up new meaning for what can be seen, thus revealing new meanings to their own work. The filming sessions will be held weekly, during the academic year, within the school hours and conducted by the researcher. The filmed material will be transcribed into regular orthography. The analysis shall focus on the developmental process of the child who is inserted in a regular classroom, considering that during the study both the teacher and researcher will be together looking for developmental possibilities for this child. This study is expected to contribute to the promotion of deeper discussions and reflections on inclusive education, mainly regarding possible alternative ways for the learning and development of children with mental deficiency who are attending regular schools. (AU)