National Research Report Italy - colegiultransporturiiasi.ro · Web viewShe wants to be the link between people and the world. ... Daniela Filipa Soares Brandão and José Ignacio

Didactic Approaches And Innovative Educative Methods In Learning And Teaching Social Skills:

EUROPEAN RESEARCH

Connections between the lack of social skills and the participation in

training activities of the socially vulnerable target-groups

MoMaMONTESSORI METHOD FOR ORIENTING AND MOTIVATING ADULTS | Project n. 527800-LLP-1-2012-1-IT-GRUNDTVIG-GMP | Agreement n. 2012- 4193/001 – 001. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use, which may be made of the information contained therein.

Mr Fabrizio Boldrini – Centro Studi e Formazione Villa Montesca (Italy)

Ms Maria Rita Bracchini – Centro Studi e Formazione Villa Montesca (Italy)

Ms Maria Florindo – Universidade Sénior de Evora (Portugal)

Ms Patricia Pasadas - Universidade Sénior de Evora (Portugal)

Ms Mihaela Poroch – Colegiul Tehnic de Transporturi Iasi (Romania)

Ms Roznovan Anca Eugentina – Colegiul Tehnic de Transporturi Iasi (Romania)

Ms Tufescu Lacramioara – Colegiul Tehnic de Transporturi Iasi (Romania)

Ms Mercy Maclean - HP-MOS Health Psychology Management Organisation Services (UK)

Mr David Luigi Fuschi - HP-MOS Health Psychology Management Organisation Services (UK)

Ms M. Angeles Serrano - Asociacion de Personas Participantes Agora (Spain)

Ms Adelaida Morte - Asociacion de Personas Participantes Agora (Spain)

Ms Svetlana Novopolskaja - The Public Institution Roma Community Centre (Lituania)

Mr Marius Nariunas - The Public Institution Roma Community Centre (Lituania)

Ms Ingibjörg Pétursdóttir - Chancengleich in Europa e.V. (Germany)

Ms Györgyi Turoczy - Chancengleich in Europa e.V. (Germany)

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National Research Report Italy

1st RESEARCH: National Research/Survey of the Montessori Method as an educational

method for adults or children

The purpose of the 1st phase of the research is to gather research studies of the Montessori

Method approach and give an overview of the “discipline”, under study with the provided

template.

The Montessori Method research/survey:

Identify and summarise research studies for the Montessori method approach and the experiences realised at National level for adults OR children.

The research studies and the experiences realised at National level will verify the strengths and weaknesses with the provided template.

Identify the different approaches adopted and mainly, the results achieved, according to the different typologies of target groups (Adults OR Children).

1 THE METHOD IN ACTION

Name(s) of Researches: Clara Tornar, Alessandra Ciambecchini, Monica Salassa, Cristina Stringer

ABSTRACT Experiential survey of the characteristics of the Montessori method in relation to its processes, activities and context.

AIMS The project provides empirical data from systematic observations for the identification of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the use of the Montessori Method in Italy, in order to prompt discussions and establish the degree of relevance of the method itself. The starting hypothesis is whether there are significant features in the Montessori method which distinguish it from 'traditional' teaching. Verify with empirical data the specific characteristics of the Montessori method which still make it up-to-date.

POPULATION/SOCIAL CATEGORIES/DISABILITIES

Design/Method Direct observation through time sampling.Results/Outcomes Assessed

The empirical data reveal that the Montessori school proposal is aimed at all types of activities depending on the age of the student, to his/her free choice of the

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Preschool and primary school children

action to be taken, to individual work and interaction with the teacher, without neglecting the social context.

Institutional/School context

Preschool and primary schools adopting the Montessori method and those with traditional teaching.

Conclusion The actual data collected are only partial, but they already allow to define a Montessori approach.

SWOT ANLYSIS: Factors to assess the usefulness of the Montessori Method methodology

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSESThe offer of all types of activities according to the age of the student, for the attainment of a complete training and development of the child.In addition, particular attention is paid to cognitive development through a personalized methodology.

The method is mainly individualized even if the differences in the opposite direction are not particularly relevant.

OPPORTUNITIES THREATSPeculiarities of the method that are not present in other traditional teaching approaches.

There have been no major threats.

2.THE MONTESSORI METHOD AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT IN PRESCHOOL

Name(s) of Researches: Mirko Montecchiani, Sara PoliniABSTRACT The sensory materials of the Montessori method prove to be an effective

approach for a school including disabled studentsAIMS Research on the educational value of the Montessori method and its application

to education for students with special needs and at the same time valid for teaching normal children.Innovative application of the Montessori method and materials for autonomous learning and integration in class of visually impaired children


Children with visual impairment

Design/Method Revision of the Montessori Sensorial MaterialResults/Outcomes Assessed

Allows the visually impaired child to learn through the Montessori sensorial materials, allowing cooperation with ‘non disabled’ peers


Primary School (children aged 3 to 6 years)Areas of application: logical - mathematical

Conclusion Even the visually impaired child has the right to a stimulating learning environment designed for his/her needs, which can foster learning, autonomy and socialization.


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STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

Adaptability and handling of the Montessori sensory method.Harmonious development of the individual.Possibility of experiencing through the sense of touch abstract mathematical concepts.

Difficulties in the processing of materials for the transition from visual to tactile experience, maintaining the recognition of each quality, typical of the Montessori learning materials.

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

The visually impaired child can play and learn together with his/her peers without discrimination of any kind, establishing relationships and learning in the same way, thanks to the same method and the same materials.

Scarce personality, creativity and commitment by the teachers to learn about both the Montessori method and the sensory materials and lack of ability to adapt these to the needs of the students.

3. THE MONTESSORI SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ITALY

Name(s) of Researches: Monica SalassoABSTRACT Presentation of experiences in Montessori secondary schools in Italy from the

1950s to 2004. (Case Study).AIMS Outline a pedagogical, educational and historical profile of the experiences of

the Montessori method in first grade secondary schools in Italy.POPULATION/SOCIAL CATEGORIES/DISABILITIES

Students from 12 to 14 years of age

Design/Method Application of the Montessori MethodResults/Outcomes Assessed

Presentation of activities and methods


First grade secondary school

Conclusion The method is well adapted to the context of reference


STRENGTHS WEAKNESSESThe Montessori method, revised for this age group and the external environment, has been able to adapt to the needs of the national curriculum and include the everyday activities, in this case related to school, and others for building competences, for the attainment of autonomy, empowerment and awareness, without neglecting the social and collective aspects.

In the afternoon activities the teacher-student relationship seems very strong whereas the relationship amongst peers seems weaker. In addition, it is not clear whether and to what extent the idea of freedom of choice of educational activities was maintained.

OPPORTUNITIES THREATSPoor or non-existent training of secondary school teachers in the Montessori method, therefore we had to find people ready to train or who had already taught the

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method to younger children.

4. THE MONTESSORI METHOD AND THE ACQUISITION OF COMPETENCES FOR

LIFELONG LEARNING

Name(s) of Researches: Federica Traversi

ABSTRACT Discover the principles and materials needed for the acquisition of skills for the future life of the student through interviews with former students from Montessori schools.

AIMS Discovering the role of the Montessori method for the acquisition of skills in a Longlife Learning perspective.


Teaching children

Design/Method Quality research through interviewsResults/Outcomes Assessed

Assessment of the value of the Montessori method in achieving the skills of active citizenship, personal fulfillment, employability and social inclusion


Italian schools adopting the Montessori method

Conclusion The cornerstones of the Montessori approach bring the individual to acquire those specific skills considered essential in today's society.


STRENGTHS WEAKNESSESThe Montessori approach is always in line with the current education methods and allows the full training of the subject and the acquisition of skills in line with lifelong learning.This method teaches respect, responsibility, socialization, sharing, democracy, independence, a sense of the value of commitment and of work, problem solving and above all learning how to learn.

Little attention given to the development of emotions, their self-management and how to learn through them.

OPPORTUNITIES THREATSBroadens children’s minds and helps the self-building of their personality in order to be ready for the challenges of life within society.

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5. ENGLISH WORKSHOP IN THE MONTESSORI SCHOOLS

Name(s) of Researches: Daniele Franchini, Maria Carbosiero e Antonella D’AngeloABSTRACT Learning English through the Montessori method.AIMS English language workshop based on sensory experiences, game and action.POPULATION/SOCIAL CATEGORIES/DISABILITIES

Children

Design/Method Language workshop:listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Results/Outcomes Assessed

Learning English in a natural and easy way.


Primary school adopting the Montessori method.

Conclusion Positive experience.


STRENGTHS WEAKNESSESThe importance given to listening as a first step in learning the language and the construction of the learning environment around the child and his/her life.

OPPORTUNITIES THREATSThe contribution of the teacher and the preparation of materials and the environment is an extremely important resource for the success of learning.

The absence of audio-video materials and of development materials in English.

6. THE COMPUTER IN THE ‘CASA DEI BAMBINI’

Name(s) of Researches: Patrizia Enzi

ABSTRACT Children and the use of personal computersAIMS Observation and evaluation of the child’s approach to the use of a computer.POPULATION/SOCIAL CATEGORIES/DISABILITIES

Children between 3-5/6 years of age

Design/Method The principles of the Montessori method for the direct use of a Personal Computer


The children have self-trained in the use of the computer; they have also established a set of rules for its use (when and how) shared and respectful.


Children from the ‘Casa dei Bambini’ in Brescia

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Conclusion Good results regarding the children’s commitment and interest in exploration.


STRENGTHS WEAKNESSESFree interaction with the tool.Continuous stimulation to experiment with both the computer and its peripherals, which allow a meeting point between the real and the virtual.

Little attention given to teamwork.

OPPORTUNITIES THREATSLearn how to use the personal computer and its peripherals at school if one does not have them at home.

Teacher not experienced in the use of the computer and does not understand its educational value.

7. TEACHING MULTIMEDIA

Name(s) of Researches: Di Anna Colucci ABSTRACT The Montessori method while using a Personal ComputerAIMS Assess the interaction between child and computer according to the Montessori

method and evaluation of the results.POPULATION/SOCIAL CATEGORIES/DISABILITIES

Children 5 years of age

Design/Method The Montessori method applied to the discovery and use of new technologies.


5 year old children have shown very good results in learning, in the development of reading and writing, in creativity, graphics and have improved their level of concentration.In addition, a rich production of digital products, structured learning and repetition of the exercises.


Prep school adopting the Montessori method

Conclusion The results were qualitatively and quantitatively superior to those that would have been achieved with the use of computers in the school computer lab.


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STRENGTHS WEAKNESSESThe creation of true learning. The teacher should be present in order to make students

pay more attention when they are not concentrating.OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

Good knowledge in computer use by teachers.Financial resources allowed the purchase of 2 personal computers and peripherals such as scanners and CD burners.

Fundraising for the purchase of the equipment when not internally supplied.

8. VIRTUAL GEOMETRY AND LOGO LANGUAGE

Name(s) of Researches: Luisa Aragosa e Benedetto ScoppolaABSTRACT Research on learning geometry with the Logo. Application of the Montessori

method with innovative tools.AIMS Alternative approach to learning geometryPOPULATION/SOCIAL CATEGORIES/DISABILITIES

Children

Design/Method The use of the Logo language with the Montessori Method


Learning geometry


Montessori school

Conclusion Learning and enjoying geometry with computers


STRENGTHS WEAKNESSESThe transition from written language to geometric processing.The immediacy of the Logo language.

Difficult creation of complex shapes that can still be designed after several attempts and error tests.

OPPORTUNITIES THREATSRole of the teacher who will have to avoid the liability of the learning subject, but let himTeachers should avoid passive learning but students should be free to experiment and find the solution to develop a virtual, geometrical creations.

The lack of personal computers.

9. Project “kidsINNscience” in the Montessori School

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Name(s) of Researches: Laura MayerABSTRACT The European Project "kidsINNscience" has experimented an innovative

method for the study of science derived from a foreign context. The implementation with the Montessori method has allowed two different comparisons: one methodological and the other cultural.

AIMS Adapt the experimentation to the environment and to the Montessori method. Observe and assess the results.


Children 8-9 years of age

Design/Method The Montessori method applied to experimental sciences with the approach of "Posing the question why."Practices carried out either individually or in pairs.


Children have shown a high level of initiative when working with scientific experimentation. Good results have been obtained also by disadvantaged subjects.


Montessori primary school in Rome

Conclusion The initiative was welcomed, with a good and active participation and responsibility by the children.Observations showed gender differences in the attitudes of experimentation and formulation of hypotheses.The experiment was also carried out the following year.


STRENGTHS WEAKNESSESRespect for the free initiative of children, their learning time.Optimal preparation and stimulating learning environment.

The experimentation has raised to many questions "about why" in children who had difficulty in presenting scientific hypotheses which could explain the phenomenon.

OPPORTUNITIES THREATSThe assessment by the teacher should be very accurate since he /she has the responsibility to intervene when the results are not spontaneously achieved by children.As in the experiments described the teacher had to organise moments of sharing and discussion in large groups or with the whole class.

The impossibility to set up a space for experimentation. This space should be re-organised every day with new materials each time.

10. DOMUS/MIGUELIN/GROWING LANGUAGE

Name(s) of Researches: ASINITAS ONLUS

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ABSTRACT The Montessori approach in literacy teaching for adult foreigners.AIMS Learning Italian by immigrants as a tool for communication, empowerment, building

relationships, recounting life experiences and social advancement.POPULATION/SOCIAL CATEGORIES/DISABILITIES

Adults migrants, refugees, both men and women

Design/Method Teaching Italian as L2 using various methodologies including the Montessori method


Learning Italian by immigrants


Non-profit association for the promotion of interdisciplinary activities, education and hospitality for foreign adults and children operating both in Rome and in Milan.

Conclusion Foreigners will learn the “powerful of literacy” not only to be able to communicate in the language of the society in which they live, but also to read, write and be part of it.


STRENGTHS WEAKNESSESThe basic step taken in learning the new language is the familiarization with sounds, phonemes and phones.The second step is learning the lexicon, i.e. words which indicate things and actions closely linked to everyday life.

Little attention is paid to sharing and exercising of learning in pairs or small groups.

OPPORTUNITIES THREATSThe intrinsic and extrinsic motivation allow a better and more rapid learning of the language.The learning environment should be welcoming and should encourage learning.

The absence of a common language among immigrants and the teachers of the host country.The psyche of an adult is less flexible than that of a child.Life experiences, previous education, the sense of welcome in a new society may affect the learning of a language.

2nd RESEARCH: National Research/Survey to investigate the social and cultural barriers to

"ALTERNATIVE" ADULT Education for people with varying disabilities and special needs

The purpose of the 2nd phase of the research is to gather evidence of social and cultural

barriers for ADULTS with social hardship, special needs and disabilities in participating in

LIFE LONG LEARNING activities/education.

The Evidence of the social and cultural barriers of research/survey:

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- will analyse the social basis of this paradox, investigating the social and cultural reasons of the

barriers to education for these groups of adults with special needs.

- the role of social competences and the relationships between - lack of social competences and

participation of these target groups to any form of adult education/activities.

- analyse the pedagogic approaches, related to the areas of social competences, addressed to

adults, based on participatory and cooperative methods.

1.“NIDI DI MAMME”

Name(s) of Researches: Municipality of Naples

INTRODUCTION Project of social value and educational promotion intended as a mean for employment.

AIMS The objectives of the project are various. One of these is to guarantee education for women in state of poverty to prevent their marginalization and social exclusion and to give them the possibility to enter in the labour market.

POPULATION/SOCIAL CATEGORIES/ DISABILITIES/SPECIAL NEEDS

Adult women

Type of Education/Activities

Realization of a free education path in view of a following work placement.The aim is to achieve a Primary and Secondary school certificate, and/or a professional qualification. Furthermore the objective is to acquire theoretical and practical skills to carry out the activities of the professional profile of the preschool collaborator.

Social and Cultural Barriers Assessed

Social -Environmental barrier.

Adult women in state of poverty, living in the most degraded and poor neighborhoods of Naples.

Institutional/ Organisation context

Municipality of Naples, Social services, schools.

Conclusion Creation of a positive space of education and social integration

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Encourage participation in the education, offering as second objective the possibility to find a job ( preschool collaborator)

There are not evident and relevant weak points.


It is possible to point out the presence of a training system, integrated between the local territory and the municipality, addressed to the adults education.Possible creation of an education centre for cultural promotion and, thanks to this, for the fight against the social exclusion.

There are not significant threats.

2. Regional Project: information support desk and access to inmate immigrant rights.

Initiative of ‘cultural mediation’ in prisons, organised by Emilia-Romagna Regional

government

Name(s) of Researches: Regional Government of Emilia-Romagna and Penitentiary

administration

INTRODUCTION Prisons of Emilia-Romagna: Support desk for immigrant inmates (also about education issue)

AIMS Support desk activation for inmate immigrants within prisons. This service provides information about rights, re-integration opportunities and creates a link with the possibilities offered by the territory about social, educational and job activities


Immigrant inmates


Some support desks provide information about cultural initiatives and educational activities. Moreover they create a network with the local education agencies, and the possibility to meet with educators and social workers.Inmate request:Continuous education courses. Access to education in general.


Physical Barrier


The prisons that allow the access to education are:Prison of Parma, Modena, Bologna, Piacenza and Reggio Emilia

Conclusion The purpose is to provide information, accompany, sustain the

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inmate in the contacts with the outside (training and employment);To give help in orientation and in the possibility of re-integration; to create a connection with the local services.The Project has achieved positive results.



Pay attention to the inmates requests related to education.

There are not evident weak points.


Create a network between the inmate and the territory and with the places of education for the inmates’ future social inclusion.

There are not evident threats.

3. Mobility service for people with disabilities

Name(s) of Researches: Municipality of Rome

INTRODUCTION Since 1983 the Municipality of Rome offers a taxi service for people with serious disabilities living in Rome, and that cannot use the public transports

AIMS Give the possibility to reach places of education, employment, health care and social activities.


People with serious physical disabilities, blind people, who cannot access the local shuttle service.


Use of specific taxi and equipped vehicle.People with disability have a free Mobility Card to access the service.


Physical and social barriers.


Municipality of Rome , Public service transport ATAC spa

Conclusion The service is free and allows the social inclusion of this category of disabled people. That cuts down the physical and social barriers which prevent the reaching of places of culture, education, employment, care, leisure…

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A good cooperation between the municipality and local authorities to guarantee the citizens’ rights. There are not evident weak points.


Give the disabled the possibility to reach the desired places and gives equal opportunities.

There are not evident threats.

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National Research Report Germany

Barriers to further education of disadvantaged people and alternative adult education in Germany

The application of the Montessori Method in Germany

I.1 Introduction: Disadvantages and the disadvantaged

Disadvantages and disadvantaged groups in adult education are much discussed and much

researched areas of social and educational matters in Germany. Among the numerous studies

written in this field Prof. Gerhild Brüning’s comprehensive and extensive analysis

„Disadvantaged people in further education“ gives us a great overview of the situation in

Germany. Therefore first we would like to summarize these questions according to her findings.

Depending on the social-political constellation, the disadvantaged and disadvantages in further

education are themes standing more or less strongly in the forefront. At the end of the 1950s a

new discussion started a new phase of opening of the education system to make a mass education

possible instead of an elite education. Promoting equal opportunities was a democratic postulate

as well as an economic necessity. This concept had a chance of realization as long as the

economy needed new labour force. Economic recessions on the labour market and rationalization

in the industry lead to heavy job losses especially for semi-skilled and unskilled people. At the

end of the 70s and beginning of the 80s the federal government started programs under the

explicit title of „Supporting the disadvantaged“ to help reintegration into the labour market.

These programs orientated themselves on the premiss that our society is based on earning your

living and that participation in society is defined mainly by participation in gainful employment.

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The terms disadvantaged and disadvantage have to be examined from the point of view of

society as well as that of the individual. From society’s perspective the reduction of

disadvantages is a social-political task that occurs over and over again. Societies change and

disadvantages today might not be the same as those of tomorrow. At the level of the individual

disadvantages are terminable or reducible, but so far we have very little knowledge about which

factors play a role there and what the meaning of disadvantages and terminated disadvantages

have in regard to the further course of life of the person.

Disadvantages need to be considered from the aspects of social, labour market, economic and

educational policies. Further education is only one of more approaches to reduce disadvantages,

especially social ones.

Disadvantages need to be assessed according to the goals set to decrease or terminate them.

Goals are not constant, they change, they are extended or constricted depending on societal

developments, political value orientation or vocational demands. Disadavantage is not yet

exclusion but it can be its preliminary stage. There are six central dimensions specified in the

literature where social exclusion is manifested: exclusion on the labour market, economic and

cultural exclusion, exclusion through social isolation, spatial and institutional exclusion. If three

or more of these dimensions coincide then social exclusion is presumable.

Factors that contribute to disadvantages rest on the subjective and social levels of the individual.

