Page 242 - Šolsko polje, XXXI, 2020, št. 1-2: Bralna (ne)pismenost, ur. Klaudija Šterman Ivančič
P. 242
šolsko polje, letnik xxxi, številka 1–2
(EASIE, 2018) to still have completely separated schools for just over 2%
of students with special needs. Despite the fact that both types comprise
the same educational system, which is, in most aspects, regulated by the
same law, some groups of students with special needs do not have the pos
sibility of schooling under the same roof. However, this is only a part of
the topic we are going to discuss. The other one tackles the question of eq
uity of schooling in regular schools – besides all other students, this most
ly concerns those with special needs, those with mild intellectual abilities,
Roma students as well as those with low socio-economic standards (SES).
The equity of the Slovenian school system will be discussed in a wider con
text, not only in the case of gender, SES and nationality comparing learn
ing achievements. The article is based on the assumption that the regular
school of today is not adjusted to the developmental needs of most stu
dents. For the purpose of discussion, elements which comprise the school
system, must be defined: some are either of systemic or curricular, or con
ceptual or pedagogic nature, such as: curriculum, standards of knowl
edge, different forms of internal and external assessment, placement of
children with special needs etc. Despite all of these elements compromis
ing to make a stable schooling system, they are not all coherent with the
needs of today’s modern society and are, even more so, in contrast with the
results of the neuro-science in education. Another category of equal op
portunities within the question of school equity would, besides the SES,
nationality and ethnicity, have to be that of different capabilities of stu
dents, regarding the unified (official) standards of knowledge. All of these
elements also make it difficult for today’s school to become a school of di
versity. A school which will support different students, regardless of their
learning achievements, SES and other characteristics. A school where all
the students could be successfully educated, those who are already in the
regular schools as well as those who are still part of the segregated forms
of education. The article will depict why the present school system is no
longer suitable for the majority of students and will point to possible solu
tions. The key solution touches on the changes of curriculums and the
concept of assessment, the changes of which also have an impact on all the
other elements. The assumptions will be clarified by studying the connec
tion of stated elements and data of the international studies such as the
TIMSS and PISA study from 2018 and earlier as well as using other actu
al Slovenian studies.
Key words: equity in education, children with special needs, curriculum,
minimum standards of knowledge, assessments, learning achievements,
cognitive science
240
(EASIE, 2018) to still have completely separated schools for just over 2%
of students with special needs. Despite the fact that both types comprise
the same educational system, which is, in most aspects, regulated by the
same law, some groups of students with special needs do not have the pos
sibility of schooling under the same roof. However, this is only a part of
the topic we are going to discuss. The other one tackles the question of eq
uity of schooling in regular schools – besides all other students, this most
ly concerns those with special needs, those with mild intellectual abilities,
Roma students as well as those with low socio-economic standards (SES).
The equity of the Slovenian school system will be discussed in a wider con
text, not only in the case of gender, SES and nationality comparing learn
ing achievements. The article is based on the assumption that the regular
school of today is not adjusted to the developmental needs of most stu
dents. For the purpose of discussion, elements which comprise the school
system, must be defined: some are either of systemic or curricular, or con
ceptual or pedagogic nature, such as: curriculum, standards of knowl
edge, different forms of internal and external assessment, placement of
children with special needs etc. Despite all of these elements compromis
ing to make a stable schooling system, they are not all coherent with the
needs of today’s modern society and are, even more so, in contrast with the
results of the neuro-science in education. Another category of equal op
portunities within the question of school equity would, besides the SES,
nationality and ethnicity, have to be that of different capabilities of stu
dents, regarding the unified (official) standards of knowledge. All of these
elements also make it difficult for today’s school to become a school of di
versity. A school which will support different students, regardless of their
learning achievements, SES and other characteristics. A school where all
the students could be successfully educated, those who are already in the
regular schools as well as those who are still part of the segregated forms
of education. The article will depict why the present school system is no
longer suitable for the majority of students and will point to possible solu
tions. The key solution touches on the changes of curriculums and the
concept of assessment, the changes of which also have an impact on all the
other elements. The assumptions will be clarified by studying the connec
tion of stated elements and data of the international studies such as the
TIMSS and PISA study from 2018 and earlier as well as using other actu
al Slovenian studies.
Key words: equity in education, children with special needs, curriculum,
minimum standards of knowledge, assessments, learning achievements,
cognitive science
240
