Collaboration with teachers for development of literacy program for pupils with an intellectual disability

Purpose and goal

The aim of the project was to create opportunities for collaboration between teachers in special school and researchers around questions on students’ reading- and writing development in primary school. The goal was to develop a teaching material for reading and writing development. In this project the researcher´s auscultations followed up by reflective discussions between researchers and teachers proved to be successful. A base for a material exists and discussions between the researcher and colleagues about the potential of building on the outcomes of the project are ongoing.

Expected results and effects

The project has resulted in the production of teaching materials, within the text type saga and subject text. The materials are created based on the specific student group´s need for multimodal representation and variation in learning methods. The discussions between researcher and teachers over 18 months have given the researcher insights into the challenges that students and teachers are facing, and the teachers have been challenged in their teaching and planning. We see this as an important effect.

Planned approach and implementation

The project has involved contact between the researcher and the school once a week, January 2017 to June 2018. The researcher has auscultated in the classroom, documented teaching and materials, conducted reflective discussions with teachers and special educators before and after the teaching session and interviewed the teachers. As regards the collaboration between the researchers in the two interconnected projects, plans have been discussed before meetings with the teachers in the respective schools and documentation has been exchanged.