Apart from that they also show themselves as barriers to access to education and further

education that are drawn by the general conditions of educational insitutions, of the different

forms of funding as well as the individual funding possibilities, and of the legal structures. It is

certainly not one single decisive factor that makes somebody considered or be disadvantaged,

but it is an accumulation of factors that lead to disadvantages in further education as well as in

society.

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The normally used terms of “disadvantaged, disadvantaged target groups, supporting the

disadvantaged” are an improper reduction of individual as well as social problem areas lying

behind. They reinforce the deficient vision of a person and they disregard his/her competences.

The look at the individual fades out the social context, in which the person lives, and which

influences, determines, extends, and also restricts the individual scope of shaping his life. The

term “disadvantage” is more adequate as it extends the perception horizon to the factors that lie

beyond an individual and that strongly influence the emergence of disadvantage.

Under the paradigm of lifelong learning chances also have to be available lifelong. If knowledge

and skills need to be continuously updated, it is put into a different perspective what one had

learnt in the school or in his training.

I.2 Attitudes to further education

The discussion about educational participation in the context of disadvantage assumes that

disadvantages can be reduced through further education or that further education can have a

preventative effect against disadvantage. If we can find out which factors influence participation

in further education then it is also easier to establish which factors lead to non-participation.

Non-participation in further education thus is in connection with educational disadvantage, from

which then vocational and also social disadvantages accrue.

The decision about participation / non-participation in further education depends on factors at

different levels. There are subjective and social-demographic factors. In addition, financial

conditions and contents of available learning programs, of educational institutions, of support

programs, of projects and of supporting structures also play an important role. The structure of

the educational system, the legal conditions of further education as well as the structure of the

whole society also have a great effect.

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What belongs to subjective factors? Learning interests, utilization interests, individual values and

attitudes towards further education. They provide the basis for the structure of motivation, which

is at the end a decisive factor for whether participation in further education happens or not.

The important social-demographic factors that influence the decision about further education are

school and vocational educational background, employment, vocational position, social origin,

gender, age and nationality.

The higher the level of school education, the higher participation in further education gets, and it

increases even further in the case of having additional vocational qualification.

Already school education channels the path to vocational training and to the later vocational and

social status, even if the educational system has become more permeable since the educational

reform.

Employment increases the interest in further education.

The participation of men and women in further education increased continuously in the last few

years. In vocational education, by the employed as well as the unemployed, men have a higher

participation rate than women. This might be attributed to the fact that with women we need to

consider further influence factors that hinder participation such as part-time employment and

family.

Younger people take part in further education more often than older people. There seems to be

an age limit of 40 for further education offers at the workplace. Older employees are not offered

education by the employers anymore. In addition, they think themselves that they are too old to

take part in further education.

Non-Germans were asked about their attitudes to further education first in 1997. Their

participation rates are well below that of Germans.

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I.3 Disadvantaged target groups

According to the educational and social-political approach of target group orientation specific

socially disadvantaged groups are addressed, whose everyday problems are considered complex

and multilayered, which are interpreted as the reasons for their distance to educational offers.

This approach assumes that through education social disadvantages can also be reduced.

Although there is increasing criticism of the target group concept (it disregards educationally

relevant areas of life; it concentrates on deficits instead of competences that could lead to

stigmatization and exclusion; there is a danger of education becoming an instrument to solve

social and labour market problems), the support programs set up from the beginning of the 80s

started with this concept. They put an accumulation of factors as an underlying reason for the

emergence of disadvantages, which varied group by group. The target groups addressed have the

following factors leading to disadvantages:

Young adults without school- and vocational qualifications are disadvantaged because of

learning difficulties, difficulties with socialization, missing school qualifications, missing

training place and school / apprenticeship drop-out.

The unemployed, long-term unemployed and people receiving social benefits are disadvantaged

because of missing vocational qualifications, qualifications not in demand, their age, health

problems, missing educational offers, missing infrastructure, their gender and their nationality.

Women are disadvantaged because of the missing gender democracy, restricted vocational

choices, restricted vocational opportunities, double socialization, less social and political

participation possibilities.

Migrants are disadvantaged because of their legal status, the non-recognition of school,

vocational and university qualifications, lower language skills, the complexity of the school,

training and further education systems.

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Illiterate people are disadvantaged because of difficult family relations, learning problems

already in the first primary school years, missing school / vocational qualifications.

In addition to the classical target groups there are new disadvantages appearing. We find in these

groups those who have no access to new media, who work in professions dying out, who have no

access to further education or cannot pay for it.

I.4 Recommendations from further education projects

Prof. Brüning compared the recommendations for these target groups coming from different

measures /projects in the last 20 years. It became apparent form these recommendations that

there have been no significant changes in the concepts. Certain approaches are used with all

target groups:

Searching and motivating adults for further education Learning counselling of participants that is personal and participant-orientated Orientation at living environement (Lebenswelt) and biographical approach Professionalization of teachers Small learning groups, which makes intensive and effective learning situations possible Participant-orientated teaching materials, developed in a procedural, individual and

course-related way

In newer concepts it is pointed out that in addition to these:

Orientation at competence-approach is necessary; A potential-analysis should be carried out; The heterogeneity of groups should be valued positively; The meaning of cooperation and networking should get a stronger weight.

I.5 Necessary orientations of action

According to the analysis of Prof. Brüning the realization of these recommendations from

projects were facing major problems. One problem was the non-binding character of the

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recommendations. Whether and/or who should implement them was not regulated. In addition to

that came information and dissemination problems, as most recommendations were applied only

in relatively small scale and mostly limited to local organizations. Communication between all

parties involved also proved to be insufficient.

The following orientations of action are suggested by results of studies and recommendations of

projects:

Prevention has to become a political demand as a defined goal of overriding importance to

prevent disadvantages. It also includes a system of explicit preventive measures.

The reduction of disadvantages has to be formulated as a political goal. The value orientation at

social justice needs to be realized more efficiently and continuously by political parties. To

achieve that a system needs to be installed with the continual task of following the developments

of disadvantage-reduction. The further education system has to be checked systematically for

inherent disadvantage factors. That includes the requirement that the legal framework of the

further education system does not allow (even if it is unintentional) excluding arrangements

through the design of contents and formulation. Likewise, access to further education, transitions

in the education system (school – training – further education) and the funding of the system

have to be examined for possibilities of disadvantages.

The transfer of project experiences into everyday practice has been given too little attention so

far. There should be a greater emphasis on evaluation of model projects with regard to the

possibilities of transfer of their results.

Promoting sustainability should have a higher value. Findings and experience from measures

directed at people with disadvantages have to be monitored for sustainability for social-political

and financial reasons.

Demands on the education system have changed too. Educational institutions have to develop

into learning organizations and competence centres. There is an increasing need for pedagogical

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staff to have qualifications in counselling, knowledge of business management and the ability to

work in a team.

Cooperation and networking of educational organizations as well as all parties involved need to

be improved in order to use the scarce resources better and to reach synergy effects.

Didactics and methodology have to be developed suited to adult learners. As a general principle,

competence approach, potential-analysis, consideration of social and cultural background,

learning to learn and learning to use new media need to be integrated into educational measures.

The diversity and complexity of available further educational courses make it necessary to press

ahead with the development and systematisation of the support system. That includes the

improvement of the information system for all parties concerned, of the counselling

opportunities at all levels, of the transparency and clarity of educational courses. Further forums

of interdisciplinary exchange need to be established and discourses to be facilitated. Continuing

training and support for pedagogical staff have to become self-evident.

II. Adult education in Germany

As part of lifelong learning, continuing education is assuming greater importance and is

increasingly becoming a field of education in its own right. New forms of learning, for example,

as part of non-formal learning, are becoming increasingly important in continuing education.

Continuing education encompasses the general, vocational and socio-political domains in equal

measure. Continuing education is offered by municipal institutions, in particular

Volkshochschulen (people’s schools), as well as by private institutions, church institutions, the

trade unions, the various chambers of industry and commerce, political parties and associations,

companies and public authorities, family education centres, academies, Fachschulen

(technical/vocational schools), institutions of higher education and distance learning institutions.

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Adult education (AE) in Germany is classically divided into:

General AE with special areas such as political AE; cultural learning, family learning etc.

Vocational AE, where the largest part is company-initiated.

In Germany, it is estimated that there are approximately 25,000 adult education institutions (2008).

These are: institutions that provide regular and publicly organized education as a primary or

secondary task.

37% of the institutions offer general and vocational continuing education 56% only vocational continuing education 6% only general continuing education (with political and cultural education) 41.3% are private providers 23.5% are adult education centres.

The most important financers of AE in Germany are the participants themselves, followed by

companies. Public sponsors (federal government, states, communities, EU) take third place with

taxes and revenue from unemployment insurance used for educational measures for job-seekers.

III. Studies and research projects chosen for the Report

III.1 Participation and barriers to participation in adult education. Alternative methods in adult

education

There is an abundance of research projects and research studies concerning adult education in

Germany. The organizations providing adult educational courses are also great in number, and

the system is rather complex and non-transparent. There is no centralised list of courses available

and even the institutions themselves have little information about the activities of other

institutions. Therefore it is very difficult to establish which institutions, how many of them and

in what ways offer courses working with alternative methods. The 20 studies we have chosen to

analyse in our Templates are all connected to the themes of disadvantaged groups and/or barriers

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to further education and/or alternative methods. These three themes appear mixed in the studies,

it is difficult to separate them completely (for example our study on the illiteracy problems of

migrant women concerns two target groups – women and migrants -, alphabetisation as a main

barrier and also alternative solutions to the problem). Therefore we grouped our studies related to

the issues and problems appearing most in discussions, with a special focus on our own target

group, people with a migrant background with regards to disadvantages migrant might face.

According to our categorization the 6 for us most important themes in the field of research are:

1. Theme: Alphabetization

great problem with first generation migrants, especially women

2. Theme: Education of older people

first generation of migrants who did not attend school as children

3. Theme: Further education and disadvantages

extensive and comprehensive studies and data collections about all aspects of further education in relation to disadvantages - with great amount of data on migrant groups in Germany

4. Theme: Social environment studies (“Milieu-studies”) migrants are a heterogene group of people with very different backgrounds - that must be

taken into account with further education courses

5. Theme: Migrants and adult education

their interests, participation and non-participation and factors affecting participation in further education, barriers to education, differences among migrant groups

6. Theme: New ways of learning

emotional learning, learning spaces, integrative education, experiential education, program planning

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III.2 Migrant groups in Germany – disadvantages and participation in further education

As the main target group of our organization is people with a migrant background, we had a

special focus on studies concerning disadvantaged migrant groups. The main findings of these

studies that are important for our further work in the project were:

1. Possible reasons for becoming disadvantaged as a migrant:

* legal status due to the non-German nationality

* school and university certificates/degrees not being recognized

* limited access to the labour market

* low language skills

* complexity and non-transparency of the school, training and further education systems

* racism and exclusion.

2. Participation of people with a migrant background in further education (2007)

(First appearance of “foreigners” in data collection: 1997; of “people with a migrant

background”: 2003)

* Germans: 44%

* People with a German citizenship and a migrant background: 34%

* Migrants with a foreign nationality: 39%

3. Low participation in vocational further education:

* People with a German citizenship and a migrant background: 20%

* Migrants with a foreign nationality: 18%

* Especially low participation in some groups according to country of origin:

- Turkey: 8,8%

- Italy: 12,7%

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III.3 The Research project “Alphamar”

There is one research project in Germany that caught our special attention with regards to the

aims of the MOMA project. The project is called “Alphamar” and it was run by the University of

Marburg between 2009 and 2011. The goal of the project was to test different alternative

methods to help illiterate adults with a migrant background to learn to read and write. Among the

various methods they tested was the method of Maria Montessori. In two language courses at the

Volkshochschule in Frankfurt they taught alphabetization according to the principles of the

Montessori Method, which according to the first results achieved great success with the

participants.

We need to find out more about the detailed final results of the project (waiting for them to be

published), and about whether the project lead to any further courses, measures or further

development of the Montessori Method in adult education.

IV. The Montessori Method in Germany

IV.1 Montessori institutions in Germany - http://www.montessori-deutschland.de

(Montessori Dachverband Deutschland e.V.)

There are over 1.000 schools and kindergartens in Germany that work according to the principles

of the Montessori pedagogy.

The number of children’s day care institutions working with the Montessori pedagogy is around

600. As they are affiliated to and (co-) financed by municipalities, their participation in unions at

regional level is limited to some extent. Therefore this number should be taken as a conservative

estimate.

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http://www.montessori-deutschland.de/

In the last 15-20 years a real boom started in independent (not state-funded) schools. In Bayern

for example, five Montessori schools organized themselves into the Regional Montessori Union

in 1985, today they have 80 members.

There are more than 400 schools working with the method of Maria Montessori (including

ordinary schools with Montessori classes). In more detail:

Out of these 400 Montessori schools appr. 300 are primary schools and over 100 secondary

schools.

Appr. 65 % of the Montessori schools are private schools (at the primary level 60%, at the

secondary level 80% ). The private schools are mostly pure Montessori schools, in state schools

it is more common to have some ordinary and some Montessori classes.

About 10% of private schools have a church as their funding body, the rest are mostly parents’

initiatives.

Only less than 5% of Montessori primary schools are for children with special needs, almost all

of them state schools.

The distribution of Montessori schools at secondary level is as follows: grammar schools 40%,

comprehensive schools 25%, intermediate secondary schools (5-10th class, Realschule in

German) 15%, secondary general school (5-9th class, Hauptschule in German) 20%.

There are Montessori schools in every state of Germany; considering the number of pupils

Bayern and Berlin are at the top of the list, and there are relatively few Montessori schools in

North-Germany.

Since 2005 appr. every seventh (14%) of the 50 newly founded schools per year has been a

private Montessori school, mostly a parents’ initiative.

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IV. 2 Studies and research carried out in Germany concerning the Montessori Method

Most researches we found about the Montessori Method in Germany took us to the end of the

20th Century. In the 10 studies we have chosen to analyse in our Templates the main topic of

interest was achievement and performance of children in Montessori classes in primary and

secondary schools. Another main topic was the comparison between performance and

competences of children from Montessori classes and classes from “ordinary” schools.

The achievement results at the end of every particular study and survey were nearly the same.

The Montessori Method allows for more individual advancement and gains better results in

achievements in school.

Children of Montessori classes are more able and ready to form a group and to work in a group

as children at the same age but in an ordinary class. Montessori school children are also better in

developing group processes themselves. All the studies and observations show that usually all

children have an inner willingness to act cooperatively and fairly. Children at the primary school

are able to solve conflicts on their own and in upcoming conflicts they behave peacefully.

The free choice of exercises is one significant aspect of the Montessori Method in Montessori

schools. Free work in groups is usual and seems to be meaningful for example for further

discussions among the children. Without an interruption of a teacher they learn behavioral rules

by themselves, for example to respect each other, let everybody speak, listen to classmates and

much more. In general they seem to become more independent than children at the same age in

ordinary schools. Pupils without a high achievement potential are better able to make up learning

deficits during free work and the survey has shown that they really do it. During the learning

processes of children the teacher's help is necessary and not replaceable. He or she plays an

important role during the acquisition of skills. All studies show children's interest and eagerness

for knowledge. They use their time for free work willingly and effectively.

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Another specific and interesting field of the Montessori Method is the integrated education. In

contrast with some concerns, integrated education with healthy and disabled children, according

to the study results, is life-enhancing and successful. Healthy children learn how to deal with

disabilities and start to become considerate and attentive towards disabled children. They will be

well prepared for a respectful contact to each other in the future. An important point of integrated

education, met with criticism by parents of healthy children, was the solicitude about disabled

children disturbing the achievements of healthy classmates. But the results of studies in Germany

showed that the achievements of healthy children are not disturbed or get lower because of an

education with some children who have mental, social or physical disabilities. Observance of the

class size and of what type of disabilities some children have in one group are important.

The usual drill in ordinary schools, for example fast calculation skills, which is more typical in

conventional and traditional schools, is more convenient for “good pupils” at the expense of

pupils who are not such good and fast learners. In Montessori schools the pupils, no matter what

kind of physical disability, mental or social disadvantages they have, are able to decide what and

when to learn and work on in their own speed and according to their on learning potential and

power.

IV.3 Montessori for adults. Montessori pedagogy for old people

The principles of the reform pedagogy of Maria Montessori are also applied in homes for old

people with dementia. An important element of the work is activating care that helps people

suffering from dementia through development/improvement of the senses with specifically

developed Montessori materials. One of our interviewees, Ms Hella Klein, is the mind behind

this new approach in care for people with dementia, she is the one who updated and modified the

Montessori approach to fit the needs of this group. She also developed a course curriculum for

people working with old people with dementia, which has been officially recognized in Germany

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as certified training material. The main pillars of the Montessori approach, attentiveness,

observation and individual promotion are as valid in working with seniors as with children.

Therefore the Montessori pedagogy offers the basic precondition of a holistic concept in the field

of special needs in a late age, too. The Materials can motivate, stimulate, inspire, and at the same

time they also facilitate error checking and success factor. Thus the approach can promote self-

awareness, independence and self-confidence.

IV.4 Interview with Hella Klein

Ms Hella Klein is an 86 years old Montessori preschool teacher and Montessori educator who

had worked in the past with children and young people in a social hotspot. She also gives

seminars, for example in Düsseldorf or Berlin, for future Montessori teachers.

7 years ago Hella Klein's husband was suffering from Alzheimer dementia. She began to deal

with the disease and visited regularly a daily care center for Alzheimer people in the

neighborhood. She decided to develop the Montessori Method further in the work with

Alzheimer patients and use it to bring more light in their life. In 2011 she wrote a book “Ten

after ten” about her methods and her experiences and she still works in this field.

Today Hella Klein is officially authorized by the German Montessori Society to train volunteers,

who work with dementia/Alzheimer patients. She gives a basic course in the Montessori Method

and a special training in using this method with Alzheimer patients.

The volunteers receive a diploma at the end of the course. The course lasts six weekends and the

participants must visit and observe Ms Klein's work in the day care center at least four times.

The students receive the appropriate Montessori materials from Ms Klein. During the interview

with her it becomes clear, that she does not do but live the Montessori Method. There are

methods and special skills necessary to learn for the work with children or dementia patients.

She pointed out:

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“People are in the center - I am here for the people who depend on me”

There are principles of the Montessori Method in the work with Alzheimer patients that are

particularly important for Hella Klein. The most important thing by using this method and work

with diseased old people is to watch and observe them. For a successful cooperation with these

patients it is necessary to get to know them a little bit better, for example what they liked to do

before they developed Alzheimer and to know something about their lives. It is necessary to

evolve sympathy for the patients' situation and always to think about the reason why someone

acts and behaves in the way he or she does. The voluntary aspect of the work with Dementia

patients by using the Montessori Method is important for the success. In practice it means to

always ask the parties if they want to work with you. Trust, humility and patience are the basis

on which the success of work depends. The basic aspect of the Montessori idea and Hella Klein's

work is not to correct the people but stress the strengths not the deficits. The main aim is to

extract old people with dementia out of their lethargy and to activate them. They should be able

to spend the last stage of their life with dignity. According to Ms Klein they should be taken out

of their loneliness and be happy but can also be sad in the community with others. Old people

with dementia should always be addressed as individuals. Their social and emotional skills are to

be promoted. Ms Klein wants to help people to be independent as long as possible. She wants to

be the link between people and the world.

Hella Klein has developed the existing Montessori material by changing parts of it and adapting

the material to the need of the individual sick people. Typical for the Montessori approach and

also implemented in Ms Klein's work is the preparation of the environment, because according to

the understanding of Montessori it is the order from outside that radiates to the inner order.

While working with dementia patients there are different activities on offer at different tables.

Another point of regard is always to start with the individual who is the center of attention. The

innovative aspect of the Montessori Method in the work with Alzheimer patients is the

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possibility to adapt the method to the needs of old people. It is put on a different level as means

of activating and communication. The advantage of this method here is to motivate people, who

did not cooperate at all, to help them out of their lethargy. They started to take part in the

activities with the others and even had a bit of fun.

Even experienced staff members were surprised at the effect and success of the Montessori

activities. The strength of the Montessori Method in the work with Alzheimer patients is to

motivate these demented people in a special way, so they start to communicate and start to take

part although they were isolated and withdrawn before. These patients become part of a group

and find interest in learning and exercising through the activation of staff members until they

reach higher activity levels. These demented people feel that they are taken seriously and

encountered with dignity. The opportunities of the method in the work with Alzheimer patients,

which became clear during the interview with Ms Klein, are the motivation and activation people

with Dementia diseases get by the use of Montessori materials. It helps these diseased people to

learn again something they forgot or to learn something new. For further developments of

adapting the Montessori Method for Dementia patients it will be necessary to address other

stakeholders, for example politicians, to communicate it. Also pedagogues and carers can build

networks and work on solutions by themselves. The method can provide a significant

contribution to the improvement of daily life of patients.

