In the dissertation the results of a theoretical study of the problem of future primary school teachers’ training to work in an inclusive education based on the study of the Czech experience are presented.
The first section reviews the basic laws governing the implementation of inclusive education in the world and in Ukraine. It is made theoretical analysis of scientific approaches to defining the essence of the basic concepts of the research problem, such as «inclusive education», «inclusive teaching», «children with special educational needs». The essence of identical and opposite terminological concepts is revealed: «inclusion», «integration», «segregation», «exclusion».
In the course of the analysis it is found out that the issue of forming the readiness of the future primary school teacher to implementation of an inclusive approach in the education of primary school students is becoming especially relevant today. In the course of the research the analysis of scientific and psychological literature is carried out and the basic conditions of formation of readiness for pedagogical activity in the general sense are defined, its basic criteria and components are allocated. Analyzing the essence and structure of readiness for pedagogical activity and features of readiness for inclusive activity, it is noted that both phenomena have much in common. They coincide to some extent by the components, but have a different content.
The second section of the study traces the genesis of the formation and development of inclusive education in the Czech Republic, in which, like in other countries, it took a long time to realize that children with special needs, due to their mental and (or) physical condition, are equal in rights and freedoms with the other children who do not have psychophysical disabilities. It is found that in the Czech Republic until 1989, people with disabilities were not included in secondary schools – a segregationist approach prevailed. The main feature was the exceptional concentration of children, schoolchildren and students in special schools aimed at different types of disabilities. The Czech Republic now presents the «many ways» model – a set of concepts that combine elements of mass and special education.
The state policy of the Czech Republic in the field of education is analyzed and it is noted that the Czech Republic actively participates in the creation of the European Higher Education Area, while preserving the cultural and scientific traditions of the national education system and teacher training. The state policy of the Czech Republic in the field of education covers all issues of education: common goals of education, main strategic directions and principles of educational policy, principles of management and financing of this field, international cooperation in education, prospects of preschool, basic, secondary and higher education, development of vocational education of adults and their retraining, etc. Among the goals of the Czech education system is equal access to education for all categories of children, including children with special needs. In particular, five levels of support mechanisms for students with SEN are defined by the legislation, and it is provided a wide range of counseling services in schools and school counseling facilities.
The comparative analysis of the curricula of Czech universities that train teachers, teaching assistants, special educators to work with children with SEN suggests that bachelor’s / master’s degree programs are designed to provide graduates with the necessary knowledge, ethical values and practical skills, needed to build a teaching career. The content of bachelor’s / master’s training provides broad and in-depth knowledge in areas related to inclusive education, including the theory of inclusive and special pedagogy, the necessary skills in providing medical services, knowledge of the behavior of the child with various pathologies or disorders.
After conducting a comparative analysis between the Czech and domestic teacher training system, taking into account the legal basis, conditions of admission, the learning process, etc., the certain features and differences were identified. For theoretical substantiation of the necessary changes in the training of future teachers, one of the important general scientific research methods – modelling, which allowed to reproduce the components of the training process, highlight and reflect the features of the Czech future teachers’ training system in inclusive education.
The generalization of the results of the comparative pedagogical research of future primary school teachers’ professional training in the Czech Republic gave grounds to reach general conclusions and recommend some areas of use of the Czech experience of future primary school teachers’ training in Ukraine.