During the work on the tasks for this project it was not easy to find weaknesses of the method,

because the advantages and the success of using the adapted Montessori Method with Alzheimer

patients were clear to see. Intrinsically the method shows no weaknesses, but maybe it is

problematic that there are only a few experts who can work with Hella Klein's method and the

fact that her work is mainly based on voluntary work. In homes for elderly people with

Alzheimer there is also a very strict time program and bad paying of staff members. This method

takes time and should be paid. The question is if policy makers/government is ready to do that.

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Pedagogues are convinced that the Montessori Method is effective, but they do not have time in

their everyday work to use it. According to Ms Klein it is important that the Montessori

pedagogues do not stay in their own cliques, and that the hierarchy in their associations does not

become more important than the individuals themselves. She also told us her worry about the

process of further development of the method, which is too slow.

In conclusion, the Montessori Method in the work with Dementia patients is worth to be further

developed and introduced in wider circles. At the moment the method is more or less in the hand

of one person, but Hella Klein is doing some education seminars for trainers, who hopefully

carry on with the idea. Also, the German Montessori Association “legalized” the method.

IV.5 Interview with Tessa Zakrziwski

Ms Tessa Zakrziwski is a pedagogue and Montessori educator and now she works as a teacher in

a vocational school where she educates future pre-school teachers and social pedagogues in

Düsseldorf. Ms Zakrziwski grew up in Poland in the time of communism. As a young woman

she was already very interested in the theories and work of Maria Montessori. Unfortunately

there was only some material from M.Montessori available from the time before the Second

World War in Poland. Later Ms Zakrziwski came to Germany and completed the 3 years training

of Montessori educator. Now she teaches adults pedagogy and alternative education concepts.

She partly uses the Montessori material in her teaching. Her students are in the age from 18 to 55

years old.

For several years Tessa led a youth center with socially disadvantaged children and young

people. In this center she started to use the Montessori approach in her work.

In her opinion the Montessori Method is very suitable in the work with socially disadvantaged

children and youngsters, who have problems in schools. Many of them have migrant background

and difficulties in learning mathematics and the German language.

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The Montessori approach often is reduced to the materials - but it is more.

Montessori is an educational insight and an attitude. There are many possibilities to develop the

approach further and use the Montessori method and materials in different fields of education

today. Ms Zakrziwski thinks that the Montessori Method is particularly good for teaching the

grammar of a foreign language. Through the intuitive material the students can "touch" the

language and understand it much better. Here it would be important to modify the method and

adapt it to the respective language.

This way of teaching a foreign language with the help of the Montessori Method is also ideal for

teaching adults. She would then change some materials to be more related to adult needs. This is

also the case for learning and better understanding mathematics.

Tessa Zakrziwski teaches her future pre-school teachers to use some elements of these methods

in their profession later, although Ms Zakrziwski's school is not a Montessori school. There are

many Montessori pre-schools and primary schools in Germany, but only few secondary schools

and high schools.

In Ms Zakrziwski's opinion you could also use the Montessori approach in the work with

disadvantaged long-term Unemployed. They often lack structure and feel useless. There it is

important to give them a structure and show them that they are free to decide themselves what

they would like to do/work (self-determination) and with the help of the Montessori method

wake their curiosity and interest. Also in Ms Zakrziwski's point of view the Montessori approach

gives good opportunities to develop the creativity of an individual. Both interview partners

advised to reconsider some old fashioned exercises, which are still part of the Montessori

Method, and update them. The material has to be further developed and adapted to be usable in

educational work with adults. The goal of the Montessori exercises Ms Zakrziwski uses is to

promote creativity and to move the outside order to the inner order.

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The conclusion of the interview with Ms Tessa Zakrziwski was similar to the continuing

thoughts of the interview with Hella Klein. The Montessori Method needs to be further

developed so that it can be used in Adult Education. The approach could be then introduced in

wider circles, for example in Adult Education centers. Many teachers would be glad to use some

materials and methods in their teaching if they had better access to them. They need to discover

the possibilities to reach their educational goals with the help of the Montessori method. In

conclusion, a better promotion of the Montessori Method is needed.

V. 3 Best Practices from projects applying the Montessori Method in Germany

1. NonnaAnna (www.nonna-anna.com)

An educational care concept for seniors based on the Montessori method

NonnaAnna is based on the Montessori method. Effective impulses and educational care can and

should be integrated into the daily care routine without any difficulty.

A holistic and individual care and occupation concept that enables the patient to feel

comfortable, it helps to keep up the patient’s mental strength as long as possible. Patients who

are taken care of according to the NonnaAnna method are much calmer and more balanced. It

results in a daily care routine with less stress and an increasingly relaxed atmosphere between the

caregiver and the patient.

The state of exhaustion among family member carers decreases considerably. Working sense-

oriented with material developed especially for that reason enables a form of communication

apart from language and intellect. This means that the basis for the ideal preservation of one’s

mental strength can in particular be found in everyday life situations.

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http://www.nonna-anna.com/

The material is tailor-made according to the patient’s personal preferences. By working together

with the material, a positive general atmosphere develops. The patient “is reminded of old times,

of a time that has long passed”. This creates an “old/new familiarity”.

2. Peter Hesse Foundation - solidarity in partnership for ONE world in diversity

http://www.solidarity.org/en/montessori-projects.html

“Education is a catalyst for sustainable social improvement and change for a peaceful and just

future. Since 1983 we train Montessori teachers and help them to establish schools for

underprivileged children in Haiti – and since 2008 also in Africa.” - Zitat

The Peter Hesse Foundation began its Montessori initiative with the objective of improving the

quality of early childhood education in Haiti. To be able to do this effectively, the Foundation

launched its efforts in two directions: training teachers and establishing pre-schools.

A teaching training center, “Centre Montessori d’Haiti” was created in 1986 to train teachers to

teach children between the ages of 2 1/2 to 6 years old. A Montessori demonstration pre-school,

where student teachers could experience the Montessori method in action, was attached to the

center. By the year 2006, after over 20 years of yearly Montessori-teacher-training, well over

600 students have participated, over 500 Montessori preschool-diplomas were handed out. 84 of

them successfully passed a second exam to become "Montessori-Directresses", the international

level, comparable worldwide.

“The "secret of success" of our work in Haiti is very simple, but must be strictly maintained:

Quality of teachers + ownership of the preschools by the teachers, parents and by the

community.”

A film about the project is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mrlIF0RC_8

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mrlIF0RC_8

http://www.solidarity.org/en/montessori-projects.html

3. Montessori Method for old people with dementia – care concept and training course for

carers

We have described the concept and the training course designed by Ms Hella Klein in a previous

chapter of the Report.

VI. How can the Montessori Method help disadvantaged migrants in adult education?

First thoughts:

learning German illiterate migrants - learning to read and write supporting voluntary learning and self-learning - free working periods attention to each individual and her/his needs and background - “everything is too

fast in courses” considers and supports the strengths and skills of a person, not the deficits exam anxieties - a deterring factor for adults - reference to Montessori study letting people work and learn at their own speed learning through games intensified learning by working in groups

38

National Research Report Portugal

Other types and Methods of Education in Portugal

In the structure of the Portuguese educational system there are the following types of special school education: special education, Vocational Training, Distance Education, Portuguese teaching abroad. Each of these methods is an integral part of school education, but is ruled by special provisions.

Special EducationThe education of disabled children in Portugal began in the nineteenth century, in two

strands: Assistance (for which they were created asylums) and Education, from 1822, with the creation of the first establishment to serve the deaf and blind later added to Casa Pia de Lisboa. This was followed by the creation of responses at the level of deafness and blindness.

In 1929 was created the Bureau of Primary Education and Normal Teaching in order to organize special classes, and the first was opened in 1929, in Lisbon. It was also in the academic year 1929/1930 that through an order signed by the Minister Eduardo Costa Ferreira, the Bureau of Primary Education and Normal Teaching was allowed to form new classes, recruiting staff from specialist teachers.

In 1930, special classes are created in other schools in Lisbon. The Navarro de Paiva Institute starts integrating and educating children and said abnormal offenders presented to the Juvenile Courts. In February 1930, were installed in primary schools in Lisbon special classes for "retarded", involving about 300 children.

In 1942, in collaboration with the Institute Aurélio da Costa Ferreira, a boost occurred in the education of mentally handicapped and disabled people.

In the 1950's, new intervention centers and associations in the field of disability are created, many streamlined by groups of parents: in 1955, the Juvenile Centre Hellen Keller, by the Portuguese League for Disabled People, in 1960, the Portuguese Association for Cerebral Palsy is created, with its headquarters in Lisbon.

in 1962, the Portuguese Association of Parents and Friends of Children Mongoloids it’s created later renamed the Portuguese Association of Parents and Friends of Children Mental Decreased. In 1964, the Institute for Assistance to Minors creates the Disability Education Services. Also in 1964, the creation of the specialization of Teachers Maladjusted Children. In 1970, it created in Coimbra, the Cerebral Palsy Center, in 1971; it created the Portuguese Association for the Protection of Autistic Children.

39

In the 1970s, reflecting the movements that internationally were defending equality prospects, there have been some attempts to promote the integration of special education into mainstream education. In 1971, it published the Law n. 6/71, November 8th - Law on the Rehabilitation and Integration of Disabled Persons - which promulgates the foundation for the rehabilitation and social integration, governments will give importance and special education support. With the Veiga Reform, in 1973, the Ministry of Education is responsible for the Special Education and published in the legislation related to the organization of the General Management of Primary and Secondary Education already in several divisions with the aim of organizing educational structures.

Between 1970 and 1980, three juridical devices configured the set of legal principles of the fundamental rights of disabled citizens: the Portuguese Constitution (1976), Law on the Education System (1986) and Law on Prevention and the Rehabilitation and Integration of People with Disabilities (1989). In regular school, soon began to intervene in a more noticeable way since 1975, first with teachers roaming and later with the creation of teams of Special Education (1976), which aim to integrate the disabled into regular classes. In this process of democratization of education CERCI's” are created “and other institutions to support mental disabilities, such as the Portuguese Association of Cerebral Palsy in Porto.

In 1977, Decree-Law No. 174/77, of May 2, applied to the Preparatory and Secondary Education, allows special enrollment conditions and assessment for students with disabilities.

The International Year of Disabled Persons (1981) and the World Programme of Action concerning disabled persons constituted a milestone awareness of society to the human rights of people with disabilities, which would become more effective as a result of the Decade of the United Nations for Persons with Disabilities (1983-1992).

Portugal, by signing the Salamanca Statement (UNESCO, 1994) is committed to apply its principles, which has not been a linear task, since they still linger concepts, structures, norms and practices which contradict the values that guide Inclusive Education. In recent years there has been a set of conceptual and socio-legal changes, which introduced instability and uncertainty in the educational system, which may be perhaps promoting an inclusive school or on the contrary, may be generating situations of segregation and / or educational and social exclusion.

Vocational TrainingOverview The system of continuing vocational education and training in Portugal consists of a

range of flexible training pathways which make it possible to build a vocational qualification that suits individual trainees’ interests and needs. The aim is that trainees acquire or develop knowledge and skills in the technical and social fields allowing them to re-enter or improve their position on the labour market.

40

Continuing adult education and training courses Adult education and training courses are aimed at adults over the age of 18 who have no

qualifications or whose qualifications are inadequate for integration in the labour market. The process of Recognition, Validation and Certification of Skills is the most common platform for access to these courses.

The aim of these courses is to raise the adult population’s academic ability and vocational qualifications by offering a combination of education and training that enhances their employability and certifies acquired learning. Courses are based on:

• flexible training pathways designed on the basis of recognition and validation of the skills adults have acquired via formal, non-formal and informal routes;

• coordinated training pathways that comprise basic training and technology training or just basic training;

• training focusing on the acquisition of knowledge, know-how and skills that complement and promote apprenticeships.

These courses lead to a Cycle 3 basic education certificate and a Level 2 vocational training certificate, or a secondary-education certificate and a Level 3 vocational training certificate. Attendance of an EFA course that does not lead to certification entitles participants to request a certificate of validation of skills, which lists all the skills validated during the training process.

EFA courses are designed and run by the respective instigating bodies or by a third party. In both cases, the training body must be part of the network of training institutions included in the national qualifications system. EFA courses that focus on improving academic abilities are run by public, private or cooperative education establishments with autonomy over the training they provide, or by direct-management or joint-management Vocational Training Institute for Employment and Vocational Training.

Training for groups with special integration problems. In addition to the forms of training described in the previous section, there are also courses aimed specifically at groups that face special problems in joining the labour market. Most of these courses are promoted by the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training.

Vocational training courses for disadvantaged groups These are vocational training and guidance courses that are designed to meet the

particular needs of the target group, with a view to promoting their social and occupational (re)integration. Target groups include the long-term unemployed, ethnic minorities, immigrants, young people and adults with poor literacy skills and with inadequate personal, social and vocational skills, as well as other people who, because of their socioeconomic situation or their

41

behavior and attitudes, are experiencing serious difficulties as regards social and occupational integration.

Special vocational training courses These are vocational training courses aimed at specific target groups – young people at

risk, drug addicts, ex-prisoners, ethnic minorities and other disadvantaged population groups – with a view to helping them to obtain a basic vocational qualification so they can enter the labour market.

Vocational training for people with disabilities The aim here is to provide people with disabilities with the knowledge and skills they

need to obtain a vocational qualification that will enable them to secure or maintain a job and/or improve their position on the labor market. Training is personalized, based on individual training plans, and lasts for a maximum of four years, which may in exceptional cases be increased to five years.

Distance Education in PortugalThe evidence that it was possible to provide high quality teaching in most scientific,

humanistic and cultural subjects, through a process which did not require the students to be physically present in the classroom, and allow them to learn on their own through the use of didactic materials purposely developed was established by the Open University in Great Britain. This success determined the spread of distance teaching universities (commonly known as open universities) all over the world (Trindade, 1989). Portugal could not remain inattentive to this happening. In 1988, the Universidade Aberta de Portugal was created.

A glance at the evolution of Distance EducationAs early as 1927, during the First Republic in Portugal, the possible advantages and

dangers of the use of audio-visual aids in the educational process was already an issue. Five years after, due to the assumed importance of cinematography in educating people, a commission was formed, called Comissão do Cinema Educativo (Commission for Educational Cinema) under the Ministry of Public Instruction, with the objective of proposing the production, authorship and distribution of educational films.

Thirty years later, in 1963, a big step was taken in the direction of developing educational audiovisuals with the creation of the Centro de Estudos de Pedagogia Audio-visual (Centre of Studies on Audio-visual Pedagogy) whose aim was mainly laboratory research in two areas: one regarding the use of audio-visual processes in education (as support mechanisms) and another of stimulating, co-ordinating and evaluating its applications in this area. The above research pointed to the need to create an organisation that could energise the production of educational materials, and the Instituto de Meios Audiovisuais de Ensino - IMAVE (Institute for Media Support in

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Teaching) was created in the National Ministry of Education. The main purpose of the Instituto was the production, buying, dissemination and management of educational programmes to be transmitted through the radio and television aimed at a specific population.

In this same year, the Telescola (Teleschool) was launched in Portugal. This was the first systematic use of the media in the formal educational context. Its use was a way of meeting the shortage of teachers needed to put in practice increased compulsory education (to the 6th grade of schooling). Yet, Rocha Trindade (1990) argues that, in technical terms, this system was not distance teaching. In his manual Introduction to Educational Communication while describing the use of media in school context, he describes in detail this programme. In his manual Introduction to Educational Communication while describing the use of media in school context, he describes in detail this programme. He says: "Note-se que, em termos técnicos, a metodologia própria da telescola não se confunde com ensino a distância: o único ponto de contacto entre os dois conceitos reside na utilização intensiva de materiais didácticos mediatizados. Trata-se, por conseguinte, de ensino presencial (em classe, sujeito a horário, coma presença do professor), mas apoioado por meios audio-visuais. Adesignação de ensino semi-directo, aplicado à Telescola, embora algo enganador, é relativamente aceitável".

The average number of students using Telescola reached 60,000 per year with an overall through-put of one million students (Trindade, 1990).

In the following year, with the educational reforms of Veiga Simão, IMAVE was substituted by the Instituto de Tecnologia Educativa - ITE (Institute of Educational Technology). This new institution had the same objectives as the former institute, but with the added clear objectives of updating pedagogical methods, through the use of the most modern ways of teaching.

In 1975, one year after the Portuguese Revolution, a report by an ad hoc commission recommending the creation of a distance teaching university and presenting a prospective working model which, as Rocha Trindade says (1989), was the first important step in the direction of the creation of a distance university in Portugal. In 1976 UNIABE - Universidade Aberta was created with the objective of contributing to the progress of democracy and the construction of socialism. In spite of its good intentions, this represented a false start, for the decree of creation was not put into actual action.

The first initiative in distance education was the Ano Propedêutico (the pre-university year) which arose as an ad hoc solution to the problem of university access after the Revolution of 1974. This programme proved the viability of developing a centralised distance teaching programme to large adult audiences geographically dispersed. This experience, led in the year 1979 to the creation of the Instituto Português de Ensino a Distância (Portuguese Institute for Distance Education) with the goals of acquiring knowledge, professional competence, facilities and equipment and preparing the ground for the future Universidade Aberta. In 1984 the team of

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IPED, whose president was Trindade, considered the institute ready to implement the third goal - launch the Universidade Aberta. Despite this fact, new difficulties arose at that time, both financial and cultural. The lack of compatibility, at the level of decision-making, among many other priorities of the educational system and the assumed permanent high costs requested by a new educational structure with rather unconventional, deep, and innovative characteristics raised much scepticism and rejection among the Portuguese intelligenzia (Trindade, 1989).

A significant encouragement to the internal recognition of the need to create an open university in Portugal, through a project adjusted to the particular characteristics of the Portuguese social environment, was given by the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities, created in 1987. The Project Universidade Aberta was a founding member of this group. A technical evaluation elaborated by the leaders of the Association was addressed to the Portuguese Government in defence of the Projecto Universidade Aberta. The issuing of a recommendation of the European Parliament on the significance of open universities in the construction of Europe and the increasing importance given by Community authorities to the same problem (as, for instance, the programmes ERASMUS, DELTA, Strand D of COMETT), may well have contributed to overcoming the difficulties presented by several Portuguese decision-making entities. Progress advanced quickly and in 1988 at the closing ceremony of the Conference "Long Term Developments for European Distance Education" held in Lisbon with representatives of all European open universities, the decision to create the Universidade Aberta of Portugal was publicly announced by the Portuguese Ministry of Education.

Portuguese Teaching AbroadArising from the sharp economic, social, technical and educational, the Portuguese

Teaching Abroad covers different realities, having been undergoing significant changes.Concerning this type of teaching, the first programs of Portuguese Language and Culture

of 1978, were designed on the basis of equivalence to the Portuguese curriculum and had as its target audience children and young people within the Portuguese communities. Three decades later, it appears that the profile of the of the Portuguese public learner is increasingly diverse, covering children and young children of Portuguese workers in situations of recent mobility, the Portuguese descendants who already belong to the second or third generation, as well as speakers of other languages.

The Portuguese Teaching Abroad is therefore a reality polysemic, which currently involves a set of different situations:

a) Teaching of Portuguese language and culture to Portuguese descendants;b) Teaching of Portuguese language and culture courses integrated in the educational systems of the host countries;c) Teaching of Portuguese language and portuguese culture to speakers of other languages;

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d) Curriculum support in cases of mobility of Portuguese citizens to other countries of the European Union 3;e) Experiences of bilingual education;f) Portuguese language teaching in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa;g) Teaching perspective of the Portuguese language in some of the countries of Mercosur.

Research phase in PortugalAt this point, we have conducted a research about possible studies and scientific articles

related to the application of the Montessori Method in Portugal. However, there are very few studies in Portugal about it.

We could only find one study directly related to the Montessori Method: Montessori Method applied to dementia Authors: Daniela Filipa Soares Brandão and José Ignacio Martín.

The Montessori method was initially applied to children, but now it has also been applied to people with dementia. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the research on the effectiveness of this method, using Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline) with the keywords dementia and Montessori method. We selected 10 studies, in which there were significant improvements in participation and constructive engagement, and reduction of negative affects and passive engagement. Nevertheless, systematic reviews about this non-pharmacological intervention in dementia rate this method as weak in terms of effectiveness. This apparent discrepancy can be explained because the Montessori method may have, in fact, a small influence on dimensions such as behavioral problems, or because there is no research about this method with high levels of control, such as the presence of several control groups or a double-blind study.

Data collection for this integrative review was performed by database Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE). This covers a large number of scientific articles, particularly in the area of health and, specifically, of dementia. The integrative review is a research method that aims to critically evaluate and synthesize the available evidence on the topic under study. This review aimed at the horizon from 1997 to 2010, and took place between December 2010 and January 2011, having been used keywords Montessori method and dementia The search using the keywords above showed a total of 16 studies. As inclusion criteria we considered the fact that the articles are original and empirical studies cover as elderly participants. Given these criteria, the available studies on the subject of the method applied to dementia de Montessori reduced to 10 study cases.

The studies included in this review shows some discrepancies but also similarities between them. The main similarities occur at the level of the criteria for the selection of individuals at the level of the sample size (which are small), the chosen indicators for impact

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assessment (symptoms of agitation, affection, involvement) and the choice of methodological consider two time points and the existence of control groups.

Most studies (4-5, 10-16) considers relevant to assess in advance the mental and / or functional individuals. Considered as selection criteria the diagnosis of dementia, the degree of cognitive impairment and the absence of severe functional limitations. This preliminary assessment is to identify situations that impede the realization of certain activities, including the existence of sensory changes in vision and hearing (2). The small size of the samples can be considered as eminently individual associated with this intervention, the difficulty in operationalizing homogeneous groups of individuals with dementia, as well as the difficulty in integrating and study the Montessori activities at institutions that have other predefined activities for individuals with dementia.

All comparative studies (10-14) have considered the existence of the condition and / or groups of control and experimental group, who were previously evaluated and after the intervention. Only one (10) considered the existence of an evaluation point of follow-up (6 months after the beginning of intervention).

The assessment instruments selected to analyze the impact of the activities considered constructs usually require observation and / or fill the coach. This methodology can be associated with a greater subjectivity, being more difficult to ensure validity among raters. However, since the intervention takes place from individuals with dementia, autofill constitute a reliable solution impractical.

The main discrepancies between the studies analyzed in this review are verified at the level of methodology, as well as the intensity and duration of interventions. The methodology used to analyze the impacts of activities differs Montessori studies considered. There is a prevalence of comparative studies that compare the impacts of activities based on the Montessori method with the regular activities of the institution where the study is conducted.

This discrepancy between the various studies makes it difficult to assess the effectiveness of the Montessori method. However, empirical studies considered in this review seem to indicate that Montessori activities are associated with an increased involvement and participation affection of individuals, as well as a reduction of signs of agitation and aggressiveness. Learning without error and the progressive nature increase the sense of control and allow the individual to successfully achieve a certain level, you feel motivated to continue. Thus, it is possible to justify the greater involvement and positive mood which is checked during Montessori activities. During the intervention, is also enhanced contact with technical or other individuals, which may explain the increased participation and interaction of the individual. This method can be motivating since learning takes place by contact with the environment and involves stimulation of the functional dimensions, cognitive, and relational. Also has the advantage of quick and easy adjustment of the difficulty of the remaining activities to the capabilities of individuals with

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dementia and consider that a clear therapeutic character of cognitive stimulation and individualized programming.

However, it is important to think carefully about these results. While empirical studies demonstrate the benefits of Montessori method at various levels (10, 12, 15), based upon literature evidence indicates that the effectiveness of this intervention is reduced (8).

This disparity may be related to the constructs and outcome measures that are defined to evaluate its effectiveness (2). Studies show that low evidence emphasize the effects on depression and agitation, which are insignificant. The studies emphasize the involvement of affective states, social interaction and cognitive skills are those that reveal more benefits of this technique. The constructs evaluated so observational (eg involvement, agitation) present more representative results. However, the observational assessment may also be associated with a higher subjectivity. Once the component has a Montessori activities eminently practical impact of this method the first feel these constructs. Impacts on levels of depression possibly only be found when considering a follow up after the intervention. The uniformity of the constructs and assessment tools to consider in assessing the effectiveness of this method is particularly important for an analysis of the effectiveness of this method.

However, we found several scientific articles that reflect the work and methodology of M. Montessori:

Storytelling through Drawings: Evaluating Tangible Interfaces for Children - Authors: Cristina Sylla, Pedro Branco, Eduarda Coquet, David Škaroupka and Carla Coutinho, University of Minho

TUIs vs. GUIs: comparing the learning potential with preschoolers - Authors : Cristina Sylla, Pedro Branco, Clara Coutinho, Eduarda Coquet, University of Minho

TOK – a Tangible Interface for Storytelling - Authors : Cristina Sylla, Pedro Branco, Clara Coutinho, University of MinhoWe present the design of the first prototype of TOK - a tangible interface for children to

create their own stories. Based on data collected with two groups of five years old preschoolers we present our findings regarding the interaction design of the system. The picture cards have shown to generate ideas, acting as input for the creation of stories, promoting creativity while proposing a framework that supports and guides the construction of logical structures. This is a first step in an effort to build a toolkit of tangible interfaces allowing children and teachers to build their own digital enhanced learning activities.

Some reflections around a post-modern education - Author: Laura Ferreira dos Santos, University of Minho“In the first part of this article, the author endeavors to show how the thought of M.

Montessori, A. S. Neill and the “comrade-teachers” of Hamburg provoked a change in traditional values, devaluating the role of the teacher and of the adult; for thus they were strongly criticized.

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In a second phase, citing thinkers like Lipovestky and Lyotard, an attempt is made to understand how the theses of the authors mentioned in the first phase have been banalized; this was due to the advent of what has been currently termed “postmodernity”. Finally, within the context thus established, the author proposes some thoughts for a reflexion on state of education today”

Altogether, the Montessori method is not recognized by the Portuguese Ministry of Education. Consequently, there are a very few entities which use this method of education among its students.

For the interview, due almost non existence of entities applying the Montessori Method in Portugal, we could only record an interview.

Unfortunately, the interviewed didn´t allow video recording and just answered the questions by email.

Let's see the summary of the interview of Dr. Soraya Fernandes, Headmaster of Montessori Nursery in Loulé, Portugal:1) Can you tell me how your school is run with the Montessori Method approach with children and what ages are they?

“The Montessori Method is applied in the classroom through five areas: practical life, sensorial, cultural, math and language. Each area has developmentally

appropriate activities that are placed on the shelves with the specific goal of helping the child develop their potential. This approach focuses on the child's learning is aimed at children between 3 and 6 years old.”2) How is the Montessori Method approach in your school designed to develop independence and responsibility of the children?

“Montessori believed that the prepared environment is directly related to the child's development. The class room is an area specifically designed solely for children. Through free choice activities children develop their intrinsic motivation to learn. Independence and responsibility are developed through activities in the area of practical life, such as dressing tables, pouring activities, choose the snack time, set the table, take care of their own plant in the garden, helping to dress younger or is put toothpaste on the brush, and so on.” 3) How have you organized the classroom, the method of teaching, and the practical life lessons toward helping the child become a self-sufficient and disciplined individual?

“The Montessori classroom is a meticulously prepared environment and specifically organized to meet the physical, cognitive, social and emotional needs of the children.

One aspect of the prepared environment includes the activities of Practical Life. Through the activities of Practical Life, the child will also develop and improve their social skills. Practical Life skills are an essential component in the Montessori classroom. Not only provide a link between home and school for the latest Montessori student, but alsolay the foundation for a love of lifelong learning.”

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4) What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of the use of the Montessori Method approach for children who attend your school?

Advantages:• Materials real and beautiful allow the child to develop a deeper level of understanding of the concepts.• A child-centered approach allows the child to develop initiative and self-discipline.• The child develops respect for other children while working with the activities you want to accomplish, realizing that you have to wait for their turn. • The creativity is developed to the extent that the focus is on process, not the final product. Children can make various extensions and variations with the activities.•The calm classroom, structured and focused on the child develops children’s concentration and passion for learning.• The materials for mathematics and language help children understand the basic concepts of grammar, the structure of stories, mathematical operations, algebra and geometry.• Children acquire a thorough knowledge not only of the basic concepts of geography, history, social studies and science, but also develop higher-level thinking skills necessary to analyze, synthesize, draw conclusions and assimilate this knowledge.

Disadvantages: “The big disadvantage is the fact that in Portugal there are no accredited Montessori

schools and learning centers, making it very difficult to recruit employees who have Montessori qualifications.”5) How do you prepare children who have had the Montessori Method approach of education progress into mainstream education and what percentage of children do?

“Montessori Children demonstrate a high level of confidence and independence. When transitioning to traditional education they are above average students and are highly sociable. Do not show any problems in classrooms directed by the teacher.” 6) Although adult education is different from that of child education, in your view, how can the Montessori Method be used to develop the social and emotional skills of adults within the framework of tasks training/education?

“Through the activities of Practical Life in Montessori classroom, the child not only develops concentration, coordination, order and independence, but also learns to interact with others and gain an understanding and appreciation of the environment. The child begins to build yourself as a person while learning to treat yourself and others with respect and dignity. These skills prepare children for entry into society and for a lifetime of self-respect and personal worth. The activities of Practical Life in Montessori classroom provide the basis for success in all areas of life.”

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7) It is accepted that Montessori Method helps “the child” construct “the adult” while “the adult” is adding to an already-existing completed personality, however, how could the Montessori Method be adapted within the framework of vocational training/education to activate the creative side of adults?

“The Montessori environment is organized for the independence of their constituents. The daily rhythm of the Montessori classroom changes during class time, and the children choose different jobs throughout the day. The "prepared environment" is the key and their organization is orchestrated by the Montessori teacher even before children enter the space. The early and intelligent choices necessary to prepare the Montessori environment is challenging and exciting, where a Montessori teacher becomes the perfect way to use the creative mind.” 8) How could the Montessori Method be adapted to create tasks training/practical learning approaches for adults to gain practical skills within a” space of learning”?

“Teachers must be technically prepared. Montessori teachers must have a complete knowledge of the stages of the child development to be better prepared to meet the needs of their students. It is also important to know the use of all Montessori materials and what are suitable for the students.

Carefully documented observations allow the Montessori teacher to be consistent and objective when working with students. Our observations allow us to document the progress and development of the child and follow her flexibly, rather than following a pre-defined curriculum.”

9) Is there anything else you would like to say about the application of Montessori Method Approach to adults?

“Montessori said that teachers must divest themselves of dogmatic views about "normal" behavior. She warned Montessori teachers to give up their need to control and learn how to support the child and learning community. She taught teachers to address the development of the child with reverence and humility. The dynamics and the relationship between the Montessori teacher and the children depends on the attitude with which we approach them. “

Final Notes • There are few studies about the Montessori Method done in Portugal• We have only recognized three kindergartens that operate with the Montessori Method in

Portugal• There is no program that provides for the acquisition of knowledge for adults using the

Montessori Method.• Unfortunately, it is largely unknown to the general public in Portugal.

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National report: Lithuania

The Montessori Method in Lithuania was started to use actively after liberation from

Soviet Union in 1991. Although more than 20 years passed, method is not established very well

yet. Researches shows that Montessori methodology mainly is used in pre-schools and primary

schools, also in education process designated for those having developmental disorders.

The main identified problem is that Montessori methodology is not used integrally as it

should be (holistic approach to education). Therefore, fragments of Montessori methodology do

not establish strong position as an alternative education within education system in Lithuania.

However, Montessori groups and classes exists and is available as an option.

Another identified critical moment is parents involvement into child's education. In

Lithuania education is still seen as “matter of school” and lack of parents involvement, lack of

congruence of educational principles at home and at school, and parents contacts with their

child's educators in general – is noticed in many surveys analyzing Montessori education. As one

of the surveys shows, this lack of involvement might be because of the intense and busy life

tempo of parents, on the other hand survey showed that parent in Lithuania mostly value “safe

environment, good nutrition and care and other pragmatical things” and Montessori educators

miss parents interest in child's non-material well-being. Despite all this, Montessori methodology

was recognized as being very valuable in children preparation for school, in correcting

developmental disorders and in general – children educated by Montessori methodology showed

to be more self-confident, mature, creative, independent and disciplined.

Data of the national surveys shows that if implemented more holistically Montessori

methodology can become one of the strongest alternative education options because of growing

non-formal education demand and recognition in Lithuania.

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The second research on life long education and Roma participation was made

purposefully choosing researches focusing on Roma social inclusion, surveys on unemployed

people education and convicts education as both two latter get in the Roma life reality in

Lithuania. Roma population in Lithuania is considered the most marginalized and deprived

social group. High level of illiteracy, poor living conditions, high rate of unemployment and

extremely low level of education overlaps and brings Roma outside the mainstream society and

its advantages.

“Alternative education” for adults in Lithuania still does not have clear concept as formal

education was dominant until recent times. Therefore no research or surveys, especially on the

national level was to be found in Lithuania, especially for those having special-needs. However,

some of the ideas about obstacles to alternative education can be found in a surveys focusing on

vocational training, Roma integration, unemployed as all these mentioned groups share the same

problem – not able to finish formal education, not able to integrate, not able to be independent.

Life-long learning in Lithuania usually means vocational trainings, courses and fragmentary

trainings implemented usually using formal education' methods.

Absence of such an activities and their researches gives another starting point – analyzing

failures and gaps of formal education, social inclusion and busyness policies, we can better

understand needs and possibilities for alternative adult education. Especially, needs of adults,

who are having social hardship, and formal education do not reach them or overcame their

problems.

Consequently, in research on Roma participation and life long learning, we notice the main

disadvantages to be – social, territorial and psychological segregation, low education level and

professional skills, isolation, not knowing local language (Lithuanian).

These circumstances forms big barriers for Roma to get involved into adult learning programs. Besides these main obstacles, which arises from general social and political country context, we can see personal barriers for education: low self-confidence, lack of time between

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family and traditional gender roles, low motivation, fear of discrimination. Alternative education is more flexible in means of period, methods, adaptability and can be the solution for Roma education.

It is need to be specifically adapted to Roma socio-context: psychological barriers (low motivation, lack of self-confidence, fear of discrimination, negative attitude, long term unemployed or never unemployed person's mentality), cultural barriers (gender stereotypes, women busyness with children and household, language) and in creative ways can overcome many problems including Roma as valuable members of society. However, the separate critical moment, which is big obstacle to successful adult education in government attitude. Lack of integral approach with long term aims, stable financing, cooperation between different institutions etc need to be changed in order successfully realize alternative adult education.

SWOT ANALYSIS: Factors to assess the usefulness of the Montessori Method methodology

Strengths Weakness• Is suitable for children education and development from

any age, event right from the birth.• Teachers who use Montessori methods have very high

level of pedagogical sophistication and skills.• Big improvement was noticed on normally developed

children as well as children with developmental disorders.

• Montessori enables to create therapy for infants and small children which is called a multi-sensory rehabilitation therapy.

• Develops independent, mature, free, creative, disciplined child.

• Requires specially equipped environment, special furniture, tools etc.

• Requires not only specially trained teachers with a high competence, but also very conscious, open and devoted teachers.

• Lack of parental involvement in educational process, absence and avoidance of contact with teachers – very negative occurrence which destructs the montessori idea of education congruence in family and educational institution.

Opportunities Threats As non formal education is getting more and more

recognized and established Montessori methodology can become one of the strongest alternative education options.

Montessori methodology can be useful in home schooling also, which is getting more popular in Lithuania.

Modern society where information, development and speed of life is very fast, requires strong, self confident, creative and flexible personalities, therefore Montessori methodology for education can be very useful and promising.

Montessori method is different from predominant didactic methods in a way that it has to be understood and used holistically not fragmentary. Dominating situation in education sphere in Lithuania is that new methods often are integrated or tried out only partially, not fully.

Predominant attitude of child's education which is based on pragmatical and material well-being, not paying attention to spiritual, creative development.

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Social and Cultural Barriers to "ALTERNATIVE" ADULT Education for people with

varying disabilities and special needs in Lithuania.

Research nr.1: Žemaitytė, I. “Learners in Non-formal Education: Motivation and

Participation Possibilities,” Pedagogy (59), 2002.

Introduction Lithuanian, as well as other contemporary societies, is undergoing the times full of new technological, political, economic, social and scientific changes. In the changing society, non-formal adult education has become a popular form of adult education that helps a person to develop his and her cultural interests, creative powers, skills and acquire theoretical knowledge necessary for person's professional activity, enables a person to upgrade his or her current qualification and helps to become an active citizen of a democratic society.

Aims To analyze adults' motivation and opportunities to participate, to reveal reasons, which obstructs for adults to participate in non-formal education.

Population/social categories/disabilities/special needs

Unemployed.

Type of Education/Activities Non-formal education regarding vocational training.Social and Cultural Barriers Assessed In Lithuania, there is a tendency for the number of participants in non-formal adult

education to increase, however, inadequate financial possibilities and lack of information are the main reasons that limit the number of participants in non-formal adult education. Insufficient attention of the state and society to non-formal adult education hinders the solution of these problems.

Institutional/organization context

Vytautas Magnus University, Education Department.

Conclusion Rapid changes in a labor market asks for professional development which is the main motivation for adults to participate in non-formal education. This survey shows that more active in non-formal education process are women also majority of participants are those who are holding higher education degree.

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Research nr. 2: Leončikas, T. Roma: Situation Review, Human Rights Monitoring Institute, Vilnius, 2005.

Introduction Analysis of Roma education, employment, housing and health care in Lithuania aims to identify failures and struggles of the successful integration of the most marginalized community- Roma community. Research suggest that it is important not only to identify, but also critically evaluate integration of Roma policy – search for the professional ways and means which can change Roma situation, eliminate Roma integration policy

Aims To identify and analyze the main problems of successful Roma integration in Lithuania regarding education, employment, housing and health care; to give a suggestion for successful forthcoming Roma integration.


Roma population in Lithuania.

Type of Education/Activities Primary education;Vocational training.

Social and Cultural Barriers Assessed Because of the extremely high illiteracy level in Roma community, one of the main problems to solve is to improve situation of Roma education.Policy of social well being increases the tendency of disproportionate number of Roma children in special-needs schools. Majority of these children should attend general schools, but because of housing and other social advantages are directed there.Therefore social well being – housing, public transport, children nutrition should be improved.Pre-schools and primary schools, specially trained social workers are very positive factors for maintaining and improving better Roma attendance to school – integral attitude for solving present Roma problems.Isolation, low level of literacy, low level of education limits opportunities to receive, evaluate needed information and use it for better.History of unsuccessful efforts to get job, cases of discrimination also forms distrust for outside world.


Human Rights Monitoring Institute, Vilnius.

Conclusion Education of Roma people is one of the biggest problems, which needs a lot of attention in a long term.Also clear policy of Roma employment must be formed and unemployment, leading people to criminal work, must be solved.In order to improve their living conditions, Roma must overcome few layers of marginalization – in a labor marked, education sphere, public services area, therefore skilled mediators working with community and government institutions are needed.

Analysis of current data denies that public opinion about Roma self-isolation and “no desire for integration.” More likely Roma are treated with certain prejudice and preconceptions and are not given possibilities to improve their situation and input to society.

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Research nr.3: Downes, P., C. Maunsell, V. McLaughlin, M. Taljunaite. “Lifelong learning in Ireland and Lithuania: Some examples of Irish policy and practice for Lithuania to consider?” Lithuanian Science Academy (4), 2006, 29-36.

Introduction The article deals with the questions of a broader vision for active citizenship, community development, personal development and social inclusion than a view of lifelong learning as being for a merely economic rationale. It is based on the results of the 6FP research project “Towards a Lifelong Learning Society in Europe: The Contribution of the Educational System”. The material reveals statistical data and policies analyses. The main focus is put on growing recognition that widening participation in lifelong learning must be reinforced in the future if Ireland is to capitalize on its economic success over the last decade or so. Some examples of good practice in Ireland with regard to lifelong learning may be transferable to the context of Lithuania

Aims To outline a range of policies and practices in the Irish context with regard to lifelong learning. Having high- lighted the broad scope and vision for lifelong learning in the official government White Paper on Lifelong Learning (2000), the following key themes will be focused on, namely, social inclusion, access to third level education for traditionally marginalized groups, literacy interventions, community development approaches with a focus on women’s community groups, active citizenship, gender, and adults with specific learning difficulties.


Those who experience socio-economic disadvantage, people with a disability, unemployed, marginalized groups.

Type of Education/Activities Life-long learning activities.Social and Cultural Barriers Assessed Unemployed representatives of national minority groups have lower education, no

proper professional training, and are passive as far as involvement into labour activities are concerned. The lack of knowledge of state language (Lithuanian) is also one of the key obstacles for those belonging to national minorities.


St. Patrick’s College, Dublin City University, Ireland;Institute for Social Research, Lithuania.

Conclusion To sum up, ethnicity is a key issue in Lithuania (as well as Ireland) with regard to lifelong learning.In short, the situation of national minority education and labour market is as follows: high level of unemployment, social marginalization, new social marginalization for groups of unemployed persons and lack of support for employing the most socially assailable groups of unemployed persons. It is significant to note that unemployed representatives of national minority groups have lower education, no proper professional training, and are passive as far as involvement into labour activities are concerned. The lack of knowledge of state language (Lithuanian) is an additional obstacle.

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Research nr. 4: Study of Roma Community Social Inclusion Possibilities, Social Research Institute,Vilnius, 2007.

Introduction Main focus in this research is designated for Roma experience of employment, social support and busyness fosterage. Research suggests that to evaluate Roma' motivation and provisions (towards employment, education etc) is not enough; analysis must be done about what is the actual Roma inclusion into labor market, what is the structural obstacles, which limit that inclusion. Questionnaire research was carried in order to know Roma employment or job search experience, received social support, their social connections. When analyzing social politics, the effort was put not only to review which means are useful for Roma, but also to emphasize the fact that part of the means do not reach Roma and do not solve problems, created by social exclusion. In other words, research seeks to emphasize not only Roma exclusion, but also not used opportunities up-to-now ineffective social politic to make more effective.

Aims The main aim is to analyze context of the social politic, to evaluate Roma situation in a way that today's social politic's elements would be the starting point for creating actual means, which would help to reduce Roma social exclusion.


Roma Population in Lithuania.

Type of Education/Activities Busyness programs, qualification courses, preparation for employment.Social and Cultural Barriers Assessed Support for busyness programs is not effective enough for those marginalized social

groups which face multiple problems – lack of social and professional skill, for example. This system guarantees effective support means only for disabled or senior age citizens, who need only additional support, but do not include Roma living in segregation. Therefore equal opportunities to profit from busyness programs are not ensured, because it is not considered that because of the existing exclusion, majority of Roma can not practically take advantage from universally defined means and laws.Lack of active mediator between socially marginalized people and respective institutions creates only hierarchy among marginalized groups.Also, lack of strategic program for increasing Roma busyness is noticed.73% of Roma respondents marked that they would like to work, but lack of professional and social skills, do not let them use employment opportunities.Deficiency of education and high isolation also limits opportunities to receive needed information.Negative employers' and society attitudes, prejudices forms an actual barrier to get employed.


Ethnic Research Center, Social Research Institute, Vilnius.

Conclusion To sum up, the research shows that it is highly recommended to pay attention for adequate and available information deficiency, limited social connections and ethnic discrimination when creating means for Roma social inclusion program.

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Research nr. 5: Leončikas, T. Roma and Employers' Attitudes Toward Roma Integration to

Labor Market, Social Research Institute,Vilnius, 2007.

Introduction Particular problem in Roma community is overlapping poverty, low education level and unemployment factors, which prevents Roma from having stable income and condemns to criminal work. Because of long lasting segregation majority of Roma have lost touch with existing opportunities and do not have skills to use them. In majority of EU countries these groups are supported by special means of social politics, and one of the main means for social integration s considered to be inclusion into formal labor market. This sociological research seeks to explore how Roma and employers in Lithuania are prepared to join this process.

Aims • To interview Roma who have been or are employed, or looking for a job. To analyze their motivation to work, successful experience and failures in order to identify their attitudes toward work.

• To interview employers at the moment of research having open job positions, adequate (low classification job) for the one, usually Roma people are looking for and analyze employers' attitude toward potential Roma employees.

To analyze reasons why unemployment rate is so high in Roma community and is not reducing for a long time; to lower Roma unemployment for a long term.


Roma people in Lithuania.

Type of Education/Activities Vocational training.Social and Cultural Barriers Assessed Roma social connections are weak and limited, therefore can not be support in

search for a job.Although labor market suffers from lack of employees, possibilities to get employed for Roma are limited by deficiency of professional skills and also negative employers attitude (four from five Roma respondents mentioned negative employers' attitude toward them).Employers realize that employee without skills needs to be trained, but they are not open to use their resources for that.Almost half of the Roma respondents mentioned the main obstacle to get job is absence of education or qualification – especially for women. Also traditional functions in the family for women hardens the way for employment.Also one of the obstacles is not knowing lithuanian language.


Ethnic Research Center, Social Research Institute, Vilnius.

Conclusion To sum up, in order to get involved into nowadays' rapidly changing labor market, Roma lack not only knowledge and skills, but also mechanisms, which can bee used to get the connections, information, professional skills and orientation in labor market. For desirable job Roma do not have enough material and organizational resources

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Social and Cultural Barriers to "ALTERNATIVE" ADULT Education for people with varying

disabilities and special needs in Lithuania.

Research nr.1: Žemaitytė, I. “Learners in Non-formal Education: Motivation and Participation

Possibilities,” Pedagogy (59), 2002.

Introduction Lithuanian, as well as other contemporary societies, is undergoing the times full of new technological, political, economic, social and scientific changes. In the changing society, non-formal adult education has become a popular form of adult education that helps a person to develop his and her cultural interests, creative powers, skills and acquire theoretical knowledge necessary for person's professional activity, enables a person to upgrade his or her current qualification and helps to become an active citizen of a democratic society.

Aims To analyze adults' motivation and opportunities to participate, to reveal reasons, which obstructs for adults to participate in non-formal education.


Unemployed.

Type of Education/Activities Non-formal education regarding vocational trainingSocial and Cultural Barriers Assessed In Lithuania, there is a tendency for the number of participants in non-formal adult

education to increase, however, inadequate financial possibilities and lack of information are the main reasons that limit the number of participants in non-formal adult education. Insufficient attention of the state and society to non-formal adult education hinders the solution of these problems.


Vytautas Magnus University, Education Department.

Conclusion Rapid changes in a labor market asks for professional development which is the main motivation for adults to participate in non-formal education. This survey shows that more active in non-formal education process are women also majority of participants are those who are holding higher education degree.

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Research nr. 2: Leončikas, T. Roma: Situation Review, Human Rights Monitoring Institute, Vilnius, 2005.

Introduction Analysis of Roma education, employment, housing and health care in Lithuania aims to identify failures and struggles of the successful integration of the most marginalized community- Roma community. Research suggest that it is important not only to identify, but also critically evaluate integration of Roma policy – search for the professional ways and means which can change Roma situation, eliminate Roma integration policy deficiencies seen by now.

Aims To identify and analyze the main problems of successful Roma integration in Lithuania regarding education, employment, housing and health care; to give a suggestion for successful forthcoming Roma integration.


Roma population in Lithuania.

Type of Education/Activities Primary education; Vocational trainingSocial and Cultural Barriers Assessed Because of the extremely high illiteracy level in Roma community, one of the main

problems to solve is to improve situation of Roma education.Policy of social well being increases the tendency of disproportionate number of Roma children in special-needs schools. Majority of these children should attend general schools, but because of housing and other social advantages are directed there.Therefore social well being – housing, public transport, children nutrition should be improved.Pre-schools and primary schools, specially trained social workers are very positive factors for maintaining and improving better Roma attendance to school – integral attitude for solving present Roma problems.Isolation, low level of literacy, low level of education limits opportunities to receive, evaluate needed information and use it for better.History of unsuccessful efforts to get job, cases of discrimination also forms distrust for outside world.


Human Rights Monitoring Institute, Vilnius.

Conclusion Education of Roma people is one of the biggest problems, which needs a lot of attention in a long term.Also clear policy of Roma employment must be formed and unemployment, leading people to criminal work, must be solved.In order to improve their living conditions, Roma must overcome few layers of marginalization – in a labor marked, education sphere, public services area, therefore skilled mediators working with community and government institutions are needed. Analysis of current data denies that public opinion about Roma self-isolation and “no desire for integration.” More likely Roma are treated with certain prejudice and preconceptions and are not given possibilities to improve their situation and input to society.

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Research nr.3: Downes, P., C. Maunsell, V. McLaughlin, M. Taljunaite. “Lifelong learning

in Ireland and Lithuania: Some examples of Irish policy and practice for Lithuania to

consider?” Lithuanian Science Academy (4), 2006, 29-36.

Introduction The article deals with the questions of a broader vision for active citizenship, community development, personal development and social inclusion than a view of lifelong learning as being for a merely economic rationale. It is based on the results of the 6FP research project “Towards a Lifelong Learning Society in Europe: The Contribution of the Educational System”. The material reveals statistical data and policies analyses. The main focus is put on growing recognition that widening participation in lifelong learning must be reinforced in the future if Ireland is to capitalize on its economic success over the last decade or so. Some examples of good practice in Ireland with regard to lifelong learning may be transferable to the context of Lithuania

Aims To outline a range of policies and practices in the Irish context with regard to lifelong learning. Having high- lighted the broad scope and vision for lifelong learning in the official government White Paper on Lifelong Learning (2000), the following key themes will be focused on, namely, social inclusion, access to third level education for traditionally marginalized groups, literacy interventions, community development approaches with a focus on women’s community groups, active citizenship, gender, and adults with specific learning difficulties.


Those who experience socio-economic disadvantage, people with a disability, unemployed, marginalized groups.

Type of Education/Activities Life-long learning activities.Social and Cultural Barriers Assessed Unemployed representatives of national minority groups have lower education, no

proper professional training, and are passive as far as involvement into labour activities are concerned. The lack of knowledge of state language (Lithuanian) is also one of the key obstacles for those belonging to national minorities.


St. Patrick’s College, Dublin City University, Ireland;Institute for Social Research, Lithuania.

Conclusion To sum up, ethnicity is a key issue in Lithuania (as well as Ireland) with regard to lifelong learning.In short, the situation of national minority education and labour market is as follows: high level of unemployment, social marginalization, new social marginalization for groups of unemployed persons and lack of support for employing the most socially assailable groups of unemployed persons. It is significant to note that unemployed representatives of national minority groups have lower education, no proper professional training, and are passive as far as involvement into labour activities are concerned. The lack of knowledge of state language (Lithuanian) is an additional obstacle.

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Research nr. 4: Leončikas, T. Roma and Employers' Attitudes Toward Roma Integration to Labor

Market, Social Research Institute,Vilnius, 2007.

Introduction Particular problem in Roma community is overlapping poverty, low education level and unemployment factors, which prevents Roma from having stable income and condemns to criminal work. Because of long lasting segregation majority of Roma have lost touch with existing opportunities and do not have skills to use them. In majority of EU countries these groups are supported by special means of social politics, and one of the main means for social integration s considered to be inclusion into formal labor market. This sociological research seeks to explore how Roma and employers in Lithuania are prepared to join this process.

Aims To interview Roma who have been or are employed, or looking for a job. To analyze their motivation to work, successful experience and failures in order to identify their attitudes toward work.

To interview employers at the moment of research having open job positions, adequate (low classification job) for the one, usually Roma people are looking for and analyze employers' attitude toward potential Roma employees.

To analyze reasons why unemployment rate is so high in Roma community and is not reducing for a long time; to lower Roma unemployment for a long term.


Roma people in Lithuania.

Type of Education/Activities Vocational training.Social and Cultural Barriers Assessed Roma social connections are weak and limited, therefore can not be support in

search for a job. Although labor market suffers from lack of employees, possibilities to get employed for Roma are limited by deficiency of professional skills and also negative employers attitude (four from five Roma respondents mentioned negative employers' attitude toward them). Employers realize that employee without skills needs to be trained, but they are not open to use their resources for that.Almost half of the Roma respondents mentioned the main obstacle to get job is absence of education or qualification – especially for women. Also traditional functions in the family for women hardens the way for employment. Also one of the obstacles is not knowing lithuanian language.

Institutional/organization context Ethnic Research Center, Social Research Institute, Vilnius.Conclusion To sum up, in order to get involved into nowadays' rapidly changing labor market,

Roma lack not only knowledge and skills, but also mechanisms, which can bee used to get the connections, information, professional skills and orientation in labor market. For desirable job Roma do not have enough material and organizational resources.

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Research nr. 5: Šutinienė I., N. Šikšnienė, O. Tamošiūnienė, L. Kublickienė. Qualitative Study on Life

Long Learning ant It's Effectiveness, 2007.

Introduction Life long learning memorandum names reasons, which promotes life long learning – motives, aims and needs of adults learners in Lithuania is determined by opportunity to live in more and more complicated social, cultural and political world. It is hardly known, how impication of adults' education, it's aims and results seems from this process members point of view and how adults education changes their life, improves life quality, active citizenship in all speheres, creates better employment possibilities – therefore this research seeks to analyze all this.

Aims To identify important social and personal contexts and circumstances of effective adults learning:

- subjective meanings and evaluations of learners themselves;- social and psycho-social contexts and factors which make learning process

effective or non-effective.


Adult learners seeking vocational training/job/profesion

Type of Education/Activities Adults' life long learning activities.Social and Cultural Barriers Assessed The most common reasons for quitting unfinished education course are: emigration,

family, health problems, changing of the living place.Negative attitude from society, especially towards women, who have children (“why do you need to be educated?”The biggest challenge mentioned by respondents was to reconcile job and studying at the same time.Psychological reasons – long time unemployed persons, people with addictions, those belonging to marginalized groups and others which need psychological help before starting to do something new for them.Experienced discrimination when after studying person seeks a job – usually gender stereotypes within certain occupations, mostly discriminated are women and senior people.

Institutional/organization context Not specified.Conclusion Learning for adults and it's positive results are closely dependant on learners life

plans, designated goal achievement.To sum up, the effectiveness of adults learning depends on two factors: Social factors – norms and standarts to have education dominating in society and

defining certain social status. Personal factors – individual life goals and plans, and importance given to it.

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National Research Report U.K.

HP-MOS Research: UK Research/Survey of Montessori Methods with adults and children approach. This research/survey has been put together by: Health Psychology Management Org. Services (UK).

(1). TITLE/SOURCE(S) OF RESEARCH:, An approach to inclusion. Montessori international. Retrieved from http://www.montessori.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/99726/issue_61.pdf

Name(s) of Researchers: Morris-Coole, K.

Abstract Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is the fastest growing special needs group. While debates continue as to why this should be, it is the parents and practitioners who have to deal with the day to day consequences of this complex disorder and find positive ways to impact on and improve the quality of affected individuals lives and those of their families.

Aims This paper examines the ASD spectrum, before giving an outline of how the Montessori approach is an effective teaching method with the population group, particularly with people who struggle to understand basic communicative skills and social skills.

Population/social categories/ disabilities

Children with ASD

Design methodResult/Outcomes Assessed It is well noted that the autistic child likes routine, and finds it stressful to have that routine

broken; the Montessori teacher knows that it is good teaching practice to keep to a simple daily schedule. The materials used in the classroom; clocks, timelines, calendars etc all reinforce this routine that the autistic child requires to feel comfortable. The quiet, individualistic nature of the Montessori classroom suits the child also, given the relative quiet in which the class is found. Within the numerous activities in which the children can participate, the teacher can facilitate in so far as to provide encouragement in participating in other kids’ activities. Social skills are taught through games which implicitly teach both grace and courtesy. The holistic, humanistic approach of the school, sees the autistic child being treated in the same way as all other children, allowing them to develop without a sense of feeling different.

Institutional/ School context Montessori classesConclusion Montessori teaching techniques can be applied to children on the autism spectrum. While

this is suitable for children, there is no reason why the same techniques can’t be applied to other age ranges. The inherent antisocial tendencies of the autistic child, and need for routine are all accounted for in the Montessori method of teaching, fostering an environment where the child can develop and learn without a sense of being different. The paper ends in noting that the method can even teach children to overcome some of their autistic tendencies due to the philosophy that is applied in the teaching style.

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(2). TITLE/SOURCE(S) OF RESEARCH:, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A practical Montessori approach. Montessori international. Vol 69, pp 20-23

Name(s) of Researchers: Fidler, W. Abstract Maria Montessori’s early work in the Casa dei Bambini in Rome provided the seed bed

of knowledge from which she researched and designed the leaning materials we now find in Montessori schools. It was there that she studied the behaviour of unruly socially inept children, many of whom had learning difficulties. We should not be surprised that children with behavioural and learning problems progress well as they adopt the routine methods of working, and social interactions in Montessori schools.

Aims To explore the use of the Montessori method with those who are suffering with ADHDPopulation/social categories/ disabilities

Children with ADHD

Design methodResult/Outcomes Assessed While the paper explores ADHD in children to great extent, there are examples of how

the Montessori method can be applied. “The child does not exist in its environment independent of distractions, and in a controlled Montessori environment, with a teacher who maintains a calm and structured atmosphere, who defines his or her expectations for children's behaviour and who provides plenty of positive reinforcement, children usually respond with better self control, improved performance, and appropriate behaviour.”The paper then goes on to describe how the Montessori method facilitates an environment which children with ADHD foster. This involves creating a calm, routine and ordered atmosphere which enables the children to grow. The method also recommends keeping this set of principles consistent in the child's life, and refers to getting parents involved, in maintaining this consistence in the child's life.The lack of competition, mixed age groups and shared learning all contribute to the child developing social skills. Positive reinforcement and the general Montessori philosophy of allowing the child to direct their learning, leads to self constraint and self regulated behaviour. In Montessori, the notion of behaviour is different than in traditional teaching methods, education is self determined, and children only partake in activities they wish to, which helps them to maintain their own behaviour.

Institutional/ School context ADHD children in a Montessori settingConclusion To briefly end, the Montessori method is particularly applicable to those diagnosed with

ADHD:The group facilitator, or teacher’s will have knowledge of the child’s condition, and aid in participation.The method allows for both living and learning environments to reflect each other, keeping consistent the child’s life, and the way in which they learn.Integrating a predictable activity programme in a natural environment.Implementing practical activities, which encourage interpersonal skills to develop.

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(3). TITLE/SOURCE(S) OF RESEARCH: Montessori and dementia: A new vision. Montessori international. Vol 76 (1), pp 38-39 Name(s) of Researchers: Brenner, T., Brenner K.,

Abstract This very short paper examines the use of the Montessori Method, in particular the

physical tasks employed by the method, and how they can be used with Dementia

patients to increase manual dexterity and in improving overall mental wellbeing through

the completion of tasks through procedural memory, rather than short and long term

memory.

Aims The aim of this short paper is to highlight the effective use of Montessori techniques

with the given client, grouping dementia patients.

Population/social categories/ disabilities

Dementia patients

Design method

Result/Outcomes Assessed The paper suggests that dementia patients may seem to be detached, both physically and

emotionally from their environment, and the people in it. Helping older people to

reconnect with their environment is an important part of the Montessori approach. The

authors go on to note that the inability to recall short term memory can lead to fear,

which then leads onto anger. This anger then may lead to isolation and depression. One

could suppose that the completion of tasks through procedural memory, rather than short

and long term memory, can lead to a sense of accomplishment which may overcome

these feelings of fear.

Institutional/ School context Nursing homes, hospitals, Old people's homes.

Conclusion Montessori methodology is an effective method for use with dementia patients. However

the tasks developed for use with the method may prove limiting, thus one must take the

philosophy of the method and apply it to the client group in question in order to create a

set of activities that the client group in question will find the most fulfilling.

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(4). TITLE/SOURCE(S) OF RESEARCH: The process of learning in dementia carer support

programmes: Some preliminary observations. Journal of advanced nursing. Vol 21(1) pp 41-46

Name(s) of Researches: Coates, D.

Abstract Theories of experimental learning, notably the theory of andragogy, can be used to

elucidate the process of learning, in dementia carer support programmes. Such theories

attach importance to the positive influences of life experience and maturity, and to the

salience of personal issues, but their appropriateness needs to be critically analysed.

Stress is a common manifestation among dementia carers and its presence can

significantly affect openness to learning. As a result of recent policy changes and of

demographic shifts, nurses are likely to be increasingly involved in carer support

programmes. They need to be aware of the complex issues addressed in this paper.

Aims This paper presents a preliminary discussion of how the situation raised in the abstract

can be addressed

Population/social categories/

disabilities

Dementia Carers (Nurses mostly)

Design method

Result/Outcomes Assessed Dementia Carers (Nurses mostly

Institutional/ School context Nursing Home/ Hospital

Conclusion It is good that there is now much carer support available however it is unfortunate that

this support is mostly uninformed by theory. The observations set out in this paper may

contribute to the placing of carer support groups onto a proper theoretical basis, and so

help nurses who are taking on the role of facilitator. At present nurse education has not

sufficiently addressed these issues and surely it must do so as nurses seek to adopt these

new forms of provision. Some of these ideas have been presented hypothetically and

some with evidence based on existing research data, and it is hoped that they can all be

tested in the process of research. At the very least, this paper points to considerations of

which nurses and others involved in the support of dementia carers, should be aware .

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(5). TITLE/SOURCE(S) OF RESEARCH: Heutagogy: An alternative practice based learning approach. Nurse education in practice. Vol 10, pp 332-326. Name(s) of Researches: Bhoyrub, J., Hurley, J., Neilson, G. R, Ramsey, M., Smith, M.

Abstract Education has explored and utilised multiple approaches in attempts to enhance the learning and teaching opportunities available to adult learners. Traditional pedagogy had been both directly and indirectly affected by andragogy and transformational learning, consequently widening our understandings and approaches toward viewing teaching and learning.Through placing the adult learner at the foreground of grasping learning opportunities, they unpredictability emerge from a sometimes chaotic environment. Heutagogy can be argued as offering the potential to minimise many of the well known difficulties of coordinating practice with faculty teaching and learning.

AimsPopulation/social categories/ disabilities

Nurses

Design method Non Experimental Literature Review and DiscussionResult/Outcomes AssessedInstitutional/ School context Nurse Training InstitutionsConclusion Without doubt heutagogy is an emergent rather than established learning approach. Its

recent appearance in adult based training education fields is however arguably more of an evolutionary advance from andragogy and transformational learning, than a radical leap into the educative unknown. That notwithstanding, we accept that heutagogy provides challenges to educators and learners alike, in addition to the opportunities expressed within the course of this paper. Underpinning and interconnecting constructs of complexity theory and capability are also well embedded in existing and accepted knowledge bases. Additionally, the construct of complexity theory has powerful resonance with practice learning environments and hence the challenges facing all educative stakeholders. Learner capability, central to heutagogy, also has significant resonance with the aspirations of nurse education further indicating potential application. Heutagogy, therefore, is a potential-packed approach to clinical learning that provides an alternative lens from which to both view and construct practice-based educational components of pre-registration courses pertinent to each branch. In many ways when used as a framework to place around practice based nurse education, heutagogy makes sense of the necessary uncertainties that defines nursing. It probably would be imprudent to ignore heutagogy but research as to the efficacy of heutogogy within nurse education needs to be carried out as there is an obvious paucity of research studies within this area.

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National report research Portugal

We have conducted a research about possible studies and scientific articles related to the application

of the Montessori Method in Portugal. However, there are very few studies in Portugal about it. We

could only find one study directly related to the Montessori Method.

Other types and Methods of Education in Portugal

In the structure of the Portuguese educational system there are the following types of special

school education: special education, Vocational Training, Distance Education, Portuguese teaching

abroad. Each of these methods is an integral part of school education, but is ruled by special provisions.

Special Education

The education of disabled children in Portugal began in the nineteenth century, in two strands:

Assistance (for which they were created asylums) and Education, from 1822, with the creation of the first

establishment to serve the deaf and blind later added to Casa Pia de Lisboa. This was followed by the

creation of responses at the level of deafness and blindness.

In 1929 was created the Bureau of Primary Education and Normal Teaching in order to organize

special classes, and the first was opened in 1929, in Lisbon. It was also in the academic year 1929/1930

that through an order signed by the Minister Eduardo Costa Ferreira, the Bureau of Primary Education

and Normal Teaching was allowed to form new classes, recruiting staff from specialist teachers.

In 1930, special classes are created in other schools in Lisbon. The Navarro de Paiva Institute

starts integrating and educating children and said abnormal offenders presented to the Juvenile Courts. In

February 1930, were installed in primary schools in Lisbon special classes for "retarded", involving about

300 children.

In 1942, in collaboration with the Institute Aurélio da Costa Ferreira, a boost occurred in the

education of mentally handicapped and disabled people.

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In the 1950's, new intervention centers and associations in the field of disability are created, many

streamlined by groups of parents: in 1955, the Juvenile Centre Hellen Keller, by the Portuguese League

for Disabled People, in 1960, the Portuguese Association for Cerebral Palsy is created, with its

headquarters in Lisbon.

in 1962, the Portuguese Association of Parents and Friends of Children Mongoloids it’s created

later renamed the Portuguese Association of Parents and Friends of Children Mental Decreased. In 1964,

the Institute for Assistance to Minors creates the Disability Education Services. Also in 1964, the creation

of the specialization of Teachers Maladjusted Children. In 1970, it created in Coimbra, the Cerebral Palsy

Center, in 1971; it created the Portuguese Association for the Protection of Autistic Children.

In the 1970s, reflecting the movements that internationally were defending equality prospects,

there have been some attempts to promote the integration of special education into mainstream education.

In 1971, it published the Law n. 6/71, November 8 th - Law on the Rehabilitation and Integration of

Disabled Persons - which promulgates the foundation for the rehabilitation and social integration,

governments will give importance and special education support. With the Veiga Reform, in 1973, the

Ministry of Education is responsible for the Special Education and published in the legislation related to

the organization of the General Management of Primary and Secondary Education already in several

divisions with the aim of organizing educational structures.

Between 1970 and 1980, three juridical devices configured the set of legal principles of the

fundamental rights of disabled citizens: the Portuguese Constitution (1976), Law on the Education

System (1986) and Law on Prevention and the Rehabilitation and Integration of People with Disabilities

(1989). In regular school, soon began to intervene in a more noticeable way since 1975, first with teachers

roaming and later with the creation of teams of Special Education (1976), which aim to integrate the

disabled into regular classes. In this process of democratization of education CERCI's” are created “and

other institutions to support mental disabilities, such as the Portuguese Association of Cerebral Palsy in

Porto.

In 1977, Decree-Law No. 174/77, of May 2, applied to the Preparatory and Secondary Education,

allows special enrollment conditions and assessment for students with disabilities.

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The International Year of Disabled Persons (1981) and the World Programme of Action

concerning disabled persons constituted a milestone awareness of society to the human rights of people

with disabilities, which would become more effective as a result of the Decade of the United Nations for

Persons with Disabilities (1983-1992).

Portugal, by signing the Salamanca Statement (UNESCO, 1994) is committed to apply its

principles, which has not been a linear task, since they still linger concepts, structures, norms and

practices which contradict the values that guide Inclusive Education. In recent years there has been a set

of conceptual and socio-legal changes, which introduced instability and uncertainty in the educational

system, which may be perhaps promoting an inclusive school or on the contrary, may be generating

situations of segregation and / or educational and social exclusion.

Vocational Training

Overview

The system of continuing vocational education and training in Portugal consists of a range of

flexible training pathways which make it possible to build a vocational qualification that suits individual

trainees’ interests and needs. The aim is that trainees acquire or develop knowledge and skills in the

technical and social fields allowing them to re-enter or improve their position on the labour market.

Continuing adult education and training courses

Adult education and training courses are aimed at adults over the age of 18 who have no

qualifications or whose qualifications are inadequate for integration in the labour market. The process of

Recognition, Validation and Certification of Skills is the most common platform for access to these

courses.

The aim of these courses is to raise the adult population’s academic ability and vocational

qualifications by offering a combination of education and training that enhances their employability and

certifies acquired learning. Courses are based on:

• flexible training pathways designed on the basis of recognition and validation of the skills adults

have acquired via formal, non-formal and informal routes;

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• coordinated training pathways that comprise basic training and technology training or just basic

training;

• training focusing on the acquisition of knowledge, know-how and skills that complement and

promote apprenticeships.

These courses lead to a Cycle 3 basic education certificate and a Level 2 vocational training

certificate, or a secondary-education certificate and a Level 3 vocational training certificate.

Attendance of an EFA course that does not lead to certification entitles participants to request a

certificate of validation of skills, which lists all the skills validated during the training process.

EFA courses are designed and run by the respective instigating bodies or by a third party. In both

cases, the training body must be part of the network of training institutions included in the national

qualifications system. EFA courses that focus on improving academic abilities are run by public, private

or cooperative education establishments with autonomy over the training they provide, or by direct-

management or joint-management Vocational Training Institute for Employment and Vocational

Training.

Training for groups with special integration problems

In addition to the forms of training described in the previous section, there are also courses aimed

specifically at groups that face special problems in joining the labour market. Most of these courses are

promoted by the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training.

Vocational training courses for disadvantaged groups

These are vocational training and guidance courses that are designed to meet the particular needs

of the target group, with a view to promoting their social and occupational (re)integration. Target groups

include the long-term unemployed, ethnic minorities, immigrants, young people and adults with poor

literacy skills and with inadequate personal, social and vocational skills, as well as other people who,

because of their socioeconomic situation or their behavior and attitudes, are experiencing serious

difficulties as regards social and occupational integration.

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Special vocational training courses

These are vocational training courses aimed at specific target groups – young people at risk, drug

addicts, ex-prisoners, ethnic minorities and other disadvantaged population groups – with a view to

helping them to obtain a basic vocational qualification so they can enter the labour market.

Vocational training for people with disabilities

The aim here is to provide people with disabilities with the knowledge and skills they need to

obtain a vocational qualification that will enable them to secure or maintain a job and/or improve their

position on the labor market. Training is personalized, based on individual training plans, and lasts for a

maximum of four years, which may in exceptional cases be increased to five years.

Distance Education in Portugal

The evidence that it was possible to provide high quality teaching in most scientific, humanistic

and cultural subjects, through a process which did not require the students to be physically present in the

classroom, and allow them to learn on their own through the use of didactic materials purposely

developed was established by the Open University in Great Britain. This success determined the spread of

distance teaching universities (commonly known as open universities) all over the world (Trindade,

1989). Portugal could not remain inattentive to this happening. In 1988, the Universidade Aberta de

Portugal was created.

A glance at the evolution of Distance Education

As early as 1927, during the First Republic in Portugal, the possible advantages and dangers of

the use of audio-visual aids in the educational process was already an issue. Five years after, due to the

assumed importance of cinematography in educating people, a commission was formed, called Comissão

do Cinema Educativo (Commission for Educational Cinema) under the Ministry of Public Instruction,

with the objective of proposing the production, authorship and distribution of educational films.

Thirty years later, in 1963, a big step was taken in the direction of developing educational

audiovisuals with the creation of the Centro de Estudos de Pedagogia Audio-visual (Centre of Studies on

Audio-visual Pedagogy) whose aim was mainly laboratory research in two areas: one regarding the use of

audio-visual processes in education (as support mechanisms) and another of stimulating, co-ordinating

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and evaluating its applications in this area. The above research pointed to the need to create an

organisation that could energise the production of educational materials, and the Instituto de Meios

Audiovisuais de Ensino - IMAVE (Institute for Media Support in Teaching) was created in the National

Ministry of Education. The main purpose of the Instituto was the production, buying, dissemination and

management of educational programmes to be transmitted through the radio and television aimed at a

specific population.

In this same year, the Telescola (Teleschool) was launched in Portugal. This was the first

systematic use of the media in the formal educational context. Its use was a way of meeting the shortage

of teachers needed to put in practice increased compulsory education (to the 6th grade of schooling). Yet,

Rocha Trindade (1990) argues that, in technical terms, this system was not distance teaching. In his

manual Introduction to Educational Communication while describing the use of media in school context,

he describes in detail this programme. He says: teaching. In his manual Introduction to Educational

Communication while describing the use of media in school context, he describes in detail this

programme. He says: "Note-se que, em termos técnicos, a metodologia própria da telescola não se

confunde com ensino a distância: o único ponto de contacto entre os dois conceitos reside na utilização

intensiva de materiais didácticos mediatizados. Trata-se, por conseguinte, de ensino presencial (em classe,

sujeito a horário, coma presença do professor), mas apoioado por meios audio-visuais. Adesignação de

ensino semi-directo, aplicado à Telescola, embora algo enganador, é relativamente aceitável".

The average number of students using Telescola reached 60,000 per year with an overall through-

put of one million students (Trindade, 1990).

In the following year, with the educational reforms of Veiga Simão, IMAVE was substituted by

the Instituto de Tecnologia Educativa - ITE (Institute of Educational Technology). This new institution

had the same objectives as the former institute, but with the added clear objectives of updating

pedagogical methods, through the use of the most modern ways of teaching.

In 1975, one year after the Portuguese Revolution, a report by an ad hoc commission

recommending the creation of a distance teaching university and presenting a prospective working model

which, as Rocha Trindade says (1989), was the first important step in the direction of the creation of a

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distance university in Portugal. In 1976 UNIABE - Universidade Aberta was created with the objective of

contributing to the progress of democracy and the construction of socialism. In spite of its good

intentions, this represented a false start, for the decree of creation was not put into actual action.

The first initiative in distance education was the Ano Propedêutico (the pre-university year)

which arose as an ad hoc solution to the problem of university access after the Revolution of 1974. This

programme proved the viability of developing a centralised distance teaching programme to large adult

audiences geographically dispersed. This experience, led in the year 1979 to the creation of the Instituto

Português de Ensino a Distância (Portuguese Institute for Distance Education) with the goals of acquiring

knowledge, professional competence, facilities and equipment and preparing the ground for the future

Universidade Aberta. In 1984 the team of IPED, whose president was Trindade, considered the institute

ready to implement the third goal - launch the Universidade Aberta. Despite this fact, new difficulties

arose at that time, both financial and cultural. The lack of compatibility, at the level of decision-making,

among many other priorities of the educational system and the assumed permanent high costs requested

by a new educational structure with rather unconventional, deep, and innovative characteristics raised

much scepticism and rejection among the Portuguese intelligenzia (Trindade, 1989).

A significant encouragement to the internal recognition of the need to create an open university in

Portugal, through a project adjusted to the particular characteristics of the Portuguese social environment,

was given by the European Association of Distance Teaching Universities, created in 1987. The Project

Universidade Aberta was a founding member of this group. A technical evaluation elaborated by the

leaders of the Association was addressed to the Portuguese Government in defence of the Projecto

Universidade Aberta. The issuing of a recommendation of the European Parliament on the significance of

open universities in the construction of Europe and the increasing importance given by Community

authorities to the same problem (as, for instance, the programmes ERASMUS, DELTA, Strand D of

COMETT), may well have contributed to overcoming the difficulties presented by several Portuguese

decision-making entities. Progress advanced quickly and in 1988 at the closing ceremony of the

Conference "Long Term Developments for European Distance Education" held in Lisbon with

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representatives of all European open universities, the decision to create the Universidade Aberta of

Portugal was publicly announced by the Portuguese Ministry of Education.

Portuguese Teaching Abroad

Arising from the sharp economic, social, technical and educational, the Portuguese Teaching

Abroad covers different realities, having been undergoing significant changes.

Concerning this type of teaching, the first programs of Portuguese Language and Culture of 1978,

were designed on the basis of equivalence to the Portuguese curriculum and had as its target audience

children and young people within the Portuguese communities. Three decades later, it appears that the

profile of the of the Portuguese public learner is increasingly diverse, covering children and young

children of Portuguese workers in situations of recent mobility, the Portuguese descendants who already

belong to the second or third generation, as well as speakers of other languages.

The Portuguese Teaching Abroad is therefore a reality polysemic, which currently involves a set

of different situations:

a) Teaching of Portuguese language and culture to Portuguese descendants;

b) Teaching of Portuguese language and culture courses integrated in the educational systems of

the host countries;

c) Teaching of Portuguese language and portuguese culture to speakers of other languages;

d) Curriculum support in cases of mobility of Portuguese citizens to other countries of the

European Union 3;

e) Experiences of bilingual education;

f) Portuguese language teaching in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa;

g) Teaching perspective of the Portuguese language in some of the countries of Mercosur.

Final Notes

• There are few studies about the Montessori Method done in Portugal

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• We have only recognized three kindergartens that operate with the Montessori Method in

Portugal

• There is no program that provides for the acquisition of knowledge for adults using the

Montessori Method.

• Unfortunately, it is largely unknown to the general public in Portugal

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National Research Report Romania

Innovative educational approaches and methods to learning and teaching the social competences: the link between the lack of social competences and the participation of the socially

vulnerable target-groups to the lifelong learning programs

Developing Educational Alternatives and Organizing Differential Educational Structures in Romania – a brief comparative analysis

During the 21st Century, we all have witnessed, more than ever, an "examination" of the educational system, determined both by the recent developments in society and the uptake of the Western values with regards to the educational system. This tendency has been materialized in Romania through the introduction of the educational alternatives, most of which were based on private initiatives.

Reservedly viewed at first, these initiatives have nowadays gained more and more appreciation from the people involved in the educational process. If, until recently, the Romanian society avoided mentioning the Western educational alternatives, nowadays we can notice a particular inclination for these systems – a fact not to be neglected by the reformists of the educational system.

The rightfulness of the pedagogical alternatives is ensured by the Educational Act (for Romania, the Law nr.84/1995, art.52 and art.14 which "guarantee the right to differentiated education, based on the educational pluralism". The chosen options "can be organized in the State and Private School Systems, based on the evaluation and certification provided by the Ministry of Education".

Within the educational system of Romania, through the initiatives developed at the central, territorial and local levels, following the 1990’s, there have been instituted some varieties of alternative pedagogical systems, applied mostly to the pre-school and primary education but with valid perspectives towards the secondary schooling as well.

In the press release of the M.E.R. and C.N.A.E. (31.03.2004), the five existing educational alternatives in Romania are listed as follows:

the Waldorf pedagogy (1990) the Montessori pedagogy (1993) the Freinet pedagogy (1995) the “Step by Step” alternative (1996) the Jena plan (1996)

The best-known alternative educational systems in our country are: the Waldorf System and the “Step by Step” alternative.

The former, ,,The Waldorf Free School”, as it was initially called, has been founded on September 7th, 1919, as a result of the collaboration between R. Steiner and the Managing Director of

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the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette company in Stuttgart. At its opening ceremony, the school had a number of 252 pupils, out of which 191 were the children of the company workers. Steiner was headmaster of the school until his death, in 1925. During that year, there were already 2 similar schools in Germany, one in Holland and one in England. In 1938, there were 14 similar schools in countries such as USA, Holland, England, Austria, Norway, and Hungary. During WW II, most of the Waldorf Schools were prohibited throughout the greatest part of Europe. During the 60’s several Waldorf Schools have been founded around the world.

In Romania, the first Waldorf groups and classes were founded in 1990, encompassed in the State school system, in accordance with the Resolution of the Ministry of Education, regarding the founding of the Waldorf schools/classes, issued on 01.06.1990. The Waldorf education has since known a remarkable development, and its structure is laid down by the Waldorf Foundation of Romania, which encompasses the Waldorf Associations and represents the Waldorf national/international movements, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Research and Youth, with the European Coucil of Steiner Waldorf Schools, headquartered in Brussels.

Although it is the most widespread alternative to the state educational system in Romania, the essence of the Waldorf pedagogy is still very little known. The efforts made by the teaching staff and the parents to promote this initiative have sometimes been thwarted by the ignorance regarding this educational alternative.

The Waldorf School is not a private one (there are no fees), it is not a remedial one, it adresses all pupils, the system being built in such way that it helps the weaker ones reach an acceptable level of knowledge, but it also supports the more endowed ones in their natural aspirations towards notable performances.

In our country, the Waldorf education is State-owned, organized by the MER, in complete accordance with an agreement signed in 1996 with the Waldorf Federation in Romania and the German association “Freunde der Erziehungskunst”. The curricula of the various disciplines are similar to those in the national schooling system, while the level of knowledge is analogue to that of a traditional school, at the levels of the 4th, the 8th and the 12th grades. The disciplines are taught in different periods, in such way that a pupil meets the same discipline twice a day, during a 2-4-week time lapse.

Step by Step promotes a pupil-centered teaching and learning method, which encourages the involvement of the family and the community during the instructive-educational process. The program was initiated in the USA, in the 60’s. It was initially developed to help the pre-school children who originate from socio-economically underprivileged backgrounds and who don’t have an easy access to education. The program, with its structure, tries to cover the emotional, social, medical, nutritional and psychological needs of the children aged between 3 and 5, coming from families with very small incomes, or families of immigrants. In 1969, this program has been placed under the sponsorship of the Department for Education, and has been extended in most of the American states. In 2005, there were over 22 million pre-school children, divided in 48,000 groups/classes all over the territory of the United States.

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The program has been reinforced and verified in over 30 years of practice, and is working in over 26 countries. The elaboration of the Step by Step method and its license belongs to Children Resource International of Washington – SUA.

The educational program is considered to be the most “long-lasting” in the United States, has enjoyed the appreciation of many American families, and is currently coordinated by the Department for the Child and Family, being considered a valid educational alternative, especially for the pre-school teaching.

In the 90’s, the program has also reached the Eastern European countries, initiated by the Soros Foundation and known by the name of “Step by Step”.

In Romania, it began in 1994, named “Head Start”, and it was mostly used at pre-school level, based on child-centered educational practices, on the childhood and game values, on individualisation and planning acording to the needs of the child. In 1995, it was re-named Step by Step, on the initiative of the Soros Foundation for an Open Society, through the signing of a Convention with the Ministry of National Education. In the same year, there appeared the first primary school classes, as an experiment. Since March, 1998, the program is continued by the ’’Step by Step Centre for Education and Professional Development’’ which offers new methods, as a continuation of the vision for the education of the future generations, in view of their active social participation.

The “Step by Step” educational alternative respects the national curriculum, the national standard, it is adapted to the local culture, at the same time integrating the best standards and international practices in the field of education.

The activity of the Step by Step alternative in the years 2003-2004 comprised:- 25 nursery groups in 21 nurseries from 14 counties; - 665 kindergarten groups in 295 kindergartens from 38 counties;- 398 primary school classes (1st grade: 113, 2nd: 108, 3rd: 93, 4th:74) in 34 counties; - 15 secondary education schools, in 26 classes, in 15 counties.

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Report regarding the participation of the underprivileged adult groups to the education in Romania

I. Analysis of the target-groups and the barriers that inhibit the participation of the adults in the formal education

Educational inequalities, as well as the difficult access to a quality education are issues that the developed countries face, too. Some disparities between the urban and the rural environments, especially concerning the gaps between certain social categories and population groups when it comes to education, (amongst many other problems) – externalized in educational failures and, subsequently, in socio-professional marginalization – are phenomena which appear in the developed countries as well. At the same time, the increase in the educational requirements, especially during the recent decades, had led to an accentuation of learning difficulties in the case of certain social groups which are prone to them, to school failure and early school leaving, and so we conclude that the considerable reduction of such phenomena is a present-day issue in many European countries.

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If we acknowledge the real difficulty in the socio-professional integration of the underprivileged social groups at this moment of global economical and social crisis, this study aims at exploring the level of participation to the formal schooling and the mechanisms of the system, and whether it is capable of sustaining a successful labour market integration of the adults who belong to various vulnerable/ underprivileged social groups.

This research defers to the scientifical level that the educational domain has reached so far, to its objectives and its lines of action, which are encompassed in the national legislative framework, its official documents and current strategies respectively.

The general objective Evaluating the status quo of the participation to the formal education, as far as the socially

vulnerable/ underprivileged adult groups are concerned (needs, expectations, values, motivation), of the role and the efficiency of the schooling system in improving their prospective socio-professional success.

The specific objectives a) Describing the formal educational system for adults/early school leavers, types of educational

institutions and offers, which are based on various categories of beneficiaries; b) Analysing the opportunities and the barriers of the Romanian formal educational system, from

the point of view of the socio-professional integration criteria for the young adults.The research methodology a) Documentation b) Analysis of the statistical data c) Individual interviews /case studies

The population which is the object of our research The target-group: adults who are socially excluded or marginalized, and are consequently in a

state of vulnerability, owing to their low level of education or to their limited/difficult access to it. The vulnerable groups include: adults in detention, juvenile delinquents, abused women or

women who are in vulnerable positions, disabled people, Roma people, who are in a high-risk situation; elderly people who are in a high-risk situation.

A legislative analysis of the socially vulnerable groupsThe Romanian legislative system uses a variety of interlinked terms when it refers to the

vulnerable persons/groups. The regulatory documents refer to underpriviledged people, marginalized people, socially excluded people, people who risk social exclusion or vulnerable people. We will present, hereinafter, the current definitions, such as we find them in the standing legislation.

The social marginalization has got two complementary definitions. The first (2002), is also the most comprehensive: „the peripheral social position, the isolation of the individuals/groups of people with a limited access to the economic, political, educational or communicative resources of society, manifested through the absence of the basic social life conditions”.

The second one (2005) stipulates that „the social exclusion/marginalization is the state in which the people face one or several social deprivations, such as the lack of employment, absent/inadequate accommodation, lack of access to running water, heat or electricity, education or healthcare.”

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The social need is „a set of requirements which are compulsory in order to ensure the basic life standards that every person needs for a successful social integration”. The social inclusion represents „a set of measures and multidimensional activities included in the fields of social protection, labour market occupation, accommodation, education, healthcare, communication/information, mobility, security, justice and culture, which aim at fighting the social exclusion”.

Considering the fact that discrimination is one of the main sources of social marginalization, the underprivileged social category is „the group of people who are in a position of inequality in relation to the majority of the citizens, owing to the differences in identiy or to the behavior of rejection and marginalization that they face”. Regarding the social marginalization/exclusion, the classification is made with reference to people, groups or communities, based on some overlapping aspects. Beside the objective ones (lack of accommodation or access to healthcare), which can generate similar situations irrespective of other factors, we can also identify subjective aspects, such as sexual orientation, ethny, age or health status, which can only generate marginalization if they are accompanied by objective aspects. Analysing the people, the social groups or the communities that are at risk of social exclusion is a top priority in order to identify the measures that should be taken for their social inclusion, measures which are stipulated in the specialized regulatory documents.

The dynamics of the participation to education As a consequence of the current tendencies towards a global society of knowledge, we can detect

a significant change in the educational, vocational, and professional orientation of the new generations in Romania as well. It is manifested through an increase in the participation of the youth to the education, a diversification of the educational offer, completed by the alternative or non-formal schooling.

Thus, even though our country was significantly below the European average with regards to the level of participation to the education in 2006: 56,1% compared to the EU-27 percentage of 63,9% (Source: Key data on Education in Europe, 2009), the growth in the level of participation to the education has been notably accelerated, especially in the last decade.

Therefore, the rate of inclusion in the educational system at all the levels has increased significantly, from 55% in 2001 to 61% in 2008. Even more spectacular is the increase in the level of inclusion in the upper secondary education: from 42% in 2001 to 54% in 2008, or in the superior education: from a mere 14% in 2001 to almost 27% in 2008! (ISE, 2010).

The diversification of the educational offers is another „tell-tale” sign of the growth in the level of participation: an increasing number of young adults are resorting to low attendance or distance education: from 2% in 2001 to 10% in 2008! (ISE, 2010).

The national statistics reveal that during the 2000-2010 time lapse, the rate of early school leaving in Romania has significantly varied, from the peak values of 22-23% in 2000-2004, to values progressively smaller in the subsequent years. The comparative data regarding the early school leaving indicator for the people aged 18-24 illustrates the fact that Romania is below the average of many UE member states. In 2009, for instance, of all the 27 Member States, Romania (with 16,6%) was somewhere at the bottom of the chart, the first of the bottom five, to be more exact; the last 4 positions were occupied by: Italy (19,2%), Spain (31,2%), Portugal (31,2%) and Malta (36,8%)(ISE, 2011).

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Analysis of the barriers/factors which impede the participation to educationDuring the October/November 2011 time lapse, as part of a project called „Extending the EPA

System in 103 schools which face the truancy phenomenon and the school abandonment”, we have administered identification charts of the pupils who are at risk of school abandonment and attended the schools included in the project. The charts have been filled in by the teaching staff (usually elementary teachers for the primary school level and form teachers for the secondary school level) and have included a series of socio-demographic data regarding the students who are at risk of school abandonment. At the end, we have requested some opinions with regards to the 3 main categories of risk factors.

We have classified the risk factors in individual ones, which are related rather to the personal state of each individual; the familial ones, which can be attributed to the social environment in which the pupil returns after school; the educational factors, which can be associated with the school and study environment. Following the gathering and the analysis of more than 3,000 charts, we’ve drawn a series of conclusions with regards to the main factors that influence the risk of school abandonment – such as the teachers have managed to identify – which we will hereinafter present. Individual Factors

Determined on the bases of the research and the previous experience the main categories of individual factors that we have taken into account when analyzing the major school abandonment risks were the difficulties experienced in the learning process, the health status of the students, the motivation for the educational activities and the special educational needs. We have also taken into consideration the disruptive behavior, as well as the attendance when it comes to children who are at risk of abandoning the education, even though these individual factors are very closely linked to the familial and the educational ones.

It is important to mention the fact that the interpretation of the results is made from the teachers’ point of view regarding the pupils who are identified as being at major risk of abandonment. In the absence of other interrelated data, the interpretation of the results is nothing but a reflection of the teaching staff on the reasons which determine a certain situation of risk, reasons which can be encompassed in individual factors. Future research can explore in more detail the extent to which the interpretations can be sustained by empirical data.

Which are the main individual characteristics that have been identified by the teachers when it comes to the children who are at major risk of abandoning their education?

From the acquired data, we can identify three categories of individual factors which the teachers hold responsible for the risk of school abandonment. The low level of motivation for the educational activities, the high level of truancy and the learning difficulties are by far the most frequently mentioned by the teachers.

The Impact of the Socio-Economical FactorsThe analysis of the answers provided by the teaching staff reveals that the factor which most

frequently influences in a negative way the educational progress of the pupils and eventually generates the school abandonment is the socio-economical factor. The main (sub) factors that have been identified by the teachers as generators of school abandonment are as follows (according to the frequency with which they occur): familial incomes at limiting conditions; low educational level of parents; lack of minimal study conditions at home and the unemployment of one or both parents.

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The recouping of the data according to gender and area of residence reveals a series of important differences. Thus, as far as boys and girls are concerned, the frequency with which factors such as ”familial incomes at limiting conditions”, ”low educational level of parents” and ”lack of minimal study conditions at home” is much higher in the rural areas, whereas ”unemployment of one/both parents” is more frequent in the urban environment. At the same time, we acknowledge the fact that the first factor influences the female school population more frequently, the same conclusion being drawn with regards to the factors “lack of minimal study conditions at home” and “unemployment of one/both parents” which is rarer in the case of girls originating from the rural environment.

The adaptation difficulties to the educational culture are also a risk factor. Creating the feeling of affiliation to a social group, developing the group interaction/communicative competences, teamwork and inclusive educational approaches are at least some directions that the schools could take, such as to allow the student to find his/her place within the school, to feel praised and valued by the others. The pupils’ acquisitions in the field of self-discovery and the consolidation of the self esteem in relation to the school are at least as valuable as the cognitive acquisitions in any field of knowledge.

The socio-economical and occupational statusWith regards to the occupational status, only one third of the young adults aged between 18 and

24 who prematurely leave the mandatory schooling have managed an acceptable socio-professional integration, whereas the large majority are still unemployed, day labourers or work on the black labour market. None of them has so far managed to initiate a business on one’s own or to benefit from unemployment wages. The fact that the other age groups who have a low level of education share the same occupational status allows us to conclude that during the last 15 years the chances of labour market integration for the young adults aged between 18-24 who have a low level of education have indeed been very slim, as they hadn’t been able to subsequently acquire a significantly better occupational status. At this rate, we can claim that, in the last 15 years, the education and the initial professional development have played a crucial part in the successful socio-professional integration of the individual, since the lifelong learning programs didn’t seem to be able to help the people with a low level of education to make up for their educational handicap and consequently improve their chances of finding a better employment.

The Residential Environment In spite of the many policies and programs focused on the education from the rural areas or on the

rehabilitation of the instruction in these areas and which have been developed in the recent years, most of the young adults aged between 18-24 who prematurely leave their studies originate from rural areas. All this notwithstanding, almost a quarter of the young adults with a low level of education are residents in the urban areas, the highest rate being registered in small towns, with a population of 30,000 at the most.

The Initial Stage of SchoolingAlmost all the young adults included in the investigation declared never having attended

kindergarten. This phenomenon seems to be a symptomatic one for all those who have prematurely left their studies or who have never attended mandatory schooling. Furthermore, in the case of the people who have attended school a number of years, the age at which they started their schooling often exceeds 7, 8 or even 10. As a result, we can talk about a handicap as far as the initial stage of schooling is concerned. Many of those who have registered in the first grade at the age of 9, 10 or 11 confessed having undergone

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states of uneasiness and have been the target of their coleagues’ ironies, classmates who have the lawful or proper age for this schooling level.

Unstudied peopleIn addition to the people who have partially experienced the schooling stage, we also must take

into consideration the people who have never attended school. Many of those included in the latter category confess that they don’t remember the exact reason why their parents never registered them to school, blaming this situation on the fact that it was their parents’ responsibility. In special cases, lack of official identification is the main reason why the children couldn’t be registered. Irrespective of the individual cases, failing to register at school at the proper age goes hand in hand with difficulties within the familial environment. The economical reasons are very often associated with familial hardships, geographical movability, divorce, etc.

The parents’ level of educationThe young adults who leave school early tend to reproduce the socio-cultural and economical

pattern of their families. In most of the cases, the families live in pauperism, the data of the enquiries suggesting a reduced economical mobility in the case of people who have a low level of education; their odds of acquiring a higher economical status are very few. Moreover, 59% of the young adults with a low level of education (apprentice school or lower than that) originate from families with many children (5-6 members or more) and have parents with a low educational level. However, we must notice that almost 8% of those who leave school early originate from families where at least one of the parents has got a high level of education (University or post-highschool studies). These data confirm that some young adults who leave school before attaining a qualification can also come from families with a high educational level, the causes being of another nature, most likely.

ConclusionsIn the absence of a lifelong learning system, the underprivileged social categories have relatively

few chances of developing the necessary competences in order to survive in an everchanging society. The data provided by the enquiry reveals that there is a high level of determination between the initial investment in education and the level of proficiency as far as the literacy and informational skills are concerned. Thus, 46% of the young adults aged between 18 and 24 who have prematurely left the educational system declared naver having read anything, while 34% of them confessed havig read only occasionally. The differences in reading habits definitely do not favour those with poor literacy skills, irrespective of their age. For all the age groups that we have studied, their civic involvement – through their adhesion to an NGO or another association – is at a very low level, only 9,2% of the entire study group being included in the activities developed by such organizations. 83%of the young adults who have a low level of education confess not knowing/speaking any foreign language.

The differences between them and the youth who is still at school or who has a high level of education is a significant one, the gap is over 60 p.p. in favour of the more educated young adults. In relation to the age groups that have been taken into consideration, there are no significant differences within the ranks of the young adults with a low educational level. At the same time, the young adults aged between 18 and 24 who are still at school tend to be far more proficient when it comes to using foreign languages, compared to the earlier generations with the same educational background/profile. The entrepreneurial spirit is very poorly developed in the case of the Young adults with a low educational

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level. The percentage of the young adults who consider starting a business in the near future is twice as big compared to the young adults who have prematurely abandoned their studies. The same pattern is noticed in the case of the generations who are 5-10 years older. If we add up to all this the fact that many of the young teenagers or adults who prematurely quit their studies end up having a low economical status, a possible explanation for their lack of interest in a business could be the limited financial resources at their disposal, should they wish to make any economical investments.

For most of the adults aged between 18-24 who prematurely leave their schooling, “luck” seems to be the most important success factors, their percentage being way higher compared to the young adults who pursue their studies. Significant statistical differences can also be noticed for other factors such as “education” and “intellect”. Therefore, if 17% of the young people who continue their education believe that schooling is their key to success, those who leave their schooling too early obviously value it less, only 5% of them cosidering that “education” or “intellect” can ensure their success.

Information and obstacles with regards to the participation to educationMost of the young adults display a limited interest with regards to their participation to

professional development opportunities (43%). Their main sources of information are the local CAWFO (22%), the media (19%), the Internet (16%) and the work colleagues (16%).

Those who live in rural areas are far less interested in attaining information on professional development courses (below 53%); only 12% of the people who work in the countryside use the media as their source, compared to 28% of those who work in the urban areas; the same situation is valid for the use of Internet as a source of information (7 and 28%, respectively).

We believe that the main barriers which hinder the participation to development courses are: the difficulty in covering the expenses necessary to pursue the classes (transport, accomodation, protocol – 31%) the registration fee (29%), the difficult access to information regarding the educational opportunities (28%) and the distance between the place of abode and the place where the course is held (14%).

Reference values of the young generationFor the young adults aged between 18-24 who prematurely leave the educational system “luck”

seems to be the most important ingredient to success, their percentage being way higher compared with the young adults who pursue their studies. Significant statistical differences can also be noticed for other factors such as “education” and “intellect”. Therefore, if 17% of the young people who continue their education believe that schooling is their key to success, those who leave their schooling too early obviously value it less, only 5% of them cosidering that “education” or “intellect” can ensure their success.

II. Features of formal and non-formal educational systems in Romania – types of programs destined to the education of adults and good practices in applying the various types of educational and social methodologies;

Law nr. 116/2002 concerning the prevention and the control of social marginalization stipulates for the financial support for the people who have schooling age and who come from families that live in limiting conditions and have got 2 or more children registered in the mandatory education, through the

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assignment of scholarships (art.19, al. 1-4); according to this law, the Ministry of Education has the duty to develop and put to practice the territorial adult literacy programs (art. 20, al. 1), as well as to ensure free access to summer camps for the pupils who benefit from these scholarships, who pursue their studies and who have attained very good results at school.

National Education Act 1/2011 guarantees the right to a differentiated education, based on educational pluralism, in accordance with the individual age characteristics (art.21, al.3) as well as the development of educational programs such as „A Second Chance”, in view of promoting the primary learning to the people who are at least 4 years older than the lawful age for registration in any of the grades included in the mandatory learning and who, for various reasons, have never managed to complete their education by the age of 14 (art.29, al.4);

The „A Second Chance” (ASC) are developed with the purpose of offering an opportunity to finalize the mandatory learning or to acquire a professional qualification for the people who have surpassed the legal age for the registration in the mandatory education by 4 years at least and who haven’t managed to finish their education.

The purpose of the „A Second Chance – Primary Learning” program is to support the children/young adults/teenagers to recover the primary learning, and it’s open to all those who haven’t finalized their primary studies and who have surpassed the legal registration age (Article: 1 Annex: 1 to OMECTS nr. 5248/31.08.2011). There are two categories of people who can benefit from this type of educational services: those who have never attended any grade included in the primary learning and those who left the primary education, having surpassed the legal registration age in the primary learning. The necessary number of pupils (barring special situations, cases in which the number of students can be larger/smaller) for setting up such a class is at least 12 students or 20 at the most (art. 2, alin. 2). The „A Second Chance – Secondary Education” is aimed at helping the people aged over 14 and who haven’t graduated this level so as to complete and round up their basic education within the frame of mandatory learning, as well as their preparation for the attainment of a professional certification in a certain domain of activity (art. 1, Annex 3 to OMECTS nr.5248/31.08.2011). The classes can be set up with at least 8 pupils or 15 at the most, barring special situations in which changes to the number of students are needed (art. 4, alin.1).

Since 2005, the program is officially developed and financed by the MEYR (MEYR Act nr. 5160/ 6.10.2005) and is structured on two levels: A Second Chance Primary Learning and A Second Chance Lower Secondary Education – the latter having included a professional development component. There is no superior age limit for those who wish to register in this program. The only condition is that one must have surpassed the legal age for the registration in the mandatory, mass educational system.

Thus, those who wish to register in the A Second Chance – Primary Education program can become students if they have surpassed the legal registration age by at least four years and are in one of the following situations:

have never taken part in the formal education – schooling; have been registered but have abandoned their studies – irrespective of the reasons or

time; haven’t graduated the primary education by the age of 14.

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As far as the A Second Chance – Lower Secondary Education is concerned, an application can be solicited by the people aged over 14, who have surpassed by at least 2 years the registration age of the level they wish to attend, and are currently in one of the following situations:

have graduated mandatory primary learning (including the A Second Chance system) but have not managed to pursue their studies;

or: have partially attended the secondary education (5th, 6th, or 7th grade), but have

abandoned the school during that time – irrespective of the time or the reason of their abandonment.

In order to accurately establish the level of knowledge and competence of the attendees and consequently identify their educational needs, their registration is followed by individual interviews.

Their purpose is to establish the previous acquisitions of the student and afterwards to elaborate an individualized program for their preparation.

The language in which the classes are taught is Romanian, but they can also be organized in the languages of the ethnic minorities, if there are requests on this line.

Once the courses corresponding to the primary and lower secondary education are finished, the students will receive a Certificate of Graduation and a Personal Portfolio for Lifelong Learning (for the attendees who graduate the professional development module as well). Furthermore, if the students who participate in the A Second Chance – Lower Secondary Education have passed the professional skills certification exam, they receive a Certificate of Professional Qualification, Level 1. During the program, the attendees will receive a certificate for each module they graduate. To enter the A Second Chance – lower secondary education, it is important to graduate the previous level of education, based on a number of accumulated credits. The entire program is the equivalent of 60 de credits, half of which are for the basic education while the other 30 credits are for the professional development.

The classes can take place according to several timetabling options (weekdays, in the afternoons, evening classes, on Saturdays or during the holidays, etc.) depending on the possibilities of the students and of the teaching staff. The duration of this program depends on the previous acquisitions of the attendees and the number of modules they must cover. Moreover, owing to the organization of the program and the structure of the curriculum, each student can finalize the primary and the lower secondary education, respectively at his/her own pace (e.g. two years of study instead of four), depending on his/her ability to promote the modules and on the individual progress.

For this purpose, the study disciplines are grouped in mandatory and optional modules, such as they are established by the national curriculum – out of which the A Second Chance curriculum has derived. The contents of the lessons are based on the interests and the age characteristics of the attendees, have an immediate practical applicability, we use examples from daily and real life situations. The utilized teaching methods are those accepted in the case of adult education.

In order to promote the main principles of inter/transdisciplinary curriculum, teaching the natural sciences (within the A Second Chance – Lower Secondary Education program), as well as the History-Geography (within the A Second Chance – Primary Education program) is made in an integrated manner. In this case the activities can be administered by the teachers of either discipline.

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As a matter of fact, teaching all the disciplines from the A Second Chance curriculum is based on specific educational materials, which include the Student’s Guide, the Teacher’s Guide and the Evaluation Kit.

Also, due to the fact that most of the attendees come from underprivileged backgrounds, and some of them even face personal/familial hardships, their counseling is a top priority within the program. Teachers who work in this program undergo professional development coaching, in view of acquiring new teaching and evaluation techniques, as well as counseling techniques and adult education methods.

In 2007, the A Second Chance Program was being developed in 216 schools from 27 Romanian counties.

The main objective of this program is the control of school abandonment, and the M.E.Y.R., by means of its own educational policy, strives to extend this program at the level of the entire country.

Within the framework of the same Phare projects, we have developed Remedial Educational Programs for the pupils included in the mandatory education, who come from extremely poor communities and who faced learning difficulties and had very poor results at school.

In pilot-schools, a variable number of remedial educational activities were organized on a weekly basis, (depending on the difficulties of the pupils, the teachers decided upon the necessary number of classes/ week), through which the pupils were encouraged to acquire the basic skills – reading, writing, Maths. The activities were actually a repeat of the classroom lessons, organized for a small number of pupils and aimed at developing the social competences of the underprivileged children.

The remedial educational programs are currently developed in 19 Romanian counties, in 8 pilot-schools at the most, which are situated in the underprivileged communities of every county. Over 9,000 students are included in these remedial programs which are encompassed in the mandatory learning of the 19 counties.

This kind of complementary educational program han’t been adopted by the Ministry of Education so far, and lacks an approved methodology of work and organization.

Implementing this kind of alternative educational programs is an objective of the educational policies in many European countries, which thus try to control the social phenomena linked to lack of participation to the education and to the school abandonment, by facilitating the access to education and providing the opportunity for lifelong learning, in order to benefit from a better social insertion.

The Viability of the Montessori Pedagogy as an Educational Alternative The theoretical and practical values of this kind of pedagogy are asserted and acknowledged in

socio-historical contexts, in various and diverse cultural spaces, as they promote and put to practice the education which takes into account the human essence and effectively helps improving the life standards.

The Evolution of the Montessori Pedagogy Implementation in Romania The Montessorian movement in Romania closely follows and is included in the international

evolution of the Montessorian movement. Presentations of this evolution can be found in the Introductory Study and the Discovery of the Child, by Maria Montessori, coordinated and translated by Ilie Şulea Firu, (Didactic and Pedagogical Publishing House 1977), in Ioana Herseni’s doctoral dissertation The Montessorianism in Romania and in her article Landmarks of Montessorianism in Romania from the UPG newsletter, in the Educational Sciences series, no.1/2007. We hereinafter attach a parallel presentation of the previous evolution.

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The Montessori Pedagogy in Romania In the 1913-1930 time lapse several Romanian educators attend the international Montessori

educational classes and carry out a theoretical and practical demonstration of this pedagogy (i.e. Isabela Sadoveanu).

In 1931 Ilie Şulea attends the international classes presided by Maria Montessori in Rome and becomes her family friend, keeping a constant written correspondence. In 1932 Maria Montessori names Ilie Şulea her personal representative in Romania, while in 1933 the Montessori Association in Romania is founded, led by honorary president Nicolae Titulescu, executive president C. Rădulescu-Motru, and Ilie Şulea as a secretary (editor-in-chief for the Romanian edition of the “Child” magazine).

In the 1933-1948 time lapse the Montessori Pedagogy is being applied and there is an active montessorian movement throughout our country. In 1970 the Romanian pedagogues celebrate 100 years since Maria Montessori’s birth, by publishing articles in various magazines, whereas in 1977 “The Discovery of the Child” is published by the Didactic and Pedagogical Publishing House, in Ilie Şulea Firu’s translation.

In 1990 the Montessori Association in Romania (MAR) is re-founded, and, owing to its president’s prestige (Ilie Şulea Firu), it is regimented in the Montessori International Association.

During the years 1990-2000 the Montessorians visit Romania, scholarships are granted and also didactic materials necessary for the setting up of Montessori study groups, anniversary symposions are organized, numerous conferences and seminaries are being held in order to present and apply this pedagogy and between 1991 and 2006, the Educational Sciences Institute develops projects in conjunction with the Monstessori Association in Romania, in order to promote this pedagogy.

The last decade knew a palpable effervescence of this movement, which encouraged the extention of the Montessori system and all it stands for: the formation of the educators, the creation and use of necessary teaching material, inter/national co-operation and solidarity with the international efforts, increasing the level of educational quality and creating the specific tools for the evaluation of the progress, research and scientific program instrumentation of understanding and applying the method, participating in the efforts for the reformation of the school and the traditions regarding the child and the education, openly assuming the furtherance of the rights of the child. Romania has subscribed to all these efforts.

During 2000–2006 the Educational Sciences Institute has continued to promote educational alternatives through the implementation of the Jena Plan and the Montessori Pedagogy.

Within the „Introducing the Montessori Pedagogy in the Pre-School Education” project various kinds of activities have been developed with the purpose of informing the public, unifying and coordinating the pedagogical initiatives, perfecting the teaching staff, correctly applying and researching this alternative. All these activities have been developed in conjunction with various institutions, such as:

- the school inspectorates (the promotion of the pedagogy and the founding/evaluation of study groups);

- Teaching Staff Developent Institutions (dissemination/organization of professional development);

- NGOs (collaboration and sponsorship for the educational initiatives and projects).

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Upon the request and sponsorhip of the “Bal Jagat Children of the World Foundation” in September 2000, we have managed to set up and certify a Montessori group at the foster home nr.5, „St. Basil”, which is in Sector 4 Bucharest, and which now functions as a Community Service Center for the children in difficulty and those who come from families with social hardships. The group, which currently activates under the initial name of „Montessori Home”, under the guidance of an IMA certified educator, had and still has as a main purpose the education of the children in difficulty through the use of the Montessori methods. The beneficial results for the children (aged between 2&5) and their families have confirmed the value of this pedagogy and constitute the reason why this group has had a constant activity and many requests for registration. With the collaboration of the same foundation we have organized informational classes with regards to the particularities of the young children’s development and the Montessori pedagogy for all the personnel of the Centre, but also a course for the formation of the Montessori nurses, presided by an IMA certified educator.

The Montessori method has also been put to practice for the recuperation of the children with psycho-motric disabilities admitted in the Hospital nr.3 in Sibiu, with very encouraging outcomes, performed by a Montessori governess, who elaborated an extremely well-documented thesis for the attainment of the 1st Instructional Degree, the main topic being a comparative analysis of the teaching of Mathematics with the help of the Montessori method.

Unfortunately (due to the personal reasons of the governesses, who had to change their workplace), out of the five Montessori groups active in the public system in Turnu Severin in the year 2000 – organized by the Mehedinţi School Inspectorate with the financial support from American NGOs and carried on by the Association for Pedagogical Alternatives – there are only 2 groups left at present, but with very good results and a good reputation at the level of the local community. The local Montessori governesses have been the ones who took part in the national conferences organized by the M.E.Y.R. and the CNAE and have made practical demonstrations, collaborating with several school inspectorates, in order to inform the inspectors responsible for the educational alternatives at national level.

In the second half of this decade, starting with 2007, the Montessori Kinderhaus Asociation has founded a private institution in Timişoara, based on the Montessori pedagogy, which is skilled and well-equipped and which started with a kindergarten (now having 4 groups) and continued with two primary-school classes, one for the children aged between 6-9 and the other for those aged between 9-12. There is also an extremely well prepared and professional teaching staff, made up of 6 teachers who already posess Montessori certificates and other 6 included in the formation process. The Asociation organized some presentations of the Montessori method, has edited promotional advertising materials and has participated at the national activities for the promotion of this method in Romania. Mainly by their own means, with specialized national/international counseling, they managed to put together a Ministry-approved national curriculum for the Montessori pedagogy, from which other 2 private Montessori schools in Bucharest will benefit, founded by NGOs in Bucharest and which are currently in course of certification. Other private schools which intend to put to practice the Montessori pedagogy are being prepared in Arad, Braşov, Ilfov and other counties; they are in search of teachers qualified in the application of this method, and will fit in very well with the current Romanian educational system, having in mind the Montessori curriculum.

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We can notice, therefore, that the Montessori educational alternative has, on the whole, extended and diversified its area of activity in the national educational system, both horizontally and vertically, has become popular with the parents and the large masses of the private and public sector, managing to find the necessary resources for the development and procurement of the learning material.

However, this educational alternative has never been used or applied in the domain of the adult education in Romania.

By Way of ConclusionAnalysing the current situation within the context of the objectives established at European level,

we have identified “ensuring the access to education for all people” and “improving the quality of education” as main strategic priorities in the Romanian educational system for the year 2010.

The foreground domains that would help us attain this strategic objective are as follows:- Access to education for underprivileged groups, adults/teenagers in difficulty or vulnerable

situations. All these domains will constitute solid arguments for the development of educational policies that would help us elaborate and implement alternative educational programs for all the mandatory schooling levels.

The methodology of investigation of the link between the lack of social competences and the level of participation of the adult target-groups to the formal educational programs

The role of the social and personal competences in the participation of the adult target-groups to the formal educational programs

The term „competences” refers to a set of skills, knowledge, aptitudes and attitudes, and also includes the readiness to learn. Thus, we can state that competences are a transmittable and multifunctional set of knowledge, skills (abilities) and attitudes that all the individuals must have for their personal fulfillment and development. These habits must be developed by the time people graduate the mandatory education, and must act as a basis for the motivation to pursue learning, as an important part of the lifelong learning process.

In other words „competence” refers to the acquisition of a certain „degree of skill integration and the development of bigger social objectives that each individual needs”.

The key-competences encompass three aspects of life:a)personal fulfillment and lifelong devlopment (cultural capital): the key-competences must give

the possibility to the people to pursue their individual goals in life, driven by personal needs, aspirations and their will to continue lifelong learning;

b) active citizenship and inclusion (social capital): the key-competences must allow the individuals to be active participants in the society where they live;

c)employment(human capital): the ability of each person to obtain a decent employment on the labour market.

These competences must be adapted to the social, linguistic and cultural frameworks.

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The above mentioned competences mostly refer to social competences which are conditioned by all the school subjects: co-operation, problem-solving, civic participation/ involvement, communication, social mobility irrespective of the conditions, identification of one’s part in society. Practically, social skills reflect one’s capacity to communicate, establish social rapport and use social rules so as to maintain a good relationship with society.

The social competences are included on the list of key-competences identified by the European official documents, taken on board by Romania as being necessary to the constructive participation of the individual in the social life and on the labour market, thus offering support for diversity and social cohesion.

Social competences are very important, owing to the effect that they have on relationships, health, happiness and work efficiency, and mental health respectively.

General overview of the conditions of adult education with reference to the target-groupsThe access to education, defined as opportunity to use the right to learn, represents, along with

the access to adequate health services, food and accomondation, an instrument capable of facilitating or restricting the social insertion, to increase or decrease the odds of success for the young generation.

In this context, a special attention is granted to a wider access and a a greater equity with regards to the participation, the treatment and the evaluation of results in the education of the underpriviledged adults.

Thus, in accordance with Law nr. 107/2004 which modifies and completes Law nr. 76/2002 regarding unemployment insurance and stimulation of the labour market occupation, professional development opportunities are provided to the underpriviledged target-groups.

The main underpriviledged social groups who benefit from public support for their professional development are:

- people who have been unemployed for a long time, unemployed people over 45;- women, mostly victims of domestic violence; - young people in search of a job; - representatives of the Roma ethnic group; - disabed people; - sole bread-winners of the single-parent families; - people who activate in rural areas, without a fixed monthly income, or earn less than the average

unemplyment wage; - people who have recommenced their activity, pursuant to the recovery of their work capacity,

after having been on an invalidity retirement period; - convicts who have 9 months or less until the end of their detention.

Programs and measures taken by MEYR that have as consequence the development and the co-option of the Roma human resource in education and society:1. Human resources involved in the organization and functioning of the educational system:

- The existence of 2 representatives for the issues of the Roma population at the level of the educational system within the MEYR – DGILMRP;

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- The existence of inspectors for the schooling problems of the Roma people within the structure of the local county school inspectorates (since 1999 and up to the present);- The formation and employment of 60 Roma methodist teachers for the schooling issues of the Roma pupils;- The formation of over 600 Roma school mediators (though the PHARE project of MEYR – DGILMRP for underpriviledged categories, or through partnerships between DGILMRP and NAR);- The annual founding of 420-490 teaching posts for the language and the history of the Roma people, offered to the Roma teachers who want to teach these subjects at school.

2. Initial and continuous professional development of the Roma teachers:- Initial professional development of 40 teachers of the Romani language;- Professional formation of 60 educational tutors to teach the methodology of the Romani language and the history of the Roma people;- Professional formation of 60 Roma history teachers;- Professional formation of 260 Romani language teachers;- Professional formation of 42 Roma school inspectors;- Professional formation of 42 regional formative teachers (Rromanipen educational);- Professional formation of 66 Roma school mediators;- Professional formation of 62 formative teachers for the project „a second chance”;- Professional formation of 117 Roma school mediators, in addition to the Phare program.

3. The continuous professional formation of non-Roma teachers who work with Roma children and students, from a Rromanipen educational perspective (set of Roma values, with an educational impact) The PHARE educational mega-project of the MEYR:

- Enclosing Roma school mediators formed at the different stages of the mega-program; - Developing the Roma and non-Roma teaching staff that works with the Roma children, alongside with Roma and non-Roma school inspectors;- Providing remedial classes for the Roma community and for the other children, young and adults included in the program;- Organizing „schools for Roma mothers” in the Roma communities which are near the schools included in the program;- Continuing the „Annual National Program for Development of the Teaching Staff who Works with Roma Children”, initiated by the MEYR in conjunction with the „Save the Children!” Organization; the preparation of the Rromanipen educational formative teachers, in partnership and with the financial support of UNICEF Romania, the Regional ERP Bureau (Ethnic Relationchip Project – USA) and the „Romani CRISS” NGO.

All the Roma educational activities that have demonstrated their usefulness and efficiency have subsequently been introduced in the Gouvernmental strategy regarding the improvement of the Roma status (adopted by G.D. 430/2001 and G.D. 522/2006).

Extensive measures can also be found in the Geneal Measures Plan, elaborated during the Roma Inclusion Decade, specific programs being inititated/developed by many public authorities (MMFES, MEYR, CAWFO, RNA), civil society or external sponsors (E.U., the Roma Education Fund, World Bank etc.), programs aimed at encouraging the participation to EFP.

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Grid 1. Numărul populaţiei aparţinând grupurilor dezavantajate pe piaţa muncii, care a participat la programe de formare organizate de ANOFM

In Romania, we have identified the negative effects of the lack of social competences , which generate the failure of the social inclusion, in the sense that it significantly reduces the self-fulfillment of the individual in legal employment.

Bearig in mind the stastistical data, we must acknowledge the strong link between the number of people involved in the educational process and the unemployment rate.

Grid 2. The degree of schooling and the unemployment rate for the years 1998-2008 Sursa datelor statistice:Institutul Naţional de Statistică

We can conclude that poverty is the most widely-diffused cause of the schooling defficiencies. This cause has other effects as well, such as: involvement in illegal activities, or in activities that are at the limiting edge of the law.

Lack of educational/professional development will decrease their chances on the labour market and will increase the risk of social exclusion, and the effect in the long run will be the landing under the poverty threshold (pauperism), thus allowing poverty to be passed on from one generation to the next.

To prevent such problems from occurring, the State provides a series of social programs aimed at maintaining pupils in educational institutions. One such program is ”A Second Chance” – organised and implemented in order to control the phenomenon of school leaving for the people who exceeded the schooling age, without having managed to graduate the mandatory education.

This program, initially developed with the help of PHARE financial support, entitled: „Access to education for the underpriviledged groups” (2001-2007) is currently extended at national level.

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The main objective is to reduce the phenomena linked to the lack of attendance to the education and school leaving, thus facilitating the access to education and lifelong learning.

The purpose of the program is to support the young and adults over the age of 14, who have left the mandatory schooling from social considerations, through the completion of their basic education as well as through their professional development corresponding to the 1/2 qualification levels.

In the 2009/10 school year, the program was implemented in 267 schools, 290 primary classes, for a total number of 3,527 attendees, and in 342 upper secondary classes, for a total number of 4,802 attendees.

The “A Second Chance” program is an initiative of the MEYR, a public institution which tackles many of the problems of the underpriviledged groups, especially the people who have difficulties in finalizing the mandatory education.

In Romania, the only forms of educational alternative for the young and adults who haven’t finished mandatory schooling are the pilot-schools throughout the country, which play a key part in the process of alphabetization, development and social inclusion.

Teaching/ learning social competencesEvery occupational standard includes a set of social and professional competences, absolutely

necessary for the successful development of the work activities and task completion The social competences are a condition for the selection, the signing-up, the attendance and the successful finalisation of a professional development class. The professional competences cannot be acquired without the social ones.

In view of attaining the best results possible, the individuals need specific competences in domains, such as Maths, alphabetization and independent living.

Nonethelss, competences in these areas will not guarantee successful outcomes in the absence of adequate social skills. The social aptitudes are the basis of the social competency. Gresham, Sugai, and Horner (2001) have identified 5 dimensions of social skills:

(a) relational abilities;(b) self mangement abilities; (c) academic abilities;(d) conformation abilities;(e) affirmation abilities. They defined social competency as "the extent to which the individuals are capable of

establishing and maintaining satisfactory interpersonal relationships, establishing and maintaining friendships and contracting out of negative/harmful interpersonal relationships".

Thus, well-developed social competences can help the disabled people to establish durable and positive relationships of equality, successfully explore various roles, such as an employee and/or member of the community.

Social skills can also support a positive relationship of the able-bodied adults with their families and colleagues. Parul, Jager, & Garrett (2002) note that the teenagers with strong social skills, especially in the field of conflict management, emotional shyness and demonstrate pro-social behavior are more

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susceptible of being accepted by their peers, developing durable friendships, maintaing good rapport with their parents/colleagues, showing interest for school/learning.

A defficiency in social skills is a key-criterion in defining many disabilities which prevent the scholarly progress, such as learning difficulties, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (AHDH), mental retard and emotional turmoil.

When the social competences are absent, the educators cannot fully engage their students in a variety of experiences, especially those which imply co-operative learning.

In the community life, an adequate social behaviour can be even more important than the professional ability. For instance, Holmes & Fillary (2000) have investigated the possibility that the adults with slight intellectual disabilities could correspondingly maintain a “conversation” with their colleagues, which is a part of the workplace interaction. They have concluded that the disabled adults who demonstrate a certain mastery of these skills are generally perceived in a positive way, irrespective of their task achievement qualifications (Holmes & Fillary, p. 274).

Whoever tried to improve the social competences of the others, knows how much of a challenge this proves to be. There are many problems that interfere with the efficiency of the interventions: opposing behavior/antagonism, behavioural issues, negative influence of peers, substance abuse, family hardships, limited cognitive skills (Hansen, Nangle, & Meyer, 1998).

Everybody wishes to improve their social competeneces, in order to avoid the negative consequences of the inadequate social skills, such as loneliness, loss of employment, embarrassment at school or at the workplace, and to enjoy the benefits of having good social skills, among which we can mention friendship, acceptance, good relationships at work or at school.

The social skills necessary to the young people who are at the age of transitions are the ones needed at school, at work and in the community (Grid 7).

To conclude, social competences are vital for a successful integration of the people who belong to the various underpriviledged social categories. Learning through cooperation, participating in social/emotional development programs should encourage the acquisition of these competences.

Furthermore, a positive learning atmosphere favours social learning by providing an environment in which all the participants are equally respected and appreciated.

Study on the manner of organization of the lifelong learning activities of the adults from vulnerable groups

Without exception, every European country provides at least some opportinities for the early school leavers, without any lower or upper secondary school qualifications, and who later wish to complete or improve their level of education. However, throughout Europe, the “a second chance“ type of programs follow different organizational patterns.

At present, in all the UE states, the primary and the lower secondary school levels are mandatory educational stages. However, almost 23 million adults in Europe have abandoned school before the completion of the lower secondary education. There are various reasons for this fact, and they include

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political changes throughout history and migratory flux. In many of the countries, the incompletion of the education affects mainly the groups of people that are the hardest to integrate, such as the Roma population in the Central and Eastern Europe.

In the majority of the European states, a certificate/qualification marks the completion of the mandatory lower/upper secondary education. Although this certificate isn’t generally sufficient to guarantee a successful integration on the labour market, it is a necessary condition towards the access to superior formal studies. This applies not only to young pupils, but also to adult attendees of the courses.

In other words, those who haven’t completed their lower secondary education are often incapable of progress towards the thorough study of the upper secondary level of formal schooling. As noticeable in Diagram 1, this fact can be encountered in almost 20 European states, including Romania.

The completion of the upper secondary education is generally regarded as the minimal requirement for the access on the labour market and a durable professional insertion.

Several European states, Romania included, have no program that could explicitely be included in the “upper secondary education for adults” category. Still, the upper secondary education, either general or professional, which can be finalized through a qualification, can be organized under the form of flexible arrangements, adapted to the needs of the adult attendees. Thus, in addition to the day classes, upper secondary education can be organized under the form of evening classes, reduced frequency classes, distance courses, or a combination of the above. In other words, although there is no explicit reference to “adult attendees”, it allows the educational institutes to provide upper secondary educational programs, under the form of various flexible arrangements. These programs are dedicated to everyone who is above the age of the mandatory education and is eligible for the program.

The formal educational and professional development courses for adults who resume their abandoned studies are offered in accordance with various institutional agreements.

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National Research Report Italy - colegiultransporturiiasi.ro · Web viewShe wants to be the link between people and the world. ... Daniela Filipa Soares Brandão and José Ignacio